Mini-crossbow

In-game Description
The mini-crossbow was specifically developed for espionage work and accepts a range of dart types (normal, tranquilizer or flare) that can be changed depending upon the mission requirements.

The crossbow is one of the weapons Paul offers to you at the start of the game. If you don't pick it up there, an NSF troop outside the Statue of Liberty has it. Otherwise it can be found throughout the game on enemies, in crates and lockers, or simply lying on the ground.

Tactics
The crossbow is extremely useful in pacifist runs. It's the only ranged weapon that can knock out enemies, so you'll be relying on it a lot. Try and put a scope on it ASAP, since you'll need all the range you can get. Accuracy mods will also help, even if you do upgrade your pistol skill. Range mods will help get over its low accuracy range, so use them on the crossbow as soon as you get them. Clip mods do not work with it, so get used to having to reload after four rounds.

In non-pacifist runs, players may find the crossbow situational. Darts do very little damage unless you make a successful headshot (in which case it is generally a kill) and tranquilizer darts take a while to kick in. Other players, however, may find it useful since it only takes up one inventory slot and can be used to knock out almost any enemy if the player is patient enough and has enough darts. Some players may find the crossbow useful early in the game, when long range shots are difficult and single-round kills even more so. In these situations, shooting a guard with a tranquilizer dart and retreating to safety for a few seconds may help the player to avoid a costly firefight.

In a pacifist game, a scoped crossbow is useful for a single shot to the body, with a standard dart, to wound civilian street-toughs and gang members from a distance. With careful planning, it is possible to avoid having your 'pacifist act' seen by police officers, who could otherwise attack you. But if instead the police do not spot your involvement, they can note the gangster rushing to attack you. Then, the officer(s) will help you by shooting or stunning the criminal. This can reduce risk to yourself, and it is one method for removing the danger posed by the pimp, when he is about to attack Sandra Renton. Another technique is to use standard darts to wound an attacker's arm (the one that's holding a weapon), forcing him to drop it with less risk of lethal injury -- as with the terrorists holding the two hostages in the hotel. Sometimes one can even disable both legs of a person with a burst of standard darts, causing collapse and unconsciousness through concussion against the ground. As a combat weapon, it is useless. Without extensive modification kits, it has a slow fire rate, small clip size, and long reload time which can easily get you killed. Darts are common, but not in great enough numbers to be literally sprinkled around. It is an assassination tool, and it is very good in that role. A standard bolt to the head is usually fatal. The unique effect of tranquilizer darts is useless against Gunther Hermann, who has some kind of blue energy shield which automatically blocks that effect.

It is also possible to shoot a dart into the wall and pick it up, gaining one extra clip. This is useful when running low on darts. The flare dart can also be shot at walls to illuminate dark places.

Mini-kusza