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Message: <blockquote data-quote="delericho" data-source="post: 5961851" data-attributes="member: 22424">The way it works in D&D 3e is reasonably good:Sling: Simple weapon, 1d4+Str damage, decent range, x2 crit. Slow reload - move action. Also, the sling has easy-to-find ammo - in general you should be able to scavenge up suitable stones.Light Crossbow: Simple weapon, 1d8 (no Str) damage, better range, 19-20 crit. Slow reload - move action. And the crossbow needs specialised ammo - you can only replenish while in civilised parts*.Heavy Crossbow: As the light crossbow, but 1d10 damage and an even slower reload.Shortbow: Martial weapon, 1d6 damage (no Str by default), better range, x3 crit. Fast reload. And the bow requires specialised ammo - you can only replenish while in civilised parts*.Longbow: As shortbow, but 1d8 damage and slightly better range.* Okay, a skilled character may be able to build his own. But that takes significant time, which the sling doesn't require.If you don't have any sort of weapon proficiency system, I would advocate dropping the damage dice of the bows by a step - shortbows to 1d6 (no Str) and longbows to 1d8. If you don't have any sort of improved criticals (whether 19-20 ranges, x3 multipliers, or extra dice on a crit), then I would suggest increasing sling damage to 1d6+Str. And if you allow all missile weapons to add Dex to damage (as I do in my own game... incidentally, the same will apply if you allow them all to add Str, or similar), then I would suggest dropping the slow reload for the sling.(And let's face it - tracking ammo is a pain. Better to drop that if we can...)Putting all those options together, I would suggest:Sling: 1d6+Dex damage, decent range.Light crossbow: 1d8+Dex damage, better range, slow reload.Heavy crossbow: As light crossbow, but 1d10 damage and slower reload.Shortbow: 1d4+Dex damage, better range.Longbow: As shortbow, but 1d6 damage.That would seem to give reasonable differentiation - the crossbows are best for pure damage, but they're slow, the bow trades raw damage for range, while the sling is the good middle-of-the-road candidate.That help any?</blockquote>

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