X-bow


Rules Questions

Contributor

Ok, I know I am being being scammed...but I have a player that SWEARS he read in a Dragon Magazine a version of a crossbow that is:

Bladed Great X-bow repeating 2d8 ranged dam, 2d6 melee dam

So, I basically called him out to findit and show and he couldn't. So I did some research and found the Great x-bow in Dragon 349, pg 22 doing the 2d8 dam ranged (but not repeating)

So I agreed that it was possible to make a great x-bow repeating at a higher price. I agreed that it could even have a bayonet attached and be considered bladed - maybe d4 damage (or d8 pushing it with a friggen sword attached) But 2d6?! A greatsword attached underneath?

Is this player for real? Anyone ever heard of this in Dragon magazine? James Jacob, you ever hear about this weapon? lol


zerzix wrote:

Ok, I know I am being being scammed...but I have a player that SWEARS he read in a Dragon Magazine a version of a crossbow that is:

Bladed Great X-bow repeating 2d8 ranged dam, 2d6 melee dam

So, I basically called him out to findit and show and he couldn't. So I did some research and found the Great x-bow in Dragon 349, pg 22 doing the 2d8 dam ranged (but not repeating)

So I agreed that it was possible to make a great x-bow repeating at a higher price. I agreed that it could even have a bayonet attached and be considered bladed - maybe d4 damage (or d8 pushing it with a friggen sword attached) But 2d6?! A greatsword attached underneath?

Is this player for real? Anyone ever heard of this in Dragon magazine? James Jacob, you ever hear about this weapon? lol

Nope, not ever. I would give him the blade for 1d6, but that is about it. Even if he found it that does not mean its balanced, which I doubt he will do anyway.

Sczarni

zerzix wrote:


Bladed Great X-bow repeating 2d8 ranged dam, 2d6 melee dam

closest I can think of is in pathfinder #13

Spoiler:

Melee mwk hand crossbow bayonet +7 (1d4+1/19–20 plus poison)
Ranged +1 hand crossbow +11 (1d4+3/19–20 plus poison)

Paizo Employee Creative Director

zerzix wrote:

Ok, I know I am being being scammed...but I have a player that SWEARS he read in a Dragon Magazine a version of a crossbow that is:

Bladed Great X-bow repeating 2d8 ranged dam, 2d6 melee dam

So, I basically called him out to findit and show and he couldn't. So I did some research and found the Great x-bow in Dragon 349, pg 22 doing the 2d8 dam ranged (but not repeating)

So I agreed that it was possible to make a great x-bow repeating at a higher price. I agreed that it could even have a bayonet attached and be considered bladed - maybe d4 damage (or d8 pushing it with a friggen sword attached) But 2d6?! A greatsword attached underneath?

Is this player for real? Anyone ever heard of this in Dragon magazine? James Jacob, you ever hear about this weapon? lol

Haven't heard of it. Of course... I was never an editor on Dragon, and as a result I'm not as familiar with it as I am with Dungeon...

It certainly SOUNDS unrealistic as a standard item. Maybe not as some sort of expensive magic item though...


zerzix wrote:

Ok, I know I am being being scammed...but I have a player that SWEARS he read in a Dragon Magazine a version of a crossbow that is:

Bladed Great X-bow repeating 2d8 ranged dam, 2d6 melee dam

So, I basically called him out to findit and show and he couldn't. So I did some research and found the Great x-bow in Dragon 349, pg 22 doing the 2d8 dam ranged (but not repeating)

So I agreed that it was possible to make a great x-bow repeating at a higher price. I agreed that it could even have a bayonet attached and be considered bladed - maybe d4 damage (or d8 pushing it with a friggen sword attached) But 2d6?! A greatsword attached underneath?

Is this player for real? Anyone ever heard of this in Dragon magazine? James Jacob, you ever hear about this weapon? lol

I wouldn't allow it at my table even if it did appear in Pathfinder Core and everyone raved about it.

Come on its ability to render all foes helpless from laughing at the jerk with a greatsword strapped to the underside of an arbalest is way overpowered.


With damage like 2d8, I would be careful in making it repeating. The progression from a standard light or heavy crossbow to a repeating one takes an exotic proficiency. Keeping in mind that progression from Martial to Exotic is typically 1 weapon die or a special ability, having that weapon be *BOTH* repeating (exotic already) and 2 sizes bigger than a heavy crossbow seems likely to be abused. At 1d10, a 6th lvl fighter is shooting 3 shots a round, so at best 3d10+ 3X misc mods. This weapon would be doing 6d8+ 3X misc mods. While it is true he can only shoot 2 the next round then must take a round to reload, the same would be true with the d10 weapon...It is significantly better than an exotic weapon Just something to keep in mind.

The Exchange

grrrr.... Ate my post.

Anyways, as I was going to say, Complete Scoundrel had bayonets, which for the light and heavy crossbow bayonets acted as either a shortspear or spear, depending on the version you wanted. Hand crossbows could be affixed with dagger bayonets.

There was the great crossbow in Complete Warrior, which did 2d8 damage with a 18-20/x2 critical range. With Deadly Aim, Rapid Reload, and the Quick Loading weapon enchantment from the Magic Item Compendium, this weapon will tear through quite a bit, especially in the hands of a fighter. Without the Quick Loading enchantment it is much less of a problem because there is no repeating version of it, and thus you are only ever able to get 1 attack per round (move action load, standard action shoot).


We had a ranger/rogue with humans as his chosen enemy that used the Great crossbow.

He was optimised for X bow use - he had a feet that doubled the range for sneak attack before we ended the campaign he was doing horrendous amounts of damage on his first shot.


jon bourque wrote:
...2 sizes bigger than a heavy crossbow...

Everything else you said is absolutely correct, and what I am about to say has absolutely no bearing on your conclusion:

hvy crossbow (1d10) moves up only 1 size cat to get to 2d8. 2 size cat's would be 3d8.


Hunterofthedusk wrote:

grrrr.... Ate my post.

Anyways, as I was going to say, Complete Scoundrel had bayonets, which for the light and heavy crossbow bayonets acted as either a shortspear or spear, depending on the version you wanted. Hand crossbows could be affixed with dagger bayonets.

There was the great crossbow in Complete Warrior, which did 2d8 damage with a 18-20/x2 critical range. With Deadly Aim, Rapid Reload, and the Quick Loading weapon enchantment from the Magic Item Compendium, this weapon will tear through quite a bit, especially in the hands of a fighter. Without the Quick Loading enchantment it is much less of a problem because there is no repeating version of it, and thus you are only ever able to get 1 attack per round (move action load, standard action shoot).

The quick loading enhancement took the place of the rapid reload feat, and they only make reloading light and hand crossbows a free action. RAW they do nothing for the great crossbow.

The Exchange

I'm sorry, I was being presumptuous about the house-rules we use concerning those.


It seems like I have heard of a crossbow that the arms were blades/had a bladed edge, but no repeating or bayonet. I don't think it was in a dragon issue, but a 3pp weapons book. I will have to do some digging later to be sure.


Hunterofthedusk wrote:
I'm sorry, I was being presumptuous about the house-rules we use concerning those.

It's cool. I almost did the same thing, but I decided to check first.

Contributor

Yeah, he seems to think it has a bladed edge or that the entire "bow" part of the crossbow is sharpened and used as the blade. Still no idea where it might be from.


zerzix wrote:
Yeah, he seems to think it has a bladed edge or that the entire "bow" part of the crossbow is sharpened and used as the blade. Still no idea where it might be from.

Does he play a lot of Villains & Vigilantes?


zerzix wrote:
Ok, I know I am being being scammed...but I have a player that SWEARS he read in a Dragon Magazine a version of a crossbow that is...

*chuckle*

I know what my response to such a player would be: "So?"

Liberty's Edge

Keep in mind historical repeating crossbows, the ones made by the Chinese, were flimsy and weak. You could get shot in the chest from 30' away and walk away from it. It was lethal though, because it was a system to shoot weak bolts covered in poison.


TheOrangeOne wrote:
Keep in mind historical repeating crossbows, the ones made by the Chinese, were flimsy and weak. You could get shot in the chest from 30' away and walk away from it. It was lethal though, because it was a system to shoot weak bolts covered in poison.

As an aside, in an era of high penetration solid projectiles, you could get hit in the chest with a siege crossbow at 30' and potentially live.

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