How Rare should an Endless Quiver be?

Xeviat · Jun 17, 2019

Hi everyone.

The DMG has the Quiver of Ehlonna, which is a Major uncommon item.

"Each of the quiver's three compartments connects to an extra dimensional space that allows the quiver to hold numerous items never wheing more than 2 pounds. (while never weighing, or is it saying the objects placed in it can't weigh more than 2 pounds?) The shortest compartment can hold up to sixty arrows, bolts, or similar objects. The longest compartment holds up to six long objects, such as bows, quarterstaffs, or spears.
You can draw any item the quiver contains as if doing so from a regular quiver or scabbard."

A bag of holding, on the other hand, is a minor uncommon item. Absolutely stuffing a bag of holding with capped quivers of arrows would work just fine as an endless quiver.

I find it odd that the quiver of Ehlonna is on the same table as Weapon +1. It's a utility item at best. Maybe they put it in the wrong place?

If a player in your group wanted to make an endless quiver, how rare would you make it? Unbreakable Arrows are a common item, after all.

Were there any bows that generate their own arrows?

Bobble · Jun 17, 2019

Think like a greedy player. ENDLESS arrows. How much does an arrow cost. How much could a PC make equipping the local army with arrows? Now, base it on how much GP he is going to generate from it. :devil:

Xeviat · Jun 17, 2019

Bobble said:
Think like a greedy player. ENDLESS arrows. How much does an arrow cost. How much could a PC make equipping the local army with arrows? Now, base it on how much GP he is going to generate from it.

Obviously they would disappear after hitting your target or if you put them down without attacking them.

oreofox · Jun 17, 2019

A quiver that continuously made arrows, I think, would possibly be a major rare item. You could probably knock it down slightly if the arrows disappeared one round (6 seconds) after being removed from the quiver. Though, if you allowed such a thing, you might as well just not bother tracking ammunition.

Garthanos · Jun 17, 2019

Or perhaps its is a single arrow that returns to your bow knock or quiver after doing its deed.

How common to make these things seem flavor oriented ie game world flavor.

It might be very rare to the game world of course but all archer oriented heros have one variant or another

Xeviat · Jun 17, 2019

oreofox said:
Though, if you allowed such a thing, you might as well just not bother tracking ammunition.

That's kiiiiiiiiinda the point. We don't track not costly material components, and arrows are functionally free.

ccs · Jun 17, 2019

Xeviat said:
That's kiiiiiiiiinda the point. We don't track not costly material components, and arrows are functionally free.

So it's a almost a moot point in your game. You could just give one away for free with every bow or make it rarer than Thors' hammer & not notice an effect.

Me? I'm 100% against hand waiving ammo. Or most spell components for that matter. So in my games things that let you virtually ignore finite supply are exceedingly rare. (You might actually find Mjölnir 1st.

)

Blue · Jun 17, 2019

To my mind, the difference between the two is that you can draw arrows directly from a Quiver of Ehlonna, while a Bag of Holding you'd need to take out a quiver and prep it. It takes an action to pull something out of the bag of holding as per the DMG.

Historically, this would put the Quiver between a Bag of Holding and Heward's Handy Haversack, which is rare. (However the Haversack's special ability that whatever you want is on top is subverted because the 5e mechanics of retrieval is the same as the Bag of Holding - an action.)

Back to the original question. I'd make a quiver of unlimited non-magical arrows to be an common magic item, like from XGtE, and one that makes magic (but no plus) arrows to be an uncommon item. These are both compared to a common magic sword and an uncommon +1 sword, toned down some because it's giving you unlimited ammo - something that comes up rarely compared to just restocking when you can.

But in both cases they disappear a turn after being pulled forth, to avoid all of the "we'll build a castle from them!" types of player schemes.

Bobble · Jun 17, 2019

Xeviat said:
Obviously they would disappear after hitting your target or if you put them down without attacking them.

Where does it state that in your original description? It is only obvious if you say it. Next time just thank me for finding a flaw in your proposed item. It is a sign of maturity.

Immortal Sun · Jun 17, 2019

Bobble said:
Think like a greedy player. ENDLESS arrows. How much does an arrow cost. How much could a PC make equipping the local army with arrows? Now, base it on how much GP he is going to generate from it.

We solved this problem by having the arrows dissipate after an hour. That might be long enough to pull the wool over someone's eyes if you act quickly, but it's not typically enough time to escape the consequences.