Crossbow sizes

[gpetruc]

I know that many thing has been said about crossbows here; but I have only two simple questions:
1) If a light crossbow is small and does 1d8, and the heavy crossbow is medium and is basicly a upsized crossbow (that takes more time to reload due to it's size) why it does only1d10 ?
I'll probably make it deal 2d6 (that is +1.5 damage), and make it a martial weapon.
(maybe I could still allow a

2) Can I make a Large crossbow (Exotic, probably) that does 2d8 damage (as the standard damage progression by size) ?
Maybe with a reload time of two full rounds ? (only to use in sieges and similar situations) I'd extrapolate the range increment to be 160ft (48m).

Thanks

 

[Albert_Fish]

Well i hate the way weapons are treated in 3E, in particular corssbows.

Lets account for penetration ( due to reatively heavy draw weights, and heavier bolts and steel/iron heads)

a hand cross bow benefits from none of these and is probably good for exactly what fantasy says its good for, clandestine or poisonous attacks.
The lgiht cross bow is a hunting bow....a more stable and easier to use missle weapons that is much preferable to the bows due to ease of use and maintenance
1d8 sounds fair so long as it is a simple weapon and its rainge is limited.
insert simple Medium draw x-bow here.
The heavy Xbows should do about 1d10, its very fair, particularly for a simple weapon bit due to its penalties it needs some sort of benefit that counters the vertical bows. i say armour penetration and cut the range. Say it penetates (ignores) up to 3 points of armour/ natural armour.

A Siege Xbow is featured in both Splatbooks, "Sword and Fist" (Great Crossbow) It does 1d12 but its range increment is too high, and The Quintessential Fighter ( Siege Crossbow) that does 2d6 but maintains the similar range.
i would put both of these ( just choose one) at armour penetration 5. sounds more than fair and cut their range to equal light Xbow ranges

 

[hong]

I know that many thing has been said about crossbows here; but I have only two simple questions:
1) If a light crossbow is small and does 1d8, and the heavy crossbow is medium and is basicly a upsized crossbow (that takes more time to reload due to it's size) why it does only1d10 ?
I'll probably make it deal 2d6 (that is +1.5 damage), and make it a martial weapon.

Since a heavy crossbow does 1d10 instead of 2d6, that must mean it's not just an upsized medium.

A heavy takes more time to reload not because it's bigger, but because its draw strength is greater. You can generally pull back the string on a light and reload it that way. You need a winch to reload a heavy. One isn't just a bigger version of the other.

 

[Crothian]

Increasing the damage of the Heavy crossbow to 2d6 and leaving it a simple weapon would not be out of line. The full round to reload is a serious drawback.

 

[Jeph]

Someone mentioned penetration. I'll second that, say maybe p1 for light crossbows if you'r feeling generous, and p3 for Heavy. Consider giving p1 for the Punching Dagger, too. I think that's how GnG does it.

 

[Vaxalon]

If you're going to start putting armor penetration on crossbows, you're going to have to put them on longbows, too. And poleaxes. And picks. And spears. And fangs.

And what about blunt weapons that aren't designed to penetrate armor so much as ram the armor into the person? They should have an easier time of it, too.

Hey! Let's have a big giant table, with bonuses and penalties to hit based on the wearer's AC.

NOT.

Personally, I find the whole penetration mechanic a bit too much of a bother.

 

[HellHound]

Whoo Hoo!

Weapons vs Armor tables from 1e!

 

[Wolf72]

Whoo Hoo!

Weapons vs Armor tables from 1e!

no way man! my brother still has ICE's Arms Law and Claws Law (i think I got that title right) ...

sure we only got in, at most, 2 battles a night ... but there really really cool!

(I kinda like the simpler life of 3e btw)