Sci-Fi Channel's "Grendel": Quadruple Crossbow???

[Tuzenbach]

I had a DM once who insisted that our NPC nemesis wielded a "double crossbow". Nevermind the fact that the guy was supposed to be a Paladin and, as such, shouldn't be using ranged weapons anyway.

That aside, I was never able to fully comprehend the DM's explanation of what he described as "two crossbows stacked on top of each other, so you get two shots".

Then all of a sudden I watch this special made-for-Sci-Fi-Channel movie (granted, these are usually pretty poor.........but I was bored!) and the Beowulf character touts not a double or even triple crossbow, but a QUADRUPLE CROSSBOW! That's right, FOUR crossbows stacked on top of each other.

On a side note, it shot explosive bolts!

From what I gathered, the thing had four individual strings (sorry, I don't know the technical term), yet only one cross-piece.

Tell me, weight issues aside, would this concept actually have worked?

Thanks!


PS: For the uber observant, yes, I was the one who asked not too long ago about the air-powered crossbow from "Van Helsing" and, yes, it was I who also asked what crossbow specialists should be named (if not archers). Can you guess what my favorite weapon is?

 

[Crothian]

Nevermind the fact that the guy was supposed to be a Paladin and, as such, shouldn't be using ranged weapons anyway.

Why shouldn't a paladin use a ranged weapon?

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

Wasn't there a double crossbow in Ladyhawke?

In a 1e campaign I played in I had a paladin (my most experienced character but not my highest leveled) the DM had created "Holy ..." which included a (Holy) Bow and (Holy) Quiver which created magical arrows. My paladin would have eventually had Holy Armor as well as weapons so that all ten of his magical items would have been Holy. Unfortunately we never completed that campaign.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Why shouldn't a paladin use a ranged weapon?

I think he may be thinking of the Cavalier from 1e...

 

[painandgreed]

I think he may be thinking of the Cavalier from 1e...

I think he's thinking of WoW.

 

[Slife]

I think he's thinking of WoW.

Oddly enough, in the MMORPG Tibia, paladins are only allowed to use ranged weapons.



@The OP
Looks like what you really want is an Unbelievably Dire Flailing Whipaxe

 

[Kafkonia]

@The OP
Looks like what you really want is an Unbelievably Dire Flailing Whipaxe

QFT. That weapon is teh best0rz!!!111!!!1eleven!!!

 

[Agent Oracle]

Even in WoW, The Paladin Class can use a ranged weapon. It just happens to be a unique item only obtainable by completing the "It's a secret to everyone" quests...

Gods, i swear, i watch too much Cheat on TV...

Anywho, Paladins in D&D, and every other system, have no problem using ranged weapons. I mean, the proficiency is right there in their character description.

Now anywho, regarding functionality:

Yes, they existed, and yes, they worked. And Yes, they were highly impractical. History (and museums) are full of oddball relics from the medieval era. Most of them were created by artisans who wanted to make demonstrations of the quality and creativity of their work... few oddball devices were ever actually intended for combat! But still, somewhere, some noble (or otherwise) person with sufficient cash saw the display model and decided "I could use that!"

Most of the time, the oddball equipment spent a lot of time in some family attic, before being given to the museum...

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

I think there have been some siege weapons that could fire multiple crossbow bolts simulataneously.

 

[Tuzenbach]

I think he may be thinking of the Cavalier from 1e...

That is correct!

When in doubt, I defer to Gygaxian logic. Paladins SHOULD ONLY engage in combat at close range. Anything less veers in the direction of cowardice, thus subjecting the Paladin's charisma score to diminishment, thus threatening the Paladin's "Paladin-ness".