Can I have a +5 strength bow that is masterworked and upgrade it later to a +1 magical strength bow +5? Or is it one or the other, strength or magical and can't have both?
If I can how do I write it down? +1,+5 strength bow?
Yes you can. They are called composite bows. The way that I mark a composite bow's rating is to put the strength modifier in brackets. So a +1 composite longbow with a strength rating of +5 would look like this on my character sheet (using obvious short-hand):
+1 comp LB [+5]
Assuming you have the requisite strength, this bow would be a +1 to hit and 1d8+6 damage (assuming medium size longbow).
Yes you can. They are called composite bows. The way that I mark a composite bow's rating is to put the strength modifier in brackets. So a +1 composite longbow with a strength rating of +5 would look like this on my character sheet (using obvious short-hand):
+1 comp LB [+5]Assuming you have the requisite strength, this bow would be a +1 to hit and 1d8+6 damage (assuming medium size longbow).
I couldn't find anywhere in the core rule book that I couldn't do this, I was just hoping I wasn't over looking some rule or another.
Sweet, I can't believe it's so cheap to get that much extra damage. I'm talking about the composite portion not the enchantment. 900 gp for 1D8+5 per shot is pretty nice. Then start stacking enchantments! Woo Hoo!
Well, a +5 Str bow requires a strength of at least 20 to properly use and still uses your dexterity modifier to hit with.
If you don't have the required str you take a -2 penalty with it. I would have thought perhaps it would have been -2 per str bonus you are below it but alas no.
And adding a str rating cost 100gp per str rating added, so you might wanna take that into consideration.
Its pretty clear cut in the composite bow description.
And adding a str rating cost 100gp per str rating added, so you might wanna take that into consideration.
I did. It'll be 900gp for a +5 Str bow.
My str will be 20 before I aquire one so no problem with negative bonuses.
Thanks for the clarification
If you don't have the required str you take a -2 penalty with it. I would have thought perhaps it would have been -2 per str bonus you are below it but alas no.
And adding a str rating cost 100gp per str rating added, so you might wanna take that into consideration.
Its pretty clear cut in the composite bow description.
It's a -2 to hit and you can only add up to your strength modifier. So a strength 12 character using a composite longbow [+5] soaks the -2 to hit and can only add +1 to damage.