After it was brought to my attention by a certain member of these forums that crossbows are just a bad option, here is my attempt at fixing them.
Note: This is not final, and as such should NOT be put up on the PFSRD as it is. I plan on rewriting this a few times.
Simple Weapons:
Light Crossbow (Common Man’s Crossbow)
1d8 19-20 X2
Range: 80 feet
Cost: 40 gp
Ammo: 1 sp per 10 bolts
Special rules: Reload: A light crossbow may be reloaded as a move action, or with the Rapid Reload feat, a swift action.
Mighty: A masterwork crossbow can be augmented with the same Mighty rule as a composite bow. Such a crossbow would be cut longer, giving more power to the limbs of the weapon.
Heavy Crossbow (Guardsman’s Crossbow)
1d10 19-20 X2
Range: 100 feet
Cost: 60 gp
Ammo: 1 sp per 10 bolts
Special rules: Reload: A heavy crossbow may be reloaded as a standard action, or with the Rapid Reload feat, a move action.
Mighty: A masterwork crossbow can be augmented with the same Mighty rule as a composite bow. Such a crossbow would be cut longer, giving more power to the limbs of the weapon.
Light Repeating Crossbow (Chinese repeating crossbow, Zhuge Nu)
1d8 19-20 X2
Range: 60 feet
Cost: 100 gp
Ammo: 1 sp per 10 bolts
Special Rules: Clip (10): Repeating crossbows can fire ten rounds before needing to be reloaded.
Reload: Reloading a light repeating crossbow is a move action, or with the rapid reload feat, a swift action.
Mighty: A masterwork crossbow can be augmented with the same Mighty rule as a composite bow. Such a crossbow would be cut longer, giving more power to the limbs of the weapon. In the case of a repeating crossbow, however, the time needed to reload is increased by one step (From move to standard)
Heavy Repeating Crossbow (Bigger Zhuge Nu?)
1d10 19-20 X2
Range: 80 feet
Cost: 140 gp
Ammo: 1 sp per 10 bolts
Special Rules: Clip (10): Repeating crossbows can fire ten rounds before needing to be reloaded.
Reload: Reloading a heavy repeating crossbow is a standard action, or with the rapid reload feat, a move action.
Mighty: A masterwork crossbow can be augmented with the same Mighty rule as a composite bow. Such a crossbow would be cut longer, giving more power to the limbs of the weapon. In the case of a repeating crossbow, however, the time needed to reload is increased by one step (From standard to full-round)
Weapon enhancement:
Self Loading (+1) (Crossbows only)
Benefit: This enhancement allows a crossbow to reload itself magically. 3 times a day, as a free action, the wielder of the crossbow can command it to load, and it will magically do so in the same action. The wielder may choose what kind of bolt to load the crossbow with simply by thinking about it as he says the command. If he does not choose, the crossbow will load itself with a non-magical bolt from the last quiver used to contain its ammunition, if possible. Otherwise it will select the lowest cost ammunition from a random quiver on its wielder.
For a repeating crossbow, the action is instead a swift action for the magic to reload a clip
Unlike other enhancements, this ability can be selected more than once at a +1 enhancement cost. Each extra enhancement give the crossbow an extra 3 free reloads.
Quick-Loading (3,000 gp) (Crossbows only)
Benefit: The wielder of this crossbow gains the benefit of the Rapid Reload feat when reloading the enchanted weapon. He gains no additional benefit if he already possesses that feat.
I think the Self-Loading enhancement could use some work, anyone got some ideas for it?
For more crossbow fun... check out this LINK.
For more crossbow fun... check out this LINK.
Thanks!
For more crossbow fun... check out this LINK.Thanks!
Hope you enjoy!
I thought the whole point of a crossbow was that a peasant could get the same range as a skilled archer just by picking it up and knowing where the trigger was.
Why are we trying to "fix" an option that was inferior to begin with? =\
I thought the whole point of a crossbow was that a peasant could get the same range as a skilled archer just by picking it up and knowing where the trigger was.
Why are we trying to "fix" an option that was inferior to begin with? =\
Inclined to agree. As has been mentioned in other bow threads, crossbows are so easy to use, even a wizard can shoot one halfway straight.
Long and shortbows take a lot more training to use effectively, and are thus martial weapons.
All the same, if a player wants a character who's super-bad with a crossbow, it's fine to show him some love.
I thought the whole point of a crossbow was that a peasant could get the same range as a skilled archer just by picking it up and knowing where the trigger was.
Why are we trying to "fix" an option that was inferior to begin with? =\
This is a valid argument, but by design or by gameplay, D&D/Pathfinder as a game involving players, doesn't involves much armies of untrained peasants. If it was so, inferior and easy to use weapons would have their place in the game. Unless you play a very specific campaign à la Birthright or something, that's not the focus of the game.
IMO, D&D/Pathfinder is meant to revolve around heroes, trained soldiers and (semi)competent villains (and monsters, but those usually do not wield weapons). Thus it makes sense for all weapons presented as an option for the PC to suit the realities of a PC, not those of a peasant...
Of course YMMV...
'findel
I thought the whole point of a crossbow was that a peasant could get the same range as a skilled archer just by picking it up and knowing where the trigger was.
Why are we trying to "fix" an option that was inferior to begin with? =\
Because it was inferior.
That crossbow you mentioned? The ancestor of that was used by the Roman army, and was known as the Ballista. The advantage of that is power and range that is unequaled even by modern bows. The crossbow is an adaptation made to be operable by any soldier. Hence, it is a simple weapon, but hardly less capable of damage than a bow. My archery teacher hates crossbows and compound bows because they require less effort to use. The crossbow is the ancestor of the arbalest, which is the ancestor of the rifle.
The crossbow is a bow laid on its side with a stock and a trigger. Larger crossbows were made with longer limbs that were capable of firing bolts with more force. According to the rules as they are this is not possible. Realistically it would take more strength to pull back the string or turn the crank that pulls back the string for such a weapon.
That, and shooting in a volley is a skill that requires practice. The crossbow just required less practice. It was more intuitive and had more room to evolve. That's hardly completely inferior. I can name a number of in game situations where I'd rather have a dagger than a longsword 100% of the time. But the dagger is simple. Even though it's easier to use, that doesn't mean it should be useless compared to the "Martial" weapons (Although how a two-handed club is martial is beyond me).
Likewise, the bow is hardly useless. Overall crossbow guys STILL gets less attacks than a guy with a longbow, even if he's using a repeater. On top of that he has to blow a feat on rapid reload to even use his weapon. It is still an inferior option in terms of damage because you can't full attack every round unless you use a light crossbow. It still requires more investment.
Just because it's easy shouldn't make it useless. After all, playing a Fighter is easy.