What prevents eternal crossbow attacks in the rules?

[Ahglock]

I like that 4e encourages DMs to say "yes". This kinda thing doesn't bother me, I'd let a player do it. People might look at him strangely if he walked around like that all the time (maybe a -2 to social skills...or +2 in some cases) and urban law might prohibit walking around with loaded weapons as already mentioned, but if this is the kinda thing the player considers cool, let him do it. He's getting his minor action (not that big of a deal) to fire a crossbow (not that great of a weapon).

Totally agree.

I think it is a kind of cool image for someone to keep dropping a crossbow and pulling another one out, it is not unbalanced, so let it happen, heck encourage it.

 

[Tenniel]

I like that 4e encourages DMs to say "yes"..

Me, too. But remember the encouragement from the rule is to say "Yes and...". The "and" in this case is "and how are you going to stop the quarrel falling off the track/tiller?".

Once magic weapons become part of the PCs arsenal, they will probably have second thoughts about this tactic.

I would not risk carrying a loaded crossbow on my belt in real life!

Could also cause a bit deformation of the lath (the 'bow' part) as elastic deformation (the type of deformation that springs back) has time to slowly transfer to plastic deforamtion (the type that doesn't)... could also put strain on the part that attaches the bow to the tiller.

 

[nittanytbone]

As you start to accumulate magic weapons this rapidly becomes non-viable if you ever want to actually hit.

 

[DracoSuave]

The answer depends on the campaign you're running.

If it's highly cinematic, and assumes you check 'realism' and 'physics' at the door in exchange for high-superpower OMGWTFun... then back a lot of them and relive the part of the Matrix where Neo and Trinity stormed the building where Morpheus was kept.

If it's gritty, and realistic, and players have to roll Endurance just to avoid catching diseases from being out on the cold.... then deny this tactic because it is terribly unrealistic and stupid in a 'serious' game.

 

[Ibixat]

Anyway, isn't there an enchantment or feat somewhere that lets you reload the crossbow as a free action?

Swiftshot Crossbow +1
This weapon reloads and fires faster than any other crossbow.
Lvl 3 +1 680 gp
Weapon: Crossbow
Property: Loading this crossbow is a free action.

From AV pg 79, I suggest you have him invest in one. A half dozen crossbows is already 150g, 680 for a plus 1 with Load Free and a pretty spiffy daily power, should be worth the gold.

 

[Plane Sailing]

A player was wielding a crossbow, and was frustrated because it was taking up his minor actions. He proceeded to buy a half dozen of them and strap them about his person. From then on, if he wanted his minor action for something he'd simply drop the crossbow, and Quick Draw a fresh, loaded one when he wanted to attack.

It fails the common sense check big-time, as far as I'm concerned. He'd still need to get out the quarrels and load them, plus it would be like walking along festooned with mousetraps! One false move and !snap!snap!snap!OW!

If it were a hand-crossbow, then I might be prepared to allow him to use QuickDraw to reload and recock it as as free action.

Otherwise he could hire a minion whose job it is to load and cock crossbows and hand them to him (a historically appropriate approach).

Cheers

 

[DracoSuave]

If it were a hand crossbow, it'd be a load free weapon and we'd not be having this discussion.

 

[Ibixat]

If it were a hand-crossbow, then I might be prepared to allow him to use QuickDraw to reload and recock it as as free action.

Umm.. Hand crossbows are already "load Free"
No feat required =)

Draco is too fast in the early morning.

Dang you.

 

[Syrsuro]

What stops it?

Tripping over the dangling crossbows whenever the players attempts to move more than two squares in a turn?

Crossbows accidentally going off and hitting him in the foot.

Opponents using sleight of hand to fire the crossbows into his foot?

Banging around damaging the firing mechanism and ruining their aim?

Dangling crossbows getting tangled up in each other, preventing their being drawn without spending a standard action to untangle them?

Giants using the same technique with ballistae?

Blue bolts of lightning striking the character for being an *.


Carl

 

[Plane Sailing]

If it were a hand crossbow, it'd be a load free weapon and we'd not be having this discussion.

There you go, no problem there then