Making sense of arbalesters

[Uncle Pine]

Arbalesters are a type of homunculus introduced in Magic of Eberron page 152 as ranged-focused support. Some parts of them don't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Arbalesters are described as being shaped around the stock (= the handle) of a light crossbow, with arms and legs to boot, and their attack routine includes a natural bite attack or a ranged one with said light crossbow. The illustration of this creature is more confusing than its description, as it depicts some sort of hawk bow with two arms, one leg, two feets and no stock/handle whatsoever.

How does all this work when taking an arbalester's hands into account? Can an arbalester use its hands like a normal creature (for example to wield a weapon) or is it consider to be "holding" itself?

If an arbalester's light crossbow is part of its body and as such doesn't need to be held, can an arbalester dual wield a weapon in one hand while operating the crossbow with the other hand?

Same question as above, but after considering you only need two hands to attack with a two-handed weapon but you can hold it with only one weapon and switching hands is a free action: can an arbalester dual wield a greatsword and its own crossbow?

As above, but dual wielding a longbow and an arbalester's own crossbow.


Tl;dr Can you make a Ranger arbalester that looks like this guy?

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/310467857920294923/453565036682674216/unknown.png?width=984&height=402

For the sake of the discussion, consider its head to be a light crossbow.

[Falontani]

As a dm I'd say no. But that's just my opinion.
I believe the hands could be used to wield a weapon appropriately sized for it, which is much smaller than the medium sized crossbow

[Uncle Pine]

As a dm I'd say no. But that's just my opinion.
I believe the hands could be used to wield a weapon appropriately sized for it, which is much smaller than the medium sized crossbow

No to what? All of the questions? Many of them were actually about wielding (appropriately sized) weapons, so do you think an arbalester can do that or not?

[Falontani]

If I was your dm I'd tell you no to wielding other weapons. However by raw it does look like they can wield weapons

[Uncle Pine]

If I was your dm I'd tell you no to wielding other weapons. However by raw it does look like they can wield weapons
Oh, I see. Makes sense, thanks for pitching in. :smallsmile:

[Kelb_Panthera]

Since it's just a variant on the MM homonculus I'd rule that it can do anything a normal homonculus can, including the wielding of weapons appropriate to its size (at a penalty for its lack of proficiency, of course.)

As for what it looks like; two arms, two legs, and a crossbow: as long as it's got those the exact details don't much matter. Your picture should be fine.