Fast Firing a Sling?

[Bront]

Is there any reason why you couldn't take a feat like rapid reload to load a sling as a free action instead of a move action? Would Quickdraw work as well?

The question is why does it take so long to reload a sling?

 

[Jdvn1]

... I don't think loading a sling is a move action.

 

[Bront]

From the SRD

Sling: Your Strength modifier applies to damage rolls when you use a sling, just as it does for thrown weapons. You can fire, but not load, a sling with one hand. Loading a sling is a move action that requires two hands and provokes attacks of opportunity.
You can hurl ordinary stones with a sling, but stones are not as dense or as round as bullets. Thus, such an attack deals damage as if the weapon were designed for a creature one size category smaller than you and you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls.

 

[Hypersmurf]

As written, Rapid Reload only applies to crossbows.

Quickdraw is of no help. It's a free action already to draw sling ammunition; the move action is to load the sling.

-Hyp.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I'm not sure if it was the right design choice, but it takes a move action to load a sling now because you can now (in 3.5) add your Strength to the damage. I don't see a balance reason why rapid reload couldn't work on slings. Go for it and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Jdvn1]

Yikes, just saw that. Well, I'd houserule Rapid Reload would do the trick, but I've never heard of a feat that did it for a sling.

 

[Bront]

I don't like it either. Makes a sling weak. It's 1 die code less than a light crossbow, shorter range, and only a x2 crit, even with strength bonus to damage, it's not as good.

Yeah, I'd probably rule that you can take rapid reload. I was asking on quickdraw if it was an issue of actualy getting the stones, or loading the sling. I just find it irritating, especialy because characters likely to want to use a sling don't always have as many extra feats (not many fighters use a sling).

 

[Al'Kelhar]

Like others have mentioned, house rule Rapid Reload to apply to slings, too. I did.

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[Infiniti2000]

Well, it's not quite fair to compare the sling to a crossbow. If you do, first consider the cost of each weapon. The crossbow is infinitely more expensive in terms of percentages.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Well, it's not quite fair to compare the sling to a crossbow. If you do, first consider the cost of each weapon. The crossbow is infinitely more expensive in terms of percentages.

Well, yeah, that's the other way around it.

Carry a couple of hundred pre-loaded slings. Use Quickdraw to draw a sling as a free action, make a ranged attack, drop the sling as a free action, then repeat for each attack you have available.

Slings are free and weightless, so you're not encumbering yourself any more than you would with one sling and the same amount of ammo...

-Hyp.