is it possible to have a xbow loaded?

[SableWyvern]

Just to jump in on the strung/unstrung thing, I'd like to point out that it is generally believed that composite weapons remained strung, while self bows (non-composite) were unstrung while not in use. It had nothing to do with the string, but the actual makeup of the bow-staff (or whatever that bit's called).

 

[reapersaurus]

Heh, I can just imagine what my players would do if I told them their bows were unstrung when they were ambushed in the middle of the night....

this is the reason why you should NOT be surprising PC's in the middle of the night unless you REALLY want a difficult encounter.

Think about it:
1) The bowmen wouldn't have their bows strung.
2) The fighters wouldn't be wearing armor.
3) The mages most likely won't have rested and had their spells replenished.
4) They would be prone - in some bedding, perhaps - and would require a successful waking up ; at least one surprise round.

I think DM's usually don't play out the lethal-ness of these nighttime encounters...

 

[Vaxalon]

The crossbow trap is an exception. It does not have to survive heavy use of the normal type. And the owner is not injured if it fails.

A crossbow trap also doesn't need to be constructed in exactly the same way.

 

[Maldur]

About the use of the word unstrung!

You dont unstring a crossbow. Only the lightest crossbows ( and I mean pistol crossbows and such) can be strung without a workbench and some serious pulleys.
Bigger crossbows need quite a lot of equipment to string properly. And having a broken string in the field means you are not able to use the damn thing until you are back in town visiting your favorite bowyer.

You can have the crossbow under tension and loaded quite long, but not when dangling on a sling, or straped to a backpack. ( I would use a serious amount of near accidents ( and shots in the foot) to deter players from doing that. But having loaded crossbows next to the bed, no problem. Wear and tear might be higer but most adventurers can afford that.

 

[SableWyvern]

this is the reason why you should NOT be surprising PC's in the middle of the night unless you REALLY want a difficult encounter.

Think about it:
1) The bowmen wouldn't have their bows strung.
2) The fighters wouldn't be wearing armor.
3) The mages most likely won't have rested and had their spells replenished.
4) They would be prone - in some bedding, perhaps - and would require a successful waking up ; at least one surprise round.

I think DM's usually don't play out the lethal-ness of these nighttime encounters...

Heh heh heh....

You obviously weren't at my last session, when the Rgr6/Clr2/Party Tank was scrambling through the forest leading his horse and with his Full Plate +2 slung over his back while being run down by mounted orcs with nasty lizard-critter mounts.

Fortunately for the party the 30 foot-orcs, 10 goblins and 5 mounted orcs didn't attack until after the party had awoken and identified itself as non-friendly. But only the dwarf on watch had armour on.

They did make it through, but there were two -9hps and another PC went down twice before the battle was done.

 

[Carnifex]

Fortunately for the party the 30 foot-orcs...

Some sort of giant species of orc, I assume, or just very well fed ones?

 

[Boone]

After reading the comments in this thread it appears that many of you are aplying present day thinking to you characters and not putting yourself into their shoes...

What do I mean? I mean if you lived in a world where creatures wanted to eat your spleen and people wanted to kill you and your friends for fun I am sure you would find a way to keep your weapons readied and your sword razor sharp.

Take this cross bow example..... If it were me in this world.... you can bet the family farm that I would have my Crossbow loaded 23.5 hours a day 7 days a week. in that extra .5 hour I would be changing out the Prod on the cross bow and string (if that was required and I don't think it is). Why would I do this and spend this money... because thats what I would do now if meant my odds of living went up. (and the arguement that you have to take it to town to string it..... you don't own a crossbow do you?, and why do you think there is a Skill in "weapon crafting/Bowmaking ect... Heaven forbid if people used skill points on something other than hiding, spot, moving silently)

As far as the bolt being jostled around and the trigger system being activated.... Doubt it. It didn't take a rocket scientist to bend multiple peices of metal that put tension on the bolt and keep it in place on my current "Barnett" cross bow and it certainly was not a unique design on the 20th century to put a safety pin on the crossbow to keep trigger system from firing.

once again....
I have packed my crossbow around on many a "hike" and the reason I don't carry it loaded is because it is not my primary weapon on those deep wood and mountain hikes. A .45 auto is. And if I didn't have that and I knew there were orcs, dragons, ect.. in the woods.... I would find A way to have my cross bow loaded.

Don't any of you play rules involving the costs associated with monthly upkeep of charactes..... do you really think all those gp are going to booze, women, and a room at the inn?

 

[SableWyvern]

Boone: there needs to be some compromise between general safety and the known threat level.

To use a real world example, taken from Australian Army doctrine:

The lead scout in an infantry section will have his weapon on "instant" (safety catch to fire), and possibly his finger on the trigger. The number two scout will also be on instant, but more likely to have his finger outside of the trigger guard.

Other members of the patrol will be at "action" - weapon ready, but safety catch to safe.

In a secure zone, or inside an AFV, weapons may be required to be kept at the loaded condition (mag on but no rounds in the chamber).

Certainly, PCs with a good reason to expect an attack should be as ready as possible for an attack. But where an attack is reasonably unlikely (frex, travelling through a patrolled, civilised area), why risk accidental discharge?

I don't see a problem with DMs allowing weapons to always be ready and armour always on, but neither do I see that as being an accurate representation of how adventurers would operate. Of course, YMMV.

Carnifex:

 

[Black Omega]

Interesting question. I'm surprised there is such a discussion on this, really. I genreally assume when someone has the xbow readied, they have one shot ready. I never worry about if the bow is strung or unstrung. Unnecessary detail for my game, since I'm more inspired by movies and anime.

 

[Alica Vandaark]

uneccessary???

Guess you never fall down with an already loaded xbow on your back. Can´t imagine the pain when the bolt is fired directly in your head just by accident???

Hmm, no not uneccesary if you like realism in a fantastic world.