Crossbow in Minecraft: Everything players need to know

A crossbow in Minecraft is a long-range weapon used for attack and hunting. It functions like a bow. However, the player needs to hold the use button to load the arrow and use it again to fire rather than just holding and letting go. If a player loads the crossbow but doesn't fire, it will hold that arrow until it is loosened on an entity.

This weapon is a common drop from a pillager and can be found in pillager outposts. Once a player has it, they can repair and enchant the weapon however they see fit.

Here is everything there is to know about the crossbow in Minecraft.

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Everything to know about crossbows in Minecraft

Image via Mojang

Crossbows can be found in a few different places. A player can either loot through a pillager outpost or a bastion remnant.

These weapons are typically as good as new when found in chests and will not be loaded with an arrow. However, when a mob drops a crossbow, it will likely be damaged and loaded. This is because mobs in Minecraft will typically have their crossbows loaded before any conflict.

Minecraft mobs that use crossbows include piglins and pillagers. One quick way to gather a crazy amount of crossbows is by triggering raids.

Repairing a crossbow

If a player has collected a bunch of crossbows from any method of their choosing, they can repair them. Repairing a crossbow will require at least two damaged crossbows and either an anvil or a grindstone. More than two damaged crossbows may be needed to make one as good as new depending on how damaged they are.

Using a crossbow

There are two steps for using a crossbow in Minecraft. The first step is to load it with either an arrow or a firework. Players need to hold down the use button or trigger to load it.

The player has the option to then let go and keep the crossbow loaded. The crossbow will stay loaded even if the player is not using it at the moment. Pressing the use button or trigger while it is still in hand will fire the loaded projectile. Also, using the crossbow in Minecraft will cause damage over time.

These long-range weapons can be enchanted around three times before they don't hold any more enchantments. Some enchantments in Minecraft are exclusive to this type of weapon. These enchantments include quick charge, multishot, and piercing.

Piercing and quick charge come in multiple enchantment levels. However, the multishot enchantment has only one level.

Enchanting a crossbow requires using it in either an enchantment table with some lapis lazuli or an enchanted book on an anvil. Players can only repair enchanted weapons on an anvil, and repairing them on a grindstone will remove all enchantments.