People keep comparing crossbows to bombs and throwing daggers. Those items complement Geralt's fighting style, which is close range, while a crossbow is very counter intuitive to what Geralt is used to. Plus bombs and throwing daggers don't show up next to his signature weapons, that crossbow is such an eye sore.
Oh flying monsters you say? Is a crossbow really the best weapon against a huge flying monstrosity? Like one shot would really make a difference, and by the time Geralt would reload, he would be toast.
Yeah, bombs and throwing daggers are more like a thing he does on the fly, not a completely different weapon that requires a change in his tactics. And yes, placing it next to his swords is just... No.
As for flying creatures. You guys do realise that they must actually get close to Geralt in order to make an attack, so he would get opportunities to hit them with a sword either way. Remaining still while carefully aiming a crossbow at a fast-moving creature that is making a dive for you hardly seems like the best tactic. Probably better to lure them to a place where there's less space for them to fly around or to take cover so that their angle of attack is limited.
I want to draw your attention to a moment in the books. The hunt for the golden dragon. The dragon was at long range, yet never did Geralt ask for a ranged weapon against a flying creature that is far away from him when he finally decided to fight the beast.
Geralt turned around and, with a slow movement, tightened the buckle on the bandolier across his chest by two holes. He raised his right hand to check that the hilt of his sword was well positioned. The poet looked at him wide-eyed.
"Geralt, you're going to..."
"Yes," replied the witcher, calmly. "There is a limit as to what is possible. I've had enough of all this. What are you going to do, Jaskier? Will you stay or will you follow Niedamir's troops?"
The troubadour bent to carefully put his lute down against a stone, then straightened up. "I'll stay. What are you talking about? Limits of the possible? I reserve the right to use this expression as the title of my ballad."
"It might be your last ballad."
"Geralt."
"Yes?"
"Don't kill it... if you can."
"A sword is a sword, Jaskier. When it's drawn..."
"Try."
"I shall try."
They did not have more DPS. They had more base damage, that does not equate to DPS nor does it to an accurate damage assessment.
Geralt on his with one of the weaker swords in the game does more damage then one of the highest end daggers in the game.
Whatever you say, all I know is that it was a lot easier to handle enemies by spamming R (which is what I mean by higher DPS) than it was to properly position myself and strike at a safe moment with a sword.
Also, daggers did anywhere between 30-70, probably even more, base damage, a lot more than the weakest sword in the game, so I don't know where that's coming from.
