Melee magic weapon qualities on bow

[warpi9]

I was looking at making a ranged paladin, but got to wondering about weapon qualities because of the paladin's divine bond.

Can Keen, Defending, or even other melee qualities that don't specifically say in the description be applied to ranged weapons?

It seems stupid that you wouldn't be able to put some of those qualities on a bow. It seems to me that the table is for more commonly found items.

[Fatespinner]

warpi9 wrote:

I was looking at making a ranged paladin, but got to wondering about weapon qualities because of the paladin's divine bond.

Can Keen, Defending, or even other melee qualities that don't specifically say in the description be applied to ranged weapons?

It seems stupid that you wouldn't be able to put some of those qualities on a bow. It seems to me that the table is for more commonly found items.

If it doesn't specifically say "only melee" or "only ranged," then it can be applied to either. In the case of keen, it does specifically state that only a piercing or slashing MELEE weapon can benefit. Defending and holy, however, have no such caveats.

[Nixda]

Them's the rules, but I'd allow keen for piercing or slashing ammunition any day in my games, as even the spell "keen edge" gives that possibility.