Although somewhat improved in Combat and Tactics, these powerful weapons are still too weak and one entire class of the weapon is missing. A light crossbow is the small version used by hunters that can be braced against the stomach to recock, gnomes and other small races would use these, as would thieves. The medium crossbow is cocked using a footbrace (cost 40 gp and uses same bolts as light crossbow). As anybody who has used a crossbow can tell you, they are actually as lethal as firearms, but not as accurate. The big advantage they have is sthat they can be carried at full cock for a long time, allowing instant firing (which is impossible with a bow). Crossbows should be available for high Strength, as they are in real life (you can get a 200lb draw weight crossbow), gloves would be required to pull the string, or you'd damage fingers. However the extreme cost (the base cost multiplied for every Strength point over 14, the precentage "ranges" cost a point each).

Note that the extreme power of crossbows allows them to punch through armour! These reduction only couunt against a targte's physical armour class, not that derived form Dexterity, magic or cover. Also common sense should prevail, an adult dragon's hide is so thick the AC reductions hsouldn't apply.