Crossbows have a shorter default arc range than a standard bow, sometimes requiring the wielder to aim higher.This can be avoided if the Dragonborn keeps moving and bashes with the crossbow. The Dragonborn may be briefly vulnerable to melee attack during reload, since reloading cannot be cancelled and it is impossible to run.In comparison, the weight of bows range from 5 to 20. Crossbows are heavy to carry, with their weight ranging from 14 for a standard Crossbow to 21 for an Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow.

Crossbows reload slower than it takes to knock and draw bows.

These bolts cannot be purchased if the Dragonborn later sides with the Volkihar Clan.

After the Dragonborn joins the Dawnguard, 400 bolts, of which slightly more than 80% are steel bolts, can be inexpensively purchased per trip to Fort Dawnguard at any time.

Faster recovery after falling, unlike normal bows which must be nocked and drawn again.

This is because crossbows do not need to be manually drawn.

By the time a kill camera is finished, the crossbow will have already reloaded itself ready to fire.

If combined with the Extra Effect perk, it is possible to have up to three effects at once.

Enhanced crossbows can still be enchanted.

Those that do not benefit from smithing perks cannot be upgraded past 'Flawless' quality without a potion or enchantment that improves smithing. Furthermore, all crossbows benefit from either Steel or Dwarven smithing perks, whereas not all bows benefit from smithing perks.

There are only four types of crossbow but all of them can be forged, whereas many bows cannot be forged.

In comparison, followers do not actually use any arrows from their inventory to shoot with a bow. They will stop using a crossbow when all the bolts are gone. Additionally, they must have at least one bolt in their inventory to use a crossbow, and they will use one bolt per shot.

Some followers may attempt to fire a crossbow but never be able to shoot a single bolt.

Crossbows can be given to followers, and there is a chance that the follower will prefer to use them instead of bows.

Bashing with a crossbow will cause a greater stagger chance than standard bows, as well as dealing more damage than bashing with a standard bow.

The Enhanced variety ignores 50% of enemy armor.If combined with the Power Shot perk, it will stagger 75% of the time. Crossbows have a built-in 50% chance to stagger opponents.Zooming in and slowing down time can be done with crossbows by pressing the corresponding button, provided the relevant perks are selected.Crossbows can help the Dragonborn raise their Archery level much faster than most bows.By comparison, the Dwemer Bow starts at only 270. The Dwemer versions are significantly more valuable, with the standard Dwemer version having a base value of 350, and the Enhanced Dwemer version starts at 550.

Crossbows have a higher base value than most bows, with the standard crossbow having a base value of 120, and with the standard Enhanced version beginning at 200.Crossbows are more powerful than most bows, with the most basic crossbow having the same base damage as a Daedric Bow.Ammunition varieties also include exploding bolts in each of the 3 elements (fire, ice, and lightning).Crossbows fire projectiles at a higher velocity than most bows, making them better for hitting moving targets.A readied crossbow does not affect walking speed unless the crossbow is raised and kept in its firing mode without letting the bolt go, whereas a readied, fully drawn bow slows down the wielder.Crossbows are ready to shoot as soon as a bolt has been loaded, and will stay ready to shoot, whereas all bows have to be manually drawn before shooting an arrow.They use different ammunition, projectiles are loaded instead of nocked, and they provide a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to the standard bow. Crossbows differ from bows in a number of ways.

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