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

[Jeff Wilder]

You can't restring a bow in 6 seconds.

Of course you can. Or at least I can.

You need to tie it tighly, the string must be effectively suited with sticky-resin or similiar things.

You don't "tie" a bow string -- or, more precisely, a bow-string is pre-tied or the loop is fashioned integral to the string -- and any resin or the like is incidental.

You can't restring it without removing the old string, if you try, it won't hold for a single strung.

It's fair to say that you do want to remove the old string, yes.

I would say 1d4+1 minutes just to be simple. You can't swing the string around the bow and then it fits perfectly.

Huh?

You do know that a bow should be carried un-strung, right? Stringing a bow -- partially, generally the lower loop will be on -- is part of readying a bow. Doing a full re-string -- bottom and top -- will take a little longer, and I agree with a previous poster about provoking an AoO. (This is one thing that bugs me about the otherwise excellent new "Robin Hood" series on BBC: Robin carries and stores his recurved "Saracen" bow constantly strung. Ow.)

 

[argo]

On a bow, it will take a while. And might not even be possible, it is really hard to do and definitely among the "not happening while in combat": several (5-10) minutes at least.

Nonsense. I'm going to claim expert witness status based on old boy scout experience. Assuming you have a prepared replacement string handy, with loops already tied in the ends and so forth (and it is very reasonable to assume any dedicated archer would have a few spares in his equipment) then re-stringing a bow ought to take between a few seconds and maybe half a minute tops.

And since DnD generally assumes that characters are hyper-competent in everything they do then we ought to place things on the low end of the spectrum. A full-round action sounds just fine to me.

Though it should definetly provoke an AoO. Bending a bow between your knees while you flex in both hands at the same time would leave you prety open to attack.

On a x-bow, don't even think about it without special tools or some helps (or superhuman strength).

Here I've got no experience so I won't voice an opinion on how long it should take. But I imagine its something you ought to be able to do without special tools.

Later.

 

[starwed]

Apparently, it's really easy.


I've never strung a bow, but I imagine it does depend on how complicated the bow is. In contrast with the other page I linked to, this makes it seem more complicated.

Perhaps make it something simple like a DC 12-13 Dex check which provokes an AoO. (So a dexterous person can take 10, while anyone could take 20 out of combat.)

 

[Christian]

I'm surprised that a DM who makes up houserules how to cut bowstrings doesn't make up houserules how to replace them.

?? What would you do as a DM if the party rogue snuck into the armory and stated that he would cut all the bowstrings so that, when the lumbering oaf fighters in the group finally caused an alarm to be raised, the armed response of the guards would be delayed? Say, "Sorry, there's no rules for cutting bowstrings, so your dagger glances uselessly off of them?"

 

[Darklone]

?? What would you do as a DM if the party rogue snuck into the armory and stated that he would cut all the bowstrings so that, when the lumbering oaf fighters in the group finally caused an alarm to be raised, the armed response of the guards would be delayed? Say, "Sorry, there's no rules for cutting bowstrings, so your dagger glances uselessly off of them?"

(I'm in a silly mood today, so don't be offended, this is meant to be honest and serious fun) Nope, I'm not that silly, I'm playing RPGs since 25 years and I'll gladly show my wisdom. There are three possibilities how I would react.

1 - It's in the armory where virtually thousands of bowstrings are available, let alone the bows in the armory aren't strung (they'd lose power in a matter of days). So if I'm a DM who usually wouldn't care about how the guards would have to prepare these weapons there for battle, I'd talk with the rogue and would probably agree that he'd simply take away or destroy all bowstrings. Problem solved, no bows for the guards.
2 - I'd ask at a message board. Since it's not in the actual rules, I'd move over to the Houserules section and accept proposals.
3 - Most likely: As mentioned above, D&D usually doesn't care a lot about preparing weapons ... there are only rules about donning armors. So readying a shield or a weapon is at most a ME action. I'd use that in case the guards would carry bowstrings with them. So, pick up bow (ME action), get out bow string from pouch/bag (ME action), ready bow(string) (ME action). You're done.

 

[Goblyns Hoard]

I'll vote with the full round action to string a bow, it's really not that complicated once you know how and assuming you have a spare available (which I would certainly grant to any archer character, but maybe not to any other type of character that happens to have a bow)

However I would say the full round action is just the restringing - you need an action to retrieve the new string and another to clear the old one. Those can certainly be move-equivalents. So full time is effectively two rounds. But I'd also say only the restringing would provoke. Clearing the old string is simple enough that you can be dodging at the same, and for the archer - that other string is going to be an easy retrieval from a pouch on his quiver. So one round prep time without provoking, followed by a round of actual restringing which definitely provokes (leg through the bow to bend it, all effort on making sure the loop catches in the groove).

EDIT: For crossbows I have no idea - but I would expect a very complicated process requiring all tools and multiple hands. It would certainly not be an option in the middle of combat

 

[Darklone]

Cutting a crossbow string: You'd need a saw. These things are horribly thick and tough.

 

[notjer]

Sorry, my English is very bad, which will end in misunderstanding easily.

Originally Posted by notjer
You can't restring a bow in 6 seconds.

Of course you can. Or at least I can.

Maybe I misunderstod something. Yes of course you can restring a bow in a few seconds, if it is not broken. But you can't restring a bow with with a broken string with a new string in 6 seconds.

You need to tie it tighly, the string must be effectively suited with sticky-resin or similiar things.

You don't "tie" a bow string -- or, more precisely, a bow-string is pre-tied or the loop is fashioned integral to the string -- and any resin or the like is incidental.

My faul, my English is awful. But yes I know all that stuff, basis for anyone who has tried to show some interest when shooting with a bow. I've shoot with bows in my spare time a few times at year at a Viking Museum called Trelleborg near a city called Slagelse. Some Germans may know about it. I was introduced how to use a bow and the basic theory etc..

I would say 1d4+1 minutes just to be simple. You can't swing the string around the bow and then it fits perfectly.

Huh?

You do know that a bow should be carried un-strung, right? Stringing a bow -- partially, generally the lower loop will be on -- is part of readying a bow. Doing a full re-string -- bottom and top -- will take a little longer, and I agree with a previous poster about provoking an AoO. (This is one thing that bugs me about the otherwise excellent new "Robin Hood" series on BBC: Robin carries and stores his recurved "Saracen" bow constantly strung. Ow.)

Well... guess this is because we misunderstood each other. As I some how have mention before. Yes I do know about that stuff. You're a moron if you carry it strunged.

But can we come to an agreement that you can restring a bow in very short time, if the bowstring is intact and just need to be putted on, but it take a while to restring it with a new string. Afterall of what I did get from the topic, then the string was 'snapped' by the rogue, right?

 

[shilsen]

The more important question, I think is - how fast can one restring a bow in the game world? This is a world where a slightly skilled archer can fire two arrows in six seconds and a really skilled archer could fire nearly an arrow a second and hit targets over 1500 feet away. How long things take in our world matters very little in D&D.

I'd go for a full-round action to restring a bow, assuming one has the new bowstring in hand.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. Is shooting an arrow every 2-3 seconds that fast? An arrow a second, sure, but 20 arrows a minute can be done.