ARK Survival Ascended Crossbow: How To Craft & Use

ARK Survival Ascended boasts a diverse selection of weapons, each with its unique strengths. While some prioritize power and lethality, others, such as the crossbow, excel in flexibility and versatility. Despite being an early-game weapon, the crossbow remains useful throughout the entire game, serving purposes like taming, combat, and even traversal. 

If you haven't unlocked this potent and versatile weapon yet, don't worry. This guide will walk you through unlocking and crafting the Crossbow, providing detailed insights into its usage throughout your time in ARK Survival Ascended.

How To Craft Crossbow In ARK Survival Ascended

The Crossbow becomes available for crafting at an early stage in the game, unlocking at level 25 and requiring the use of the Smithy crafting station. The resources needed to craft the Crossbow are relatively easy to obtain and are listed below for your convenience:

• 7 × Metal Ingot or Scrap Metal Ingot
• 10 × Wood or Fungal Wood
• 35 × Fiber

Once crafted, you are now equipped with the Crossbow for various needs in ARK: Survival Ascended. However, the weapon is only as effective as its ammunition, so let's explore how the Crossbow can be utilized with different types of ammunition in the game.

How To Use Crossbow in ARK Survival Ascended

The Crossbow has the versatility to use various forms of ammunition, including arrows like Stone Arrow and Tranq Arrow. Additionally, later DLCs for ARK: Survival Evolved introduced Flame Arrow, Feathered Stone Arrow, and Obsidian Arrow, which are likely to be available in ARK: Survival Ascended as future DLCs arrive.

For survivors on The Island (the currently available map), understanding the damage output of the Crossbow is crucial. When loaded with Stone Arrows, the Crossbow serves as a ranged weapon for hunting and killing players or creatures. Loading it with Tranq Arrows allows you to render players or creatures unconscious. Flying creatures take 1.5x damage from non-bullet ranged weapons, and it functions equally well underwater, making it an ideal choice for hunting or taming underwater creatures and dinos.

Beyond conventional ammunition, the Crossbow can also be loaded with utility ammunition like the grappling hook, significantly impacting gameplay by facilitating traversal of tough terrains or easily escaping perilous situations. Additionally, the Zip-Line Anchor (another potential future DLC addition) allows you to create zip lines between two solid surfaces in the game.

In conclusion, the Crossbow is a valuable tool with diverse applications in ARK: Survival Ascended, providing both offensive and utility options for players. Now that you understand how to craft and use it, you're ready to enhance your survival experience in the game. Good luck out there!