![]() In other words, a character with Crossbow Expert and one hand crossbow can always fire twice a round (once with the Attack action, once with the bonus action), reloading between each shot (per Ammunition).Ĭharacters with a hand crossbow and the Extra Attack feature can get even more shots with the Attack action, but only one from the third function's bonus action. However, a hand crossbow itself is a one-handed weapon, which is an acceptable weapon to trigger that third clause and allow the bonus action attack. The second crossbow takes up a hand and prevents reloading (per Ammunition). When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow you are holding. You ignore the loading property of crossbows with which you are proficient.Īdditional confusion enters when people try to use two hand crossbows to interact with the third part of Crossbow Expert: This is also the property that Crossbow Expert removes: ![]() This property ( not Ammunition) restricts the rate of fire. Because of the time required to load this weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition from it when you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make. For two-handed weapons, the second hand involved in firing the weapon can also be used in the loading process. The idea behind it is that you need one hand for the weapon and one for the ammunition, preventing you from holding a shield or second weapon. ![]() The confusion comes from trying to apply it to two-handed weapons it is quite specific about one-handed weapons. This factors into the crossbow conversation mostly due to the sometimes confusing bit about one handed weapons. At the end of the battle, you can recover half your expended ammunition by taking a minute to search the battlefield. Drawing the ammunition from a quiver, case, or other container is part of the attack (you need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon). Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of ammunition. You can use a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if you have ammunition to fire from the weapon. There are two weapon properties at play here - Ammunition and Loading.Īmmunition. Sage Advice makes this distinction between firing and the loading aspect of the attack action explicit:Ī hand crossbow is a one-handed weapon, so it can, indeed, be used for both attacks, assuming you have a hand free to load the hand crossbow between the two attacks.Yes, Crossbow Expert lets you attack with a crossbow more than once a turn. When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a loaded hand crossbow you are holding.īecause the description does not say "you may drop or sheath your one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a loaded hand crossbow you are holding," and because it says "holding", the necessary implication is that you are making the crossbow attack with a single hand. For example, see the text of the crossbow expert feat in the Player's Handbook : The Player's Handbook description of the light weapon property beginsĪ light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.Ī loaded hand crossbow does not need two hands to fire.
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