In the Dead Cells, crossbows belong to a group of two-handed weapons. Both weapon slots are used when you pick up a two-handed weapon. This alters how you normally play the game, whether with two different weapons or with a shield and weapon. However, a lost weapon slot is compensated for by an interesting mechanic or the sheer amount of damage they deal. These are the top three crossbows in the game.
3. Explosive Crossbow (Best for AoE damage)
This is the perfect weapon for anyone who loves explosions; both of your attacks make a huge *BOOM*. While a ranged attack does significantly more damage than a melee attack, a melee attack can be used to push enemies away. This can act as a save in tight situations.
Why Explosive Crossbow is great:
- It works well in both Survival and Tactics builds.
- This weapon is useful for clearing large crowds. But it's also decent against single targets.
- There are no specific synergies with mutations or skills, so you can combine this crossbow with whatever you like.
- Use a melee attack when you are overwhelmed by a large group of monsters. To push them away and focus only on one specific target.
- Like other two-handed weapons, the Explosive Crossbow works best when combined with a mutation Armadillopack and shield in your backpack. Therefore, you have ways to protect yourself.
Explosive Crossbow full details:
- Explosive Crossbow is a two-handed ranged/melee weapon. Primary ranged attack fires arrows that damage enemies in a small area. Fired bolts explode, damaging enemies within range and line of sight of the explosion's center and causing strong knockback.
- The secondary ability, Cross Hit, is a melee strike that deals critical damage to foes directly struck by it while pushing others away.
- It deals 143 Base DPS (243 Critical hits). It deals 100 damage on base hits (170 Critical hits).
- The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Shots pierce all enemies. The secondary ability has an affix: Victims Freeze nearby enemies (1.8 seconds) when they die.
How To Get Explosive Crossbow:
Explosive Crossbow Blueprint is located in the Promenade of the Condemned biome. Is locked behind three Enigma doors that require Gardener's Keys. They can be found in different locations within the same biome. It costs 80 cells to unlock.
2. Heavy Crossbow (Best for burst damage)
This weapon deals the most damage on a single hit in the game. With a single shot, you can burst any monster in the game. The only disadvantage of using a Heavy Crossbow is that you must remain at point-blank range to hit the same enemy with all of your arrows.
Why Heavy Crossbow is great:
- The best Heavy Crossbow build is Survival with the mutation Kill Rhythm, which allows you to quickly reload and fire.
- If you run it in the Tactics build, use the mutation Point Blank to deal more damage and the mutation Barbed Tips for additional damage over time.
- You can use the hook mechanic to prevent enemies from attacking you.
- Heavy Crossbow, like other two-handed weapons, works best when combined with a mutation Armadillopack and shield in your backpack. Therefore, you have ways to protect yourself.
Heavy Crossbow full details:
- The Heavy Crossbow is a two-handed ranged weapon that fires a group of short-ranged bolts.
- The secondary ability, Reload, replenishes its entire ammo supply and inflicts critical damage in the next primary attack.
- Before firing, the heavy crossbow launches a small hook that pulls an enemy towards you, rooting them for a short time in the process.
- It deals 280 Base DPS (560 Critical hits). It deals 300 damage on base hits (600 Critical hits).
- The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Shots pierce all enemies. The secondary ability has an affix: Generates a shield when used.
How To Get Heavy Crossbow:
Heavy Crossbow Blueprint drops after you kill the boss Concierge for the third time. It costs 80 cells to unlock.
1. Repeater Crossbow (Best for rooting and killing)
The machine gun equivalent in Dead Cells is the Repeater Crossbow. It fires an enormous amount of ammo in a short time; this alone can zero out any enemy, and when combined with a built-in root mechanic, you have an almost perfect weapon. As a result, this crossbow is the clear favorite among two-handed weapons.
Why Repeater Crossbow is great:
- It works well in both Survival and Tactics builds.
- Some notable mutations that work with Repeater Crossbow are Barbed Tips, Heart of Ice, or Kill Rhythm.
- You can use the root mechanic to hold enemies in one place. If you stand close enough, this mechanic also works with the mutation Heart of Ice.
- Like other two-handed weapons, the Repeater Crossbow works best when combined with a mutation Armadillopack and shield in your backpack. Therefore, you have ways to protect yourself.
Repeater Crossbow full details:
- Two-handed ranged weapon. The primary ability fires bolts quickly, while also dealing critical damage to targets that have been rooted.
- The secondary ability, Quiver of Bolts, shoots multiple bolts into the air, rooting any enemy caught under them and dealing a small amount of damage over time.
- It deals 115 Base DPS (323 Critical hits). It deals 15 damage on base hits (42 Critical hits).
- The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Shots pierce all enemies. The secondary ability has an affix: Shots pierce the first target.
How To Get Repeater Crossbow:
Repeater Crossbow Blueprint drops from Dark Trackers. It has a 0.4% drop chance and costs 80 cells to unlock.
