What are the rules for re-stringing a bow or xbow after snapped string?

[werk]

You can't SUNDER a string... It just sounds too silly.

And you can only sunder weilded weapons.

You could just break the bows tho, as objects.

A 'bow' would be a projectile weapon, hardness 5, hitpoints 5.

Not so easy to cut with a dagger, but pretty easy to SMASH!

 

[lukelightning]

Don't forget that fantasy bows are magical, in that you can leave them strung forever and never worry about the bow getting weakened.

 

[Emirikol]

So, all this and nobody here's figured out how a PC could cut a UNWIELDED bowstring with a dagger and how long it would take to re-string it?

I found the rule here: _

Heh

jh

 

[shilsen]

So, all this and nobody here's figured out how a PC could cut a UNWIELDED bowstring with a dagger and how long it would take to re-string it?

Lots of people have figured it out. They just differ about the time taken. Personally, I'd make it a standard action for the former and a full-round action for the latter. Simple.

 

[lukelightning]

So, all this and nobody here's figured out how a PC could cut a UNWIELDED bowstring with a dagger and how long it would take to re-string it?

The rule to cut an unwielded bow string? It goes like this:
Rogue: I cut the bowstrings.
DM: They are all cut.

Now restringing the bows I think should be a 1-round action as I mentioned above. If I had a player sneak into an armory or whatever and sabotage the bows like this, I'd say while they are doing this they can find the spare bowstrings and cut those as well. Or better yet, steal them so that when the guard run in to get their bows and find them destroyed the rogue can wave the stolen strings in their faces and go "hah hah"

 

[Emirikol]

Lots of people have figured it out. They just differ about the time taken. Personally, I'd make it a standard action for the former and a full-round action for the latter. Simple.

..and subject to AoO.

Thanks,
jh

 

[Kmart Kommando]

You know, as someone who has seen a bowstring snap up close and personal, I can attest that you do not need to remove the broken string to put on the new one.
My cousin was firing his bow right next to me with mine and the nocks they put on his arrows were too tight for his string. They eventually sawed through the string which then blew apart. It took some time to find both parts, and that was in an indoor league shooting area. The only thing holding the string in place is the tension of the bow itself.

As to restringing a bow, it is not difficult for someone who knows how to do it.
Place one end of the string on the lower limb, wrap that limb around your leg, pull the other limb down towards it, push the loop on the end, and you're ready to rock.
Trying it while someone is trying to kill you, that may make it more difficult though.

 

[Sejs]

Full-round action that provokes an AoO.

Removing the old string, frankly, isn't going to be an issue. They tend to remove themselves quite well once they're cut - released tension will catapult the old string halves clear into that other dimension where all lost socks wind up.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I'd say it would take a standard action to pull out a string, a full round action to with a strength check of 10 (+strength bonus of the bow, if any), and then the bow has to be re-readied. So 3+ rounds to get the bow back into action. That's 18 seconds, which is reasonable for a strong person on a regular bow, and of course the time would go up if they fail their strength checks.

 

[shilsen]

..and subject to AoO.

Thanks,
jh

Agreed.