they have to be different from bows, I like options.

How about longer reload, slightly increased damage and some degree of armour piercing, similar to maces? And without the bows stamina drain on zoom?

Hmm..i disagree..they are fine as they are in DLC.Slow reloading but more powerful with a higher chance to stagger enemies.

Too spreadsheety.

Longer range, more powerful and slow reload. That's a crossbow.

Only in the crossbow crafting menu. The rest is fine, there's a perk for that.

Todd doesnt like spreadsheety.

Yes, this!

Increase damage, slower reloads, and armor piercing would be better, a longer range would be better given the velocity of the weapon.
I wonder will be able to craft our bolts in castle Dawnguard.

I just made a thread very similar to this...

High damage, slow reload and don't mess with the range. Common sense to me.

Not sure how they'd pull it off, but a crossbow would be more accurate, too.

I agree completely.

Not ideal, but could be approximated with more effective perks : higher zoom for eagle eye, more pronounced slowdown for steady hand (30% and 60%?), and higher critical bonus.

Yes they would I am going to make a character built around the idea of a crossbow.

I just wish they would steal the whole way crossbows work from Mount and Blade! (ooooohhh I love that game so much! It's such a time eater! ^^): way more deadly than bows, slower to reload but immediately ready to shoot once loaded (you load the bolt with a click and release it with another when you're ready instead of holding the attack button all the time), more steady and accurate to aim (but that doesn't matter in skyrim thanks to auto aim) and generally not a very good idea for foot combat but way superior on horseback or at long range (thanks to steadiness and accuracy)