Wristbow

The wristbow is a polyvalent, silent and concealed ranged weapon. It is favored by thugs and assassins in opposition to regular crossbows but performs mostly the same. Some Bone Charms can affect one's use of wristbow or opponents'.

Dishonored and additional content
Wristbows are first seen used by Daud and his Whalers in Dunwall in 1837. Crafted from the finest materials, this mechanical device is powered by a small amount of whale oil and can launch wristbow bolts, sleep darts and explosive bolts while remaining concealed in their sleeves.

Warfare Overseers were able to seize some of them and thought of using them in combat. However their models proved lacking in accuracy and range in contrast of the Whalers', and so they kept to pistols and sabers.

Dishonored: The Corroded Man
In 1851, the new Whalers gang under Galia Fleet and Zhukov adopted again wristbows as their choice of ranged weapon.

Dishonored 2
By 1852, the Howlers in Karnaca use a simpler version of wristbows attached to their arms, powered by a small battery and launching bolts with a spring. These models are crudely crafted, with for example the battery made out of a bottle of Orbon Rum. Their howling bolts, in addition to regular bolts, give them an edge during fights by disorienting their enemies.

Wristbow Accuracy
With this upgrade, the wristbow becomes much more accurate, allowing for more precise targeting.
 * Cost: 300 Coins

Wristbow Range
This upgrade makes wristbow bolts travel faster, effectively increasing their range and their accuracy at range.
 * Cost: 450 Coins

Wristbow Reload
The Wristbow Reload upgrade reduces the reload time of the wristbow by a considerable amount, allowing Daud to shoot multiple enemies in a small span of time, or to quickly change between the type of bolt currently loaded.
 * Cost: 450 Coins

The Knife of Dunwall and The Brigmore Witches

 * Reinforced Bolts - Bolts shot at enemies are less likely to break.
 * Splintering Bolts - Bolts shot do more damage but break more often.

Dishonored 2

 * Unsteady Hand - Enemies miss with fired projectiles more often.
 * Shivering Silhouette - Enemies miss more often with ranged attacks, but you are more visible to enemies.
 * Bloodfly Alchemy - An enemy's initial ranged attack is transformed into bloodflies.

Trivia

 * There is one assassination animation in which Daud impales the head of the victim by firing a bolt at point blank range, then retracting the bolt back into the wristbow. This animation only happens when Daud still has crossbow bolts.
 * The firing mechanism of the wristbow uses a simple gear system to increase the power of the weapon without increasing its size. The metal arms pull the large wheels which in turn rotate the smaller wheels that pull the dart, thus increasing the power of the bow.