How to Make a Crossbow in RuneScape

The venerable game RuneScape remains popular today, and it’s known for its many weapon choices. One of the many weapons you can make in the game is the crossbow, and there are a few variants available. Crossbows aren’t only used to kill, but also to access shortcuts.

If you want to learn how to make a crossbow in RuneScape, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll find the instructions and some extra useful information. We’ll also cover some questions you might have about RuneScape.

Crossbows in RuneScape

Crossbows are used in ranged combat and require you to have some progress in Ranged combat before you can use them. In RuneScape, resembling real-life weapons, crossbows shoot bolts, and bows fire arrows. In the game, there are three main variants of crossbows; main hand, off-hand, and two-handed.

The first two are wielded in one hand and the main hand crossbow can be paired with a shield. If you want to wield both, then you can equip an off-hand crossbow as well. Two-handed crossbows are obviously going to need both of your hands, so a shield is out of the question.

Off-hand crossbows deal about half the damage as main hand ones, and two-handed crossbows can deal more damage than one-handed counterparts. As such, by equipping one of the two, you can increase your damage output compared to using just the main hand variant.

You can also shoot mithril grapples with a crossbow to use Agility shortcuts. Off-hand crossbows also let you shoot them to grapple towards objects. Since these grapples break occasionally, you should have a few more on your character just in case.

RuneScape: How to Make Crossbow?

With the basic introduction out of the way, let’s take a look at how to make a crossbow. Since there are many types, we’ll start with a simpler example, the Bronze Crossbow. Make sure you have all the ingredients ready.

Follow the steps to make a Bronze Crossbow:

1. In RuneScape, you need to cut a log down and make a Bronze Bar if you haven’t one yet.
   
2. If you’re near a forge, you can make a Bronze Bar.
   
3. Use the Bronze Bar to make Crossbow Limbs.
   
4. After that, turn your Logs into a Crossbow Stock.
5. Combine both into an unstrung Bronze Crossbow.
6. Kill a cow and obtain Raw Beef.
   
7. Go to a range and turn the Raw Beef into Sinew.
   
8. Locate a Spinning Wheel and then turn your Sinew into a Crossbow String.
   
9. Use the Crossbow String on the Bronze Crossbow, and you’ll now have a strung Bronze Crossbow.
   

At step 9, you can choose whether you want to make a main hand crossbow, off-hand crossbow, or two-handed crossbow. You can repeat the same steps for all variants and choose the variant you want at the end. This will allow you to dual-wield and create more to experiment with.

Different crossbows require different materials. For example, higher-level crossbows like a Rune Crossbow require you to cut Yew Logs and mine Runite Ore and Luminite. These materials are often harder to get than the lower-level crossbows’ ingredients.

The steps are very similar as well. You need to make the Yew Logs into stocks and forge a Rune Bar to create the limbs. Gathering sinew or tree roots for the Crossbow String is similar, though some enemies like the New Varrock Guard Captain drop them.

Enemy drops can also yield powerful crossbows. The Armadyl Crossbow is dropped by Commander Zilyana, and other enemies like Bree, Growler, and Starlight also drop them. However, these three have slimmer drop chances, making Commander Zilyana the best option.

Requirements to Make Crossbows in RuneScape

Since RuneScape is a game full of grinding, you should know that before you can make a crossbow, you need to have some experience and levels in various skill areas. If you don’t have enough levels for Fletching, then you won’t be able to make the crossbow you want. Other than the Fletching skill, you also need to have higher Smithing and Mining skills.

Fletching is trained by creating bowstrings, arrows, bolts, bows, and crossbows. The more you make, the sooner you level up in Fletching. Smithing and Mining are trained by constantly mining ores and forging objects such as bars and swords, among many other metal objects.

You also need to have the tools of the trades as well. Everyone in RuneScape already has a knife to fletch and craft with. However, you need pickaxes and chisels if you want to mine and make bolt tips, respectively.

Making Crossbow Bolts

Now that you’ve made a crossbow, you need to have some ammunition on you or the crossbow becomes useless in combat. For our example, we’ll teach you how to make Steel Bolts. These bolts can be used in Steel Crossbows and higher for maximum damage, but weaker crossbows will apply a damage cap, lowering their efficiency.

To make Steel Bolts, follow these steps:

1. Gather some Feathers by killing chickens or other creatures and enemies.
   
2. Mine some Iron Ore and Coal.
   
3. Smelt the Iron Ore and Coal into Steel Bars in a Forge.
   
4. Make unfinished Steel Bolts from the Steel Bars.
   
5. Combine the Feathers and unfinished bolts to yield complete Steel Bolts.
   
6. These Steel Bolts can now be loaded into crossbows for combat.

Different bolts require different ores, though all of them require Feathers. Mithril Bolts are made of Mithril Bars and Onyx Bolts are Rune Bolts tipped with Onyx. With this many different requirements, you should have an abundant supply of ore and more to be able to create them.

Your Fletching, Mining, Crafting, and Smithing skills should be at the higher levels, or else you won’t be able to make these powerful bolts.

Some bolts can’t be crafted, but you can get them as drops from various enemies. You can also enchant other bolts before combining them with other materials to yield a new bolt type. The Onyx Bolts are an example of the latter, which means your Magic level has to be very high before you’re allowed to create them.

Are Crossbows Good Weapons?

As long as the Bows and Crossbows are within the same tier, they do the same amount of damage, so you don’t want to ask which weapon is the better one. Crossbows are good weapons, but not for the reason you expect – some enemies are weaker to bolts than arrows.

Take the Green Dragon as an example. The Green Dragon is weak to Crossbow Bolts and Bane Ammunition. While Bane Ammunition also includes arrows, you’re not confined to using Dragonbane Arrows to fight the Green Dragon. Almost all bolts comparable to the arrows you’re using will outperform them.

Since you have nothing to worry about when you’re using crossbows, the Green Dragon is much easier for a crossbow wielder than a bowman. All your bolts will do their best damage, should they hit, and dual-wielding lets you pump out more damage at once.

Additional FAQs

Let’s take a look at some common questions regarding RuneScape:

Is RuneScape and Old School RuneScape the Same Game?

While they share the same name, the newer RuneScape 3 and Old School RuneScape are now quite different. The newer version boasts complex combat, better graphics, better boss battles, and is focused on PVE. In contrast, Old School RuneScape has simpler combat, is easier to run even on weaker computers, and is better for those who like some PVP action.

That’s not to say one is inherently better than the other, but new players would prefer RuneScape 3, while veteran players will like Old School RuneScape more. The latter tend to be very nostalgic for its player base.

Is RuneScape Free to Play?

Yes, it is free to play for all. However, if you purchase a membership, you gain access to eight more skills, more than 120 extra quests to enjoy, and access to the entire map. That said, there are advantages to play the game without paying initially.

There will be fewer options to choose from, so you can level up and learn how to play the game at a basic level. When you feel like advancing, you can purchase the membership and unlock everything you’ve been missing out on.

Can Jagex Delete Inactive Accounts?

No, if you aren’t active on RuneScape for a long time, your username just gets removed from the Hiscores. You might have to appeal to the company if you somehow can’t access your old account.

Feel Like a Real Blacksmith

Now that you know everything this is to make a crossbow in RuneScape, you can start upgrading your arsenal and slay some creatures. There are plenty of crossbows you can make and obtain, and many have special attacks and functions. Collect them all and you can fight almost anything.

Which crossbow is your favorite one? Do you prefer RuneScape 3 or Old School RuneScape? Tell us what you think below.