Bolts

Bolts are the ammunition used by crossbows. Most types of bolts are made using a combination of the Smithing and Fletching skills, the initial bolts being made with Smithing, and feathers being added with Fletching. Certain special bolts can only be obtained through other methods, such as monster drops or specialist shops.

Bolts may be used with crossbows that are lower level than themselves, but their damage will be capped at the crossbow's level. For example, if one were to use level 80 royal bolts with the level 50 rune crossbow, the bolts would perform as level 50 runite bolts.

Different types of bolts can be stored in a bolt pouch to conserve space. Bolts sometimes survive shots, so you can pick up your fired bolts.

Smithable bolts, Gem-tipped bolts and Enchanted bolts
Smithable metal bolts can be enhanced by adding Gem bolt tips. Doing this will result in making Gem-tipped bolts. These will then have a slightly increased Ranged Strength, with a correspondingly raised mimimum crossbow level needed to fire them. They can be further improved by enchanting them, becoming enchanted bolts with an even higher minimum level requirement. Each enchantment has a specific effect. See the table below for more information.

NOTE** these effects no longer work





Player-created bolts that use skills other than smithing

 * Silver bolts are much like other silver items, in that they are crafted using an appropriate mould and a furnace. Silver bolts are the only ranged weapons other than Blisterwood stakes that can be used effectively against vampyres.


 * Kebbit bolts and Long kebbit bolts are fletched from Kebbit spikes and Long kebbit spikes respectively. They can only be used with the Hunter's crossbow.


 * Bakriminel bolts are fletched by players from Bloodwood logs. The unfinished bolts must be assembled with the tips while standing close to the tree that the logs were cut from, or the logs and unfinished bolts will disintegrate. These very high level bolts are especially damaging against mages in PvP with specific targeted attacks.

Shop-bought bolts

 * Barbed bolts are made from Bronze bolts by attaching Barb bolt tips which can be purchased in the Ranging guild using Archery tickets.


 * Broad-tipped bolts require 55 Slayer to use in addition to ranged requirements. They can be obtained from Slayer masters using Slayer reward points, or purchased unfinished from Slayer masters' shops using coins. The ability to complete these bolts using feathers must be obtained using Slayer reward points before they can be made useable.


 * Bone bolts can be bought from Nardok's Bone Weapons shop, and are only usable with the Dorgeshuun crossbow and Zanik's crossbow.

Bolts obtained as drops

 * Black bolts are obtained from Treasure Trails.


 * Coral bolts are dropped by grotworms, and are usable only with the coral crossbow. Completion of the Song from the Depths quest is required.


 * Royal bolts are dropped by the Queen Black Dragon and are usable only with the royal chaotic and rune crossbows.


 * Bolt racks are obtained from the Barrows and are usable only with Karil's crossbow, Karil's pistol crossbow and Karil's off-hand pistol crossbow.

Mithril grapple
The Mithril grapple is used in conjunction with a crossbow to grapple agility shortcuts and obstacles. They can break when used.

Bane bolts
Bane bolts are available after completion of the Ritual of the Mahjarrat quest. They are made by casting Tune Bane Ore on Bane ore, smelting the ore, smithing the bars on the tempered anvil in Kethsi, and fletching them with Feathers. The Tune Bane Ore spell enhances the weapon to be more effective against a specific creature, depending on the item it is tuned with. There are four types of bane bolts:
 * Abyssalbane bolts, used against Abyssal demons
 * Basiliskbane bolts, used against Basilisks
 * Dragonbane bolts, used against Dragons
 * Wallasalkibane bolts, used against Wallasalkis

Hand cannon
The Hand cannon is also classed as bolts. However it fires at an average speed, but does more damage than a one-handed crossbow or dual-wielded crossbow. It can only fire Hand cannon shot, which can be obtained as a drop from the monsters at the Chaos Dwarf Battlefield. They can also be bought from the Grand Exchange.