Mega mighty comp bows

[wighair]

The table in the DMG shows the following...

Mighty composite shortbow
(+1 Str bonus) 150 gp
(+2 Str bonus) 225 gp
Mighty composite longbow
(+1 Str bonus) 200 gp
(+2 Str bonus) 300 gp
(+3 Str bonus) 400 gp
(+4 Str bonus) 500 gp

Are these the limits? Is it possible for strength modifiers beyond +4 to be created?

I have a STRONG 1/2 orc barbarian who's just found the best bowmaker in the land and wants to make him an offer he can't refuse...

I was going to allow a +5, but with fumble/breakage rules and was wondering if the rules addressed this issue.

Mel.

 

[Ziggy]

No offial rules for anything above +4 (probably a balance issue, mighty longbows are pretty powerful as they are).

No rules for fumling/breakage either (AFAIK).

IMC I allow it, but these bow are unique items, created by master bowyers (sp?). Think of Odysseu's bow from the the greek hero stories.

I have also house ruled that you can only draw a bow that is within 1 step (upwards) of your current strength, thus you need at least 18 STR to draw a Mighty +5 bow.

.Ziggy

 

[Apok]

My own personal rule is that any bow that allows a Str mod higher than +4 to be applied to damage is too large for a medium sized character to wield.

+5 through +8 would be a Huge weapon, +9 through +12 would be Giant, etc.

 

[Celebrim]

Apok's ruling certainly sounds reasonable. There might simply be limits on the material you could make the bow from that would actually be 'springy'. Eventually if you make the bow thick enough, it might difficult to hold, knock normally, etc.

For myself, I find 'mighty' already a very powerful feature. Especially given that enhancement bonuses to bows and arrows stack with each other. If a character wanted a higher strength bonus bow, I'd be tempted to allow it only as a magical effect. For instance, you might be able to buy a +1 Most Mighty Composite Longbow (need at least 19 str to wield, allows a STR bonus of up to +8) costing the same as a +2 Mighty Composite Longbow (allows a STR bonus of up to +4). Or something like that.

Incidently, my house rule is that if you attempt to draw a Mighty bow that requires a STR higher than what you have, you have a awkwardness penalty to your hit roll equal to the difference between the STR modifier of the bow and your own strength modifier. If you have a STR more than 8 points lower than the bow, you can't use it at all. In all cases, you still use your own (lower) STR modifier, not the bows. Ziggy's ruling sounds reasonable as well, but I'm no bowman and can't tell you which is more reasonable.

 

[coyote6]

I suspect that the Epic Level Handbook will have some stuff on "Extra Mighty" bows.

The epic-level advenure "The Storm Lord's Keep" (from Dungeon #93) includes a storm giant with a mighty composite longbow [+15], so either the Epic book will include these things, or we should ask James Wyatt how it works. Of course, the bow is Gargantuan, so +4 might still be the limit for a regular longbow (which is Large).

 

[Gromm]

I've always allowed for +5 MCLBs. They are usually specially made with unique components that aren't easy to get (dragon bone, etc), but it doesn't seem that far fetched that they could exist. Once you get really high in strength, like +7 and beyond you might need some magic, but the spell hardening seems like it would work well enough IMO.

 

[AGGEMAM]

I find it reasonable that a medium sized character should be limited to the +4 Str mod with a composite bow, however you may allow a compound bow to go higher.

A compound bow is a modern bow which gets its pull from using a system of pullies, IMC, I allow these to get up to a +10 Str mod for a longbow version and up to +5 Str mod for the shortbow version.

The price is: bonus squared times a 100 plus the base price of the bow, IMC.

 

[wighair]

thanks for the answers people! much to ponder.

Mel.

 

[dcollins]

The epic-level advenure "The Storm Lord's Keep" (from Dungeon #93) includes a storm giant with a mighty composite longbow [+15], so either the Epic book will include these things, or we should ask James Wyatt how it works. Of course, the bow is Gargantuan, so +4 might still be the limit for a regular longbow (which is Large).

All storm giants have this bow, according to the entry in the MM.

 

[Valicor]

I suspect that the Epic Level Handbook will have some stuff on "Extra Mighty" bows.

The epic-level advenure "The Storm Lord's Keep" (from Dungeon #93) includes a storm giant with a mighty composite longbow [+15], so either the Epic book will include these things, or we should ask James Wyatt how it works. Of course, the bow is Gargantuan, so +4 might still be the limit for a regular longbow (which is Large).

I was goning to suggest bonus based on size aswell. Since the standard MM Storm Giant has a +14 Gargantuan Mighty Composite Bow. Imagine an arrow liek that through the chest. Ouch!