Ok, so my party consists of an eladrin ranger, an eladrin wizard, a tiefling warlock, a human rouge, and 2 dragonborn pallies of the raven queen (brothers) and they are looking for a way to do a portable (in peices) balista. i don't see why that would be much of a problem but I am looking for some input on stats such as damage, weight, range, time to put together, etc. anyone have any suggestions that'd be great thanks.
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Protable Balista Anyone??
- Thread starter Crowley42
- Start date
generalhenry
First Post
ok, my answer is pretty much no. But I'll back it up.
ballistae are siege weapons.
They do belong in the D&D universe, but in the hands of armies.
There's a reason they've been missing from the books for a couple editions now. (they existed back in 2E)
PCs fight skirmishes.
And then there's the 4E metagame reason... power multipliers. Ballista + daily = problem.
In previous editions it was possible to balance them by making them hard to deploy and have long load times. But in 4E, I would be loath to even start down that path.
(yes I will admit to touting a ballista back in 2E)
ballistae are siege weapons.
They do belong in the D&D universe, but in the hands of armies.
There's a reason they've been missing from the books for a couple editions now. (they existed back in 2E)
PCs fight skirmishes.
And then there's the 4E metagame reason... power multipliers. Ballista + daily = problem.
In previous editions it was possible to balance them by making them hard to deploy and have long load times. But in 4E, I would be loath to even start down that path.
(yes I will admit to touting a ballista back in 2E)
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First of all. I would never allow it.
But if I had (lets say my wife wanted one in a game
) I would make it like a encounter power.
[FONT="]Encounter Attack[/FONT]
Shooting the Big F....g Ballista
Item Power
Encounter Power
Standard Action Ranged 40
Special: Can't move in the same turn as you fire the Ballista.
Target: One creature.
Secondary Target: One creature straight behind the target.
Attack: INT vs AC.
Hit: 3D10. And make a secondary attack agains the secondary target.
Secondary hit: 1D10.
Something like that. Alot of damage sure, but since it is a group effort I see no reason to make it less. Maybe even more, but if you let it be really hard remember to give the Ballista a share of the XP.
/Farstrand
But if I had (lets say my wife wanted one in a game
) I would make it like a encounter power.[FONT="]Encounter Attack[/FONT]
Shooting the Big F....g Ballista
Item Power
Encounter Power
Standard Action Ranged 40
Special: Can't move in the same turn as you fire the Ballista.
Target: One creature.
Secondary Target: One creature straight behind the target.
Attack: INT vs AC.
Hit: 3D10. And make a secondary attack agains the secondary target.
Secondary hit: 1D10.
Something like that. Alot of damage sure, but since it is a group effort I see no reason to make it less. Maybe even more, but if you let it be really hard remember to give the Ballista a share of the XP
./Farstrand
PeelSeel2
Explorer
The Roman army had portable ballista. I would say it would take about a minute to set-up, and two move actions by two different people to cock. Firing is a standard action by an individual. Proficiency bonus +3. I would tend to go high in damage considering the inflation of hit points in 4E. 5d10 per hit, can get two targets if they are inline. Range 40/80.
generalhenry
First Post
5d10 is way too much
4d10 is a bit much too.
I'd keep it down in the 2d10 range. AKA 1st level encounter power.
I like Farstrand's idea. Make it take a special power to fire it. That prevents it from being used with other powers. Which might allow for 3d10 considering the team effort.
Then there's the matter of proficiency. Siege weapons have never been included among the standard weapon proficiencies. They're always a special skill.
Though note that charging them a feat is only a one point damage budget.
The one thing I would be generous with is the range. 40/80 would be fine.
4d10 is a bit much too.
I'd keep it down in the 2d10 range. AKA 1st level encounter power.
I like Farstrand's idea. Make it take a special power to fire it. That prevents it from being used with other powers. Which might allow for 3d10 considering the team effort.
Then there's the matter of proficiency. Siege weapons have never been included among the standard weapon proficiencies. They're always a special skill.
Though note that charging them a feat is only a one point damage budget.
The one thing I would be generous with is the range. 40/80 would be fine.
underfoot007
First Post
I found this from a web site, I think it would take many minutes to set up?
-----------
The ballista is a siege weapon, invented by the ancient Greeks, and quickly adopted by the roman army. The ballista resembles a large crossbow, mounted upon a large-based monopod stand, allowing the weapon to be aimed without needing to be picked up. The Roman version was intended as an infantry support weapon, the various versions having a span of four to eight feet across, enabling it to be carried around by its operators, and used in rough terrain. The ballista was the largest siege weapon to see regular use in the roman invasion of Britain
Unlike a crossbow, the tension in a ballista is stored not it the arms, which are wide and rigid, but in large bundles of rope or sinew at the front of the machine. It was drawn using a system of levers that pulled a trolley (that held the bolt holder) back over a ratchet, and a trigger that detatched the bolt holder from the trolley. The ballista fires a five foot wooden bolt, with a steel tip, capable of penetrating almost anything the army would have to face on the battlefield. The ballista could even be used in a seige, firing bolts through the walls and roofs of hill forts. Skeletons of ballista casualties have been found, with ballista tips embedded between vertebrae, and square holes in their skull where a ballista bolt had gone straight through.
Modern replicas of the ballista have been created using the same materials and techniques available to the Romans, and skilled operators have shown the machine to be capable of firing three or more bolts per minute, over a range of five hundred meters or more. The Romans also used a repeating ballista, which automatically loaded and fired the weapon, the operators only having to turn the handle. Replicas of this repeating ballista can fire twelve or so shots per minute.
Destil
Explorer
Eh, I'd allow it.
Proficiency Bonus +2.... if the players have Seige Weapon prof. Load of 40 rounds minus your strength check (up to three people can aid another).
Takes 5 min. to set up or collapse, can be broken into 5 25 lb. components for movement.
Range 40/50
Attack: Dex vs. AC
Hit: 2d10 (4d10 at epic) + Int damage and make a secondary attack.
Secondary Attack: +5 vs. Reflex
Hit: Prone.
Mabye flaming bolts deal 2d8 damage and ongoing 10 fire damage on the secondary, while the above stats are for iron bolts.
Proficiency Bonus +2.... if the players have Seige Weapon prof. Load of 40 rounds minus your strength check (up to three people can aid another).
Takes 5 min. to set up or collapse, can be broken into 5 25 lb. components for movement.
Range 40/50
Attack: Dex vs. AC
Hit: 2d10 (4d10 at epic) + Int damage and make a secondary attack.
Secondary Attack: +5 vs. Reflex
Hit: Prone.
Mabye flaming bolts deal 2d8 damage and ongoing 10 fire damage on the secondary, while the above stats are for iron bolts.
generalhenry
First Post
In D&D terms that's about one every three rounds.
Just make sure that it is 'siege weapon', not 'ranged weapon' and none of the player powers can be used with it. Probably also -4 to hit anything less then Large size.
With this limitations in place, I think that 5d10 is reasonable damage.
I would strongly consider making it Int based weapon (as opposed to Str or Dex). Probably all siege weapons could be Int based.
With this limitations in place, I think that 5d10 is reasonable damage.
I would strongly consider making it Int based weapon (as opposed to Str or Dex). Probably all siege weapons could be Int based.
generalhenry
First Post
5d10 is paragon level damage.
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