Bane arrow

[FlufferNutterEater]

If a +1 Bane (human) arrow is shot from a +2 bow, is the arrow's enhancement bonus:

a) +2 when striking a bear,
b) +4 when striking a human,
c) +2 when striking a human,
d) +3 when striking a human.

argh!

 

[Lamoni]

If a +1 Bane (human) arrow is shot from a +2 bow, is the arrow's enhancement bonus:

a) +2 when striking a bear,
b) +4 when striking a human,
c) +2 when striking a human,
d) +3 when striking a human.

argh!

I'm not too reliable of a source, but I would say a and b. The enhancement bonuses don't stack, but overlap. I treat +X bonuses seperate from bane, holy, flaming, etc. Therefore, the arrow would take the better of the two bonuses of each thing... it would get the +2 from the bow and keep the bane from the arrow. The +1 on the arrow is ignored however. So, a +2 bane (human) arrow would do +4 when striking a human and +2 when striking anything else.

 

[the Jester]

Technically, the arrow's enhancement bonus is +1 or +3 against humans. This overlaps (doesn't stack with) the +2 enhancement bonus from the bow; so you might say that the shot is +2, +3 vs. humans.

 

[FlufferNutterEater]

bleh

 

[FlufferNutterEater]

Technically, the arrow's enhancement bonus is +1 or +3 against humans. This overlaps (doesn't stack with) the +2 enhancement bonus from the bow; so you might say that the shot is +2, +3 vs. humans.

This is the crux.

Does a +1 bane arrow have a constant "+3 enhancement bonus" vs. a given foe, or is the bane property applied AFTER the arrow picks up any bonus from the bow that fires it?

Remember, in flight, the bane quality is not active yet. The arrow (bane human) could hit a bear and be +2. It's a +2 arrow WITH bane quality.

Or am I wrong, it's a +1/+3 bane arrow shot from a +2 bow?

I've only suceeded in confusing myself more.

 

[Laman Stahros]

If a +1 Bane (human) arrow is shot from a +2 bow, is the arrow's enhancement bonus:

a) +2 when striking a bear,
b) +4 when striking a human,
c) +2 when striking a human,
d) +3 when striking a human.

argh!

Based upon the books, the attack's magical modifier would be:

a) +2 against non-human target (+1 vs DR)
b) +3 against human target (+1 vs DR)

Now, admitted, in 3.5e the difference between +1 or +2 against DR doesn't matter, but, that is the way the rules (guidelines) are written.

 

[Sephiroth no Miko]

It depends on which edition of D&D you're using.

Under 3.0e, enhancement bonuses for a bow and arrows stack. Therefore, it would be +3 to hit a bear (+1 arrow, +2 bow) and +5 to hit a human (+3 arrow, +2 bow).

Unless, of course, that bear was really a polymorphed human druid.

Under 3.5e, enhancement bonuses from bow and arrows don't stack; only the highest applies. Therefore, in that case, it would be a +2 to hit a bear (the bow bonus is higher) or +3 to hit a human (the bane bonus is higher).

Bane weapons are pretty much constant +x, +x+2 vs. some creature type. If it hits the appropriate creature type (regardless of whether you knew it or not), it gains the extra +2 bonus to hit and +2d6 to damage. Depending on which edition you're using, it may or may not stack with the enhancement bonus on the bow.

 

[Lamoni]

How about a +1 icy burst arrow fired from a +2 holy longbow?

Would you normally ignore the icy burst since that is essentially only a +2 enhancement while the longbow has a +4 total enhancement?

What if your opponent has sensitivity to cold and the icy burst would do more damage? Or if the shot ended up being a critical, and therefore the icy burst arrow would still have done more damage coming from a non-magical bow? Or the opponent isn't evil... the +1 icy burst arrow would be better.

Is there a right way to do this that is consistent? It just seems that if you can fire a magical arrow from a magic bow and it will do less damage than if it was fired from a non-magic bow, something is wrong.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

it's a +1/+3 bane arrow shot from a +2 bow?

This is the way I rule it. I consider the Bane property something like a virus that effects only one species. It's still there when you hit another target with it, it just doesn't have any effect. When you fire it at its intended target, the extra effect, the virus, takes effect. And it's still there when the effects of the +2 bow are compared with the arrow's own enhancement bonus for purposes of taking the greater bonus. Thus, +2/+3 vs. target creature.

Incidentally, it'd work the same way with a Bane weapon and Greater Magic Weapon. If you had a +2/+4 vs. undead longsword and cast Greater Magic Weapon with a +4 bonus on it, it'd become +4, +4 vs. undead. Not +4/+6.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

How about a +1 icy burst arrow fired from a +2 holy longbow?

Would you normally ignore the icy burst since that is essentially only a +2 enhancement while the longbow has a +4 total enhancement?

AFAIK, special abilities stack, only enhancement bonuses overlap. So if you fired a +1 icy burst arrow from a +2 holy longbow, the shot would hit as a +2 holy, icy burst arrow.