LOTRfan
2011-04-30, 05:53 PM
This is an attempt at giving the swarm of bees anti-siege weapon stats. I don't know if this has been done before, so I tried. I'm unsure if this is good mechanically, so any criticisms are welcome. Also, keep in mind that these are best for large-scale battles and are meant to be as unpredictable as possible. Should this be an exotic weapon instead of a siege weapon?
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/yhjow/swarmofbees2.jpg
Swarm of Bees: A swarm of bees is an anti-personnel weapon found in kingdoms that have learned to use gunpowder. The weapon itself is made from a single box, a fuse, and thirty-two arrows. The arrows are loaded into the bow and attached to the fuse (which takes a full round action followed by a move action). The weapon is notoriously inaccurate, but most agree that the pure firepower makes up for it. As a standard action, the fuse may be lit, which sets the gunpowder attached to each arrow alight, propelling them all forward in a chaotic pattern. After setting it alight, the arrows rapidly fire from the weapon. All creatures within a 30 ft. cone must succeed on a DC 8 reflex save, or take 1d8 damage. Creatures that take up more than one square must make a number of reflex saves equal to the number of squares they take up (a large creature, for example, would have to make four reflex saves, taking 1d8 damage each time it fails).
A wielder may decide to increase the range to a 60 ft. cone by positioning the swarm of bees in a more upwards positions, but this incurs a penalty to the relfex save DC (5 instead of 8). If more than thirty two creatures in the 60 ft. cone, only the closest thirty-two spaces worth of creatures have to make the reflex save.
It is extremely hard to use this weapon in anything besides calm weather. In winds greater than calm, the fuse has a 50% chance of not lighting properly and it is impossible to light in hurricanes or greater winds. In rain and sleet the fuse has a 75% chance of failure.
A swarm of bees costs 50 gp, not including the arrows. Two hands are required to use this weapon.
Swarm of Bees Proficiency [Weapon Proficiency, Fighter]
You are proficient with the swarm of bees, and may use this dangerous anti-siege weapon with extra accuracy.
Benefits: You attack with swarms of bees normally.
Normal: You make attacks with a -4 penalty.
Special: Fighters can select this feat as a bonus feat.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/yhjow/swarmofbees2.jpg
Swarm of Bees: A swarm of bees is an anti-personnel weapon found in kingdoms that have learned to use gunpowder. The weapon itself is made from a single box, a fuse, and thirty-two arrows. The arrows are loaded into the bow and attached to the fuse (which takes a full round action followed by a move action). The weapon is notoriously inaccurate, but most agree that the pure firepower makes up for it. As a standard action, the fuse may be lit, which sets the gunpowder attached to each arrow alight, propelling them all forward in a chaotic pattern. After setting it alight, the arrows rapidly fire from the weapon. All creatures within a 30 ft. cone must succeed on a DC 8 reflex save, or take 1d8 damage. Creatures that take up more than one square must make a number of reflex saves equal to the number of squares they take up (a large creature, for example, would have to make four reflex saves, taking 1d8 damage each time it fails).
A wielder may decide to increase the range to a 60 ft. cone by positioning the swarm of bees in a more upwards positions, but this incurs a penalty to the relfex save DC (5 instead of 8). If more than thirty two creatures in the 60 ft. cone, only the closest thirty-two spaces worth of creatures have to make the reflex save.
It is extremely hard to use this weapon in anything besides calm weather. In winds greater than calm, the fuse has a 50% chance of not lighting properly and it is impossible to light in hurricanes or greater winds. In rain and sleet the fuse has a 75% chance of failure.
A swarm of bees costs 50 gp, not including the arrows. Two hands are required to use this weapon.
Swarm of Bees Proficiency [Weapon Proficiency, Fighter]
You are proficient with the swarm of bees, and may use this dangerous anti-siege weapon with extra accuracy.
Benefits: You attack with swarms of bees normally.
Normal: You make attacks with a -4 penalty.
Special: Fighters can select this feat as a bonus feat.