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Cost of Arrows?
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<blockquote data-quote="Wicht" data-source="post: 6738336" data-attributes="member: 221"><p>I chose that date because the math/comparison of a 1 bow to 1 sheaf is easy to do. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>If you had read the actual book reference I sourced in the very first post, you would have seen that the cost ratio of bow to arrow was fairly consistent over the years. </p><p></p><p>But, very well - let's look at 1351 - a year in which we have documented that John Symson of London receives 20s. for ten bows and 34s. 8d. for twelve sheaves of arrows, the red leather arrow cases costing 9d. and the belts 2d. each. Thats 2 shillings a bow and roughly 2.9 shillings for a single sheaf of arrows. In modern currency (<a href="http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/" target="_blank">using this handy-dandy converter page</a>) that would be £61.5 per bow or $95. And its about £88 per sheaf of arrow, or $135. That gives each single arrow a cost of about $5.50 (The quiver would have cost about $39)</p><p></p><p>For seven hundred years or so, the cost of a bow and an arrow has remained remarkably stable, and relative to one another we can see that one arrow, in real world prices ranges from between 1/10 and 1/20 the cost of a bow, so that it is very common for a sheaf of arrows to be more than the bow itself. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>You must associate with a different sort of archer than the ones I know. I don't know any archers or hunters who make their own arrows or possess the skill to do so. Its certainly never been a skill I have taught whenever I have taught young'uns about how to loose arrows at a target. </p><p></p><p>Can you make an arrow?</p><p></p><p>If you can't, I suspect that the actual production of a flight-worthy arrow is more complicated than you are imagining it to be. Especially when we are moving past stone/bronze age technology and are looking at the arrow quality such as was common in the middle ages as well as most fantasy role-playing game settings. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I have presented documentation for my assertions. If you present counter documentation, I will look at it. </p><p></p><p>Based on all the evidence I have seen though, real world arrows for several hundred years have been priced at 1/10th to 1/20th the price of a standard bow. We have evidence from actual receipts as to what was paid, and when. We don't have to speculate.</p><p></p><p>In game, using 3rd/Pathfinder base prices, this would make each arrow cost something like 3-5 gp each. A sheaf of 20 arrows could easily cost 60-100 gp and it wouldn't be unrealistic.</p><p></p><p>Instead we have arrows priced at 5 cp, or 1/1500th the price of a bow. That's a huge leap in value. But somehow I am supposed to find that more realistic than anything I have asserted? Because why?</p><p></p><p>Even a 1/100th difference in pricing, so that arrows cost 7.5 sp (15 gp a bundle) each would be more realistic than the 5 cp price. </p><p></p><p>Don't get me wrong. I fully understand the gamist reasons for the pricing. And I am not actually arguing to change it. But it is a huge difference between reality and what the rules call for, and its very, to me, interesting to note. Especially as I just forked over actual cash to buy actual arrows for actual hunting and I could not help but recall how cheap those same arrows would be in my favorite RPG. I would not mind the real world imitating the fantasy in this regards.</p><p></p><p>But again, as I said before, I just wonder what effect realistic pricing of arrows would have on the game. Would it change the way archery was perceived. Would characters keep better track of their arrows? Would they weigh the worth of potentially losing the arrow a little greater? It would certainly make flying foes more expensive to beat.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Wicht, post: 6738336, member: 221"] I chose that date because the math/comparison of a 1 bow to 1 sheaf is easy to do. :) If you had read the actual book reference I sourced in the very first post, you would have seen that the cost ratio of bow to arrow was fairly consistent over the years. But, very well - let's look at 1351 - a year in which we have documented that John Symson of London receives 20s. for ten bows and 34s. 8d. for twelve sheaves of arrows, the red leather arrow cases costing 9d. and the belts 2d. each. Thats 2 shillings a bow and roughly 2.9 shillings for a single sheaf of arrows. In modern currency ([URL="http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/"]using this handy-dandy converter page[/URL]) that would be £61.5 per bow or $95. And its about £88 per sheaf of arrow, or $135. That gives each single arrow a cost of about $5.50 (The quiver would have cost about $39) For seven hundred years or so, the cost of a bow and an arrow has remained remarkably stable, and relative to one another we can see that one arrow, in real world prices ranges from between 1/10 and 1/20 the cost of a bow, so that it is very common for a sheaf of arrows to be more than the bow itself. You must associate with a different sort of archer than the ones I know. I don't know any archers or hunters who make their own arrows or possess the skill to do so. Its certainly never been a skill I have taught whenever I have taught young'uns about how to loose arrows at a target. Can you make an arrow? If you can't, I suspect that the actual production of a flight-worthy arrow is more complicated than you are imagining it to be. Especially when we are moving past stone/bronze age technology and are looking at the arrow quality such as was common in the middle ages as well as most fantasy role-playing game settings. I have presented documentation for my assertions. If you present counter documentation, I will look at it. Based on all the evidence I have seen though, real world arrows for several hundred years have been priced at 1/10th to 1/20th the price of a standard bow. We have evidence from actual receipts as to what was paid, and when. We don't have to speculate. In game, using 3rd/Pathfinder base prices, this would make each arrow cost something like 3-5 gp each. A sheaf of 20 arrows could easily cost 60-100 gp and it wouldn't be unrealistic. Instead we have arrows priced at 5 cp, or 1/1500th the price of a bow. That's a huge leap in value. But somehow I am supposed to find that more realistic than anything I have asserted? Because why? Even a 1/100th difference in pricing, so that arrows cost 7.5 sp (15 gp a bundle) each would be more realistic than the 5 cp price. Don't get me wrong. I fully understand the gamist reasons for the pricing. And I am not actually arguing to change it. But it is a huge difference between reality and what the rules call for, and its very, to me, interesting to note. Especially as I just forked over actual cash to buy actual arrows for actual hunting and I could not help but recall how cheap those same arrows would be in my favorite RPG. I would not mind the real world imitating the fantasy in this regards. But again, as I said before, I just wonder what effect realistic pricing of arrows would have on the game. Would it change the way archery was perceived. Would characters keep better track of their arrows? Would they weigh the worth of potentially losing the arrow a little greater? It would certainly make flying foes more expensive to beat. [/QUOTE]
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