The Bolt Thrower or as some may refer to it as a Crossbow is a weapon that can be used to fire Bolt projectiles at enemies.
You start with 3 Bolts when you get this weapon but can later craft more once you have the resources to do so.
This weapon has excellent stopping power, allowing you to stagger most enemies that you hit with a shot to the head or legs.
Bolt Thrower Upgrade Stats
Stat | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Upgrade Cost |
Power | 1.20 | 1.50 | 1.80 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 9K / 18K / 27K / 36K |
| Ammo Capacity | 3.00 | 4.00 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 7K / 9K / 14K / 19K |
Reload Speed | 1 | 2.00 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8K / 10K / 12K / 14K |
| Rate of Fire | 0.70 | 0.72 | 0.75 | 0.79 | 0.85 | 8K / 12K / 16L / 20K |
Exclusive Upgrade | Ammo Capacity Increased by 2x (60,000) | 60K | ||||
Bolt Thrower Exclusive Upgrade
The exclusive upgrade for the Bolt Launcher doubles its ammo capacity, allowing you to have more Bolts or Explosive Bolts ready to fire.
Since the Bolt Launcher is quite slow when reloading, this will allow you to shoot more enemies before having to reload.
You will additionally be able to shoot more Explosive Bolts to make setting up traps for enemies easier within a shorter amount of time.
Bolt Thrower Location
The Bolt Thrower can be purchased from The Merchant when you first meet him as you start making your way around in Chapter 2.
You meet him after you have escaped previously being chained to Luis Serra after an encounter with the large man that knocked you out.
How To Get The Bolt Thrower?
The Bolt Thrower can be purchased for 10,000 Pesetas but if you purchase it from him during Chapter 3, this will be on sale for 8,000 Pesetas.
You will be able to approach The Merchant and speak with him after he lets you out of the area that you were locked in after you have retrieved your gear.
The Bolt Thrower will be one of the more expensive items that are around in The Merchant’s shop but you can always sell treasure to get more Pesetas.
Buying the Bolts Recipe is recommended if you are getting the Bolt Thrower as this will allow you to make more Bolts.
Using the Bolt Thrower
The Bolt Thrower fires bolts at a high velocity but at further distances, the Bolts need to be aimed a bit higher than the enemies.
Hitting an enemy in the head will most likely stagger them but this also works well when targeting their legs or other weak spots.
1) Firing Explosive Bolts
Later on, you can fire Explosive Bolts that act as proximity mines, which detonate when an enemy is near them and yes, this also includes the enemy that you hit with them.
The explosion is powerful and can knock enemies back but take note that this also destroys the Bolt in the process.
2) Recovering Bolts
Regular Bolts can be recovered after you have shot an enemy or missed them, which makes the Bolt Thrower have seemingly infinite ammo.
It is important to avoid shooting the Bolts to places you cannot reach as they will only be retrievable where they hit, which is on a surface or the body of a dead enemy.
Is the Bolt Thrower Worth it?
The Bolt Throw can fire Bolts that can be recovered, which pretty much gives you infinite ammo as long as you kill enemies and retrieve them.
You can easily stagger enemies with a shot to the head or legs, which opens them up to your melee attacks.
With those said as well as the Exploding Arrows, it may be said that the Bolt Thrower is a must have in the game.
Bolt Thrower Release Date
The Bolt Thrower was released when Resident Evil 4 Remake came out and to everyone’s surprise, this new weapon changed the way the game could be played.
Regular Bolts seem to be a good way to take an early stealthy approach but enemies are usually alerted if they are left alive.
The ability to use Explosive Bolts makes it a good weapon for getting rid of groups of enemies with a single shot as well.
Bolt Thrower Build
A good way to make use of the Bolt Thrower is to have a powerful weapon such as a shotgun ready for when you need to blast an enemy up close.
Using a Kitchen Knife or Combat Knife is a great way to dispose of your enemies when you are saving up on ammunition.
The Bolt Thrower is best used for setting up enemies to take damage from other weapons or to simply finish them off when they are staggered.
Verdict
The Bolt Thrower is a good way to stagger enemies when you are fighting villagers during the earlier chapters and later on it can be upgraded.
Since you can recover the bolts that it fires, this makes it an effective weapon for conserving ammo when fighting certain enemies.
Explosive Bolts may be costly but they can later be used to take out multiple and even more powerful enemies later on.
