A Literal Hand Crossbow

[Vhaidara]

So, I was recently given the key to a character I've wanted to make for a while: Dual wielding of a slashing rapier (slashing for flair) and a hand crossbow. This is the versatile fighter feat from Drow of the Underdark. However, now it comes time to build the character.

I'm making a character who was a very successful gladiator, using those two weapons. Then, when they lost, their hand was cut off by the opponent, crippling them. To return to combat, they had the stump replaced with a hand crossbow.

Now, I've had a few other ideas to go with it, mainly that I want to try using a warforged. Does anyone know of a ruling for warforged replacing a hand with a weapon? If not, what does the combined wisdom of the playground feel would be fair rulings on a hand being replaced with a crossbow?

As a side note, I'm planning on running the character as either a scout or as a fighter variant that trades out a few bonus feats for the damage element of skirmish. It is definitely a light armored mobility based 2-weapon character.

[Big Fau]

The ECS has an attached component that is exactly what you are looking for.

[Vhaidara]

Thank you. I thought I remembered reading it somewhere, but i was for some reason convinced it was in Races of Eberron.

However, the rules there don't give any penalties. i feel that a character who is literally down by a hand would have some type of penalties.

Another question, it mentions both embedded and attached. Does attached mean detachable and embedded means that it's permanent, or is it just semantics?

[Rendenward]

Not quite sure about the embedded crossbow, but if you want lightly armored and dangerous, there is a fighter variant in Drow of the Underdark as well. it's called Hit-and-Run Tactics. first level fighter, and you lose heavy and medium armor proficiency, and gain your dex bonus to damage against flat footed enemies within 30ft.

Hopefully that helps. And if you want to look for weapons relating to no hands, there's a stump knife in Arms and Equipment guide that might give you a base line for how do deal with it.

[Vhaidara]

I looked at that before, but the idea of this character is tumbling around the fight, slashing and crossbowing where I please. I won't be hitting flat footed AC too much.

[Big Fau]

However, the rules there don't give any penalties. i feel that a character who is literally down by a hand would have some type of penalties.

Don't. This causes all kinds of rules headaches due to how many actions involve hands.

Embedded means the item becomes a part of you, and attached means you just wear it (kinda). However, both are removable by the Warforged using them.

[Vhaidara]

Meh, I suppose we can just ad hoc penalties when it would arise. It's a pretty major aspect of the character, so I don't want it to bee something that gets blown off.

[Big Fau]

Meh, I suppose we can just ad hoc penalties when it would arise. It's a pretty major aspect of the character, so I don't want it to bee something that gets blown off.

At most it's a -3 to things like Climb and such, and the inability to two-hand a weapon. The reason I say ignore it is because it's easily forgotten unless you make the penalties intentionally obscene.

[Dimers]

Awww. I came here expecting a discussion of a crossbow that shoots hands. Like, you have Crawling Claws for ammo, and you can attempt ranged pins without the feat. :smalltongue:

[TuggyNE]

Awww. I came here expecting a discussion of a crossbow that shoots hands. Like, you have Crawling Claws for ammo, and you can attempt ranged pins without the feat. :smalltongue:

Don't you mean "without the feet"?

[Dimers]

Well, I didn't mean it before, but I do now. :smallbiggrin:

Gotta hand it to ya, you really put your finger on that one. Really nailed it. You know punning like the back of your hand. It was really thumbthing to see. I'm your cheerleader, look at my palm-palms! That pun hurt so bad, it'll take months to heel.

[elonin]

I'd suggest some sort of penalty for skills that use both hands.

[Marnath]

Meh, I suppose we can just ad hoc penalties when it would arise. It's a pretty major aspect of the character, so I don't want it to bee something that gets blown off.

Page 27 of the 3.5 Dungeon Master's Guide has the variant rule you want.