I have a question about the Rapid Reload Feat in the 3.5 Player's Handbook, pg. 99. The Feat states that it applies to one type of crossbow, and can be taken multiple tmies. I was wondering if it could also be applied to ANY weapon requiring a move action to reload, not just crossbows.
Furthermore, once the Rapid Reload Feat is taken, does it allow for Rapid Shot with that weapon?
Second question first - if Rapid Reload makes the loading process a free action (hand crossbow and light crossbow), then you can apply your full base attack bonus in a full-round attack, and you can also take advantage of the Rapid Reload feat to gain an extra attack.
Now, for your first. If you're going by the rules as they're written, Rapid Reload only applies to crossbows. In my campaign, I allow it to also be used with slings, and I've seen no ill effects from that decision.
Second question first - if Rapid Reload makes the loading process a free action (hand crossbow and light crossbow), then you can apply your full base attack bonus in a full-round attack, and you can also take advantage of the Rapid Reload feat to gain an extra attack.
Now, for your first. If you're going by the rules as they're written, Rapid Reload only applies to crossbows. In my campaign, I allow it to also be used with slings, and I've seen no ill effects from that decision.
Using Rapid Reload feat for another type of weapon sounds ok to me. So you can reload as a free action, fire and then move around to get cover.
But I would tend to dissagree with using rapid shot or even using a full-round attack (multiple attacks) with a crossbow, since you would have to reload a few times between shots. It's not a wookie bowcaster - it's a crossbow.
Ultradan
P.S.: Glad to see you're still in one piece Chris.
Rapid reload is used for crossbows because of the time it takes to set the crossbow for firing. If you have ever used a crossbow before you would know from personal experience how difficult it can be to fire one quickly. It does not grant you rapid shot, all it does is gives you the full advantage of your base attack bonus, without which you must spend (sorry if I'm wrong, don't have books with me at the moment) an attack to reload a crossbow. In essence if you don not have rapid reload and have three attacks, you can fire a crossbow, reload it and fire it again. then on the next round you can reload, fire, and reload. With it you can reload and fire all in the same attack, giving you three shots a round with your crossbow.
A bit from my Hoarde
A hand and light crossbow each normally require a move action to load. That means that in a single round you can load your xbow and take one shot. If you have a high BAB, you can never take advantage of the iterative attacks. A heavy crossbow is normally a full round action to load. This means that you can take a shot every other round.
Taking the Rapid Reload feat changes the load time for one specific type (which you choose when you take the feat). For a hand or light crossbow, it changes the load action to a free action; for a heavy crossbow, it changes the action to a move action. Additionally, the feat states the following:
If you have selected this feat for hand crossbow or light crossbow, you may fire that weapon as many times in a full attack action as you could attack if you were using a bow.
That line tells me that if you also have the Rapid Shot feat, you gaint the extra attack that feat grants when using a light or hand crossbow.
Well, I guess I was wrong. Thanks for clearing that up.
Ultradan
P.S.: (Chewy says "rrooooaaarrrkkk!!")
No worries, Dan.
As for applying it to other weapons - loading a sling is normally a move action. I've houseruled that Rapid Reload can be taken and applied to slings, making it a free action. I personally haven't seen it abused, but I'm sure there's plenty of ways to break it.
I've never used a sling, nor had any of my party use one, so I'm not familiar with them. Do they take a move action to load? I don't see how that could be. It seems to me that it would be no harder to load and fire a sling than it would be a bow. Clarification please?
I'm of the opinion that the designers just forgot about the sling when designing the feat Rapid Reload. Other missile weapons are free actions to reload, thrown weapons can be "reloaded" with Quick Draw. Crossbows can be sped up by using Rapid Reload. Only the sling with it's cross of thrown and projectile characteristics is left out in the cold.
I don't see how allowing rapid reloading of a sling is any more unbalancing then allowing it with a light crossbow or dagger (with appropriate feats).
I didn't mean to imply that it was wrong, only that Rapid Reload didn't sound like the right feat for a sling. Though, like I said, I don't normally use slings and don't know that much about them. Thanks for clearing that up. Maybe its time I tried something new and put a sling in my arsenal.
A bit from my Hoarde
Frankly, it was easier to include in my house rules, "Rapid Reload can be taken with a sling; the feat makes it a free action," than it was to create a whole new feat with a cool name. ;)