What's the best (non-repeating) crossbow at end-game?

[Thrudh]

I'm still using Morninglord.

I got Nightshade, but it doesn't seem much better.

Screamshatter looks promising with Improved Destruction, but just looking at damage numbers, it seems about the same as Morninglord.

[Thrudh]

No one has an opinion? I guess INQ is just so strong it doesn't matter what crossbow you use?

[Hobgoblin]

the non repeater from pn - hollow splinter or something like that

[Thrudh]

Well I don't see the new raids up very often, so I doubt I'll ever get the raid crossbow (Hallowed Splinters)

But I did finally get the Legendary Screamshatter.

Looks like all 3 (Morninglord, Nightshade Shooter, and Screamshatter) are pretty much the same on base damage and crit profile.

Nightshade shooter has slightly more base damage with 6.5(1d8+2) compared to 6.0(1d8+2) of the other ones.

But it really comes down to all the bonus attributes...

Morninglord has:

• 9d6 Holy
• 9d6 Fire
• 9d10 Undead damage
• Good-aligned
• Silver

Screamshatter has:

• 9d6 Sonic
• 22d6 Sonic on crit
• Improved Destruction
• Lightning Strike

Nightshade shooter has:

• 9d6 Posion
• Twining Hemlock (chance ??? to put foes to sleep - what's the chance?)
• Wounding 5
• Sovereign Vorpal (0.5W)

I'm just trying to figure out which one is my main weapon, since I only have one sentient jewel for this guy.

I have a rune-arm that gives silver to whatever crossbow I use so that advantage is gone for the Morninglord.

But Morninglord is the only one that is naturally good-aligned. Holy damage is good for most everything, and fire is decent. Against undead of course, the morninglord looks to be tops.

I'd probably have to waste the red slot on the other two with a ruby of good.

Nightshade shooter has higher base damage, but Poison seems limiting. Does the sleep effect hit often with the high rate of fire? What good is Wounding in epic? I thought stat damage gets healed quickly.

Sonic is good all around damage. Not much is resistant to that, and Improved Destruction is solid, especially for red names. Lightning Strike seems weak.. the old level 12 Shroud weapon effect.

One big difference... My nightshade shooter happens to have mythic weapon boost +4, so that might push me towards making that my main weapon.

Sigh... I guess I should start working on a second sentient jewel so I can switch to Morninglord when fighting something that is resistant to poison.

But this my 4th alt so he's lucky to have 5 slots unlocked on even one sentient jewel.

[Thrudh]

So anyone have any idea about how often Twining Hemlock hits? I'm assuming the mobs are put to sleep, and then immediately wake up when they are hit again, but that still should slow them down a bit.

Is Wounding 5 worth anything in epic?

What mobs are immune to poison? I'm thinking maybe I should stick with the Screamshatter as my main weapon for boss fights, and not worry about trash. Sonic hits most everything and improved destruction helps against bosses.

[HungarianRhapsody]

I've been using the Legendary Syranian crossbow because it's easier for me to add Silver to the Adamantine than it is for me to add Adamantine to the Silver.

Otherwise, the Syranian and Morninglord are pretty even unless you're specifically fighting Undead or Constructs.

[The_Rev09]

Very late to the party, but I find that with the CON damage from wounding paired with the STR damage when in Shadow Form, Legendary Nightshade is my current go to. That being said, I have not pulled any raid crossbows to try out. Twist in some Stay Frosty for slowed movement and you've got a winner!

[Ultinoob]

Depending on the build you'd be surprised how well ratcatcher keeps up. No sentient i know... but still.

[Zarkarion]

Depending on the build you'd be surprised how well ratcatcher keeps up. No sentient i know... but still.

As you say. However, with 4 crackshot negotiator filigrees, even the level 20 Epic Ethereal Heavy Crossbow pulls ahead by a smallish but significant margin. The level 29 crossbows even more so.

For levels 20-28 the Epic Ethereal (with filigrees), as well as doing slightly more damage than Ratcatcher, has the advantage of Adamantine and built in Ghost Touch.