burntgerbil
Explorer
I guess that's what really got me - the fact that even in the book, there seemed to be two different voices on the issue.
Thanks for all the input.
Thanks for all the input.
Ammunition Woes
- Thread starter burntgerbil
- Start date
Wow that's quite ridiculous. IMO if it's such a point of contention for your group, remove the level constraint and slap it on a BBEGHmm--assuming 2 arrows per round on average and 6 rounds per encounter on average, and finally assuming ten encounters per level, that means the endless quiver should pay for itself right around the time you reach level 1,050.
666Sinner666
First Post
I've never met a DM that requires archers to keep track of arrows.
Daggers on the other hand a player should keep track of if they are throwing them and confirm with the DM if they are recoverable all the time.
Daggers on the other hand a player should keep track of if they are throwing them and confirm with the DM if they are recoverable all the time.
RyvenCedrylle
First Post
This, to me, is very genre specific. Did Legolas ever run out of arrows? No. He pulled them from dead stuff or whittled them or bought them, or heck, maybe he pulled them out of his posterior. Who knows - point is, in high-level fantasy, no one cares. You'll need every last one of those infinite arrows to take down the 3,000 Uruk-hai charging you and your three buddies.
Now Ravenloft? Dark Sun? You count your freaking arrows. The 'grittier' the campaign, the more sense it makes to track ammo. As a DM for any system, my meta-rule is that if the PCs are just trying to survive, they count ammo. If they're trying to show off and make a name for themselves, they don't. It's an ambience (sp?) issue.
Now Ravenloft? Dark Sun? You count your freaking arrows. The 'grittier' the campaign, the more sense it makes to track ammo. As a DM for any system, my meta-rule is that if the PCs are just trying to survive, they count ammo. If they're trying to show off and make a name for themselves, they don't. It's an ambience (sp?) issue.
amysrevenge
First Post
lol Your minor omission proves your point. In the movie, a high-fantasy version of the story, Legolas indeed never runs out of arrows. In the book, a much grittier version of the story, he does run out of arrows (he has to resort to stabbin' at Helm's Deep).
I agree with you 100%. Playing in the Forgotten Realms, don't bother counting.
Quantarum
First Post
I allowed a 50% recovery chance on every shot used in an encounter in 3.5. We had an Order of the Bow Initiate and he never completely ran out, but there were several instances where he ran very low. He was careful about how he attacked and spent more time trying to gauge foes and decide where his attacks could do the most good. Playing the class actually made him a more tactics oriented player. I tried to make arrows available wherever it was reasonable and it seemed to work well. I plan to do the same for 4E.
-Q.
-Q.
Nebulous
Legend
Probably the only time i would bother tracking ammunition is if it were magic, or we were involved in some kind of Helm's Deep last defense scenario, where every arrow counts. Otherwise, like others said, it doesn't move the story forward in any significant way, and is tedious to track.
I don't make my players count (non-magical) arrows or food or anything remotely mundane. I don't care if you didn't buy a bedroll, or if you don't have enough rations or anything like that. I also don't care if you never mention going to the bathroom or putting on your armour either.
If you want to count that stuff in your campaign, power to ya. I just can't be bothered, especially after 5th level or so. I mean, by the time you hit 5th level you have enough money that the cost of arrows, food, clothing, bedrolls, etc is negligable anyway.
If you want to count that stuff in your campaign, power to ya. I just can't be bothered, especially after 5th level or so. I mean, by the time you hit 5th level you have enough money that the cost of arrows, food, clothing, bedrolls, etc is negligable anyway.
PHGraves
First Post
One of the things I have done in other games (have yet to try it in 4E) is to use a more cinematic style of ammunition.
Nonmagical arrows/bolts/stones have three "boxes". If you roll a [1], tick a box. Once your last box is ticked, you are out of ammo. Ticks are only erased once you buy more at town (I'm looking at 2gp for refresh).
Nonmagical arrows/bolts/stones have three "boxes". If you roll a [1], tick a box. Once your last box is ticked, you are out of ammo. Ticks are only erased once you buy more at town (I'm looking at 2gp for refresh).
I'm thinking of something fairly similar. Roll a natural 1 on a ranged attack roll, exhaust one quiver (which would have an average of 20 arrows in it). No need for bookkeeping, nice and simple.
