Worked out · Valheim 1.0.17
Best crossbows
All Valheim crossbows ranked by damage per shot with the strongest bolts, with draw or reload time, and the best one you can make in each biome.
Strongest crossbow
Frostfire Crossbowwith Bloodgold Bolt466per shot
First you can make
Arbalest301 damage at max levelMistlands
Best crossbow in each biome
Of the crossbows you can make by then, the one that kills the biome's hostile creatures in the fewest hits, their weaknesses and resistances applied (every weapon by biome).
| Biome | Best crossbow | Hits | Creatures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mistlands | Arbalestwith Black Metal Bolt | 31 | 6 |
| Ashlands |  Storm Ripperwith Charred Bolt | 43 | 9 |
| Deep North |  Thunderblood Crossbowwith Bloodgold Bolt | 45 | 9 |
All 8 ranked
| Crossbow | From | Per shot | Own | Reload s | Per second | Block |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frostfire Crossbow256 Pierce21 Fire97 Frost | Deep North | 466 | 374 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 266 | 3 |
| Thunderblood Crossbow298 Pierce60 Lightning | Deep North | 450 | 358 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 257 | 3 |
 Nord Crossbow288 Pierce | Deep North | 380 | 288 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 217 | 3 |
| Storm Ripper229 Pierce10 Lightning | Ashlands | 331 | 239 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 189 | 3 |
 Root Ripper229 Pierce10 Poison | Ashlands | 331 | 239 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 189 | 3 |
 Ripper229 Pierce | Ashlands | 321 | 229 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 183 | 3 |
 Wound Ripper229 Pierce | Ashlands | 321 | 229 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 183 | 3 |
| Arbalest209 Pierce | Mistlands | 301 | 209 | 3.51.8 at 100 | 172 | 3 |
"Per shot" adds the strongest bolt (Bloodgold Bolt); "per second" divides it by the reload time at skill 100. Every bolt by boss: best arrows & bolts.
Formula
Damage at max level = base + per level × (max level − 1), each damage type apart; chop and pickaxe left out of the rating (almost every creature ignores them).
Full combo = (combo hits − 1) × hit + hit × the last swing's multiplier; per stamina = combo damage ÷ (stamina × combo hits). Secondary attack = hit × its multiplier.
Bows and crossbows: the arrow's or bolt's damage is added to the weapon's. Full draw takes the draw time at skill 0, a fifth of it at skill 100; a reload takes half as long at skill 100.
Stamina and eitr per attack are at skill 0; skill 100 takes a third off (× 0.67) for every weapon alike, so the order doesn't change.
ItemData.GetDamage, Attack.DoMeleeAttack / FireProjectileBurst, Attack.GetAttackStamina, HitData.ApplyResistance in the code of Valheim 1.0.17.
Assumptions
- Skill 50 in the weapon's skill, weapons at their max normal level, no stars on the creatures (a star doubles health, two stars triple it).
- Every hit lands and only the primary attack is used; no backstab, no stagger bonus, no armor set or mead bonuses.
- Area hits (staffs, sledges, atgeirs) are counted against one creature at a time.
- Bows and crossbows fire the best arrow or bolt for the target you can make by then, at full draw.