Arrows ... Ranged or Melee?

[Caliber]

This question is short and simple. Can a property listed as Melee only be placed onto ammunition (arrows, for example?)

IE, could a Wizard make 50 +3 Vorpal Arrows?

 

[Thanee]

There's a reason, why they list it only for melee, really.

Bye
Thanee

 

[the Jester]

No. Melee means you fight with it in melee; moreover, it means it's intended for use in melee (in other words, no putting vorpal on an arrow 'in case I need to stab someone with it').

 

[tauton_ikhnos]

No, actually, you could put vorpal on an arrow in case you needed to stab someone with it. And then, if you ever stabbed someone with it, it would act as a vorpal weapon.

Of course, since you are enchanting it as a melee weapon, it will cost as a melee weapon (rather than ammunition), and it would be essentially non-magical when used as ammunition.

But hey, Legolas likes to fight with arrows, you know?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Of course, putting a slashing-only enhancement on an improvised melee piercing weapon is just a bad idea all round.

If you find a DM who foolishly lets you put melee enhancements on ammunition, though, snap up some +1 Spell Storing arrows. 8000gp for 50 is 160gp each... a bargain, once you get the cleric to load them all with Inflict Serious Wounds for an extra 3d8+5 damage each!

-Hyp.

 

[AGGEMAM]

Of course, putting a slashing-only enhancement on an improvised melee piercing weapon is just a bad idea all round.

You really think so? Nah, I think not!

 

[Denarr]

Missile weapons aren't melee weapons.

I wouldn't want to have a DM that would allow Vorpal ability on stab-only weapons. There's just something wrong with the idea of Vorpal Needles.

 

[James McMurray]

Not if you change its name to "Brain Piercing" for piercing weapons and "Skull Crushing" for bludgeoning. I still wouldn't allow it on missiles, but its fine to add it to clubs, rapier, etc IMO.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Not if you change its name to "Brain Piercing" for piercing weapons and "Skull Crushing" for bludgeoning.

Back in 1E, we came up against an evil Cleric with a 'Mace of Mashing' - essentially a Vorpal Sword in mace form.

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

And there are slashing arrows in some books...