Arbalest

Version 0.15: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Name	Arbalest
Skill	Crossbows
Damage	18
Accuracy	+2
Base delay (%)	19 (190%)
Min delay	10, skill req. varies
Hands	2H
Size	Medium
Ranged?	Yes

A large piece of machinery used for firing bolts, braced with steel and cranked with a windlass. It takes some time to load and fire. "(TELL enters with his crossbow) W. TELL: My precious jewel now, -my chiefest treasure- A mark I'll set thee, which the cry of grief Could never penetrate,-but thou shalt pierce it- And thou, my trusty bowstring, that so oft For sport hath served me faithfully and well Desert me not in this dread hour of need,- Only be true this once, my own good cord, That hast so often wing'd the biting shaft:- For shouldst thou fly successless from my hand, I have no second to send after thee." -Friedrich Schiller, _Wilhelm Tell_, IV, iii. 1804. trans. Sir Theodore Martin, 1898.

This weapon falls into the 'Crossbows' category. It uses bolts as ammunition.

Arbalests are powerful ranged weapons, capable of launching bolts for high damage and with excellent accuracy. However, the complexity of their design gives them a significantly lower rate of fire than bows, but sufficient skill, strength, and dexterity will nearly make up for this. Be aware that arbalests and bolts are fairly uncommon early on, making ammo conservation a legitimate issue. They become common in the Vaults and the later portions of the Dungeon once yaktaurs start appearing. Note that using shields will considerably slow your attack speed.

Arbalest users benefit more from a high strength score than bow-users, but benefit less from high skill levels. Because of this, while arbalests are more powerful than longbows in the early game, they become less effective in the late. However, arbalest-users have access to bolts of penetration, which are significantly more powerful than the bow-user's unique arrow of dispersal.

	Image
Mundane
Magical
Artifact

	Unrandart arbalests
Hellfire

History

Prior to 0.15, arbalests were known as crossbows.

In 0.14 Hellfire was revamped to fire bolts that actually explode in hellfire.