D&D 5E Longbow Damage

[Melkor]

Are there any rules in the current playtest that mention adding STR bonus to longbow damage?
I can't seem to find anything - even for modified longbows.

Thanks.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Nope. Why would you expect there to be?

 

[Jester David]

Str was added in 3e.
Dex was added to bow damage in 2e-4e.

It could go either way.

 

[Gorgoroth]

In earlier eds it was only composite bows where you could add your strength to damage. Either the arrow can fly further, or it can dig deeper with a stronger bow. English longbows were invented to pierce plate armor.

 

[Klaus]

Composite bows allowing for Str never made sense. There are only two types of bow: a big one, usually made of a single material (like the English longbow, or the bows used by tribal societies in Africa and South America) and the composite bow, which uses different materials to allow a smaller bow to pack the same punch as a large one (like the bows used by mounted archers).

 

[DogBackward]

Anybody who's interested in medival warfare and weaponry (and some other esoteric topics) should take a look at Lindybeige on YouTube. Any of his videos that start with "A point about..." are usually very interesting tidbits about weaponry and the like.

For this particular discussion, here are his videos on bows:

A Point About Bows
Four More Points About Bows
Some Points About Longbows
Some Points About Arrows

 

[delericho]

Str was added in 3e.
Dex was added to bow damage in 2e-4e.

Not quite.

In 3e, as you say, Strength was added to damage, but only with a specially-made bow. In 4e, it was instead Dex that was added to damage.

In 2nd Ed, Str was added to bow damage (and thrown weapons). Again, the bow had to be made specially, though no rules are given for how this is done.

I haven't been able to find a definitive reference in 1st Ed - the description in the Str table says this applies to melee only, but in the DMG there are also some references to it applying to thrown weapons. I haven't been able to find anything about bows.

However, in both 1st and 2nd Ed, Dex could grant a bonus (or impose a penalty) to attack rolls with missile weapons. It does not, however, apply to damage rolls with these weapons.

Edit: I also checked the BD&D "Rules Cyclopedia". There, Str applies to attack rolls with melee weapons, and damage to melee and thrown weapons (not bows). Dex applies to ranged attack rolls, but not damage.

 

[Gorgoroth]

For balance sake, I believe Str should be the only stat that adds to damage AND to-hit. Dex is already overloaded with goodies that can easily circumvent / overpower str-based characters. Again, early editions got this right. ..scratches head. I'm starting to think I should be looking at retro-clones more. But the problem of finding other players.../sigh

 

[Blackbrrd]

Anybody who's interested in medival warfare and weaponry (and some other esoteric topics) should take a look at Lindybeige on YouTube. Any of his videos that start with "A point about..." are usually very interesting tidbits about weaponry and the like.

For this particular discussion, here are his videos on bows:

A Point About Bows
Four More Points About Bows
Some Points About Longbows
Some Points About Arrows

Now I have been watching videoes for over an hour. Should have been sleeping. Thanks.

 

[Umbran]

English longbows were invented to pierce plate armor.

Depending who you speak to, English longbows (which are more properly Welsh, but who's counting?) were invented to pierce plate armor, can slice, dice, make Julienne fries, and can kick Chuck Norris' butt.

However, things we would likely call an English longbow predate the stuff we would consider full plate armor. And, besides, there was never a time in history where the bulk of the folks in the field wore such armor. The bulk of the forces in question were infantry, not of noble rank, and could only dream of affording such stuff. You don't need an excuse of a specific armor type to develop these bows - just wanting to kill deer at greater range, and kill lesser-armored men better, is sufficient reason.