# Crossbow Expert *Source: Player's Handbook (2024) p. 203* **Prerequisite**: 4th; Dexterity 13 or higher You gain the following benefits. **Ability Score Increase.** Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20. **Ignore Loading.** You ignore the [Loading](/Rules/Source/item-properties.md#Loading) property of the [Hand Crossbow](/Rules/Source/items/hand-crossbow-xphb.md), [Heavy Crossbow](/Rules/Source/items/heavy-crossbow-xphb.md), and [Light Crossbow](/Rules/Source/items/light-crossbow-xphb.md) (all called crossbows elsewhere in this feat). If you're holding one of them, you can load a piece of ammunition into it even if you lack a free hand. **Firing in Melee.** Being within 5 feet of an enemy doesn't impose [Disadvantage](/Rules/Source/variant-rules/disadvantage-xphb.md) on your attack rolls with crossbows. **Dual Wielding.** When you make the extra attack of the [Light](/Rules/Source/item-properties.md#Light) property, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the extra attack if that attack is with a crossbow that has the [Light](/Rules/Source/item-properties.md#Light) property and you aren't already adding that modifier to the damage.