Light Crossbow

Light Crossbow
Item
Item type	Light Crossbow
Weight	7 lb
Combat
Combat type	Ranged
Range	100 ft
Ammunition	Bolts
Ranged APR	1
Damage	varies based on ammunition
Speed factor	5
Proficiency	Missile Weapons Baldur's Gate (1998) This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate campaign. Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (1999) This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast campaign. Crossbow
Wielding	2-handed
Requirements
Strength	8
Not usable by	Cleric Druid Mage Monk Shaman Cleric / Thief Cleric / Ranger Fighter / Druid Fighter / Cleric Fighter / Mage / Cleric Kensai Cavalier Sorcerer
Other
Item value	35
Technical information
Item code	XBOW04.itm

The Light Crossbow is a two-handed ranged weapon and a weapon type in all games of the Baldur's Gate series.

“	A crossbow is a bow mounted crosswise on a wooden or metal shaft, the latter called a tiller. The bow is usually made of ash or yew. The crossbow fires a quarrel (also called a bolt).	”
— Item description — Arms and Equipment Guide

Characteristics

The Light Crossbow is a lighter, smaller, and easier to handle variant of crossbows. Due to its size, it is easily concealable under e.g. cloaks, and it can be fired faster than the Heavy Crossbow. Light Crossbows are a favorite weapon among Thieves and Drow, thus they are often frowned upon by the more lawful inhabitants of the realms. Warriors, who might desire a quick and small weapon with decent damage for ranged combat, and Bards, who lack a Strength of twelve, also may rely on Light Crossbows.

The usual weight of 7 lb requires a Strength of 8 to be able to use the crossbow. As bows, crossbows are also a two-handed weapon. Light Crossbows can be readied to fire in only half the time their heavier kin requires, and they are even slightly faster than Shortbows, with a speed factor of 5. However, they never have more than one attack per round, due to the relatively complicated process of reloading.

Weight and speed are their advantages when compared to Heavy Crossbows, but these also bring a disadvantage: Light Crossbows lack the +2 damage bonus that a Heavy one adds to every Bolt fired from it. However, a regular Bolt still delivers 2 more damage than an Arrow fired from a Shortbow.

Enchanted and unique variants may differ from these characteristics.

Locations

Baldur's Gate

Forty-five Light Crossbows are available in the original Baldur's Gate, sixteen are added by the Enhanced Edition.

Given by

• Belt to the player with the according Weapon Proficiency in the Game TutorialBaldur's Gate:
  Enhanced Edition (2012)
  This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign.

Sold by

• Winthrop in the Candlekeep Inn (×5)
• Bentley Mirrorshade in the Friendly Arm Inn (×5)
• The bartender at the Jovial Juggler, Beregost (×10)
• Taerom Fuiruim at Beregost's Thunderhammer Smithy (×6)
• The Storekeep at the Nashkel Store (×5)
• Merchant at the Nashkel's Carnival's ranged weapons shop, the south-southeastern tent (×2)
• Maltz at his Weapon Shop, East Baldur's Gate (×8) (see Bugs)Baldur's Gate:
  Enhanced Edition (2012)
  This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign.
• Well-Adjusted Al, a General Store in the south of Baldur's Gate's Southeast (×2) (see Bugs)Baldur's Gate:
  Enhanced Edition (2012)
  This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign.
• The Storekeep at a General Store in southwest Baldur's Gate (center of the map) (×2) (see Bugs)Baldur's Gate:
  Enhanced Edition (2012)
  This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign.

Found in

• A locked⁽⁴⁰⁾ chest, the first one when entering the Servants' Quarters of the farm and windmill in northeastern Beregost (AR3322 – 126.211)
• A locked⁽⁴⁰⁾ chest, together with 3 Bolts, on the second floor of generic house eight which is directly south of Travenhurst Manor in Beregost (AR3324 – 83.316)
• A locked⁽⁶⁰⁾ chest in Nadarin's Warehouse in southeast Baldur's Gate (×3) (AR1303 – 735.415)
• A trapped^{(100; Flaming Fist)} and locked⁽⁶⁰⁾ chest, straight from the entrance into the Basilisk Warehouse in south Baldur's Gate (AR1207 – 697.961)
• A trapped^{(100; Flaming Fist)} and locked⁽⁵⁰⁾ dresser on the second floor of the westernmost house in northwest Baldur's Gate (AR0170 – 189.242)

Equipped by

• Shar-Teel (on levels 4 and 6)
• Three hostile Archers during an encounter related to Dorn Il-KhanBaldur's Gate:
  Enhanced Edition (2012)
  This icon indicates content from the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition campaign.
• Lothander, Baldur's Gate
• Forthel August in the High House of Wonders, West Baldur's Gate

Other

• In the inventory of Garrick (at all levels)
• In the inventory of Slythe in Baldur's Gate's Undercellar

Tales of the Sword Coast

Another five Light Crossbows are made available for purchase in the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion.

Sold by

• Bartender at the Ulgoth's Beard Inn (×5)

The Black Pits

There are ten Light Crossbows available for purchase in The Black Pits.

Sold by

• Devlin Taralon (×10)

Siege of Dragonspear

There are forty-three Light Crossbows available in Siege of Dragonspear.

Sold by

• Quartermaster Belegarm (×5)

Found in

• The left of two chests in the Flaming Fist Headquarters' basement (BD0105 – 717.281)
• The second from left weapon rack on the Tomb Safehouse's first floor's Supply Room (BD0120 – 637.372)
• A weapon rack near the central room of the Tomb Safehouse's second floor (BD0130 – 1765.1477)

Equipped by

• Crusader Sentry
• A Crusader Guard
• Two Flaming Fist Mercenaries
• Two Mercenaries
• A Messenger
• Phossey Dugdeep
• A Waterdhavian Guard
• Undroppable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be dropped or stolen. The Bridge Guard
• Undroppable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be dropped or stolen. Sixteen Crusaders
• Undroppable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be dropped or stolen. Two Coalition Warmages
• Undroppable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be dropped or stolen. Two Crusader Recruits
• Undroppable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be dropped or stolen. A Flaming Fist Mercenary
• Undroppable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be dropped or stolen. A Flaming Fist Scout
• Undroppable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be dropped or stolen. Two Mercenaries

Other

• In the inventory of Garrick

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Sold by

• Bernard at the Copper Coronet, Athkatla Slums (×2)
• Bel Dalemark at Athkatla's Bridge District (×5)
• Calbor at the Delosar's Inn, Bridge District (×6)
• Samuel Thunderburp, the owner of the Five Flagons Inn, Bridge District (×5)
• Jahaboam on the Athkatla Docks (×2)
• Fovem, at night on the Docks (×2)
• Gorch in Mae'Var's Guildhall, Docks (×5)
• Groncaner at the Crooked Crane Inn, Athkatla City Gates (×2)

Found in

• The small trapped^{(20; Darts)} chest below the stairs out of the Otyugh's chamber in Irenicus's Dungeon 1st Floor, together with 10 Bolts (AR0602 – 2735.1806)
• The larger of two barrels in the central western cabin of the Slaver Stockade in the Athkatla Slums (AR0405 – 1240.489)
• A hidden stash, together with 60 unenchanted and 2 Bolts +1, in the easternmost stack of crates in Athkatla's Shadow Thief Guildhall, where Renal Bloodscalp resides (AR0306/AR0328 – 1192.725)
• A barrel on the roof of the Temple of Umberlee in Brynnlaw, together with 60 Bolts (AR1600 – 2541.1399)

Equipped by

• Six of the Duergars encountered in Irenicus's Dungeon's 1st and 2nd Floor
• Keldorn
• Muggers who may spawn after talking with Borinall in his house in the Athkatla Slums
• The Turmish Thief who might be encountered in the Five Flagons Theatre, Bridge District
• Unstealable item
  This icon indicates an item that cannot be stolen. Meronia, one of the Harpers in the Galvarey Estate, Athkatla Docks
• Aulava on the second floor of the Crooked Crane Inn, Athkatla City Gates
• The Shadow Thief Archers in Athkatla's Shadow Thief Guildhall, where Aran Linvail resides (AR0307)
• The Sahuagin Baron and his two Baronial Guards at Spellhold (AR1510)
• Various Kuo-toa throughout the Underdark

Other

• In the inventory of Garrick, who can be met in Athkatla's Temple District
• In the inventory of Iko, one of the Harpers in the Galvarey Estate, Athkatla Docks
• In the inventory of Meronia if encountered somewhere outdoors during a romance talk with Jaheira

Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal

Sold by

• Zakee Rafeha at The Zephir (×6)

Equipped by

• The Kuo-Toa Captains and the Priest who spawn when receiving the second Red Globe from the Globe Machine at the Watcher's Keep Final Seal
• Smugglers in Amkethran
• The Kuo-Toa Archers, Priests and Warriors and their Captain in Abazigal's Lair Cells

Bugs

• Baldur's Gate (1998)
  This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate campaign.Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (1999)
  This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast campaign. The item description states that Light Crossbows can't be used by Thieves – this is a mistake, and only applies to the heavy variant.
• Baldur's Gate (1998)
  This icon indicates content from the original Baldur's Gate campaign. There are three stores that already in the original game would sell light crossbows, but which aren't correctly implemented into the related dialogues:
  • Maltz's Weapon Shop refers to the same file, STO1112.sto, as the General Store two lines below; the Enhanced Edition changed this to the before unused TAV0810.sto, which by the code actually would be Lucky Aello's Discount Store, but that one uses STOCHEAP.sto in both editions
  • Well-Adjusted Al calls STO1115.sto, instead of STO1302.sto
  • A storekeep in the southwest Baldur's Gate central General Store refers to STO1112.sto, instead of STO1116.sto
• As of BG2EE 2.6, The generic light crossbow lacked a larger, shadowed icon. This is identified for correction in the pending Enhanced Edition Fix Pack (EEFP). Ref: (ixbow04.bam)

Trivia

• In the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition Arms and Equipment Guide, the difference between light and heavy crossbows originates mainly in the used ammunition, with the Bolts for the heavy variant being two feet long – thus dealing higher damage –, while the light variant's Bolts measure only one foot. Baldur's Gate, instead, quits the already complicated system of having several types of ammunition, and applies the differences in damage to the weapons themselves.

Gallery

External links

• Light Crossbow on the Icewind Dale Wiki, a wiki for the first Icewind Dale game.
• Crossbow on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.