Crossing Bows to Slay Some Foes

[Jade_Tarem]

Hey there.

In all the time I've been playing DnD, I've never been a huge fan of crossbows. And yet now the time has come to make an effective crossbow-wielding character, and I have very little idea of how to do it. A few things:

The proposed character is level 10.
The crossbow will not be his only trick. That said, it can be his "main" weapon.

I hope to build an undead hunter type out of a Ranger 9/Master Thrower 1 build, but I need help with crossbow feats/enchantments.

Rapid Shot/Many Shot: Do they work with heavy crossbows?

There's an enchantment somewhere for a crossbow that reloads itself quicker, do you know where that may be?

Is there such a thing as a great crossbow, and where could I find one?

For that matter, where is the Greatbow listed?

If you can answer any of that, my thanks.

[Innis Cabal]

You might as well go for repeating crossbow(heavy), great investment, dont need to take the tree of rapid reload, and can focus on weapon spec and what ever else you might want so you can do other things other then crossbow people.

[Rei_Jin]

The best way to make a crossbow wielding character is with the following two enhancements - Self Loading, and Storing. Both can be found in the Arms and Equipment guide (haven't checked any more recent book for them, haven't tried to use a crossbow wielder since 3.0)

Combined, they'll allow you to fire as many shots as a longbow wielder could.

Combine this with the Crossbow Sniper feat, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and alternating levels in Fighter and Rogue for skills and damage potential.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

This makes me think of Van Helsing...

[DiscipleofBob]

Out of sheer curiosity, I must ask...

Why are you taking the Master Thrower PrC if you're going for a crossbow build?

[NEO|Phyte]

If you're going anti-undead, one possibility is a Ranger/Scout with Swift Hunter. Swift Hunter gets you your skirmish damage on the undead, assuming you have them as a favored enemy. Find a way to get your crossbow reloaded without needing an action so you can move and fire every round, and you're looking good.

[Matthew]

Rapid Shot/Many Shot: Do they work with heavy crossbows?

Rapid Shot will if you can reload quickly enough [i.e. as a Free Action]; Many Shot probably shouldn't, since it refers specifically to arrows, but there might have been some errata or a ruling via the faq.

For that matter, where is the Greatbow listed?

The Great Bow is an exotic weapon that can be found in the Complete Warrior (p. 156) or the Complete Adventurer (p. 116). The Great Crossbow* is an exotic weapon that can be found in Races of Stone (p. 154).

* 2d8|18-20 x2|120’|P|150 gp|14 lbs|Full Round Action to reload

[Thurbane]

The Quick Loading property (MiC p.41) creates an extradimensional space for bolts to reload the crossbow, and makes realoading a hand or light crossbow a free action.

Arms & Equipment has the Gnome Crossbow Sight, which allows you to treat targets as two range categories closer.

[Seffbasilisk]

Crossbow Sniper is a good feat for any Rogues with a crossbow.

[Jade_Tarem]

Out of sheer curiosity, I must ask...

Why are you taking the Master Thrower PrC if you're going for a crossbow build?

Because his other weapon is a returning throwing axe. It's survival horror, so I figured this kind of thing would fit thematically. Also, another level in master thrower nets me improved evasion.

Where is crossbow sniper?

[half eaten oreo]

Where is crossbow sniper?

PHB2.

Some good ideas for a crossbow wielding character here.

[SoD]

For a really big crossbow, you want the Great Crossbow (Races of Stone). Base Damage: 2d8 for medium.

[EagleWiz]

For a REALLY BIG crossbow you want the balista.

[Penguinizer]

you want the titan bloodline so you can wield a large crossbow, ranged pin, and ranged sunder.

[Jade_Tarem]

I'd like to say thanks for all the help, while I'm here...

Does the quick reload enchantment have any effect on a heavy crossbow, and does it stack with the rapid reload feat?

What does crossbow sniper do, again? (I don't have PHB II, or the MIC or A&EG)

[Sinfire Titan]

I'd like to say thanks for all the help, while I'm here...

Does the quick reload enchantment have any effect on a heavy crossbow, and does it stack with the rapid reload feat?

What does crossbow sniper do, again? (I don't have PHB II, or the MIC or A&EG)

1: It replaces it. Much more effective.
2: 1/2 Dex mod to damage when making an attack with a crossbow you have Weapon Focus in. There is a better version in the Dragon COmpendium, which allows for full Dex to damage with any ranged weapon, and can be gotten far sooner than Crossbow Sniper.

[NEO|Phyte]

2: 1/2 Dex mod to damage when making an attack with a crossbow you have Weapon Focus in. There is a better version in the Dragon COmpendium, which allows for full Dex to damage with any ranged weapon, and can be gotten far sooner than Crossbow Sniper.

Didn't it also increase the range for precision damage attacks (sneak attack, skirmish, etc) to 60'?
:edit: checking the book, it appears the answer is yes.

[Thurbane]

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards...rossbowMastery

New Feat: CROSSBOW MASTERY
You can load crossbows with blinding speed and even fire
them in melee with little fear of reprisal.
Prerequisites: Dex 15, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Reload,
Rapid Shot
Benefit: The time required for you to reload any type
of crossbow is reduced to a free action, regardless of the
type of crossbow used. You can fire a crossbow as many
times in a full attack action as you could attack if you were
using a bow. Reloading a crossbow for the type of crossbow
you chose when you took Rapid Reload no longer provokes
attacks of opportunity.
Special: A fighter may select Crossbow Mastery as one
of his fighter bonus feats. A ranger may select Crossbow
Mastery in place of Manyshot for his improved combat style
at 6th level.

[Eldariel]

You may be interested in reading the Crossbow-section of The Archery Handbook. It's not finished, of course, but I think it's quite a good collection of evaluations of the different Crossbow-feats, styles and the different Crossbows themselves.

I personally like Great Crossbow with Quick-Loading enhancement (or Aptitude-abuse). 2d8 Bolts FTW. Crossbow Sniper is really the feat that brings Crossbow-users on par with Bows though; thanks to Crossbow Sniper, Crossbowers can focus solely on Dex and reap the benefits.

[Myatar_Panwar]

The best way to make a crossbow wielding character is with the following two enhancements - Self Loading, and Storing. Both can be found in the Arms and Equipment guide (haven't checked any more recent book for them, haven't tried to use a crossbow wielder since 3.0)

Self-loading? Does that mean that you can dual-wield light crossbows? The only thing holding people back as far as I could tell was that it required two-hands: 1 to load, one to fire.

I played a dual-wielding crossbow using a Thri-kreen and their munchkiny goodness, but maybe its possible to quad-wield crossbows? *drools*