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Arbalest — Darkest Dungeon hero
Hero Class

Arbalest

The Arbalest is one of the playable Heroes in Darkest Dungeon.

DPSHealer

Featured in comps

A Mark Comp A Stun Lock A Backline Burst A Riposte Wall

Recommended for

Necromancer Necromancer ★ Prophet Prophet ★ Hag Hag ★ Siren Siren ★ Drowned Crew Drowned Crew ◆ Swine Prince Swine Prince ★ Shambler Shambler ◆ Brigand Vvulf Brigand Vvulf ★ The Shrieker The Shrieker ★ Mammoth Cyst Mammoth Cyst ◆

Best trinkets All trinkets →

1
Ancestor's Musket Ball
Ancestor's Musket Ball S
+10% DMG (on ranged) · +8% CRT (on ranged)
2
Sun Ring
Sun Ring S
+10% DMG (torcha: 75) · +5% ACC (torcha: 75)
3
Focus Ring
Focus Ring S
+10% ACC · +5% CRT
4
Legendary Bracer
Legendary Bracer S
+20% DMG · -1 SPD
Class-locked
Sturdy Greaves Sturdy Greaves Vengeful Greaves Vengeful Greaves Medic's Greaves Medic's Greaves Bull's Eye Bandana Bull's Eye Bandana Wrathful Bandana Wrathful Bandana Bedtime Story Bedtime Story CR Childhood Treasure Childhood Treasure CR Keening Bolts Keening Bolts CO

The Musketeer

The Arbalest has received a visual restyling available to Kickstarter backers of Adventurer tier. The Musketeer presents a restyling of most combat abilities, one camp ability and every visual aspect and animation of the character itself. As of June 19th, 2018, the Musketeer has been made available to all owners of the game in the form of a free DLC.

Combat Skills

A runaway turned soldier, the Arbalest is the definitive backline fighter. Able to rain suppressing fire down on the enemy, snipe high profile targets and apply powerfully effective first-aid, she is a rallying point, a turret, a beacon in the dark.
— Guild

Note: New Arbalests will always come with the Sniper Shot skill.

(All buffs and debuffs last for 3 rounds unless otherwise specified.)

Sniper Shot.png

Sniper Shot#

Range
Ranged
Rank
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngGrey dot.pngGrey dot.png
Target
Grey dot.pngRed dot.pngRed dot.pngRed dot.png
Damage
+0%
Accuracy
95
Crit
5%

Effect+50% DMG vs Marked
+9% CRIT vs Marked

Suppressing Fire.png

Suppressing Fire#

Range
Ranged
Rank
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngGrey dot.pngGrey dot.png
Target
Grey dot.pngGrey dot.pngRed dotr.pngRed dotl.png
Damage
-80%
Accuracy
95
Crit
-10%

Effect-15 ACC (100% base)
-15% CRIT (100% base)
(2 rds)

Sniper's Mark.png

Sniper's Mark#

Range
Ranged
Rank
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngGrey dot.pngGrey dot.png
Target
Grey dot.pngRed dot.pngRed dot.pngRed dot.png
Damage
-100%
Accuracy
100
Crit

EffectMark Target (3 rds)
-20 DODGE (100% base, 2 rds)

Bola.png

Bola#

Range
Ranged
Rank
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngGrey dot.pngGrey dot.png
Target
Red dotr.pngRed dotl.pngGrey dot.pngGrey dot.png
Damage
-50%
Accuracy
95
Crit
2%

EffectKnockback 1 (75% base)

Blindfire.png

Blindfire#

Range
Ranged
Rank
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngYellow dot.png
Target
Red dot.pngRed dot.pngRed dot.pngRed dot.png
Damage
-10%
Accuracy
75
Crit
0%

EffectRandom Target

Self+3 SPD (4 rds)

Battlefield Bandage.png

Battlefield Bandage#

Rank
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngGrey dot.pngGrey dot.png
Target
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngYellow dot.png
Heal
2-3

Effect+20% Healing Received (3 rds)

Rallying Flare.png

Rallying Flare#

Range
Ranged
Rank
Yellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngYellow dot.pngYellow dot.png
Target
Red dotr.pngRed dotlr.pngRed dotlr.pngRed dotl.png
Damage
-100%
Accuracy
95
Crit

EffectBypass/Remove Stealth
Torch +3

Other Heroes:
Clear Stun
Clear Marked Target
Stress -1 (60% chance)

Camping Skills

As on the battlefield, so too at camp. The Arbalest splits her time at rest, providing expert first aid care, and preparing for the next leg of the journey with optimized marching plans and a fresh, taut bowstring.
— Survivalist

Camping skills are special skills heroes can use while they are camping. They take a certain number of "respite" points to use, and can only be used once per camp (unless the skill says otherwise). Most heroes have three shared camping skills and all heroes have 4 unique camping skills (with the Flagellant being the exception, having only unique camping skills). Only 4 of these can be equipped at one time. Any Buffs or lasting effects given from a camping skill lasts for 4 battles.

The Arbalest is a proficient medic at camp, able to heal all her companions or one ally greatly. She can also increase everyone else's speed or power-up her bow at the cost of her own speed.

Equipment

The Arbalest takes her name from the massive crossbow she carries into the battle. Able to decimate enemies at range with a dizzying array of ammunition, she wears medium plate for increased protection against the volleys she knows are coming...
— Blacksmith

Equipment upgrades are all bought at the Blacksmith:

Arbalest
Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5
Eqp weapon 0arb (1).pngCrude CrossbowEqp weapon 0arb (2).pngReinforced CrossbowEqp weapon 0arb (3).pngHeavy CrossbowEqp weapon 0arb (4).pngVeteran's CrossbowEqp weapon 0arb (5).pngMillicent
DMG base:4-8DMG base:5-10DMG base:6-11DMG base:6-13DMG base:7-14
CRT base:6.0%CRT base:7.0%CRT base:8.0%CRT base:9.0%CRT base:10.0%
SPD base:3SPD base:3SPD base:4SPD base:4SPD base:5
Plate Armor
Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5
Eqp armour 0.pngSecond-Hand PlateEqp armour 1.pngPawned PlateEqp armour 2.pngReliable PlateEqp armour 3.pngRefined PlateEqp armour 4.pngSurvivor
DODGE base:0DODGE base:5DODGE base:10DODGE base:15DODGE base:20
HP base:27HP base:32HP base:37HP base:42HP base:47

Each Hero has Trinkets unique to them that only they can equip. The Arbalest has seven; 2 common, 2 Crimson Court and 1 uncommon, rare and very rare. In the base game, her lower level trinkets are greaves and her high level trinkets are bandanas. The Crimson Court DLC adds a stuffed animal and crossbow bolt, while The Color of Madness DLC added crystal bolts

ImageNameRarityClassDungeonEffectNotes
Sturdygreaves.png
Sturdy GreavesCommonArbalest
  • +30% Move Resist
  • +30% Move Skill Chance
  • -1 SPD
Vengefulgreaves.png
Vengeful GreavesCommonArbalest
  • +3% CRIT
Inv trinket medics greaves.png
Medic's GreavesUncommonArbalest
  • +33% Healing Skills
One eye bandana.png
Bull's Eye BandanaRareArbalest
  • +8 ACC
  • +5% CRIT
  • -4 DODGE
Bandana.png
Wrathful BandanaVery RareArbalestWarrens
  • +25% DMG if in position 4
  • +30% Debuff Skill Chance
  • -50% Healing Skills


Each hero has a unique trinket set consisting of two hero-exclusive trinkets, and a hero who equips both will gain an additional set bonus. Most heroes' set trinkets can only be found in the Crimson CourtCourtyard and have the rarity Crimson Court. Each set trinket is unique and limited to one copy in the inventory. The Shieldbreaker Shieldbreaker's set trinkets can only be obtained by completing her nightmare encounters and do not interact with Crimson Court The Crimson Court in any way.

ImageNameClassEffectSet EffectQuoteNotes
Inv trinket-cc set arb childhood treasure.pngCrimson CourtChildhood TreasureArbalest
  • +30% Healing Skills
  • +20% Healing Skills while Camping
  • -15% Stress
  • +25% PROT
"I remember my father's kindly eyes."
Inv trinket-cc set arb sharpshooters string wax.pngCrimson CourtBedtime Story
  • +15 ACC vs Marked
  • +8% CRIT vs Marked
  • +35% Debuff Skill Chance
  • +35% Move Skill Chance

Color of Madness The Color of Madness DLC introduces trinkets with a new rarity, Crystalline, which must be purchased by spending Crystal Shards at the Jeweler in the Nomad Wagon. There are both generic crystalline trinkets as well as one exclusive crystalline trinket for each hero.

ImageNameRarityClassShard CostEffectNotes
Arb keening bolts.png
Color of MadnessKeening BoltsCrystallineArbalest170 Shards
  • +20% DMG
  • +7% CRIT Ranged Skills
  • On Attack: Self: Stress +3 (25% chance)

District

Crimson Court The Crimson Court DLC adds Districts to the Hamlet, some of which confer passive benefits to heroes.

Districts
Name and ImageEffectsCosts
District Training Ring.png
Crimson CourtTraining Ring		Arbalest, Houndmaster, Man-at-Arms, Shieldbreaker, and Musketeer receive:
  • +4 ACC
  • +10% MAX HP
Currency.gold.large icon.png5000 (1000)
Icon Crest.png300
Currency.blueprint.icon.png1