question about arrows

[evilbob]

Does anyone know what happens to arrows that -hit- a target? Are they removed, do they disintegrate, are they broken, etc.? I know you can recover arrows that miss, but I don't know the rules for arrows that hit. The reason I ask is because I thought of a spell that would effect arrows that have stuck in a target; essentially exploding the arrow and doing more damage. However, I cannot find any information anywhere on whether or not this is even possible. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Crothian]

The arrows that hit are assumed broken.

 

[Dursk Starkfire]

from SRD

Arrows: An arrow used as a melee weapon is Tiny and deals 1d4 points of piercing damage (X2 crit). Since it is not designed for this use, all characters are treated as not proficient with it and thus suffer a -4 penalty on their attack rolls. Arrows come in leather quivers that hold 20 arrows. An arrow that hits its target is destroyed; one that misses has a 50% chance to be destroyed or lost.

The only way the arrow could do more damage via spells is if you were an arcane archer and had embued it with some touch-attack based spell.


Dursk.

 

[evilbob]

Thanks for that information. I was wondering, though - what if the spell was "prepared" and set to cast the instant the arrow pierced the target? Would this be stretching too far, or a good house rule situation, or probably ok?

 

[Crothian]

I think the spell would have to be cast on the arrow ahead of time, but I like the idea.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Nice one, that. You could of course assume that some arrow heads stay in the wound, and use it on them.

Or you alter the spell so that you cast it on the arrows before you shoot them, and after they stuck, you can cause them to explode.

 

[evilbob]

Another thought I had on the subject (and please tell me if I'm simply getting too complicated or reading too much into the rules as stated), but technically the description of arrows never says -when- the arrow is destroyed. It could be argued that for the purposes of recovery its destroyed, but that maybe removing an arrow is a free action, so targets hit with arrows have to wait until their next turn to remove them - thus leaving themselves open to having a spell cast on them that explodes the arrow. Or, even if the arrow's destruction were fairly immediate, that still doesn't completely rule out preparing an action (in this case, the spell) to go off the moment after the arrow does damage, but before it is "destroyed." Hence, my quandary... Again, is this reading too much into things, or a good house rule situation, or what does anyone think?

 

[hong]

Another thought I had on the subject (and please tell me if I'm simply getting too complicated or reading too much into the rules as stated),

Yes, you are getting too complicated.


Hong "aims to please" Ooi