Bow against Sword!

[Fisk]

I agree that it would make the game exciting. However if your life was being protected by your bow would you travel across lands filled with monsters that want to such the marrow from your bones with an unstrung bow. Or would you take along two bows making sure that one was always strung?

After looking at some of the pictures in the MM I think I may have 3 bows.... you know ... just in case.

 

[AuraSeer]

Re: Re: Re: Re: sundering bows

Umm... Stringing a bow requires a check about as much as nocking an arrow does. If you have the proficiency in the weapon, you have to know how to do it, it's like saying a soldier without Craft: Gunsmithing wouldn't know how to field-strip a service rifle.

Sure, everyone knows how to string a bow; that's why I chose such a low DC. Whenever you're not in combat, you can just take 10, and you'll succeed even if you have no skill ranks. The question is whether you can do it quickly, without dropping the string or making a mistake, while an angry orc is attempting to chop your face off.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

As a DM I use the sunder tactic whenever some archer tries to be cute and uses his bow as a melee weapon. I don't really feel bad about it either since if the bow is non-magical the party cleric can fix it with Make Whole and if the bow is magical, the sunder either won't work (low levels) or the archer should have known better (high levels).

The bottom line: when the raging orc closes to melee range, it's time to switch to a melee weapon unless this orc is just a grunt rather than a worthy opponent.

Where is the rule that magic weapon can't be harmed? I have heard several references to it, but have never read the passage.

As far as a weapon for the archer to AoO the would be sunderer, I don't believe you can take free actions as part of a reaction/AoO. Is there any rule that says you can or can't specifically?

Finally, sunder. How often do you use this feat/tatic? I am loath to get rid of hard earn equipment, often that is hard to come by. Is it comon in other games?

 

[efreet]

Next, on striking a weapon,

[From the SRD]

Then the attacker and the defender make opposed attack rolls. If the attacker wins, the attacker has made a successful attack against the weapon or shield.

There isn't a static AC. I'm not sure if the archer can use his dex, but it seems so.

First, thanks for the information on stringing a bow. I like AuraSeer's idea of a full round DC 10 craft (bowmaking) check, which draws an AoO. This will coming in handy for wilderness ambushes. I like the idea of a PC hiding behind a tree for cover while trying to get his bow strung.

For trying to smash a bow, I don't think the strike a weapon rules are the right ones to use. You should use the strike an object rules. I don't think making an opposed attack roll with a bow to avoid a successful attack makes sense - unlike an opposed roll with a sword.

So to hit a longbow (size large), you'd need to strike an AC of:

10 (base) -1 (large object) +5 (held in hand) +0 (Dex mod - if any) = 14,

and do about 10 points of damage to break it.

I'd rule the bow string was a tiny object, so that's AC 17.

At low levels this isn't an easy option. In an orc vs. elf situation, the orc's much better off trying to wack the elf, who'll almost certainly have lower hit points than his bow, and probably a lower AC than his bow string.

efreet.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'd rule the bow string was a tiny object, so that's AC 17.

I'd personally disagree - the bowstring is 5ish feet long and the attacker is using a slashing weapon. I'd call that size Large.

A longsword only needs to intersect the string anywhere along its length. The string's surface area is irrelevant as far as the slashing weapon is concerned.

-Hyp.

 

[Berk]

First off it's kinda silly to asign a DC to restring a bow when that person is proficient with it. I mean would you also asign a DC to reload a crossbow then? Cuz it takes a lot of work to actually reload a crossbow if you have ever seen one. And most likely it would take the same amount of time to restring a bow, if you have the bow and string on hand, as it would to reload a light crossbow. With the fact that you have to brace the crossbow against something, usually your thigh, stomach, or somewhere around there, and pull the string back.

 

[LokiDR]

I don't know about a DC to string a bow. Any person who depends for their life on a bow should not have a check. It would definately provoke an AoO.

As for hitting the bowstring, I think it should be an opposed roll. The thought is that a much more experienced archer should be able to keep his bow safe better than a less experienced one.

 

[Darklone]

huhm. What about using the bow like a quarterstaff? This combat technique is feasible.

As for cutting the string: This should be rather easy. 1hp, large target.

 

[Vaxalon]

A bowstaff (that is, the wooden part of a bow) isn't nearly as rigid as a quarterstaff.

You'd be very likely to break it.

You'd also have to change your grip in order to do so.

 

[mmu1]

huhm. What about using the bow like a quarterstaff? This combat technique is feasible.

As for cutting the string: This should be rather easy. 1hp, large target.

Realistically, it's a good way of ruining the bow without doing much damage in return - even if it didn't break outright, if it ended up with nicks or cuts on it, it'd snap the moment you tried drawing it. I think most quarterstaffs were around 2 inches thick, and so a lot more durable.