Please rate Rapid Reload

[smetzger]

Rapid Reload [General]
REQ: Base Attack bonus +2, proficiency with the crossbow used
You can reload a hand crossbow or light crossbow as a free action that provokes an attack of opportunity. You may reload a heavy crossbow as a move-equivalent action that provokes an attack of opportunity. You can use this feat once per round. Sword and Fist, pg 9.

 

[Noldor Elf]

I could think two ways to effectivily use this feat:
1.) Use heavy crossbow every round, especially DWS could be awesome that way (1d10 damage, crit (15-20 (keen arrows+improved critical) x4)
2.) Use hand crossbow or light crossbow combined with shot on the run.
Even with the feat crossbow is slower than normal bow (no iterative attacks)

 

[Pax]

With a Light Crossbow you can use Rapid Reload ot be able to get off yoru shot, and still move that turn. Potantially a large benefit for Sorcerors, Bard, and Wizards who are out of offensive spells useful in that combat; move to get a better line of fire on the enemy .... *twang* ... rapid reload.

 

[Hypersmurf]

You can fire three shots every two rounds with a light crossbow and Rapid Reload, no?

Round 1: Load as MEA, fire, Rapid Reload as free action.
Round 2: Full Attack - fire, Rapid Reload, fire.
Round 3: Begin again.

-Hyp.

 

[Bonedagger]

Sorc. and wiz. don't get +2 BAB before level 4 and that this feat then only would turn a light crossbow into an improved shortbow.


Fighters: By taking this feat you would (By changing from light to heavy) technically just be improving your lightcrossbow damage from 1d8 to 1d10 and your range with 40 ft.. The penalty would be having to carry more weight.

With the heavy crossbow you would not be able to get the many attacks that a bow can at higher levels. (Full-move action, Rapid shot.) No. Just one shot per turn.


This feat is average.

 

[Pax]

You can fire three shots every two rounds with a light crossbow and Rapid Reload, no?

Round 1: Load as MEA, fire, Rapid Reload as free action.
Round 2: Full Attack - fire, Rapid Reload, fire.
Round 3: Begin again.

-Hyp.

Pretty much. Or, you can, every turn:

Rapid Load ... fire .... MOVE

 

[Shard O'Glase]

It basicaly sucks. You are many time better off just taking martial weapon prof compsite long bow. More effective and a smaller pre-req. If you already have access to bows, you are better off improving them with point blank shot or something.

Now if you could reload light, and hand crosssbows as a free action any number of times a round.(just like a bow) then it would be an interesting alternative to taking a bow. As is it is pretty much a wasted feat.

 

[WolverineJon]

Rapid Reload is handy for characters with a poor Strength score. Such characters are better off using crossbows than bows, since they get a penalty to damage with a bow, but not with a crossbow.

I found Rapid Reload to be a handy way to get multiple ranged attacks (3 attacks / 2 rounds as outlined by Hypersmurf above) when playing a halfling rogue with a 6 STR.

 

[Gaiden]

I answered you should never take this feat. Here is why:

When would a character use a crossbow over a bow?

1. For increased range.

2. When you have a str penalty.

3. If you do not have proficiency in bows.


In reverse order let me show you why it will always be better to take another feat.

3. Simply take martail weapon Proficiency bow. Bows allow you to reload as free actions. On a damage for damage basis even the great crossbow or heavy crossbow is beaten by access to normal bows because the shot every round ability (all else being equal) granted by rapid reload does not compare to the multiple attacks a round with a bow.

2. If you have a str penalty, you really ought not be in combat in the first place. The only combat oriented character that I can see having a str penalty and surviving would be a rogue sneak attacking. Perhaps this is the one case where it might be legit to have this feat. But simply getting an item to boost that str will be better than wasting the feat as the feat can be used for something better.

1. The greater range can be compensated by far shot with bows and will be better because of the greater number of attacks and greater damage potential. And far shot is much more versatile than rapid reload

 

[Deset Gled]

It seems to me that most people who don't like this feat don't really disapprove of the feat so much as the weapon that it applies to. No, this won't make using a crossbow the same as using a bow, but for people that use a crossbow (for whatever reason), I think it's pretty nice. It's well balanced, and can be very useful in a number of situations without allowing a character to become too powerful.