Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Black Ops 2 Crossbow

SpecialsUnlocked at Level 25Takes camo
SpecialsCrossbow — Call of Duty: Black Ops II weapon render

How do you unlock the Crossbow?

The Crossbow unlocks at Level 25 in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. It fires explosive bolts that detonate shortly after impact from a three-bolt multiplayer magazine. Its arcing projectile rewards leading moving targets and returning to cover while the delayed explosion resolves. Reaching a weapon's level makes it available, but purchasing it in Create-a-Class costs one Unlock Token. A token is earned at each level-up. Its camo track finishes at Skulls (Combat Knife: 5 knife-only Bloodthirsty medals · Ballistic Knife: 2 Bloodthirsty medals · Crossbow: kill an enemy with each of all three bolts in one magazine · Assault Shield: 25 shield kills with no other weapons or lethal equipment). Complete every camo challenge on it and Gold unlocks. Earn Gold on the whole class for Diamond.

UnlockLevel 25 · 1 Unlock Token
Takes camoYes
Gold camoComplete every camo challenge on this weapon
Diamond camoEarn Gold on every weapon in the class
Explosive bolts, secondary slot.

Reviewed July 27, 2026. Game identity, Pick 10, weapon leveling and the Peacekeeper's post-launch status were checked against Activision material. Current PlayStation availability and the 25-pack bundle were checked against PlayStation Store listings. Class and weapon-specific camouflage requirements were cross-checked against recorded in-game challenge wording. Base multiplayer capacities and weapon identifications were checked against a dedicated BO2 stat reference and IMFDB, with fictional or uncertain designs labeled as such. Crossbow mechanics and legacy camo access were separately checked against historical references and the current Steam Digital Deluxe listing. Setup advice and weapon comparisons are editorial and avoid unsupported damage or time-to-kill claims.

Sources: Activision — Call of Duty 20th anniversary franchise recap · PlayStation Store — Call of Duty: Black Ops II · PlayStation Store — Ultimate Customization Bundle · Activision — archived Black Ops II Personalization Pack release notice · Steam — Call of Duty: Black Ops II · GameFAQs — launch-era Black Ops II multiplayer camo matrix · Call of Duty Wiki — Black Ops II weapon camouflage catalog · Steam — Black Ops II Digital Deluxe content announcement · Black Ops II multiplayer weapon stats reference · IMFDB — Black Ops II weapon identification reference · Call of Duty Wiki — Crossbow mechanics

How does the Crossbow play in Black Ops 2?

RoleRepeating delayed-explosive special weapon
Real-world basisFictional repeating reverse-draw crossbow resembling a Barnett BC Raptor
StrengthsA stuck bolt pressures the target and nearby space before detonation; The delayed explosion can affect opponents using cover or grouping on an objective
TradeoffsBolts follow an arc and detonate after a delay, so misses and moving targets are harder to correct than with a firearm; Only three bolts are loaded and each shot has a slow follow-up cadence; a full reload is required after the third
Attachments and setup notesA Reflex Sight provides a clean close-to-medium aim point. Tri-Bolt releases all three loaded bolts at once; it does not create the base three-bolt magazine and is not required for the Skulls challenge; Use Scavenger when the class needs several Crossbow kills in one life
Challenge noteFinish the Crossbow kill ladder through 300 kills, then earn 1 Double Kill medal, 5 Revenge medals, kill an enemy by exploding a car, earn 1 Crossbow Bloodthirsty medal and earn a kill with every bolt in one three-bolt magazine. Complete all challenges for Gold.
Progression tipTrack the active special challenge carefully: the car explosion, Bloodthirsty and three-bolt magazine are distinct objectives.
Camo tipLead a moving target and return to cover after the bolt lands; the delayed explosion does not require you to remain exposed.
Compared withThe Ballistic Knife offers an immediate blade and a melee fallback; the Crossbow is slower and built around delayed explosive placement.

Every camo, exact unlocks — see the full Black Ops 2 camo directory.

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Crossbow — common questions

What level does the Crossbow unlock at in Black Ops 2?

The Crossbow unlocks at Level 25 in Call of Duty: Black Ops II multiplayer. Reaching a weapon's level makes it available, but purchasing it in Create-a-Class costs one Unlock Token. A token is earned at each level-up. The level cap is 55, and prestige is up to 10, followed by Prestige Master at Level 55.

How do you unlock camos on the Crossbow?

Camo progress is per-weapon. Black Ops II camo progress is tracked separately on every weapon. The first nine finishes run from DEVGRU through Kryptek: Typhon, followed by Carbon Fiber, Cherry Blossom, Art of War, Ronin and Skulls before per-weapon Gold and class-based Diamond. Assault rifles, SMGs, LMGs and pistols begin with headshots. Snipers use One Shot, One Kill medals; shotguns use one-hit kills; launchers and Specials have weapon-specific ladders. Every camo page lists the exceptions. On the Crossbow the final tier is Skulls — Combat Knife: 5 knife-only Bloodthirsty medals · Ballistic Knife: 2 Bloodthirsty medals · Crossbow: kill an enemy with each of all three bolts in one magazine · Assault Shield: 25 shield kills with no other weapons or lethal equipment. After that, Gold needs every camo challenge on the weapon done, and Diamond needs Gold on the full class.

Can you unlock the Crossbow for me?

Yes — our Black Ops 2 Unlock All service covers any prestige up to Prestige Master, max Level 55, weapons, camos and Create-a-Class unlocks handled on supported legacy console accounts, from $19.99. See the service.

Skip the grind

Our Black Ops 2 Unlock All service includes any prestige up to Prestige Master, max Level 55, weapons, camos and Create-a-Class unlocks handled on supported legacy console accounts, from $19.99.

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