D&D 5E Treasure Ammunition Doubt

[CapnZapp]

My friend, the problem with your logic

The logic is not mine.

It's Wizards of the Coast's logic.

And if you've got a problem with the magic ammunition distribution not being logical, boy have I got news for you: there's nothing logical about the magic item rarities at all.

For more on this subject, I direct you to this excellent compilation that apparently nearly took Saidoro's sanity.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?462510-Sane-Magic-Item-Prices

You will notice how the price, availability and/or rarity of consumables, including ammunition, have been fixed as part of a larger overhaul.

Here and now, I just repeat the answer per the rules to the OP's question: "just like you only get one battleaxe, you only get one arrow".

 

[Phantarch]

The rules for magical ammunition say these are no longer magic once fired.

Technically, they are no longer magical once they HIT your target. If you miss, you'd have a 50% at recovering it by spending a minute searching. Still not amazing, but slightly better than losing the magic once it's fired.

 

[Arvin Natsuko]

Technically, they are no longer magical once they HIT your target. If you miss, you'd have a 50% at recovering it by spending a minute searching. Still not amazing, but slightly better than losing the magic once it's fired.

Yeah, you are right. I read it wrong. Still sucks, but thanks.

 

[Arvin Natsuko]

The logic is not mine.

It's Wizards of the Coast's logic.

And if you've got a problem with the magic ammunition distribution not being logical, boy have I got news for you: there's nothing logical about the magic item rarities at all.

For more on this subject, I direct you to this excellent compilation that apparently nearly took Saidoro's sanity.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?462510-Sane-Magic-Item-Prices

You will notice how the price, availability and/or rarity of consumables, including ammunition, have been fixed as part of a larger overhaul.

Here and now, I just repeat the answer per the rules to the OP's question: "just like you only get one battleaxe, you only get one arrow".

I see no point in continuing discussing this with you, as you doesn't think the logic of the Wizards should be discussed. I already know the RAW since the first response to the post.

Anyway, thanks for the thread statement on the subject.

 

[Phantarch]

I'd be tempted to houserule magic ammunition as unbreakable. You'll only be able to fire it once during a combat, but you have a 100% chance of recovering it post-combat, regardless of a hit or miss. This would make getting a single piece of ammunition as treasure less disappointing.

 

[BoldItalic]

I don't understand the problem. Magic arrows are expendable items. They only work once, then "Once it hits a target, the ammunition is no longer magical" (DMG p.150).

They are on a par with potions and scrolls. They appear in the same place in the treasure tables, mixed in between entries for potions and scrolls.

Oil of Archery
Applying this colourless green liquid to a normal bow causes the bow to become a +1 magic weapon temporarily. Applying it to a magic bow temporarily increases its magic bonus +1. The effect dissipates after the first successful hit with the bow.

There you are, pretty much equivalent to a +1 Arrow but re-fluffed into a potion.

If you want a permanent magic item, you need to find a magic bow, not a magic arrow.

 

[Arvin Natsuko]

I don't understand the problem. Magic arrows are expendable items. They only work once, then "Once it hits a target, the ammunition is no longer magical" (DMG p.150).

They are on a par with potions and scrolls. They appear in the same place in the treasure tables, mixed in between entries for potions and scrolls.

Oil of Archery
Applying this colourless green liquid to a normal bow causes the bow to become a +1 magic weapon temporarily. Applying it to a magic bow temporarily increases its magic bonus +1. The effect dissipates after the first successful hit with the bow.

There you are, pretty much equivalent to a +1 Arrow but re-fluffed into a potion.

As i said before: "the +2 Battleaxe still works after you kill something with it. In the other hand, a single +2 arrow don't even last for a entire shooting round of a lvl 5 fighter. Even with the argument there is a consumable item, a potion of giant strength last for several turns, just for example. A set of 10-20 ammunitions will still be consumable, but useful for at least one combat."

I am comparing with potions. About your example, it at least requires a hit to crash. In the case of magical ammunition, if you miss, it has a 50% chance to be useful in the next fight. Pretty lame to me.

 

[dmnqwk]

I think the problem is the lack of consistency with magical ammunition.

For starters, Ammunition is both treated and not treated as a weapon. I mean, a weapon doesn't lose its magical properties simply because it's swung, so why would an Arrow? Why would a Magical Arrow be capable of breaking any more than a Magical Club?

If ammunition is going to be treated like a potion or scroll, it needs a similar power system. No more +1 Arrow here or +2 Bolt there, Ammunition should be classified as a single-use delivery system for a spell or effect - such as an Arrow of Slaying, or an Arrow of Chill Touch.

By moving the permanent bonuses onto the Bow or Sling instead of the ammunition itself, you would end up with a much better system that:
A) Doesn't create this kind of ridiculousness
B) Allows for a more inventive system of offering up bonuses in a form other than potions, scrolls or magical items with charges.

So the next time you roll +1 Ammunition on the Table, consider replacing it with an Arrow, Bolt or Stone that casts a 1st or 2nd level spell (and +2 offering 3rd level spells, +3 allowing 4th or 5th, but no higher). You'll suddenly find that receiving a Magical Arrow is on par with getting a Scroll of Lightning Bolt, or Potion of Speed.

 

[Sunseeker]

As a houserule, +X items are not magical, they're masterwork. Magical items always have magical properties, such as flaming. An arrow that is +1 more accurate to hit and deals 1 more damage than average is not magical. It's well made. An arrow that causes the target to become a harmless potted plant for 1d4 rounds, now that's magical. I have generally completely houseruled magic items from top to bottom.

As a simple rule of thumb: WOTC did a terrible job on their magic items and everything related to them.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Oil of Archery
Applying this colourless green liquid to a normal bow causes the bow to become a +1 magic weapon temporarily. Applying it to a magic bow temporarily increases its magic bonus +1. The effect dissipates after the first successful hit with the bow.

Is it magical because it is both colorless AND green?