Hand Crossbows in Baldur's Gate 3 are pieces of equipment that are used to inflict damage against hostile characters such as Enemies and Bosses. Hand Crossbows are Light Martial Ranged Weapons in BG3 that can be one-handed, dealing 1-6 Damage without enchantments. They have a range of 15m, and they deal Piercing Damage, with the exception of the Ne'er Misser that has a damage type of Force instead. Being a Ranged Weapon, note that you have disadvantage on attack rolls with Hand Crossbows while Threatened.
Many Hand Crossbows have unique properties, so you should read carefully what these do, and many also have Weapon Actions that can only be used if you are Proficient with Hand Crossbows in BG3. These Weapon Actions include Piercing Shot and Mobile Shot.
All Hand Crossbows in Baldur's Gate 3
Name |
Damage |
Special Properties |
Weapon Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 1d6  Piercing |
None |  Piercing Shot Mobile Shot |
|
1d6 Piercing +1d4 Piercing (Conditional) |
Burned Alive: Deals an additional 1d4 damage to Burning enemies. | |
|
1d6 +1 Piercing |
 Weapon Enchantment +1 |
|
|
 1d6 +1  Force |
|
|
|
1d6 +2 Piercing |
Weapon Enchantment +2 |
|
|
1d6 +2 Piercing |
Hellstalker: Possibly inflict Burning when hitting a creature with this weapon while Hiding or Invisible.
|
|
Piercing Shot
Mobile Shot
Anonymous
- Anonymous
Something of note, looks like hand crossbow off hand shot includes dex in the damage. So you don't need two weapon fighting.
As for sneak attacks. You can only sneak attacks once per turn. But you can sneak attacks with off hand. It will has its own trigger automatically. If the condition is right. Which is advantage. You also don't need to have finess weapon apparently. Yes you have the action sneak attack. But regular attack also checks sneak attack.
- Anonymous
Hey, this might have been missed or the page hasn't been updated in a while, but: there's a +2 Hand Crossbow in the game.
Act 3, Lady Jannath's property, safe in a wall on the room where you find notes about hidden rooms, marriage and the painter.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
So obviously the hellfire is the best hand crossbow but I was wondering which other crossbow to use, either the firestroker or the ne'er misser.
Ne'er misser has 1 more damage and force damage so it should be a easy choice but Hellfire hand crossbow and the firestoker have really good synergy.
I did some tests to know what "possibly inflict burn" means.
Out of 38 stealth shots, the burning effect activated 25 times, so from this small sample, it gives us 65% chance to inflict burn. Don't have the patience to test more but if you do, please comment this post.
Hopefully this will help you.
Also, I think this combo is only worth it with the dark urge where you can stealth a lot without using your precious bonus action(s).
If you use Disarming Strike during the fight with Yurgir and disarm his weapons, he'll drop a special version of hand crossbow that does 2d10+3, but "Not usable by humanoids".
- Anonymous
I believe there's a hand crossbow sold by the merchant you meet in the goblin camp at moonrise towers, it's called "Ne'er Misser"
if you disarm Yugir in battle you get a 2d10+ dex hand Crossbow (not magical) you can still get the normal one after killing him. after disarmt he pulls out a sword (dont know the damage) but i bet it doas a simelar damage to the hand crossbow (2d10)
4
+10
-1