Constructive Crossbow Criticism

Some random suggestions for crossbows.

Add bandoliers, simple as.

The changes to Rapid Shot - removal of the delay to fire was good, but putting a limitation on how long it can be fired is terrible. Remove that. Essentially same as it was, allowing constant fire, with no delay to start firing. That was the main thing that made it feel clunky. Idk why you feel like this skill in particular needs some massive negative. it took time to ramp up to full damage anyway, is that not enough?

Literally WTF is Ice Shards? Make Ice Shards just a cold auto-fire skill, with a small fragmentation effect on hit. Glacial Bolt could be a circle or star aoe icewall or explosion. Or it makes a wall in a line though the enemies or something, inline with the direction of fire. Basically anything but what it is now.

Add some other skills that are high single shot damage like HVR but other elements. OR if theres no more room, a multi-elemental version - Elemental Bolt. High single shot damage, payoff damage added based on whatever elemental ailment the target is inflcted with.

HVR could consume broken armour again but still apply the Riven debuff too. Frag rounds could also apply some similar kind of debuff when consuming freeze, to make it more effective against strong single target.

The skills that rain bolts would better as a non-ammo skill, so they can be used without swtching ammo. I realise that doesn't make sense functionally. But you could have it so you press the button to fire them, your guy changes to that ammo and then uses it in one button press. And then you can continue firing whatever you had loaded before without another switch needed.

Plasma Blast should not need full charge to fire - make it so its progressively stronger the longer you hold it down, but can be fired after any amount of partial charge.

Maybe add a couple of extra ascendancy nodes in merc somewhere specific to crossbow ammo skills, reload or extra bolts or projectiles or something. Considering every ascendancy pic he is holding a crossbow...

Supports -
Choke: Reduces the angle of skills that fire in a spread
Sawn-off: Increases the angle