D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 - Help out with a dual-wielding hand crossbow fighter

[Jon_Dahl]

How to optimize 6th-level fighter with a strong fixation with hand crossbows and dual-wielding?

I was thinking something like this:
Standand action: He fires the hand crossbows simultaneously
Move action: He "sheathes" one of the hand crossbows
Free action: He loads the unsheathed hand crossbow
Free action: He draws the sheathed hand crossbow
Free action: He loads the hand crossbow he just sheathed

Feats needed: Quick draw, Rapid Reload, Two-weapon fighting.

My brain is kind of stuck right now so if you have ideas how to build such a character then please tell me.

Edit: Actually what I just proposed doesn't work... He doesn't have a free hand to load the second hand crossbow...

 

[Dandu]

Grace Under Fire: A Dex based crossbow gunner

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Magic Item Compendium p.137- The Spare Hand 12,000gp.

The Spare Hand is a extra limb attached to a belt. It's designed for an Artificer to get the most out of it, requiring the application of infusions at varying levels in order to be more effective. I have no idea how complicated loading a bolt would be, read it over and see if it would suit your needs.

 

[emoplato]

Unfortunately quick draw doesn't allow sheathing as a free action only drawing. You could look into gloves of storing in which you could store ready to go hand crossbows. Storing and bringing them out is a free action so you could actually free up a feat as well actually be able coordinate multiple crossbows the way you want.

 

[Omegaxicor]

Magic Item Compendium p.137- The Spare Hand 12,000gp.

The Spare Hand is a extra limb attached to a belt. It's designed for an Artificer to get the most out of it, requiring the application of infusions at varying levels in order to be more effective. I have no idea how complicated loading a bolt would be, read it over and see if it would suit your needs.

that would be up to your DM, I would rule that you could place the Crossbow in the Spare Hand and load it with your hand in the normal "loading time" (I can't remember the wording of Rapid Reload)

 

[sirgarberto]

Magic Item Compendium p.137- The Spare Hand 12,000gp.

The Spare Hand is a extra limb attached to a belt. It's designed for an Artificer to get the most out of it, requiring the application of infusions at varying levels in order to be more effective. I have no idea how complicated loading a bolt would be, read it over and see if it would suit your needs.

If you're willing to spend that much, making one of them Self-Loading (Arms and Equipment Guide) costs 10,000 gp.

I don't have any books on me right now and I don't really remember, but is there an official item that lets you have a continuous effect of Unseen Servant? If not, you could ask your DM if he would let you buy a custom one. The servant can now reload the crossbow that you couldn't reload before.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

From here: [3.x] Shax's Indispensible Haversack (Equipment Handbook) - Giant in the Playground Forums

"Glove of the Master Strategist
Price: 3600 GP
Weight: --
(Ghostwalk p. 71)
Everything a Glove of Storing can do, plus true strike 1/day, without the horrendous 3.5 price increase. And yes, there was a 3.5 update released for Ghostwalk, and the price stayed the same, so it's official. Allows you to swap out whatever's in your hand as a free action, up to 20 pounds (which would include the haversack, if you were so inclined). Also a nifty way to get your hand free to draw an item from your haversack, throw a grenade-like weapon, or swap a melee weapon for a ranged weapon. Since it stores an item in stasis, it can also be used to store torches or other alchemical items with specific durations, such as a Focusing Candle, Hearthfire, Fire Beetle Lamp, or possibly a Chaos Flask that have been shaped into something else."



Basically, glove of storing used to cost a LOT less in 3.0, but like many magic items got nerfed hard for reasons that no one can fathom. This item, which is like glove of storing, but better (true strike 1/day) got a 3.5 update w/o the price increase. So, you free action put one xbow away, reload the other, put it away, reload the first, take the 2nd out, rinse, repeat...

For only 7200 gp (you'll need 2, unless your DM lets you switch what hand is on a crossbow as a free action many times per round as well) it'll let you get over the "need a hand to reload" problem very easily. And it'll look damned cool.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

If you're willing to spend that much, making one of them Self-Loading (Arms and Equipment Guide) costs 10,000 gp.

I don't have any books on me right now and I don't really remember, but is there an official item that lets you have a continuous effect of Unseen Servant? If not, you could ask your DM if he would let you buy a custom one. The servant can now reload the crossbow that you couldn't reload before.

Collar of Perpetual Attendance is the ongoing Unseen Servant. Follow the link, scroll down.

 

[sirgarberto]

Collar of Perpetual Attendance is the ongoing Unseen Servant. Follow the link, scroll down.

That's an Aprils Fools, so it's not considered official. The price is right, though.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

That's an Aprils Fools, so it's not considered official. The price is right, though.

I have considered this particular article to be canon, simply because while it's silly, everything is reasonable.
Understandable if others do not agree.