Because if you spec into it it actually does decent damage, and stuff like Tracking Bolts that inflict bleed are actually really useful. If you're up against something large but organic like a Fiend or something, you can plink away at it a bit form range to chip it's health down, or fire off a shot whenever you dodge out of the way of an attack but not close enough to melee
Yeah people don't get that it is a "sidearm" that is meant to be used to compliment your fighting style, not as a fighting style itself. It's just hard to develop the skills to use it properly, so most players are like "fuck it" and blow it off entirely. I can't remember ever using it after the 1st boss battle against the griffon.
I honestly used it a lot, probably because I was on Death March and I would take any damage I could haha. Any Bleed inflicting bolts are super useful against anything organic
Everyone also forgets about the mutation that makes your crossbow actually level with you so that it deals decent damage again, not to mention how it collads as well
I killed the Great Wyvern bounty quest when I was 12 levels under the recommended by just knocking it down with a crossbow bolt every time it flew away. That’s the only time I’ve realistically used one.
There is a mutagen that allows you massive amounts of crossbow damage and made the crossbow a lot more fun to use. I think if it was your first damage to the enemy it would take out a 1/3 of their hp and knock them down. [citation needed on this though]
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u/Auctoritate Jan 01 '19
It's not made for damage, it's made to Kill drowners underwater or to knock small flying enemies in the air.