Crossbow

{
 "title": "Crossbow",
 "rows": [
 {
 "field": "<span style=\"white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #fff; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; color: transparent; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> </span> Common",
 "label": "(link to Rarity article, displayed as Rarity tier)"
 },
 {
 "field": "(values exceeds 1000 characters...)",
 "label": "(link to Ranged attack#Projectile damage article, displayed as Projectile damage)"
 },
 {
 "field": "1.25s<br>1s ((link to Quick Charge article, displayed as Quick Charge) I)<br>0.75s ((link to Quick Charge article, displayed as Quick Charge) II)<br>0.5s ((link to Quick Charge article, displayed as Quick Charge) III)",
 "label": "(link to Ranged attack#Charge time article, displayed as Charge time)"
 },
 {
 "field": "1",
 "label": "(link to Ranged attack#Inaccuracy article, displayed as Inaccuracy)"
 },
 {
 "field": "'''(link to Java Edition article, displayed as JE):''' 465<br>'''(link to Bedrock Edition article, displayed as BE):''' 466",
 "label": "(link to Durability article, displayed as Durability)"
 },
 {
 "field": "1",
 "label": "(link to Enchantability article, displayed as Enchantability)"
 },
 {
 "field": "Yes",
 "label": "(link to Renewable resource article, displayed as Renewable)"
 },
 {
 "field": "No",
 "label": "Stackable"
 }
 ],
 "invimages": [
 "Crossbow",
 "[Crossbow]Arrow Loaded Crossbow",
 "[Crossbow]Firework Loaded Crossbow"
 ],
 "images": [
 "Crossbow.png",
 "Crossbow Pull 0.png",
 "Crossbow Pull 1.png",
 "Crossbow Pull 2.png",
 "Arrow Loaded Crossbow.png",
 "Firework Loaded Crossbow.png"
 ]
}

A crossbow is a ranged weapon that can load and fire arrows, arrow variants, and firework rockets. Holding use will load it and it will remain loaded until it is fired, after which it can be loaded again.

{ "item": "Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.09750000000000003, "structure": "Bastion Remnant", "container": "Generic chest" }

{ "item": "Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.5, "structure": "Pillager Outpost", "container": "Chest" }

{ "item": "Damaged Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.11242603550295849, "structure": "Bastion Remnant", "container": "Bridge chest" }

{ "item": "Damaged Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.0674157303370787, "structure": "Bastion Remnant", "container": "Generic chest" }

{ "item": "Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.06956521739130439, "structure": "Trial Chambers", "container": "Vault and reward chest" }

{ "item": "Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.1103448275862069, "structure": "Trial Chambers", "container": "Ominous vault" }

{ "item": "Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.09750000000000003, "structure": "Bastion Remnant", "container": "Generic chest" }

{ "item": "Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.5, "structure": "Pillager Outpost", "container": "Chest" }

{ "item": "Damaged Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.11242603550295849, "structure": "Bastion Remnant", "container": "Bridge chest" }

{ "item": "Damaged Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.0674157303370787, "structure": "Bastion Remnant", "container": "Generic chest" }

{ "item": "Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.017391304347826098, "structure": "Trial Chambers", "container": "Vault and reward chest" }

{ "item": "Enchanted Crossbow", "stacksize": 1, "chance": 0.1103448275862069, "structure": "Trial Chambers", "container": "Ominous vault" }

When killed, a pillager has a small chance (8.5%) of dropping a loaded or unloaded crossbow with random durability; the drop rate increases by 1% per level of Looting: 9.5% with Looting I, 10.5% with Looting II and 11.5% with Looting III. The dropped crossbow can rarely (10% chance) be enchanted at level 5–19 regardless of being enchanted when it spawned.

Piglins have a chance of wielding a crossbow upon spawning, and they also have a small chance (8.5%) of dropping a loaded or unloaded crossbow of random durability when killed; this rate increases by 1% per level of Looting: 9.5% with Looting I, 10.5% with Looting II and 11.5% with Looting III. It can rarely (10% chance) be enchanted at level 5–19 regardless of being enchanted when spawned.

Crossbows are similar to bows, but can be charged in advance for use at any time. They take longer to charge than a bow, are slightly more powerful, and shoot farther with slightly higher accuracy.

Crossbows can be loaded with arrows of any type. Like the bow, arrows shot by crossbows can be blocked by shields. A crossbow enchanted with Piercing fires arrows that ignore blocking shields, allowing them to pass through and still hit their target. Arrows shot from a crossbow enchanted with Piercing can be picked up and used again, creating an effect similar to the bow-exclusive Infinity enchantment. When an arrow hits another player, the player that fired the arrow will hear a high-pitched "ding" sound to indicate the successful shot.‌^{[Java Edition only]}

Alternatively, they can be loaded with a firework rocket, which flies in a straight line at 32 m/s and, in Java Edition, explodes on contact with blocks and entities.^[2] If the firework rocket has no firework stars, it deals no damage. In order to use a firework rocket with a crossbow, at least one firework rocket must be present in the player's offhand. Using a firework rocket uses 3 durability per shot, and fireworks with higher flight duration travel farther when fired. When a crossbow has the Multishot enchantment, the increased durability usage stacks, resulting in 9 durability being consumed with each shot. Piercing does not work with firework rockets, and firework rocket explosions have a radius of roughly 4 blocks.

A crossbow can first be loaded by using it, which starts charging it. While charging the crossbow, the player moves at sneaking speed. When the crossbow finishes charging, the arrow or firework rocket is then loaded into it and the player’s speed returns to normal. At this point, the crossbow must be used a second time to fire its projectile. Shooting a loaded crossbow does not delay any of the player's current actions like sprinting or swimming. Both arrows and firework rockets launched by crossbows are not augmented by the Strength effect.

In Java Edition, continuing to hold use after firing a crossbow causes it to begin recharging again. In Bedrock Edition, continuing to hold use after firing a crossbow does not cause it to begin recharging, as the input must be released and then inputed again. There is also a small delay after fully charging a crossbow where it cannot be fired despite being fully charged, and a similar delay after firing a crossbow where it cannot be recharged again.^[3] These bugs cause crossbows to effectively charge and fire slower than in Java Edition.

A loaded crossbow keeps its projectile when placed in another inventory slot or into an item frame without the projectile being unloaded or fired. A loaded crossbow also remains charged after repairing or enchanting it using a grindstone, anvil, or enchanting table. In Java Edition, the crossbow’s tooltip also lists the loaded projectile and its effect, if any. Like with bows, the player can choose the type of arrow to fire based on its location in their inventory:

• Arrows in the off-hand, or the selected hotbar slot if the crossbow is in the off-hand, are prioritized first.
• If there are no arrows in the off-hand or selected hotbar slot, the arrow closest to slot 0 is selected.

Some mobs cannot be shot using an arrow, because the arrow either disappears or is deflected. However, by use of the explosion from an indirect firework rocket, these arrow-immune mobs can be damaged:

• Endermen - even while immobile, the enderman is immune to damage from arrows;
• Breeze;
• Wither under half health, when it gains wither armor;
• Closed shulkers;
• Ender dragon, while sitting on top of the exit portal.

The projectile motion of an arrow fired from a crossbow is dependent on the angle the user is facing, as well as the user's movement speed.

The distance a launched firework rocket can travel is dependent on the rocket's flight duration. The amount of gunpowder used when crafting the firework rocket changes its flight duration.

A crossbow can be combined with another crossbow in an anvil, preserving the enchantments of both and the projectile of the target item.

A crossbow can receive the following enchantments:

A crossbow cannot be enchanted with Power, Punch, Flame, or Infinity in Survival mode. However, they can be applied via anvil in Creative mode in Java Edition or by using commands. When applied, each enchantment functions the same for the crossbow as it would for a bow.

Crossbows can be used as fuel in furnaces, smelting 1.5 items per crossbow.

Despite using iron ingots in their crafting recipe, crossbows cannot be smelted into iron nuggets.^[4]

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Issues relating to "Crossbow" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

• Alongside pillagers, crossbows were inspired by Minecraft Dungeons, even though they were added in the base game first.^[5]
• Crossbows enchanted with Quick Charge VI and above get stuck on the first frame on the recharging animation because the resulting charge time is negative, and the game never reaches the time markers that tell it to advance the animation or the reloading procedure itself. It is technically possible to charge such crossbows, but this would require overflowing the value that determines how long the crossbow has been charged. This takes such an amount of time that this is practically impossible: for example, charging a crossbow with Quick Charge VI would take 69.4 years to complete.
• Although Piercing allows arrows to bypass shields, they cannot get through the wither's projectile armor or a shulker's shell.
• The crossbow's first-person loading animation in Bedrock Edition is different from Java Edition.
• In real life, crossbows do not shoot the same arrows as bows, rather they shoot shorter, thicker, and oftentimes fletchless arrows (usually called "bolts") made to withstand the crossbow's increased power, which can shatter conventional arrows.

• 👁 An enchanted crossbow.
  
  An enchanted crossbow.

• 👁 Steve charging a crossbow in Java Edition.
  
  Steve charging a crossbow in Java Edition.
• 👁 Alex charging a crossbow in Java Edition.
  
  Alex charging a crossbow in Java Edition.
• 👁 A pillager charging a crossbow.
  
  A pillager charging a crossbow.
• 👁 A piglin charging a crossbow.
  
  A piglin charging a crossbow.
• 👁 Steve aiming a crossbow.
  
  Steve aiming a crossbow.
• 👁 Alex aiming a crossbow.
  
  Alex aiming a crossbow.
• 👁 A pillager aiming a crossbow in Bedrock Edition.
  
  A pillager aiming a crossbow in Bedrock Edition.
• 👁 A piglin aiming a crossbow in Bedrock Edition.
  
  A piglin aiming a crossbow in Bedrock Edition.

• 👁 How the crossbow is equipped.
  
  How the crossbow is equipped.
• 👁 A zombified piglin with a crossbow (It will not shoot, only melee attack).
  
  A zombified piglin with a crossbow
  (It will not shoot, only melee attack).
  
• 👁 Pillager who broke its crossbow.
  
  Pillager who broke its crossbow.
• 👁 Noor firing a crossbow.
  
  Noor firing a crossbow.

• 👁 A crossbow shown at MINECON Earth 2018.
  
  A crossbow shown at MINECON Earth 2018.
• 👁 A pillager armed with a crossbow, shown at MINECON Earth 2018.
  
  A pillager armed with a crossbow, shown at MINECON Earth 2018.
• 👁 First image of a crossbow with the piercing enchantment.
  
  First image of a crossbow with the piercing enchantment.

• 👁 A crossbow as it appeared in A Minecraft Movie Live Event
  
  A crossbow as it appeared in A Minecraft Movie Live Event
• 👁 A firework crossbow in Village & Pillage: Official Trailer
  
  A firework crossbow in Village & Pillage: Official Trailer
• 👁 A crossbow as it appears in Minecraft Dungeons
  
  A crossbow as it appears in Minecraft Dungeons
• 👁 A crossbow as seen in A Minecraft Movie.
  
  A crossbow as seen in A Minecraft Movie.

• "Taking Inventory: Crossbow" by Duncan Geere – Minecraft.net, October 20, 2022.