Quick draw question.

[Keith]

There is logic in that approach, but I would describe such DMing more as “typical” than anything else. Most fantasy games seem to take it as a given that characters, at least when in dangerous circumstances, carry strung bows in cases, not an outrageous idea.
The game does not in fact distinguish drawing a bow from drawing any other weapon, and quickdraw also is not limited to melee weapons.
Finally, using an arrow with a bow in hand is already a free action, and does not require quickdraw.
So, I think the rules allow this, and it also represents common practice with bows in games. Were they depicted realistically, they would be next to useless under the circumstances they are often used in games.

Plus, someone has used a feat for this ability- it ought to be useful.

 

[the Jester]

Ahem.
How, may I ask, does one Quickdraw a bow?...


Sounds to me like you are a rather forgiving DM. Are you balancingly harsh to your players in other circumstances?

Oh, I've always allowed the quickdrawing of missile weapons under the assumption that it's the same ready a weapon action to, well, get them ready, as it is with a melee weapon.

As to being 'balancingly harsh,' oh yeah. I'm lethal.

 

[Len]

Ahem.
How, may I ask, does one Quickdraw a bow?
If you have it strung and slung across your back I would have thought it would take a move action to prepare it (same as getting a shield off your back and onto your arm).
Then, you have to get an arrow out of your quiver and nocked (OK, I'd allow a quickdraw for that).

If it isn't strung (and most of the time it won't be) it would take a full round to draw, string and nock an arrow.

Sounds to me like you are a rather forgiving DM. Are you balancingly harsh to your players in other circumstances?

Sounds to me like you are a rather harsh DM. I don't see any rules about taking extra actions to draw or string a bow. As for Quickdraw, it applies to "a weapon", not "a melee weapon" or "a weapon that isn't a bow".

Quickdrawing a bow may be difficult, but if it were easy you wouldn't need a feat to do it!

 

[AuraSeer]

Ahem.
How, may I ask, does one Quickdraw a bow?
If you have it strung and slung across your back I would have thought it would take a move action to prepare it (same as getting a shield off your back and onto your arm).

Right, unless you have the Quickdraw feat. That feat allows you to ready any weapon with heroic speed. If a Medium creature can haul a 7' Greatsword around to ready position in zero time, why argue that the same is not possible for a bow?

Then, you have to get an arrow out of your quiver and nocked (OK, I'd allow a quickdraw for that).

You don't need Quickdraw for this, ever, under any circumstances. Drawing ammunition is always a free action. Loading a bow is always a free action.If you require PCs to take Quickdraw for this, your players should beat you over the head with dicebags for failure to read the rules.

If it isn't strung (and most of the time it won't be) it would take a full round to draw, string and nock an arrow.

You think so? Prove it!
The rules say you're wrong, so unless you have a cite, you're just making stuff up.

 

[rrealm]

I allow unlimited quickdraws in a round.

Thus, you could cut down an enemy, drop your weapon as a free action, quickdraw a bow, take your remaining attacks, then drop it and quickdraw another melee weapon in case you need it for an AoO or something.

QUICK DRAW [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1.

Benefit: You can draw a weapon as a free action instead of as a move action. You can draw a hidden weapon (see the Sleight of Hand skill) as a move action.

A character who has selected this feat may throw weapons at his full normal rate of attacks (much like a character with a bow).

Normal: Without this feat, you may draw a weapon as a move action, or (if your base attack bonus is +1 or higher) as a free action as part of movement. Without this feat, you can draw a hidden weapon as a standard action.

Special: A fighter may select Quick Draw as one of his fighter bonus feats.


I would have to say taking an attack, switching weapons, taking (at least) another attack, and then switching weapons again is beyond the scope of this feat IMO. Granted, the feat clearly allows you to equip or switch weapons once in combat as a free action but the second removal of a weapon seems shady to me. I would have to deem it as a move equivalent. IMO the purpose of the feat is to allow you to start melee combat without a weapon and still receive a full attack action or draw a weapon, attack and then move – both of which are impossible without the feat. I doubt the game designers had in mind a feat that is very easy to obtain (second level wizard can qualify) which would allow an individual to rotate through all of his weapons in a given round. Although, I do admit, the fact that multiple daggers or darts can be removed and flung poses a new question to be considered. What do others think?

I agree with AuraSeer completly.

 

[Keith]

“which would allow an individual to rotate through all of his weapons in a given round. Although, I do admit, the fact that multiple daggers or darts can be removed and flung poses a new question to be considered. What do others think?

I agree with AuraSeer completly.”

Hello.

Yes, I think AuraSeer is correct, too- actually, I think I already said all of that, so it would be poor form to disagree now.
On the above, I think this: an individual does not get to rotate through their weapons- they must drop each one to move to another, and can’t pick any of them up. As an edge-gaining technique, does not have much long-term applicability. Really just allows for one good flexible round of attacks as a result of taking a feat. Think of it as still throwing those weapons, because in effect they are. I think the two cases are fairly similar, rather than very different.

Cheers

 

[Starglim]

edit: withdrawn

 

[Hypersmurf]

You can't take an action, including a free action, in the middle of another action, unless there is a specific exception to say that you can (drawing a weapon while moving, using Quick Draw with thrown weapons).

From the definition of Free Actions: You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally

-Hyp.

 

[Starglim]

From the definition of Free Actions: You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally

-Hyp.

Bah. It comes down to what is a "reasonable limit", then.

 

[robberbaron]

You think so? Prove it!
The rules say you're wrong, so unless you have a cite, you're just making stuff up.

I don't remember the rules saying anything about how long it takes to prepare a bow, but I may have missed it. They may assume that bows are always strung, though you'd quickly ruin it if you did. I might allow magic bows to remain strung.

To prepare a bow:
Take bow, rest one end on ground, place leg between bow and string, flex bow against leg while pushing top end of string up the shaft, hook loop on end of string over notch in bow.

With a reasonable pull bow it takes 2-3 seconds (half a round).

Sure, you could whip it off your back in a flash with Quickdraw, but you certainly shouldn't be able to do much with it if it wasn't already strung. Perhaps a single shot.

Maybe I am guilty of putting too much RL thought into a Fantasy game and I admit I was off base about nocking an arrow.



Edit: I think that IMC, the round would go -

Use sword to hit someone, drop sword, Quickdraw bow, string bow (move action). The move action would mean no more actions but you would be ready to shoot next round.
OR
Drop sword, Quickdraw bow, string bow, shoot BG running away. If BG falls, drop bow and quickdraw melee weapon for next round.