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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Balesir" data-source="post: 6136286" data-attributes="member: 27160">To answer the OP and add what is required to string a bow, it depends on the bow. Based on using a longbow, I just tried it to check and I can string, draw an arrow, nock, draw and loose in under 6 seconds pretty easily, but that's with a bow I'm very used to. I'd call it a move action, in general. A bow that is too heavy for your strength will just be impossible to string without a "stringer", and using that could take several rounds (12-18 seconds, easily).A bow left strung will eventually take on a "set" - in other words it will become bent without having any "spring". The best system effect for that would probably be for it to lose a little damage (-1, say). Don't overdo this, though; crossbows are kept almost permanently strung, as are modern compund bows. The materiels of construction of the bow make a big difference - composite bows will fare better than self bows, but might eventually weaken slightly (making a break more likely). And, unless the bow was kept strung for months, the effect would be temporary - say it might last as long as the bow was strung for after a day or two left strung* (for a self bow - longer for a composite).Possibly the worst short term effect is if you pull the bow to full draw and hold it rather than loose immediately. Not only will the elasticity of the bow reduce (reducing damage) but your arms will tire (bows intended for combat are heavy to draw!) and you'll lose accuracy. Any trained archer will avoid doing this almost instinctively, though.Incidentally, ancient and medieval bow strings were very badly affected by wet. Most arcers would carry a few spare strings inside their hat - wearing a hat is a good idea as, if a bow breaks at its top limb, the string will pull the broken end straight towards your head. It doesn't happen often, but I'm told it can be very painful on a bare noggin! Stringing a bow with a fresh string takes only a little longer than if it's held part-strung, but you have to get the new string out, first...All that said, I'd only bother with all this in a very "gritty" game - but I imagine Conan might possibly qualify.Edit: * - I mean a full 24 hours, here. I have regularly used a bow for a full day's shooting without it suffering any noticeable ill effects whatsoever. If you travel all day with it strung and then un-string it at night it should do fine.</blockquote>

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