Bows as exotic weapons

[AeroDm]

For a campaign I treated longbows as exotic and shortbows as martial. I then gave one region access to longbows as martial as per weapon familiarity. It worked quite well and I was pleased but in the end we dropped it in favor of core.

I think that in 3.5 especially the gap has been reduced. Moreover, simple steps can further weaken archers like requiring them to string their bow in addition to drawing it.

 

[Geoff Watson]

Have normal longbows and shortbows be martial, and mighty composite bows be exotic.

Geoff.

 

[Darklone]

Historically Longbows were exotic weapons requiring years of practice and training. Crossbows could be handed to the nearest peasant and become highly effective weapons in their hands.

In real life I would prefer to face a man with a bow rather than a crossbow so long as their training was similar. On a field of battle bowmen were typically only successful in large groups. Not so with the crossbowman.

D&D actually mirrors this quite nicely. The problem: All PC classes are already high powered heros. The cleric is already a miracle preacher, the fighter already a specialist with weapons...

Play a game where not every 2nd class gets all martial weapon proficiencies and you have what you want.

 

[Darklone]

Historically Longbows were exotic weapons requiring years of practice and training. Crossbows could be handed to the nearest peasant and become highly effective weapons in their hands.

In real life I would prefer to face a man with a bow rather than a crossbow so long as their training was similar. On a field of battle bowmen were typically only successful in large groups. Not so with the crossbowman.

D&D actually mirrors this quite nicely. The problem: All PC classes are already high powered heros. The cleric is already a miracle preacher, the fighter already a specialist with weapons...

Play a game where not every 2nd class gets all martial weapon proficiencies and you have what you want.