A few ideas for the Crossbow

[Storyteller01]

Hmm, you're right. I hadn't actually used the Manyshot feat in my campaign yet, and no PC has taken it. I don't plan on using that feat either, as it seems rather too over-the-top to me to allow for any sort of accuracy with the arrows.

However, in campaigns where Manyshot is allowed, I would still want the crossbow to be a precision weapon that fires only once per round at most, and hits harder for experienced users due to placement of the bolt. As it is now, the crossbow is a joke, and historically, even though it was simple to use and easier to train someone to use it than a bow, it was devastatingly lethal to rank and file troops as well as knights (much like a gun). In that case, I would require Weapon Focus with the crossbow to allow for the increased damage. Maybe the damage should be decreased for each of the "extra attacks" of the crossbow to allow for Manyshot to potentially do more damage due to the sheer volume of arrows. Something along the lines of +(die type/2) per extra iterative attack. So from the example above, the fighter would attack with +13 BAB, and do 1d10+10 + any magic for the bolt (15.5 damage average). While the same fighter with the Manyshot feat and a mighty composite longbow (16 Str) would attack at +9 BAB, and do 3d8+ Str mod for each arrow (9) + any magic for each arrow if he hit (22.5 damage average). Seems like a fair tradeoff to me- potentially higher damage with the bow at a loss in accuracy compared to the crossbow's lesser average damage but greater accuracy.

Have the attacker roll for each attack. Each successive attack gives a bonus to hit for the next. If an attack misses, the whole attack misses. If the attack hits, the attacker gains a die of damage for each successfull attack roll.

The attacker can choose when to release the attack. They do not have to use all of their attacks.

This should reduce the 'Many SHot' complex.

 

[sfedi]

I gave crossbows an intrinsic +2 bonus to hit.

Although I'm not still satisfied yet balancing it.

I don't like the Rapid Reload feat neither.
Instead, I made auto cocking magical crossbows cheap (600 gp)
which would allow you to use your iterative attacks with it.

 

[Schmoe]

I gave crossbows an intrinsic +2 bonus to hit.

Although I'm not still satisfied yet balancing it.

That's similar to an idea I just had. You could allow crossbows to ignore the first X points of armor or natural armor bonus that the target has. Say light crossbows ignore 1 point and heavy crossbows ignore 3 points, or something along those lines. I realize that this begins to bring things back to the nightmare of 1e "to hit bonus vs. armor type" for various weapons, but it is simple enough. In the particular case of the crossbow, it might make the weapon slightly more appealing.

 

[sfedi]

You could allow crossbows to ignore the first X points of armor or natural armor bonus that the target has.

Well, the system I proposed brings that extra punch, without the hassle of extra calculation.

But I really like the idea of the crossbow as the best one-shot weapon.
It would be THE weapon for snipers.

Which makes sense, IMHO.

 

[Schmoe]

Well, the system I proposed brings that extra punch, without the hassle of extra calculation.

But I really like the idea of the crossbow as the best one-shot weapon.
It would be THE weapon for snipers.

Which makes sense, IMHO.

There's a slight distinction between granting crossbows +X to hit versus allowing crossbows to ignore X points of armor. In the former case, crossbows are more accurate in all situations, including cover, elusive targets, deflection bonuses, etc. In the latter case, the crossbow only overcomes armor.

In practice, most opponents will have at least 4-5 points of armor, and so the point is moot. It's not even that big a deal, and it may well be easier to grant a flat bonus to hit, but the distinction is there.