The best way to handle those specialty bolts is getting familiar with each type since they all shine in different situations. start with standard bolts which are great for stealth kills and dont need much besides cedar saplings and scrap to craft. once you complete "they're not sleeping," youll unlock residue bolts, perfect for turning tough enemies against their own group which creates some nice chaos in camps.

Poison bolts become available after i've got a plan and work wonders against those heavily armored raiders, letting you hang back while the poison does its thing. getting through 8 ambush camps opens up incendiary bolts, and these are absolutely brutal against groups of freakers, especially when theyre bunched up together. the real powerhouse though comes after clearing 12 camps when you get explosive bolts, which are basically your answer to any bigger threats like breakers or vehicles.

Quick tip about crafting materials, always keep cedar saplings and scrap handy since you need those for everything. for the special stuff youll want nest residue, poison glands, rags with kerosene, and dont forget spark igniters plus gunpowder for those explosives. when youre in a fight, remember you can swap bolt types pretty quick using the weapon wheel, and maybe interesting to note that fire spreads really well in dry areas if youre looking to control the crowd. just remember to aim a bit high for distant targets since the bolts drop quite a bit over range.