Quick Draw Question?

[RigaMortus]

We had a Wizard who had a Bag of Holding at his waist with 10 loaded Heavy Crossbows in it.

Not to be nit-picky, but how do you load the crossbow in advance? The bolt would just fall out, wouldn't it? Bolt's don't lock in place, they just rest on top of the crossbow. Does the Bag of Holding maybe place them in stasis or something? Even so, you'd have to remove them from the bag carefully or the bolt will just fall off them. Just curious.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I always assumed the bolts "locked" into place so that you could have a crossbow loaded in advance. But some of my fellow players mentioned to me that isn't how it works. Even the pictures in the PHB support their oppinions.

 

[Christian]

Oh, and for what it's worth, I always assumed the bolts "locked" into place so that you could have a crossbow loaded in advance. But some of my fellow players mentioned to me that isn't how it works. Even the pictures in the PHB support their oppinions.

As does the Song & Silence eqipment chapter. See the 'covered hand crossbow', p. 51.

 

[THEBIGLOU]

Because of the ~2200 gp handysack that allows you to draw anything out of it as a free action, we gave Quick Draw a few other little benefits.

If a character does not have a weapon drawn, they can still get AoO if they have their hands free by quick drawing a weapon. It adds a little flavor, works well with combat reflexes. It also stops players from always having their weapons drawn.

We also allow them to get anything easily accessible on their person.

THEBIGLOU

 

[Murrdox]

As does the Song & Silence eqipment chapter. See the 'covered hand crossbow', p. 51.

Umm... wow, that's really nuts. I'll have to read about that when I get home. The PHB assumes that your crossbow bolts just "fall" out of the crossbow?

Well, until further notice then, we have a house rule that all crossbow bolts lock in place.

I was just reading some FR fiction the other day where a character had several loaded light crossbows slung across his back.

 

[gariig]

It also stops players from always having their weapons drawn.

My players just walk around all the time with their weapons out when in the dungeon. Is there a way to make them sheathe once in a while, besides climbing and what not? I don't think anyone in my group has Quick Draw, but no one is a straight fighter type(2 rogues, cleric, druid, wizard, and monk) so it would just be coming into play now.

Gariig

 

[Murrdox]

When they're in a dungeon, I don't see any problem with them walking around with their weapons drawn.

If you specifically want them to sheathe their weapons for some dastardly purpose, think of it this way... most skill checks aside from Listen and Spot require you to sheath your weapon, although this isn't stated explicitely. Your players can't push that huge stone door ajar while holding their swords, bows, staffs, whatever. Your rogues need to put away their swords while searching for secret doors, etc....

also, anyone carrying a torch will need to drop it as soon as combat starts. You can CARRY a large weapon such as a battleaxe, or a longbow in one hand, but using it requires two.

 

[Henry]

We had a Wizard who had a Bag of Holding at his waist with 10 loaded Heavy Crossbows in it.

No offense meant to your player or the DM, but the idea of carrying 10 loaded heavy crossbows in an extradimensional space that has very bad consequences when ruptured, sounds VERY bad to me.

 

[kreynolds]

No offense meant to your player or the DM, but the idea of carrying 10 loaded heavy crossbows in an extradimensional space that has very bad consequences when ruptured, sounds VERY bad to me.

Not only that, but it takes an exotic weapon to keep a crossbow loaded without the bolt falling out if the weapon isn't held upright. So, what's that tell ya' about regular crossbows?

 

[Murrdox]

Okay, well first of all, I wasn't the DM, and I really wasn't even a player in this campaign. I thought it was kinda silly too.

You do remind me however that when I AM DM though, I should pay more attention to the kind of objects that characters put in their bags of holding.

I dunno - I really don't feel like nit-picking as a DM as to when my players can and can't keep their crossbows loaded because the bolts will slip out. I'd rather just assume they lock in place. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm going to let them wander around town with an obviously loaded crossbow slung over their shoulder!

 

[Ranger REG]

What is the use for Quick Draw if you can do the same thing with +1 attack bonus?

Technically, drawing a weapon is a move-equivalent action. Anyone can do it, regardless of BAB.

But if you do have BAB of +1 or higher, you can perform that MEA while moving. The rule allows that.

What is so great about Quick Draw feat? For a low-level character it may not be so great, since most characters wield one weapon and with a low BAB, can only perform one attack per round.

HOWEVER, if you have the ability to perform multiple attacks -- whether it is a high BAB that offers additional attacks, two-weapon fighting, etc. -- then Quick Draw allows you to get your weapon drawn and ready before you make multiple attacks on your first combat turn.

So you might find Quick Draw a good advantage for high-level PCs.

Can you retrieve items other than weapons with this, maybe a wand or other magical item for use in combat?

Unfortunately, the QD feat works only with weapons as mentioned.

Why would a PC take this?

See my first response above.