Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the twenty-second episode of my Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide.
This time, we're covering the Crossbow.
Perhaps the most highly strung of the secondary options, the Crossbow returns from Black Ops
with a more modern look, and a 3-round mag - and is unlocked at level 25.
The Crossbow is an ancient weapon that dates to around the 5th Century BC.
The earliest examples stem from archaeological findings in China, although the precise origin
of the weapon is not known.
The Crossbow's introduction to Europe was through the Greek 'gastraphetes' - a handheld
wooden weapon that bears a close resemblance to its modern equivalent.
By the middle ages, the crossbow was a common sight on the battlefield, capable of imparting
greater kinetic energy than a longbow, and remaining effective in the hands of an untrained
soldier.
In modern times, crossbows still see limited use in specialised roles - with their ability
to launch unconventional payloads, and the relatively quiet report of a launched bolt.
In-game, damage is rather unconventional: the crossbow's bolts deal minor damage upon
impact, and after a few seconds will explode, dealing a lethal blow to any unfortunate souls
they might be embedded in.
Impact damage is 40 units, meaning you'll need three such strikes to kill an uninjured
opponent, although you might see some hurt foes succumb to a single stick.
Explosive damage is high, even sufficient to kill an opponent with Flak Jacket - but
the blast radius is miniscule, meaning it's unlikely you'll kill anyone not directly stuck
with a bolt.
Ranged performance is surprisingly good, as long as you accommodate for the parabolic
trajectory and travel time of the bolt: aim above and ahead of a distant opponent, and
the graceful arc of a successful stick will be your reward.
Of course, such shots are tricky - but with practice you'll be able to reliably hit stationary
enemies at any distance.
It's also worth noting that despite the stealthy connotations of a real-life crossbow, the
Black Ops 2 rendition does not behave as a suppressed weapon - you will appear on radar
when firing.
Rate of fire is slow - at just 52 rounds per minute, it's important to make each bolt count.
The time spent resetting for the next shot is best spent tracking your bolt's terminal
point - so you can better adjust your aim and score a hit with the next one if needs
be.
Hipfire performance is generally poor - although spread is average, the slow rate of fire and
fuse delay means that if you're forced to resort to hipfire with the crossbow, your
outlook may be bleak.
Handling is generally OK - recoil isn't a factor in your accuracy, for one.
Aim time is as quick as an assault rifle, at 250 milliseconds - and switch times are
quick enough for the Crossbow to be useful as a situational secondary.
While equipped, you'll move 100 percent of the maximum base speed.
Unlike its previous incarnation, the Crossbow in Black Ops 2 now has a magazine to draw
bolts from - although capacity is limited, at just 3 bolts between reloads.
Reloads are relatively slow, at 2.85 seconds to complete - but given the limited starting
supply of the crossbow, you won't have the opportunity to perform too many reloads, unless
you're able to resupply.
The Crossbow is a non-conventional weapon, and our class reflects that: while running
the Crossbow solo perhaps isn't the wisest of ideas, it is entirely possible - and our
class is designed solely to secure successful sticks.
We skip over the attachments on offer for the Crossbow: with the exception of tri-bolt,
they're all optical options: and the iron sights are more than sufficient.
Tri-bolt is impractical for any sort of sustained use, as you'll find firing half your ammo
supply in a single shot will quickly leave your supply depleted.
So, our first point spend is on a perk instead: Flak Jacket will protect you against explosives:
useful should you stick a nearby opponent who might hope to catch you in your own bolt's
explosive radius.
In any case, it's a useful perk to have for any explosive-heavy class, and will help you
live longer to secure the elusive crossbow bloodthirsty.
We'll be taking two perks from the second tier with the Perk 2 Greed Wildcard, with
our first choice tackling the main problem with a crossbow-only build.
Supply is a key concern, and so for prolonged use of this weapon Scavenger is essential.
Explosive kills don't drop scavenger packs, so even with successful sticks ammo will be
limited - but without this perk you'll have no hope of resupply whatsoever.
Each pack does give you an additional 3 bolts - so an occasional pickup is often enough
to sustain your bow's sticking ability.
It might be a good idea to scavenge your fallen enemy's weapons from the battlefield - otherwise
you'll only have your knife to fall back on once you deplete your bolt supply.
Our second choice from the second tier makes this less of a risk, and will also help make
better use of your grenade selection as well.
Fast Hands speeds both weapon pickup and equipment usage, and is a useful complement to our class
for both these benefits.
If you'd rather focus on accuracy with the crossbow, then Toughness can be a useful choice
here as an alternative.
Next up, Danger Close expands your lethal grenade capacity to double the default, granting
you a greater degree of explosive potential.
Paired with our lethal choice - two semtex grenades - you'll have the utmost ability
to stick your opponent with a deadly explosive - whether delivered by bolt, or by hand.
Our final two points are spent on a pair of concussion grenades - catch an enemy with
a stun and they'll be left helpless for an easier stick.
As an added bonus, they'll be far less likely to turn around and exact revenge within the
duration of the explosive fuse.
That's our build - one centred around the crossbow, and otherwise enhancing your ability
to stick your opponent with a deadly explosive.
The crossbow's blast radius is too limited to recommend targeting walls or ceilings near
your opponent, but you can make good use of combustible parts of the environment to maximise
your bolt's lethality.
Cars, vans and barrels are relatively easy to target, even at a distance - and will readily
explode with your bolt's blast, potentially taking out multiple foes in the enlarged explosion.
Another key tactic with the crossbow is mastering the post-shot evasion: a stuck opponent will
be out for instant revenge, so it's important to retreat into cover after firing else you
may find yourself left vulnerable.
This is one good reason to limit engagements with the Crossbow to longer distances only
- at a close range, your enemy will find it easier to kill you in their last couple of
seconds, leaving you with naught but an Afterlife medal and snuffed scorestreak.
Your ideal quarry is an unaware sniper over a mid-to-long sightline: such an opponent's
stationary nature will make it much easier to land a successful stick at a distance.
With static targets you don't need to lead your shots to compensate for any lateral motion
- all you need concern yourself with is the projectile drop, so aim higher the further
you are from the target.
With a successful stick, by the time they realise their impending doom, you should be
well out of sight, and safe from revenge.
The Crossbow is an interesting and unique weapon, and while it fits in with few conventional
loadouts it does provide a challenging and rewarding way to play.
Successfully sticking an opponent will yield a reliable kill - while a team-mate might
pilfer your victim betwixt stick and detonation, the enemy's fate is otherwise sealed.
The Crossbow is perhaps one of the few secondaries that performs well at a longer range, too
- meaning that it can be a good complement to a shotgun, in order to extend your reach.
However, the Crossbow is a weapon heavily dependent on accuracy - and one that does
not fare very well under primary usage.
The limited ammunition supply is a major downside, hindering your ability to spam a large volume
of explosives towards a target, and instead requiring that you regularly scavenge a supply.
Still, the Crossbow resides within the secondary selection for a reason - and it is a situational
weapon that fills a role like none other.
Should your primary weapon lack the reach to tackle a distant enemy, with a switch the
the crossbow - and a beautifully arced shot: their demise will come...
...like a bolt from the blue.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next week, when I'll be covering the MSMC.
Until then, farewell.