D&D 5E Strength bows?

[Ahrimon]

But also enforces MAD on martial classes that want to use ranged weapons.

(Royal you)

As long as you aren't an optimizer of power gamer, one or two points between hit or damage doesn't make a big difference in 5e.

If you insist on maximizing every aspect of your character, then I could you having an issue with this.

 

[scruffygrognard]

What about having a feat take care of this?

LONGBOWMAN
Thanks to extensive practice with longbows, you gain the following benefits:
• You may add your STR bonus, instead to your DEX bonus, to damage rolls when attacking with a longbow that you are proficient with.
• Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
• When you make a ranged attack with a longbow that you are proficient with the range increases to 200/800.
• Before you make a ranged attack with a longbow that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a - 5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack’s damage.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

The real problem is that if you can use the best ranged weapon in the game(Long Bow) using strength then you can create a character who only needs one stat to simultaneously be the best at melee weapons, AC, and ranged weapons.

It requires no tradeoffs at all to be the best at literally everything. Now, some people don't care about that. I still think niche protection should be a thing. There should be a reason to have other party members around because they are better at something than you are when it comes to combat.

Having the Dex/Str split be the difference between Strong Ranged and Moderate Melee and Strong Melee and Moderate Ranged seems like a decent tradeoff to me. If you have a high dex, you are restricted to at most a 1d8 melee weapon but can use the most powerful ranged weapons at extremely long range. If you are good at strength, you can use a 2d6 melee weapon but are restricted to 1d6 damage thrown weapons that have short range.

It gives you the ability to succeed at both ranged and melee no matter which one you choose, but it makes your choice of stat meaningful to the feel of your character and lets people who make the other choice shine in the area they chose.

 

[Derren]

The real problem is that if you can use the best ranged weapon in the game(Long Bow) using strength then you can create a character who only needs one stat to simultaneously be the best at melee weapons, AC, and ranged weapons.

I think no one here wants to use Str for hitting with ranged weapons.

The more realistic thing would be to require a minimum Str to use the more powerful bow.
Sadly, that kind of "complexity" for the sake of immersion is not wanted any more in D&D as is the idea of penalties in general.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I liked the 2e rules with some slight modifications.

I think Strong pull bows and compound bows should be expensive but doable.

Strong pull bows:
1)You need a str 13 or higher to use and you gain a bonus to damage of +2 or your str mod witch ever is lower
2) You need a Str 15 or higher to use and you gain a bonus to damage of +3 of your str mod witch ever is lower
3) you need a str 17 or higher to use and you gain a bonus to damage of +4 or your str mod witch ever is lower
4) you need a str 19 or higher to use and you gain a bonus to damage of +5 or your str mod witch ever is lower

Compound bows have pullies to make the draw easier, and as such there is no str requirement.
1)You reroll 1's on damage
2) You reroll 1's and 2's on damage
3) You count 1's as max on damage, and reroll 2's
4) You count 1's and 2's as max on damage rolls

 

[Henry]

Sadly, that kind of "complexity" for the sake of immersion is not wanted any more in D&D as is the idea of penalties in general.

To me, rules for the sake of immersion really isn't a good fit in any edition of D&D anyway - or rounds would have never been rated in minutes, greatswords wouldn't have had one of the highest speed factors, and "cure light wounds" wouldn't restore a farmer to peak health just 'cause he's a farmer. There are always games like Harn or Aces & Eights to get closer to immersion.

But that being said, I don't think it would harm anything to introduce a bow a la 3e mighty composite bows that allowed you to use either Dex or Str for damage, mirroring the finesse weapon quality.

 

[Thyrwyn]

Just give them the Finesse Quality. It already covers the ability to use STR or DEX for attack/damage. No need to invent a new quality.

 

[Henry]

Just give them the Finesse Quality. It already covers the ability to use STR or DEX for attack/damage. No need to invent a new quality.

Except that with finesse, you have to use the same score for attack and damage, not just damage, which both creates that "str character single stat dominates" situation mentioned earlier, and doesn't emulate what was mentioned in the first place, that is the "mighty" bow ability from 3e.

 

[Coredump]

If I ran DnD

Finesse:
Dex to hit
Str to damage

Bows and Xbows:
Dex to hit
Could buy heavier draw bows/xbows based on your Str

Feat: Pinpoint accuracy: Add Dex/2 to Bow/finesse damage (I think, just thought of this one....maybe on top of Str, probably instead of Str)

Thrown weapons:
Smaller ones may have a Str damage cap. (Meaning, no throwing a dart and getting +5 Str damage on top)


Oberyn was not beating the Mountain because his Dex let him do just as much damage, his Dex let him get lots of hits and to skip out of the way a lot.

 

[Herr der Qual]

I'm working out the details on an archer I'm building.

I remember in 2e, there were bows that could be built to take advantage of a characters high STR score. I think they had this in 3e as well.

Does this exist in 5e? As I said, I'm working out the details on an archer I'm building, and I'll definitely give him a higher STR if it will affect archery.

Thanks!

I'm not sure about 2E or 3.XE but I know in Pathfinder there were composite bows that had strength ratings. They are very simple:
+4 Composite Longbow, dex hit and damage but due to the pull strength of the bow you must have a Strength Score of 18 to use it, if you are proficient with bows and have a STR below 18 you suffer a -2 penalty on attacks.

The bonus on composite bows is considered a Str rating, you can have a composite bow anywhere between +0 to +5. Your DM might be willing to let them in as they are not included in the 5E PHB. Whatever the Str rating of the bow, it is added onto the damage. So a Str 12 Composite Longbow would do 1D8+1+Dex Mod. I think that's what you were looking for.