How do you feel about raising longbow damage?

[genshou]

I'm actually tinkering with rules where bows cannot be fired nearly as fast but damage scales up with BAB somehow. Still in the ROUGH development stages.

I just really hate machinegun archers; I've fired a bow many times (I was in an archery league) and there is just no way to shoot an arrow that fast. Bows do not lend themselves to combinations like melee weapons do.

I don't see the problem with machinegun archers in a game where so many fantastic things are happening. In the words of BiggusGeekus, now immortalized in my sig:

Now there is a loss of "realism" but I personally think that ship sailed long ago when we started playing a game that assumed a 20' lizard could open up a flamethrower on me and I would casually react to that by deducting an appropriate number of hit points instead of ... you know ... acting like I was on fire.

 

[genshou]

That's the one. We modified the Iaijutsu rules for bows/crossbows (kiudo, sniper focus, and what not).

That is SO COOL.

Way to take an existing rule and make something rerally unique and flavourful out of it!

 

[Nyaricus]

IMO, i wouldnt think of upping the damage. In a *fantastic* book called From Stone To Steel, the English and Welsh longbows are desribed. they are the same weapon, but the Welsh is more primitive (relatively of course; it just has less HP/Hardness) and the damage is 1d10, you gain their prof with martial weapon prof. Also, you cant use these on a horse at all; they are simlpy WAY too big.

These bows are generally in high demand with my players, but are rarely found, since we are playing in a different area than my campaigns "english" people are.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Increasingly powerful bows are already allowed by spending extra money to get ones that include Str bonus. This is an unnecessary rule change.

 

[Brasswatchman]

Re: Some Backstory

Let me add some backstory to this discussion. My friends that I game with over the summer are, as a group, pretty anti-crossbow. In general, they think that it ruins the flavor of D&D - especially if you allow the use of the Rapid Reload feat. They argue that crossbows essentially become guns, and that that isn't what they want in D&D. In fact, one of my friends as GM made the call that crossbows were - as a whole - erased from the campaign; the damage of longbows and shortbows were upped, and said to be simple weapons.

Now, I'm not saying that I want to go this far. I don't want to get rid of crossbows in this campaign. But, needless to say, I have a certain amount of sympathy for their point of view; otehrwise I wouldn't bring it up.

I should probably also note that my friends aren't huge fans of prestige classes, either.

In any case, having added that fuel to the fire... I know that, in this campaign, I'm going to be making crossbows and repeating crossbows more readily available. So I'm thinking about upping the damage on bows, by way of not penalizing players who decide to go that route. What do you think? Am I crazy?

 

[Baragos]

Brasswatchan: You want to make crossbows and repeaters more readily available but wants to up the damage of the bow?? Then you'll never see a crossbow in the hands of the PCs. The bow is good enogh as it is...doesn't need any more punch.

 

[Jraynack]

I wouldn't. Even as the rules stand now, I've seen plenty of archer builds that are just horrific in the amount of damage they can deal out. I realize that raising the damage by one die type doesn't seem like a lot, but it'll add up fast.

I agree. But should you wish to do it, I suggest giving plate armors (half-plate, full plate, etc.) damage reduction 2 against short and longbow (not crossbows though). This gives your campaign a more historical, medieval feel (despite popular belief, plate armor was useful against the bow - but it came too late. The crossbow and guns shortly diminished plate armor use).

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Aha... Discussion of Bows, Courtesy of Tinker.

It is for ver 3.0, but only the discussion of TWF and Ambidex requires changing.

I would suggest the option of increasing teh damage dice instead of the flat modifier.. but otherwize would/do use this as is.

AHHH dont do that! PDFs kill my computer for some reason.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

That is weird...Adobe is pretty stable normally..
Shoud I put a warning tag on the link next time

The DR 2 vs bow sounds like an interesting way to keep RAW stats while elevating the utility of the X-Bow.
Making the Bow a simple weapon is also an interesting idea, more in tune with my thoughts on the weapon..

 

[Storyteller01]

That is SO COOL.

Way to take an existing rule and make something rerally unique and flavourful out of it!

Thank ya kindly sir...