Blunt arrows against undead?

[kristov]

Are there some rules somewhere for some type of arrow that is effective against undead (like ghouls/skeletons)?

I am playing an archer and this is the biggest hole in my game plan right now as we may be facing off with many undead.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Kat']

Undead Bane bow? Slings? Lots of Clubs and Quick Draw? Favored Enemy?

What's your build, bythe way?

 

[kristov]

So far im a Ranger 2/Fighter 1- with a Darkwood Composite Longbow (STR +2)

We just started our game - and I read about the "blunt arrows" that are 1/2 range and do non-lethal dmg. Nonlethal doesnt work against undead.

I was like surely my arrow can do dmg to undead like a freakin sling bullet can - but so far I havent found any rule for that purpose yet and am asking for help because of that - seems an obvious flaw in logic.

 

[irdeggman]

Take favored enemy - undead and add to damage rolls.

This should help a lot with that pesky DR over the long run.

Or better yet if your PC is an elf take the racial substitution level for elf ranger and choose undead as your favored enemy (instead of the +2 progression you get a +3).

 

[frankthedm]

sling bullet can - but so far I havent found any rule for that purpose yet and am asking for help because of that - seems an obvious flaw in logic.

No, It is quite logical. Arrows are dangerous to living things because they fly far and fast by being light and aerodynamic and then use the energy that shot them by being sharp and pointy to piece organs the victim was using. IMHO any corporeal undead should be highly resistant to arrows and weapons that purely pierce*.

An arrow with a head to cause equivalent blunt damage to a sling bullet would have laughable range since the arrowhead would drag the missile downward very fast.


*With vampires being a notable exception.

 

[mvincent]

Are there some rules somewhere for some type of arrow that is effective against undead (like ghouls/skeletons)?

Note that ghouls don't have DR.

In fact, undead in general are not more susceptible to bludgeoning... it's just skeletons (and liches).

Regardless, I also believe blunt crossbow bolts (prods) might be available in a supplement. Also, Zombies are vulnerable to slashing weapons, and I believe you can purchase slashing arrows (maybe in the oriental adventures supplement?).

Also: slaying arrows are particularly effective on undead BBEG's (since undead have lousy fort saves... because they have no Con).

 

[Mistwell]

I vaguely recall such an item in an earlier book. Arms & Equipment Guide? One of the original "splat" books?

[Edit - Blunt Arrow, Arms and Equipment Guide (3.0), p. 5. Deals nonlethal bludgeoning damage. See also Alchemist arrows and Thunder Arrows from that same book, both of which deal energy damage instead of piercing damage]

 

[Machiavelli]

An arrow with a head to cause equivalent blunt damage to a sling bullet would have laughable range since the arrowhead would drag the missile downward very fast.

Gah! No, no, nonono. You could attach a hippopotamus to the arrowhead and it would fall no faster. The trouble with a blunt arrowhead is that it is not sleek, and the trouble with a heavier-than-advisable arrowhead is that it takes too much force to accelerate. Your blunt head will slow your arrow down from air resistance, meaning that it will take just as much time to fall to the ground that a sleek arrow would have, but even if it left the bow at the same speed as the sleek arrow it will not cover as much distance in the time before impacting the ground.
Your heavy head will have any of a number of effects. If your bow is capable of applying enough force to the arrow quickly enough, the head's own inertia may snap the arrow's shaft like a toothpick between two fingers. If the bow is only strong enough to be optimal for regular, lighter arrows, it may not be able to apply enough force to get the heavy head up to the same speed, causing the same problem that the hippo-headed arrow would have.

This last scenario actually pretty well explains the behavior of the D&D blunt arrow: the range is reduced, because the heavy head only receives the same force from the bow, over the same bowstring draw distance, gaining the same amount of kinetic energy... and hence less speed for its increased mass. The arrow has the same kinetic energy, so it WOULD do the same damage to the target if it delivered the energy the same way, but it actually spreads the energy out over a MUCH larger surface area (compared to the pointy arrow, which has a surface area at its point of less than a square mm), thereby becoming much less lethal. It's still the same energy, though, so it's non-lethal damage instead of reduced damage.

D&D archery physics are crappy, but not so bad that they can't be justified to a reasonable level.

 

[Tetsubo]

You could just say the new arrows are Bludgeoning and reduce the range by half. fast and dirty but it works. Or use a sling.

Something I used in a past campaign (actual, real world weapon):

Stonebow

The stonebow is essentially a crossbow designed to propel a stone or lead pellet. It does 1d6 damage, has a critical of 20/x2, range increment of 60, costs 70 sp, does Blundgeoning damage and weighs six pounds. It is most commonly used by the nobility for small game and target practice. It is also used to gather animal furs without harming their hide. It is considered a simple weapon.

 

[drdevoid]

I remember a few 3.0 non-WotC books that had blunt arrows reduced damage one step. I can't site it, but I've played it. Naturally, we took over the world. At -1 damage.

Frankly, I'm a little shocked at the uproar. Verisimilitude vs. undead hordes existing. No one would come up with a ranged answer? Really? Does it always have to come down to your physics vs. my suspension of disbelief?

The fantasy populace is dense, indeed- very dense.