Composite longbow strength modifiers

[Laniius]

Are there any ways to make the strength modifiers of a composite longbow variable? I'm playing a cleric focussing on bows rather than melee weapons who will be using divine power and/or righteous might regularly.

[umbergod]

Are there any ways to make the strength modifiers of a composite longbow variable? I'm playing a cleric focussing on bows rather than melee weapons who will be using divine power and/or righteous might regularly.

every campaign i played in the DM allowed for even stronger str mod bows, each increase over what was written was a +100gp to the base cost iirc

[olentu]

Are there any ways to make the strength modifiers of a composite longbow variable? I'm playing a cleric focussing on bows rather than melee weapons who will be using divine power and/or righteous might regularly.

Well there are a few magic item bows that have a variable strength. Off the top of my head I think bow of the wintermoon from the magic item compendium (only for some alignments I think), bow of elvenkind from complete champion (only for elves I think), and the energy bow from the animated series handbook.

[Darrin]

Are there any ways to make the strength modifiers of a composite longbow variable? I'm playing a cleric focussing on bows rather than melee weapons who will be using divine power and/or righteous might regularly.

Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bone Bow (from Frostburn).

[tyckspoon]

Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Bone Bow (from Frostburn).

The Bone Bow "functions as a composite
longbow with regard to applying the user’s Strength
bonus to damage done with arrows shot from it." That doesn't say 'automatically adjusts'; that says 'reference the Composite Bow and use those rules', which means applying a specific Strength modifier and paying for it.

[Piggy Knowles]

Get two bows? That's what I did when I played a cleric archer - I carried two masterwork bows that were buffed with GMW every morning.

[Ravens_cry]

The Bone Bow "functions as a composite
longbow with regard to applying the user’s Strength
bonus to damage done with arrows shot from it." That doesn't say 'automatically adjusts'; that says 'reference the Composite Bow and use those rules', which means applying a specific Strength modifier and paying for
it.
Eh, I could read it either way. Given that you are likely spending a feat on it, I would let it pass.

[Laniius]

Thanks for the info! The only methods I found were relics, which aren't allowed in my current campaign. He allowed me to put the property on the bow as a +3 enchantment (which I know is stupidly expensive, but it's an epic campaign so money isn't an object).

[Andion Isurand]

As far as homebrew goes, I wrote a spell called Flexing Weapon (http://andionisurand.blogspot.com/2011/10/spellbook-102611.html) that causes a strength matched weapon (primarily a bow or whip) to dynamically alter its own structure to match its wielder as it is being used.

[herrhauptmann]

Here.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20061227a

Since it's a +2 bow (8000), the variable strength and the force damage cost ~14k. Meaning if your DM allows custom items, you can buy yourself a +1 Hanks energy bow, or a +3 hanks energy bow if you really wanted.

[Qwertystop]

Does adding plusses (GMW or similar) increase the Strength factor of the bow?

[MesiDoomstalker]

Does adding plusses (GMW or similar) increase the Strength factor of the bow?

No. Its a strickly non-magical aspect of a Composite bow that can only be added at creation (which stinks for gaining it as loot). If you have a composite bow it is stuck with whatever modifier it has.

[Darrin]

No. Its a strickly non-magical aspect of a Composite bow that can only be added at creation (which stinks for gaining it as loot). If you have a composite bow it is stuck with whatever modifier it has.

Add elvencraft (+300 GP, Races of the Wild) to a composite longbow (so it counts as a melee weapon) and you might be able to add the Morphing property, which would allow you to switch the Elvencraft Mighty Composite Longbow (+2 Str bonus) to an Elvencraft Mighty Composite Longbow (+4 Str bonus) as a standard action.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Add elvencraft (+300 GP, Races of the Wild) to a composite longbow (so it counts as a melee weapon) and you might be able to add the Morphing property, which would allow you to switch the Elvencraft Mighty Composite Longbow (+2 Str bonus) to an Elvencraft Mighty Composite Longbow (+4 Str bonus) as a standard action.

When enchanting it this way, you morph the melee section. At which point it isn't a bow any more. You enchant each seperatly just like shields. You'd morph the 'quaterstaff' into something else, not the bow.

[Darrin]

When enchanting it this way, you morph the melee section. At which point it isn't a bow any more. You enchant each seperatly just like shields. You'd morph the 'quaterstaff' into something else, not the bow.

From Races of the Wild:

"Thanks to elven ingenuity, these weapons work just as well as melee weapons as they do as ranged weapons. An elvencraft bow is thicker and heavier than a normal bow. An elvencraft shortbow functions as a club when wielded as a melee weapon. An elvencraft longbow functions as a quarterstaff when wielded as a melee weapon. The wielder incurs no penalty on attack rolls when using an elvencraft bow as a melee weapon."
(emphasis added)

There is no "melee" section. The whole thing is a melee weapon. The shield example also doesn't apply, because we're not trying to enchant it with two separate kinds of magical properties (armor and weapon enhancements). It is entirely possible to be both a melee and ranged weapon at the same time (spears, daggers, throwing axes, etc.) and both melee and ranged properties can be applied to the same weapon (a Fleshgrinding Returning dagger, for example). The elvencraft bow is a melee weapon, therefore the Morphing property can be added. An elvencraft mightly composite longbow (+2 Str bonus) and an elvencraft mighty composite longbow (+4 Str bonus) are both melee weapons of the same general size/type, so any similarly-sized Morphing melee weapon could be turned into one or the other.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Where is morphing? Does it say it can create weapons of a specifc make? Like, I don't know, elvencraft? Elvencraft is a waying of creating the weapon, if morphing doesn't allow you to create Cold Iron weapons, you can't make an elvencraft weapon.

[Eldariel]

Use this (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20061227a). It's about the best Bow chassis you can have anyways; Power Shots really add to your damage once your base To hit exceeds average AC.

[Darrin]

Where is morphing?

Magic Item Compendium p. 39.



Does it say it can create weapons of a specifc make?


"You can reshape a morphing weapon into any other melee or thrown weapon of the same size and type (light, one-handed, or two-handed)."



Elvencraft is a waying of creating the weapon, if morphing doesn't allow you to create Cold Iron weapons, you can't make an elvencraft weapon.

Elvencraft doesn't have anything to do with special materials, which can added on and paid for separately. I don't think the Morphing property particularly cares how it was manufactured, so long as you meet the requirement of "is it a melee weapon?"

[MesiDoomstalker]

Magic Item Compendium p. 39.



"You can reshape a morphing weapon into any other melee or thrown weapon of the same size and type (light, one-handed, or two-handed)."



Elvencraft doesn't have anything to do with special materials, which can added on and paid for separately. I don't think the Morphing property particularly cares how it was manufactured, so long as you meet the requirement of "is it a melee weapon?"

I specified cold iron for a reason. Cold Iron is a special way of forging and treating the iron, mainly smelting at a lower temperature. Elvencraft is a special way of crafting a bow so that it can function as a melee weapon and a ranged one. If morphing can't make cold iron weapons, it can't make an elvencraft bow.

[Elric VIII]

I specified cold iron for a reason. Cold Iron is a special way of forging and treating the iron, mainly smelting at a lower temperature. Elvencraft is a special way of crafting a bow so that it can function as a melee weapon and a ranged one. If morphing can't make cold iron weapons, it can't make an elvencraft bow.

I didn't notice in the MIC or its errata that a Morphing weapon is prohibited from becomeing Cold Iron. However, it is reasonable to assume that this is true.

It is less reasonable to assume that a Cold Iron weapon that is made into a Morphing weapon loses its Cold Iron attribute when it changes. The same applies to Elvencraft.

Also, note that Cold Iron is a chemical property of the metal, whereas Elvencraft is a physical property. Elvencraft states that it has been carved in a special way, just as Composite is assembled in a special way. Adopting a special shape resulting from carving/forging is no different than having a weapon change from piercing/slashing to bludgeoning.

[Tyndmyr]

Where is morphing? Does it say it can create weapons of a specifc make? Like, I don't know, elvencraft? Elvencraft is a waying of creating the weapon, if morphing doesn't allow you to create Cold Iron weapons, you can't make an elvencraft weapon.

Throwing my two cents in on this...you're wrong. Special materials can be combined with any crafting method(say, dwarvencrafted) or property unless specific language prohibits it.

[Diefje]

"The wielder incurs no penalty on attack rolls when using an elvencraft bow as a melee weapon."

It does not say that it is no longer an improvised weapon.

[Darrin]

I specified cold iron for a reason. Cold Iron is a special way of forging and treating the iron, mainly smelting at a lower temperature. Elvencraft is a special way of crafting a bow so that it can function as a melee weapon and a ranged one. If morphing can't make cold iron weapons, it can't make an elvencraft bow.

Morphing can't create special materials, no, but it can still make any melee weapon. The original material of the morphing weapon would be unchanged. A cold-iron two-handed sword morphed into an elvencraft bow would still be a cold-iron weapon. "Shape" and "Material" are separate weapon qualities. Morphing only checks the first one, it could care less what the material is. To change the special material of a weapon, you need the Metalline property. Same book, page 38.



It does not say that it is no longer an improvised weapon.

Since when does "function as a club" or "functions as a quarterstaff" mean that it's an improvised weapon?

[Qwertystop]

Since when does "function as a club" or "functions as a quarterstaff" mean that it's an improvised weapon?

Normally, using a bow as a melee weapon would be improvised. It's debatable as to whether stating that the penalties are gone actually makes it non-improvised for purposes such as the Improvised Weapon Master PrC (or whatever it's called).

[Diefje]

Since when does "function as a club" or "functions as a quarterstaff" mean that it's an improvised weapon?

By the same logic that Drunken Masters "...can use long improvised weapons (such as ladders) as reach weapons..."

It also says "functions as a quarterstaff when wielded as a melee weapon", which I read as it actually is not a quarterstaff at all. When you're walking down the street, it's a bow. When you're taking a dump, it's a bow. Unless you want to whack your mage over the head continuously while he's trying to enchant it, it's a bow.

[herrhauptmann]

Use this (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20061227a). It's about the best Bow chassis you can have anyways; Power Shots really add to your damage once your base To hit exceeds average AC.
Hanks energy bow, with splitting (+3?), plus a bunch of raptor arrows (attuned to relic powers or not), could be pretty nice.
Of course it would take about level 12 for that to be doable for an archery focused character, or 15 for a melee focused character (otherwise spending too much wealth on a style that you won't use regularly)


They're just too cool to take something out of that old cartoon.
They'd rather sit there and debate the wording of an enchantment and its errata.

[Retech]

+1 for the force bow

Free archery power attack is pretty sweet and will boost your damage much more than one or two strength modifier points.