### Summary of the Off-hand Ascension Crossbow
The **Off-hand Ascension Crossbow** is a tier-90 off-hand ranged weapon crafted through the fletching skill, requiring 90 ranged to wield and 90 fletching to create. It was released on **September 3, 2013**, as part of the Ascension Dungeon update. The crossbow is made by combining six Ascension signets (collected from each Ascended Slayer boss) with a Dragon crossbow, making it one of the game's first high-tier ranged weapons to cater to dual-wield setups.
The item remains relatively rare in the Grand Exchange due to its reliance on RNG-heavy bossing drops, requiring significant skill yet being prone to barriers such as supply bottlenecks (due to lack of active Slayer participants) and market manipulation.
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### Historical Insights and Price Movements
The Off-hand Ascension Crossbow showcases sharp price volatility based on major RuneScape updates and in-game economy shifts. Examining its price history against notable events reveals impactful trends:
1. **2022 Peak Prices:** Between January and mid-2022, the crossbow saw peak prices over **200M GP**, driven by stable demand as the best-in-slot (BIS) ranged weapon for off-handing, along with players upgrading their equipment for Croesus (September 2021) and widespread inflation following the rollback dupe (November 2021).
2. **Key Declines Post-August 2022:** The decline during **Fresh Start Worlds** (September 2022) can be attributed to low demand for endgame PvM gear in new economy modes and an influx of player liquidity sinks pushing cash into cosmetics and other tradable rewards.
3. **2023 Crash and Volatility:** Several factors caused significant dips in the Crossbow's price in 2023:
- The **700B+/hour scrimshaw dupe (January)** and **February hacks** destabilized the economy, lowering the overall purchasing power for higher-tier gear.
- The **Necromancy skill update (August)** effectively made bows such as the FSOA (Fractured Staff of Armadyl) and magic setups more meta-centric, reducing demand for ascension-tier crossbows in PvM.
- The **Hero Pass backlash (September)** reduced player engagement, lowering GP generation from PvM activities and impacting supply.
4. **2024 Recovery and Market Uptick:** The crossbow spiked to **71M+ in December 2024**, following a period of new PvM content releases like **Sanctum of Rebirth (July 2024)** and updates favoring equipment diversity. However, gold injections from **Max Cash exploits** and economy imbalances in treasure hunter further devalued GP in mid-2024.
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### Price Prediction for the Next Few Months
Given the item's cyclical volatility tied to PvM relevance and large-scale economic effects, here's what to anticipate:
1. **Short-term (3 Months):**
- Post-Sancum of Rebirth interest will stabilize, as PvMers seek upgrades. However, following the **November GIM bank dupe**, increasing liquidity in the market will see the Off-hand Ascension Crossbow decline slightly. Expect **40M-55M GP** due to over-supply and inflation pressures.
2. **Long-term (6 Months):**
- A potential upturn due to planned **combat and ranged rebalances (upcoming seasonal)** could increase its relevance. Market trends in weapon tiers show that BIS items consistent with meta setups tend to surge post-Rework updates or nerfs to newly introduced styles. A safer estimate would peak at **60M–65M GP**, depending on Slayer popularity and Necromancy position in DPS rotations.
Key risks include Jagex releasing a **better ranged dual-wield replacement** in Treasure Hunter or PvM loot tables, causing a permanent devalue.
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### Typical Flipping Margins and Economic Potential
Historical flipping margins for the Off-hand Ascension Crossbow have ranged between **5%-15%,** with peaks closer to **20%-25%** during major update volatility. Specific insights:
- **Higher margins:** Post-GIM dupe or Treasure Hunter promotions where gold injection overflows improve volatility.
- **Lower margins:** When PvM metas stabilize or Necromancy dominates DPS rotations.
Tested flipping strategies often showcase ~**9M GP net profit per 50M stake,** provided sustained turnaround within 48-72 hours.
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### Similar Items and Investment Strategies
If aiming to hedge against potential market dips:
1. **Alternative Items:**
- Consider the **Hydrix Bakriminel Bolts**, often tied to Necromancy updates and see smoother appreciation paired with slayer use.
- The **Blightbound Crossbows (T92)** offer longer-term stability as ranged meta weaponry.
2. **Weapon-Specific Bows:**
Both
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