Im really interested in getting an early crossbow but how does this affect vampire attacks?

Is it bad to start dawnguard early? Ir eally don;t want to have anything to do with that questline but I just want the crossbow and access to making the bolts.

I feel that everytime I start dawnguard the only random encounters I get are vampire attacks.

At what stage do vampires attack? -I guess would be the appropriate question

The crossbow hits noticeably harder than a regular bow -- about +10% I'm guessing -- and I believe that against vampires it inflicts greater damage. [+50%?] HOWEVER, it also has a significantly slower rate-of-fire. Unfortunately, it also seems that the ONLY place that you can make any version of the crossbow is at Fort Dawnguard. (I believe that's also the case for making bolts at the forge.) [I have noticed that you can improve crossbows anywhere on the wheelstone.]

You'll get the random vampire attacks with Dawnguard installed regardless of if you join or not. If you just want a crossbow

Some of your threads really belong in the spoilers forum

I forgot about that free one in the fort, thanks!

Eh, probably wasn't a spoiler or shouldn't have been by now. Was just thinking that the answers may have contained spoilers about plot or something.

When Durak is infront of the fort shooting a crossbow, you can get 45 bolts and his spare crossbow if you ask him what kind of weapon he's shooting.

I assume you aren't playing on the PC? If you are, there are mods to add Crossbows into the world "naturally". Generally speaking, at least one Stormcloak/Imperial uses a Crossbow in the Helgen escape with this type of mod, making them very easy to acquire and use throughout your career.

If on console...only way to get one is via Dawnguard.