How do you break a bowstring in combat?

[kreynolds]

unless you buy a scimitar bow or something similar.

Is that detailed in a product? It sounds pretty cool.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I'd use sunder, too, or the archers will become useless, as everyone cuts their bowstrings.

 

[melkoriii]

Yup.

Also remember - a bow isn't a weapon, it's a Held Object, for such purposes.

-Hyp.

Why would it be a held object and not a weapon?

 

[Hypersmurf]

'cos the FAQ says so.

-Hyp.

 

[LokiDR]

Called shot

Yes, just use the clearly written rules on called shots...oh, wait.

If the object is unattended, I would call it a coup de grace (or maybe a standard) to do your weapon damage to the bowstring. You must have a weapon of equal or higher plus to damage the bowstring at all.

If you are attempting to do this in combat, I would call it one of the three following rulings (all assume you have a plus that is >= the plus of the bow):

1) As a GM, define a hardness/hp for the bow and string together. Use the strike an object in hand.
2) Roll the attack on an object. I roll a percent, based on surface area of bow and string (say 70-30). Resolve damage.
3) Roll to strike the object, and roll damage at the same time. If the damage is "good", say above 10 or 15, you have gotten a "lucky shot" and have hit the string.

There are no called shots in the system because it is an abstract system. If you roll more damage, you hit them in a better place. Some characters have the ability to find these vulnerable places if their oppent isn't able to defend themselves effectively (sneak attack). Don't try to skip around this theory, or else characters will try to aim for their oppents unarmored head.

 

[Nail]

Why would it be a held object and not a weapon?

Because you can't use it for a melee attack! (Legolas not withstanding.)

 

[Saepiroth]

Because you can't use it for a melee attack! (Legolas not withstanding.)

Scimitar Bow


( I still don't know where i saw it, but it definetly was )

 

[LokiDR]

Quint Fighter, I think.

 

[Dimwhit]

We only play bowstrings breaking in one circumstance. A really bad fumble. But we never allow for aiming to break a bowstring.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Yup.

Also remember - a bow isn't a weapon, it's a Held Object, for such purposes.

-Hyp.

Interestingly enough, you don't need a magical weapon to sunder a held object, even if said held object is magical. So you can sunder the +5 Shocking Screaming Holy bow with a rusty dagger if you wanted.

It actually makes sense for bows, if you think about it. A magical sword is enchanted to be flexible, yet strong, to have an unnaturally sharp edge that never chips, and to cut through things harder than mundane steel (that's how it bypasses DR, I'm thinking).

A magical bow is enchanted, not with charms of hardness and duribility, but to guide an arrow with magical accuracy, to bend more easily than the poundage of the bow would seem to indicate, to be, in essence, even more of a precision instrument than it was.

The enchanted sword has a reason to be enchanted to be strong - that's what a sword needs to be. Stronger swords are better and its enchantments just make it that much stronger.

The magic bow is not intended to slice through metallic dragonscales by itself. A super-strong bow is worthless, since you can't bend it. Its magic does not enhance its toughness - just its abilities to make an arrow fly true.


I have a feeling most groups don't play the rules like this, but it is a literal interpretation of the "bows are a held object not a held weapon for purposes of sundering" rule.