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Heavy ballista detail

The heavy ballista is a two-handed ranged weapon that uses javelins as ammunition, requiring level 75 in Ranged and the completion of the quest Monkey Madness II to wield. While there is no actual defence requirement for the Heavy Ballista, completing the pre-requisite, Monkey Madness I, provides a minimum of 20,000 defence experience. This corresponds to an effective requirement of 33 defence.

It is created by using ballista limbs on a heavy frame, then using the resulting incomplete heavy ballista on a ballista spring, and finally adding the monkey tail on an unstrung heavy ballista. The entire process requires level 72 in fletching, granting the player 660 experience.

The speed on accurate is one tick slower than a godsword, but when put on rapid it matches the speed of a godsword. The ballista has an attack range of 9. Longrange increases attack range by 1.

Special attack[]

Concentrated Shot (heavy ballista)

A player performing the heavy ballista's special attack, Concentrated Shot.

The heavy ballista has a special attack, Concentrated Shot, which it shares with the light ballista. It performs an attack with 25% increased accuracy and damage.

The special attack consumes 65% of the player's special attack energy.

Combat styles[]

CombatStyles cbow Combat style Experience Boosts
Accurate Ranged and Hitpoints Accuracy and damage
Rapid Ranged and Hitpoints Attack speed by 1 tick
Longrange Ranged, Hitpoints and Defence Attack range by 2 squares

Comparison between other ranged weapons[]

Picture Name Levels to equip Ranged Attack bonus Notes
Twisted bow Twisted bow 75 Ranged icon +70
  • Has a passive effect where the higher the target's Magic level is, the more accurate and damaging the bow becomes
  • Uses arrows as ammunition up to and including dragon
  • Offers an attack speed of that of a longbow
Toxic blowpipe Toxic blowpipe 75 Ranged icon +60
  • Requires Zulrah's scales (up to 16,383) and any unpoisoned darts to charge.
  • Bonuses stack with the darts that are used to charge the blowpipe (up to +78 ranged attack and +60 ranged strength with dragon darts).
  • Has an attack speed of 7 (same as darts) in a non-pvp encounter or attack speed of 6 in a pvp encounter (same as shortbows).
  • Offers a special attack where damage is increased by 50% and heals the wielder by 50% of the damage dealt. Costs 50% special attack energy.
  • Has 25% chance to inflict venom on an opponent.
Heavy ballista Heavy ballista 75 Ranged icon +125
  • Has the highest ranged bonus of any ranged weapon, including a +15 Ranged Strength bonus.
  • The ballista is 2-handed, forfeiting your options to use any type of shield.
  • Requires completion of Monkey Madness II to equip.
  • Only accepts Javelins as ammunition
  • Ava's accumulator and device will not retrieve fired javelins, neither can they be picked up.
  • Offers a special attack which increases accuracy and damage by 25% each for one shot. Costs 65% special attack energy.
Armadyl crossbow Armadyl crossbow 70 Ranged icon +100
  • Has a slightly longer attack range than other crossbows.
  • It is the only crossbow that offers a prayer bonus.
  • Offers a special attack where the player's accuracy is increased by 100% (dependent on ranged level and gear used). Costs 40% special attack energy.
Crystal bow Crystal bow 70 Ranged icon +100
  • The bow must be imbued or fully charged to maintain its highest ranged bonuses.
  • Offers a ranged strength of +70 when imbued or in top condition.
  • Has the attack speed between that of a shortbow and crossbow.
  • Has the furthest attack range of any bow or crossbow in the game (tied with composite bows) of 10 squares.
Karil's crossbow Karil's crossbow 70 Ranged icon +84
  • It is the only two-handed crossbow in the game and is also the fastest crossbow.
  • Can only be fired with bolt racks.
  • If worn with the rest of Karil the Tainted's equipment, it offers a set effect which lowers the target's agility level (only works on players).
  • Like all Barrows equipment, it degrades and will fully degrade after 15 hours of combat. It is repairable.
Dragon hunter crossbow Dragon hunter crossbow 65 Ranged icon +95
Dragon crossbow Dragon crossbow 64 Ranged icon +94
  • Offers the third highest one-handed Ranged attack bonus in the game, outclassed only by the armadyl crossbow and dragon hunter crossbow
  • Offers a special attack where the player can hit any target in a 3x3 area, while in a multicombat area, making it one of three range weapons that can hit multiple targets. This costs 60% of special attack bar.
Rune crossbow Rune crossbow 61 Ranged icon +90
Dark bow Dark bow 60 Ranged icon +95
  • Offers the third highest Ranged attack bonus in the game, behind the Heavy ballista, which offers +125 ranged attack, and the crystal bow and armadyl crossbow, both offering +100 ranged attack.
  • It is the slowest weapon in the game, offering only an attack speed of 2.
  • Has the ability to shoot two arrows at a time.
  • Offers a powerful special attack, where if used with dragon arrows, it increases damage dealt by 50% with a minimum hit of 8 (30% with any other arrow with a minimum hit of 5). Costs 55% special attack energy.
Magic shortbow Magic shortbow 50 Ranged icon +69
  • It is the only shortbow to offer a special attack. The special attack fires 2 shots, but with reduced accuracy in rapid succession. Costs 55% special attack energy.
  • The bow can be imbued by using a magic shortbow scroll on a normal magic shortbow. The imbued version increases accuracy to +75 and lowers the special attack cost to 50%.
Chinchompa
Red chinchompa
Black chinchompa
Chinchompas 45 Ranged icon (Grey)

55 Ranged icon (Red)
65 Ranged icon (Black)

+45 (Grey)

+70 (Red)
+80 (Black)

  • It is the only one of three ranged weapons that offers the ability to hit more than one opponent at a time (similar to burst or barrage ancient spells), the others being the special attack of the dragon crossbow, with a similar attack, and Rune thrownaxe, with a ricochet type attack.
  • Regarded to be the best way of training Ranged at the cost of it being expensive.
  • Has the attack speed of 6 (same as scimitars or the abyssal whip).
  • If a player dies with chinchompas equipped or in their inventory, they will disappear as they are live animals. Dying with black chinchompas to a player in the wilderness does not make them disappear.


Trivia[]

  • Upon release, the heavy ballista's Ranged Attack bonus was +120. However, this was changed on 31 October 2016 to +100 due to it being "simply too strong" when paired with ranged Void Knight equipment in PvP[1]. Furthermore, the ranged strength of javelins was also reduced, lowering the max hit of the heavy ballista.
  • It was changed again to +110[2] in an update on 3 November 2016, and once more to +125[3] in an update on 1 December 2016. The same update gave it a +15 bonus in Ranged Strength, and changed the requirements for equipping it, now requiring the completion of Monkey Madness II and 75 Ranged to wield.

References[]

  1. Mod Archie. "Ballista/Javelin Stat Changes." October 31, 2016. Old School Announcements Forums.
  2. Mod Ronan. "Last Man Standing & QoL." November 3, 2016. Old School RuneScape Forums.
  3. Mod Merchant. "Ballista Rework & QOL." December 1, 2016. Old School RuneScape Forums.


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