The Heavy Ballista Cannon has been the talk of the Grand Exchange since the Abyssal Expansion dropped. With a price tag hovering around 10 million GP, it promises to revolutionize naval combat with its high hit splats and long range. But for the average captain looking to level up or make a profit, is this heavy investment actually worth the inventory slot? We purchased one, equipped it to our War Galley, and spent 20 hours testing it against everything from River Trolls to the Kraken. Here is our definitive verdict.
The Stats on Paper
Before we undock, let's look at the raw numbers. The Heavy Ballista Cannon requires 75 Sailing and 70 Ranged to mount. It has a firing rate of 6 ticks (3.6 seconds), which is significantly slower than the standard Dwarf Multicannon's 4 ticks. However, it boasts a massive +120 Ranged Strength bonus for naval combat, compared to the +60 of the standard cannon.
The ammo is also unique. It fires "Heavy Javelins," which currently trade for roughly 200gp each. This makes every missed shot painful for your coin pouch. But do the hits make up for it?
Test 1: XP Training at Crabs
Our first test was simple AFK training at Sand Crabs (Naval Edition). We parked our ship and let the auto-retaliate do the work. If you are looking for optimal training, check our Sailing Training Guide instead.
- Standard Cannon: 65k XP/hr (Cost: 150k gp/hr)
- Heavy Ballista: 55k XP/hr (Cost: 400k gp/hr)
Verdict: Absolutely not. The overkill damage is wasted on low HP mobs, and the slow attack speed means you tag fewer enemies per minute. Stick to the standard cannon for training.
Test 2: Bossing (The Kraken)
This is where the Heavy Ballista is supposed to shine. The Kraken has high defense and massive HP. We did 50 kills with each setup. You can check the loot values in our Combat Profit Calculator.
The Heavy Ballista consistently hit 50s and 60s, tearing through the Kraken's tentacle phase. The range allowed us to stay out of the whirlpool's AoE damage zone, saving us food.
- Kill Time (Standard): 2:30 average
- Kill Time (Ballista): 1:45 average
- Profit Per Hour: Increased by 800k gp due to faster kills.
The Hidden Mechanic: Shield Piercing
One thing the wiki doesn't mention clearly is the "Shield Pierce" passive. During our testing, we noticed that the Heavy Ballista ignores 20% of the target's naval armor. This is huge for PvP and high-level PvM encounters like the Abyssal Sire's ship.
Conclusion
If you are a casual sailor just looking to hit level 99, save your 10m. The Heavy Ballista is overkill and inefficient for general training. However, if you are into high-level naval bossing or PvP, this weapon is best-in-slot. It pays for itself after about 15 hours of Kraken farming.
Rating: 8/10 (Niche but powerful)