Question??? about hand crossbow

[Seth62]

does a quick load enchantment auto reload a hand crossbow if my other hand has a sword in it for it states it is loaded as a free action. so to clarify can reload a hand crossbow with my other hand wielding as sword??

[panaikhan]

I've had this problem before.
Nothing that I have found ever states you can reload a crossbow with one hand, unless it summons it's own ammunition (a la Warforged Armbow)

[Dreadn4ught]

Yeah, no matter what action, it still requires two hands.

Makes you wonder why you would want a hand crossbow...

[Roderick_BR]

You could get QuickDraw. You can drop your sword, freeing your hand to reload, then re-pick it up, all as free-actions.

[Flickerdart]

You could get QuickDraw. You can drop your sword, freeing your hand to reload, then re-pick it up, all as free-actions.

Picking up a weapon and drawing it aren't the same thing. However, Gnomish Quickrazors are sheathed as a free action.

[Elric VIII]

I think there might be a feat/ACF that allows wielding a rapier and a hand crossbow in DotU.

EDIT: It's called Versitile Combatant and it doesn't mention anything about reloading.

[Darrin]

Per the weapon descriptions in the PHB, you need two hands free to reload any kind of crossbow (presumably, one to hold the crossbow, the other to draw/load the bolt and then pull back or crank back the string). To get one of your hands free as a free action:

Glove of the Master Strategist (3600 GP, Ghostwalk p. 71) works just like a Glove of Storing (free action to store/swap a handheld item), but is more reasonably priced.

Spare Hand (12000 GP, MIC p. 137) can hold the crossbow for you while you get the bolt/string ready. Transferring an item to the Spare Hand is a free action.

Or you could just get more hands. Girallon's blessing can be permanenced (Savage Species p. 60). A two-level dip into Totemist would allow you to bind Girallon Arms to your totem chakra, which gives you two extra arms (although it's not clear if they can manipulate objects). Aberration Blood + Deepspawn feats can give you two tentacles, which might be able to reload a crossbow. Phylactery of Change (11200 GP, A&EG p. 135) can do all-day polymorph into something with 4 arms. And there are a few grafts that can add an arm.

[MightyIgoo]

Why would you want a hand crossbow? Paired with a Glove of Storing, it's your go-to for handy-dandy stealth assassinations! Get close to your target, summon the hand crossbow as a free action, ker-thunk goes your crossbow bolt for lovely lovely sneak attack damage plus any poisons you care to add on, store the hand crossbow again as a free action, and then just saunter away.

[term1nally s1ck]

The thing is, you don't actually reload it, the enchantment does. The bolts are loaded directly from an extradimensional space and you don't even use your hands.

[Sipex]

The case is the same for 4th edition and I let my players reload with one hand if they want to. It let the player flavour it how they want but if they don't want to it's assumed that within their complex motions they manage to load it to make efficient use of their other actions?

Realistic? No. But it makes them feel like awesome action heroes and works within the balance of the game.

[Seth62]

Could I use a mage hand? I all ready have that versatile combatant and I still need a free hand 2 reload. the spare hand seems like a good idea.

[term1nally s1ck]

Ghostly Reload is a spell that enables temporary reloading via ghostly help.

Unseen servants could potentially do it with ease.

[Seth62]

ghosty reload is in what book if I may ask?

[term1nally s1ck]

RAces of the Dragon p113, level 1 spell, 1 reload/cl.

[Darrin]

The thing is, you don't actually reload it, the enchantment does. The bolts are loaded directly from an extradimensional space and you don't even use your hands.

The Quick Loading enhancment only changes the action required to reload the crossbow. It says nothing about reducing the number of hands required, or that it automatically resets the firing mechanism. Thus, you still need an extra hand to draw back the string or operate the winding mechanism.

[Chilingsworth]

You could try getting a fiend to possess the crossbow, then cast imprision possessor on it. You'll end up with a crossbow that can recock itself, at least. Of course, you'll also have a p'd off demon/devil in your crossbow, but... On second thought, this probably isn't a good idea.

On another note, what is DotU?