Ashtagon
2010-03-21, 12:41 PM
Bows
Apply your Dexterity modifier to attack rolls. Apply your Strength modifier to damage rolls.
Like all traditional ranged weapons, these weapons require considerable overhead clearance in order to be used effectively. Their maximum range is limited to ten times the ceiling height at the mid-point between the attacker and the target.
The standard bows (short and long) may be either self-bows (made of a single piece of material) or composite bows (made of various materials laminated together); the difference is purely cultural. Until modern scientific measurements and machine tooling became available, it wasn’t practical to pick the precise materials and tensile strengths to make composite bows reliably stronger than their self-bow cousins. Equally, the standard bows may be either straight (the bow arms have the same curve direction whether the bow is strung or unstrung) or recurve (the bow arms curve in different directions, depending on whether the weapon is strung or unstrung). Again, this is considered purely a flavour issue.
Aside: This flattening of differences between composite and standard bows is a result of two issues. First, culturally, the types of bows were distinctly restricted by geography, and it would not be fair to give some cultures an obvious advantage in missile weapons. Second, the ‘composite bow is superior’ meme was a result of orientalism (belief that East Asian, specifically Mongol in this case, weapons are superior) and a blurring of modern composite bow construction with traditional composite bow construction techniques.
Short Bow: This weapon is about 3-4 feet long. You need two hands to wield or reload a short bow, regardless of size. You can use a short bow while riding an animal or seated.
Long Bow: This weapon is about 5-7 feet long. You need two hands to wield or reload a long bow, regardless of size. Additionally, a long bow cannot be used while riding an animal or seated.
Mighty Bow: Both short and long bows may be made out of materials with much higher tensile strengths than standard. This modification increases the damage of the bow as if it were one size category larger. A character must have the Mighty Archer feat to use a mighty bow; without this feat, he cannot use the weapon at all. This modification can be combined with the modern composite bow construction option, but not with the modern mechanical (compound) bow construction option.
Modern Composite Bows: Both short and long bows may be made in modern composite forms, which apply scientific principles and modern machine tooling to optimise the tensile strength of the weapon. This modification increases the range increment by 20 feet. This modification can be combined with the mighty bow construction option, but not with the modern mechanical (compound) bow construction option. This option reflects the standard bow considered legal for use in modern Olympics games; in should be considered legal for use in campaigns set after 1900 or so.
Modern Mechanical (Compound) Bows: Both short and long bows may be made in modern mechanical (compound) forms, which use a system of pulleys, cams, and levers to maximise the power of the weapon. This modification increases the range increment by 20 feet, and increases the damage of the bow as if it were one size category larger. Additionally, because no significant strength is required to hold the bow in a drawn posture, certain feats that normally only apply to crossbows and firearms can be applied to the compound bow. This modification cannot be combined with either the mighty bow or the modern composite bow construction options. Historically, these were invented in 1966, with a US patent granted in 1969.
Crossbows
Apply your Dexterity modifier to attack rolls. Damage rolls do not normally benefit from any ability score modifiers, although certain feats can allow the character to apply an ability score modifierto damage rolls.
Like all traditional ranged weapons, these weapons require considerable overhead clearance in order to be used effectively. Their maximum range is limited to ten times the ceiling height at the mid-point between the attacker and the target.
Hand Crossbow: Also called a crossbow pistol, this crossbow is designed to be wielded in one hand. It requires two hands and a move action to reload. For purposes of two-weapon fighting, this is considered a light weapon.
Light Crossbow: This requires two hands to fire properly, but can be fired with one hand at a –2 penalty on the attack roll. It requires two hands and a move action to reload. For purposes of two-weapon fighting, this is considered a light weapon.
Heavy Crossbow: Sometimes called an arbalest, this requires two hands to fire properly, but can be fired with one hand at a –4 penalty on the attack roll. It requires two hands and a full-round action to reload. For purposes of two-weapon fighting, this is considered a one-handed weapon.
Repeating Crossbow: Any crossbow made be built with this construction option. The weapon incorporates an internal magazine that can hold up to ten bolts. Reloading the internal magazine is a full-round action that requires two hands, regardless of the original size of the weapon. Operating the lever to load a new bolt in position and draw the bowstring ready to fire is a free action that requires two hands. If the weapon is already armed ready to fire, it can be fired with one hand, but a bolt cannot be readied again with one hand. This modification cannot be combined with the mighty crossbow option.
Aside: I increased the magazine capacity from the 3E standard of five bolts to ten bolts. This reflects the information gleaned from wikipedia, and also makes it more useful. Characters can now go more than one round without reloading while conducting full attacks.
Mighty Crossbow: Similar to bows, crossbows may be made in a mighty form that uses extra-strong materials for the arms and a reinforced re-arming mechanism (typically a geared winch). This modification increases the damage of the crossbow as if it were one size category larger. A character does not require any special feat to use such a crossbow. However, reloading time is greatly increased; hand crossbows require a standard action, light crossbows require a full-round action, and heavy crossbows require two full-round actions to reload. This modification cannot be combined with the repeating crossbow option.
Ammunition Quality
Modern: These are machine-tooled to remove all possible imperfections, and made of lightweight materials such as aluminium. Increase the damage die one step. Long bows now deal 1d10 hp, short bows 1d8 hp.
Standard: No change.
Poor: Made of thinner branches unsuited to arrows, or even from heavy reeds glued together. Decrease the damage die one step. Long bows now deal 1d6 hp, short bows 1d4 hp. Additionally, the size of the weapon’s range increment is halved. Any attempt to use such ammunition in a mighty bow or mighty crossbow automatically fails; the force of the weapon simply shatters the arrow or bolt before it travels any real distance.
Apply your Dexterity modifier to attack rolls. Apply your Strength modifier to damage rolls.
Like all traditional ranged weapons, these weapons require considerable overhead clearance in order to be used effectively. Their maximum range is limited to ten times the ceiling height at the mid-point between the attacker and the target.
The standard bows (short and long) may be either self-bows (made of a single piece of material) or composite bows (made of various materials laminated together); the difference is purely cultural. Until modern scientific measurements and machine tooling became available, it wasn’t practical to pick the precise materials and tensile strengths to make composite bows reliably stronger than their self-bow cousins. Equally, the standard bows may be either straight (the bow arms have the same curve direction whether the bow is strung or unstrung) or recurve (the bow arms curve in different directions, depending on whether the weapon is strung or unstrung). Again, this is considered purely a flavour issue.
Aside: This flattening of differences between composite and standard bows is a result of two issues. First, culturally, the types of bows were distinctly restricted by geography, and it would not be fair to give some cultures an obvious advantage in missile weapons. Second, the ‘composite bow is superior’ meme was a result of orientalism (belief that East Asian, specifically Mongol in this case, weapons are superior) and a blurring of modern composite bow construction with traditional composite bow construction techniques.
Short Bow: This weapon is about 3-4 feet long. You need two hands to wield or reload a short bow, regardless of size. You can use a short bow while riding an animal or seated.
Long Bow: This weapon is about 5-7 feet long. You need two hands to wield or reload a long bow, regardless of size. Additionally, a long bow cannot be used while riding an animal or seated.
Mighty Bow: Both short and long bows may be made out of materials with much higher tensile strengths than standard. This modification increases the damage of the bow as if it were one size category larger. A character must have the Mighty Archer feat to use a mighty bow; without this feat, he cannot use the weapon at all. This modification can be combined with the modern composite bow construction option, but not with the modern mechanical (compound) bow construction option.
Modern Composite Bows: Both short and long bows may be made in modern composite forms, which apply scientific principles and modern machine tooling to optimise the tensile strength of the weapon. This modification increases the range increment by 20 feet. This modification can be combined with the mighty bow construction option, but not with the modern mechanical (compound) bow construction option. This option reflects the standard bow considered legal for use in modern Olympics games; in should be considered legal for use in campaigns set after 1900 or so.
Modern Mechanical (Compound) Bows: Both short and long bows may be made in modern mechanical (compound) forms, which use a system of pulleys, cams, and levers to maximise the power of the weapon. This modification increases the range increment by 20 feet, and increases the damage of the bow as if it were one size category larger. Additionally, because no significant strength is required to hold the bow in a drawn posture, certain feats that normally only apply to crossbows and firearms can be applied to the compound bow. This modification cannot be combined with either the mighty bow or the modern composite bow construction options. Historically, these were invented in 1966, with a US patent granted in 1969.
Crossbows
Apply your Dexterity modifier to attack rolls. Damage rolls do not normally benefit from any ability score modifiers, although certain feats can allow the character to apply an ability score modifierto damage rolls.
Like all traditional ranged weapons, these weapons require considerable overhead clearance in order to be used effectively. Their maximum range is limited to ten times the ceiling height at the mid-point between the attacker and the target.
Hand Crossbow: Also called a crossbow pistol, this crossbow is designed to be wielded in one hand. It requires two hands and a move action to reload. For purposes of two-weapon fighting, this is considered a light weapon.
Light Crossbow: This requires two hands to fire properly, but can be fired with one hand at a –2 penalty on the attack roll. It requires two hands and a move action to reload. For purposes of two-weapon fighting, this is considered a light weapon.
Heavy Crossbow: Sometimes called an arbalest, this requires two hands to fire properly, but can be fired with one hand at a –4 penalty on the attack roll. It requires two hands and a full-round action to reload. For purposes of two-weapon fighting, this is considered a one-handed weapon.
Repeating Crossbow: Any crossbow made be built with this construction option. The weapon incorporates an internal magazine that can hold up to ten bolts. Reloading the internal magazine is a full-round action that requires two hands, regardless of the original size of the weapon. Operating the lever to load a new bolt in position and draw the bowstring ready to fire is a free action that requires two hands. If the weapon is already armed ready to fire, it can be fired with one hand, but a bolt cannot be readied again with one hand. This modification cannot be combined with the mighty crossbow option.
Aside: I increased the magazine capacity from the 3E standard of five bolts to ten bolts. This reflects the information gleaned from wikipedia, and also makes it more useful. Characters can now go more than one round without reloading while conducting full attacks.
Mighty Crossbow: Similar to bows, crossbows may be made in a mighty form that uses extra-strong materials for the arms and a reinforced re-arming mechanism (typically a geared winch). This modification increases the damage of the crossbow as if it were one size category larger. A character does not require any special feat to use such a crossbow. However, reloading time is greatly increased; hand crossbows require a standard action, light crossbows require a full-round action, and heavy crossbows require two full-round actions to reload. This modification cannot be combined with the repeating crossbow option.
Ammunition Quality
Modern: These are machine-tooled to remove all possible imperfections, and made of lightweight materials such as aluminium. Increase the damage die one step. Long bows now deal 1d10 hp, short bows 1d8 hp.
Standard: No change.
Poor: Made of thinner branches unsuited to arrows, or even from heavy reeds glued together. Decrease the damage die one step. Long bows now deal 1d6 hp, short bows 1d4 hp. Additionally, the size of the weapon’s range increment is halved. Any attempt to use such ammunition in a mighty bow or mighty crossbow automatically fails; the force of the weapon simply shatters the arrow or bolt before it travels any real distance.