Ok so one of my players destroyed an artifact and was cursed with having a perputual thunderstorm occuring in his vacinity, that vacinity being the size of a city.
What effects would being constantly rained upon occur to a party of adventurers? Naturally the rain only happens outside but always above where the cursed PC is.
They've bought themselves a large tent to rest at night on the road but what other devious in-game effects could we come up with when it's constantly raining non-stop.
If I'm not 100% clear feel free to ask questions.
FDM
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If it's a heavy rain, it could provide a certain level of concealment to foes beyond a certain range (alternately, you could just double range penalties / halve range increments, as a result of reduced visibility).
If the party keeps moving, it might not be terrain affecting, but after eight hours of rest, the surrounding area is going to be mucky and probably cost 1.5 to 2x movement to slog through.
After a certain number of days of constant rain, you'll develop a taste for Starbucks coffee and grunge music.
This is basically a case of "cursed with awesome" in that, once it's documented by the mages of the world, he can make a pretty penny renting his services out to kingdoms suffering droughts, generals who would really like a battlefield mucked up, druids who want to have their Call Lightning spells have an extra kick, all sorts of folk.
About the only downside is that the character has become the new artifact and his willingness and compliance isn't necessary for the effect, though enlightened and sensible folk will realize that keeping him happy and well guarded is more efficient than having him unhappy and thus more prone to escaping.
Ok so one of my players destroyed an artifact and was cursed with having a perputual thunderstorm occuring in his vacinity, that vacinity being the size of a city.
What effects would being constantly rained upon occur to a party of adventurers? Naturally the rain only happens outside but always above where the cursed PC is.
They've bought themselves a large tent to rest at night on the road but what other devious in-game effects could we come up with when it's constantly raining non-stop.
If I'm not 100% clear feel free to ask questions.
FDM
Of the top of my head...
- modifiers to checks (perception penalties, acrobatics for wet/slippery surfaces mods, etc)- difficult terrain (x2 movement)
- combat issues (concealment for heavy rain, penalties on ranged attacks)
- misc issues - MY FAVORITE, casters need 8 hour uninterrupted rest. For every interruption (tent floods, falls down, etc.) they need to rest an additional hour. Use this on a night they are going to mess with the BBEG or where timing is an issue and it could throw their "schedule" off. Also illnesses, molds that destroy food stuffs, increased prices on trade stuffs/goods (somethings cannot be done/found if everything is soaked all the time - transport becomes an issue). Places that don't normally have that much rain could actually be harmed by it, ruining crops would be a big deal if they stay there for any period of time.
Many of these things are annoyances and can easily be remedied with spells in the scope of the party but those are spells they aren't using for other things and so become a drain on resources. On a larger scope, if the rain threatens the way of life of the inhabitants you best believe if they find out why (friendly neighborhood priest/oracle/sage/etc.) it is happening you are going to be forcibly ejected from the area.
PF phb page 438-439 = Rain, Snow, Sleet & Hail. Then Storms/Fog/Winds. and page 433 Floods.
Most rains last anywhere from a few hours up a 1 day for hurricane's.
Also, Desert people while they might like rain for an hour or two. Anything over 3 hours will more than like cause floods (Desert sand does not soak up water very well).
I would think the player would be on the run now, and looking for a Remove curse spell. Can you Imagen what 2-3 (24hour) days of rain will do, to Anywhere.
Sadly, the precipitation alone would account for a major disaster in just a few days - floods, landslides.
For the character personally - death by exposure to low temperature, pneumonia.In order to avoid the calamities, the character would require constant support - moving around, spells to maintain heat comfort.
Regards,
Ruemere
This is an assumption on my part, but if they destroyed an artifact, the rain is nothing but an annoyance to the character or party.
Ok so one of my players destroyed an artifact and was cursed with having a perputual thunderstorm occuring in his vacinity, that vacinity being the size of a city.
What effects would being constantly rained upon occur to a party of adventurers? Naturally the rain only happens outside but always above where the cursed PC is.
They've bought themselves a large tent to rest at night on the road but what other devious in-game effects could we come up with when it's constantly raining non-stop.
If I'm not 100% clear feel free to ask questions.
FDM
So, How bad is the Rain ??
So, How bad is the Rain ??Ok so one of my players destroyed an artifact and was cursed with having a perputual thunderstorm occuring in his vacinity, that vacinity being the size of a city.
What effects would being constantly rained upon occur to a party of adventurers? Naturally the rain only happens outside but always above where the cursed PC is.
They've bought themselves a large tent to rest at night on the road but what other devious in-game effects could we come up with when it's constantly raining non-stop.
If I'm not 100% clear feel free to ask questions.
FDM
It's really heavy rain so one of the other posters mentioned you would get flooding if they stay in one place too long. Not too mention I'm going to start having them roll for pnemonia.
I've already added penalties for Perception checks to hear things and see anything at night with rain falling.I wonder how they are going to cook dinner without a fire?
This is an assumption on my part, but if they destroyed an artifact, the rain is nothing but an annoyance to the character or party.Sadly, the precipitation alone would account for a major disaster in just a few days - floods, landslides.
For the character personally - death by exposure to low temperature, pneumonia.In order to avoid the calamities, the character would require constant support - moving around, spells to maintain heat comfort.
Regards,
Ruemere
Your right, they got lucky with the destroying the artifact. They are only 4th level. The artifact was evil and would have never benefited them but would have caused problems. Destroying it just cause the being that it was linked to get a little annoyed and it decided that constant rain would be a long term punishment.
As one of the posters mentioned if some NPCs start to divine what's going on they're not going to be happy.
This is an assumption on my part, but if they destroyed an artifact, the rain is nothing but an annoyance to the character or party.Sadly, the precipitation alone would account for a major disaster in just a few days - floods, landslides.
For the character personally - death by exposure to low temperature, pneumonia.In order to avoid the calamities, the character would require constant support - moving around, spells to maintain heat comfort.
Regards,
RuemereYour right, they got lucky with the destroying the artifact. They are only 4th level. The artifact was evil and would have never benefited them but would have caused problems. Destroying it just cause the being that it was linked to get a little annoyed and it decided that constant rain would be a long term punishment.
As one of the posters mentioned if some NPCs start to divine what's going on they're not going to be happy.
Question: Does it rain on them when inside building ?
Question: Will a Remove Curse spell, from a mortal cleric, work on removing the curse, or was the "being that it was linked to" to powerful ?
Your right, they got lucky with the destroying the artifact. They are only 4th level. The artifact was evil and would have never benefited them but would have caused problems. Destroying it just cause the being that it was linked to get a little annoyed and it decided that constant rain would be a long term punishment.
As one of the posters mentioned if some NPCs start to divine what's going on they're not going to be happy.
If the being is a god of some sort who has a cult somewhere, he/she/it has either shot itself in the foot or else is up for a lot of micromanagement of vengeance. Simplest thing is to find this god's major worship center, go there, and anonymously rent an attic room in the area. Then watch the fun as the evil god's divine vengeance causes more problems for his worshippers than for the party.
Yes, clerics will eventually do Commune and go "Oh Dark Lord! How have we displeased thee?" and the answer will be "You haven't but the jerk in your inn's attic has. Kill him for me, wouldn't you?" But that just means that the god is sending his evil minions to be slaughtered in the death trap the party has been setting up.
At some point the evil god is either going to have to smite them dead or just give up on the vengeance and go back to designing a better evil artifact that can't be destroyed by fourth level adventurers.
The evil god also better be praying to whatever evil gods pray to that the bards don't find out about this or he's never going to live it down.
If it's a heavy rain, it could provide a certain level of concealment to foes beyond a certain range (alternately, you could just double range penalties / halve range increments, as a result of reduced visibility).
If the party keeps moving, it might not be terrain affecting, but after eight hours of rest, the surrounding area is going to be mucky and probably cost 1.5 to 2x movement to slog through.
After a certain number of days of constant rain, you'll develop a taste for Starbucks coffee and grunge music.
I wholeheartedly agree with everything said here, and adding on the stipulation of major flooding if he stays anywhere for a week or more. He would have to constantly be on the move, else the ecological effects would be dire.
And as a Seattlite, I regret that I agree with that, too. I'm not a huge fan of grunge, but I can't say that my time in the rain hasn't made me appreciate Starbucks a bit more.
About the only downside is that the character has become the new artifact and his willingness and compliance isn't necessary for the effect, though enlightened and sensible folk will realize that keeping him happy and well guarded is more efficient than having him unhappy and thus more prone to escaping.Of course, tracking him down would be a tad less difficult. :)
What happens when he or she crosses paths with the being cursed to bring dry weather wherever he or she goes?
Is it rain or precipitation? What happens if he or she journeys into an arctic region? Does it snow, or does this instead wreak havoc on the ecosystem in that area?
If it does become snow you could have the makings of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_of_the_Silver_Blades
The party undead and eternally cursed inside a glacier
I'm also thinking about the societal furor if word got out. Farmers might grab pitchforks and run them out of the area for ruining their fields and crops, masons would be up in arms for ruining their construction sites, lightning strikes can start fires (a HUGE THREAT to medieval type cities, although the rain would help to keep it from spreading), Disease might spread, livestock might get cold, freeze, or die (newly shorn sheep, for example). ETC...
Heh, I just thought of one particularly cruel, yet indirect possibility. So if the townsfolk or area come to the conclusion that it's their city or community that is cursed (and not due to a curse on the visiting PC's), they might start doing some very wonky religious sacrifices to their gods to placate him. It might start with livestock but *who knows* what the more fundamentalist nuts might start to sacrifice. Who wants that on their conscience?
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Yes, clerics will eventually do Commune and go "Oh Dark Lord! How have we displeased thee?" and the answer will be "You haven't but the jerk in your inn's attic has. Kill him for me, wouldn't you?" But that just means that the god is sending his evil minions to be slaughtered in the death trap the party has been setting up.At some point the evil god is either going to have to smite them dead or just give up on the vengeance and go back to designing a better evil artifact that can't be destroyed by fourth level adventurers.
The evil god also better be praying to whatever evil gods pray to that the bards don't find out about this or he's never going to live it down.
I really like this idea !
mmm, now WHY should I curse my players so ... Oh wait ! It's them ! That will work just fine !
I'd suggest making it so Control Weather can temporarily negate it, so they can use up a spell slot (or a few) each day to avoid the bad effects, but it still costs them. Basically, make them choose between wrecking the local ecology/economy or expending valuable party resources.
If they can't cast it themselves, they might need to find a druid who accepts deferred payments...
Perhaps Control Water could still work for a time, offering a lower costing alternative that is less effective.
Trench foot (to include disgusting pictures at the link).
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
I don't think you can get any flash floods. You need a bigger basin area to get some truley monumental out of no where sudden rivers.
If your party camps on mountainsides they could easily cause a mudslide/avalanch .. to them or anyone below.
Desert kingdoms will be BEGGING your PC's to come for a visit.
Finding your PC's is easy on a sunny day.
What happens when your PC's go below ground?
City sewer systems could overflow (or cities could beg the pc's to come by to wash the streets)
Quicksand.
Sinkholes
mosquitos/stirges.
Ruined books/scrolls/spellbooks (your party probably has extradimensional storage at this point making it moot)
If it's a heavy rain, it could provide a certain level of concealment to foes beyond a certain range (alternately, you could just double range penalties / halve range increments, as a result of reduced visibility).
If the party keeps moving, it might not be terrain affecting, but after eight hours of rest, the surrounding area is going to be mucky and probably cost 1.5 to 2x movement to slog through.
After a certain number of days of constant rain, you'll develop a taste for Starbucks coffee and grunge music.
And a tendency to drive quite poorly in any weather. On the plus side though, he'll soon be able to rationalize loving the rain, proclaiming that it keeps the tourists from moving to his location and driving property prices even higher.
Does it rain inside a Rope Trick?
Lol, *ouch*. You jerk, my larynx has already taken enough abuse from this cold. :P
In actual topic... well I'm not sure if it would as there isn't enough space inside the Rope Trick pocket for the storm clouds to manifest. If it did they would be inside the storm clouds.
101 things to do with a personal city sized storm cloud? I wonder what would happen if you traveled to the Elemental Plane of Fire. Could you start a war between a fire god and the evil god?
Does it rain inside a Rope Trick?Lol, *ouch*. You jerk, my larynx has already taken enough abuse from this cold. :P
In actual topic... well I'm not sure if it would as there isn't enough space inside the Rope Trick pocket for the storm clouds to manifest. If it did they would be inside the storm clouds.
101 things to do with a personal city sized storm cloud? I wonder what would happen if you traveled to the Elemental Plane of Fire. Could you start a war between a fire god and the evil god?
So let me get this right.... not only are you cursed by an evil (something not listed), but now you want to get a Fire God involved. I do not see any way that would end well for the PC's.
LOL
Having spent many an unpleasant day/week in constant rain while in the army, I'd say your morale and energy levels would take a hit (especially when some annoying instructor says "Rain, it's perfect infantry weather").
Getting little things done takes longer or can be virtually impossible. Being wet all the time has an impact on your health (I'll skip the unpleasant details, but just think "chafing" and extrapolate in your mind).
So in game terms, on top of the suggestions above about visibility, impact on rest, etc, some kind of penalty to attack, save and skill rolls, could work. Or becoming fatigued/exhausted is easier to achieve. Wet gear is heavier gear, bow/crossbow strings don't function well when wet, movement can be slower.
I'd say that every day after the first that the character stays in one place there is a chance of a random encounter equal to the number of days spent. This roll is once each day for each week spent in the same place.
So his 22st day would have three 21% chances of something happening.
Then I'd make the table.
Floods, cave ins, being discovered - I think those would be the worst.
I'd let them investigate ways to suppress the curse: working for a diametrically opposed deity, spending _all_ his time in prayer, not drinking to the point of attribute loss.
If he's discovered some would want to capture him\her either to move, kill, or simply experiment on the character. Wizards and Clerics might be interested in using the magic he\she represents.
At least thats my .02
Question: Does it rain on them when inside building ?
Question: Will a Remove Curse spell, from a mortal cleric, work on removing the curse, or was the "being that it was linked to" to powerful ?
No. It rains in the vicinity of where ever they are. So if they are inside a castle or down in a dungeon it rains outside. When the curse first took effect it the rain covered a city. Slowly the rain is getting worse, the wind stronger and the thunder is starting to be accompanied by lighting.
I really hate the "You walk into a church and get "Remove Whatever" spell" so I'm thinking they'll need to perform a task or quest to fix this. Recently one of the PCs was infected by a wererat. I made the only option to get cure was to kill the head wererat (which they did), it would be so lame for them to just find a 12th level cleric and wala no more adventure hook IMHO.
FDM
After a certain number of days of constant rain, you'll develop a taste for Starbucks coffee and grunge music.
+1
Question: Does it rain on them when inside building ?
Question: Will a Remove Curse spell, from a mortal cleric, work on removing the curse, or was the "being that it was linked to" to powerful ?
No. It rains in the vicinity of where ever they are. So if they are inside a castle or down in a dungeon it rains outside. When the curse first took effect it the rain covered a city. Slowly the rain is getting worse, the wind stronger and the thunder is starting to be accompanied by lighting.
I really hate the "You walk into a church and get "Remove Whatever" spell" so I'm thinking they'll need to perform a task or quest to fix this. Recently one of the PCs was infected by a wererat. I made the only option to get cure was to kill the head wererat (which they did), it would be so lame for them to just find a 12th level cleric and wala no more adventure hook IMHO.
FDM
With the artifact that is perfectly fine. With the wererat there are reasons. A DM could just send wave after wave of were creature to infect them which isn't really fair as the ability has a chance of being transferred. At some point they are going to fail and get it, so it should be removable as a "common" threat possible from all those attacks.
With the artifact that is perfectly fine. With the wererat there are reasons. A DM could just send wave after wave of were creature to infect them which isn't really fair as the ability has a chance of being transferred. At some point they are going to fail and get it, so it should be removable as a "common" threat possible from all those attacks.Question: Does it rain on them when inside building ?
Question: Will a Remove Curse spell, from a mortal cleric, work on removing the curse, or was the "being that it was linked to" to powerful ?
No. It rains in the vicinity of where ever they are. So if they are inside a castle or down in a dungeon it rains outside. When the curse first took effect it the rain covered a city. Slowly the rain is getting worse, the wind stronger and the thunder is starting to be accompanied by lighting.
I really hate the "You walk into a church and get "Remove Whatever" spell" so I'm thinking they'll need to perform a task or quest to fix this. Recently one of the PCs was infected by a wererat. I made the only option to get cure was to kill the head wererat (which they did), it would be so lame for them to just find a 12th level cleric and wala no more adventure hook IMHO.
FDM
Well I had the wererats be part of a bigger plot so it wasn't some like random horde of wererats. The party were always going to go after the wererat leader. This just added an urgency to the task as the full moon was just around the corner. They loved it so I think I did the right thing.
On a side rant I'm finding published adventures these days are getting easier than the modules of "ye olden days" I call it the WoW Effect. Anyone who played World of Warcraft when it came out and still plays it now can see how much easier the game has become. Sad really if companies or DMs start doing that with their adventures. I'm not asking for Gygax's Tomb of Horrors but at least give the players are sense of urgency and fear in your games.Just this weekend my players (4th level characters) faced six shadows and they ran in terror. Eventually they worked out a clever plan to beat them and did but when they then encountered a ghost at the end of the "dungeon" they wisely decided to come back another day.
FDM
Well I had the wererats be part of a bigger plot so it wasn't some like random horde of wererats. The party were always going to go after the wererat leader. This just added an urgency to the task as the full moon was just around the corner. They loved it so I think I did the right thing.
On a side rant I'm finding published adventures these days are getting easier than the modules of "ye olden days" I call it the WoW Effect. Anyone who played World of Warcraft when it came out and still plays it now can see how much easier the game has become. Sad really if companies or DMs start doing that with their adventures. I'm not asking for Gygax's Tomb of Horrors but at least give the players are sense of urgency and fear in your games.
Just this weekend my players (4th level characters) faced six shadows and they ran in terror. Eventually they worked out a clever plan to beat them and did but when they then encountered a ghost at the end of the "dungeon" they wisely decided to come back another day.
FDM
I'm just saying there are reasons ;) It could have been just as easily been a matter of them coming back to town and the town cleric(s) being indisposed (pilgrimage or something) and them (the party) going "crap" and providing their own urgency as the assumption was they could get it done (don't assume!). There are a bunch of ways to play with it without altering the rules outright.
I think what you are seeing with the published adventures is the broadening of the audience. Used to be gamers were a pretty niche market. Now you'll see people talking about how their kids are playing the game at 8 years of age and how they had to mellow out some of the situations. If we're talking younger people, harder adventures and more complicated rules are going to put them off a product. They don't usually have the patience or experience with the game. By taking the simplistic route, the game is playable by everyone and if it seems too easy, an experienced player can take it on themselves to alter it and bring it up to expectations.
It comes down to the game being only as difficult as the DM wants it to be.
Well I had the wererats be part of a bigger plot so it wasn't some like random horde of wererats. The party were always going to go after the wererat leader. This just added an urgency to the task as the full moon was just around the corner. They loved it so I think I did the right thing.
On a side rant I'm finding published adventures these days are getting easier than the modules of "ye olden days" I call it the WoW Effect. Anyone who played World of Warcraft when it came out and still plays it now can see how much easier the game has become. Sad really if companies or DMs start doing that with their adventures. I'm not asking for Gygax's Tomb of Horrors but at least give the players are sense of urgency and fear in your games.
Just this weekend my players (4th level characters) faced six shadows and they ran in terror. Eventually they worked out a clever plan to beat them and did but when they then encountered a ghost at the end of the "dungeon" they wisely decided to come back another day.
FDMI'm just saying there are reasons ;) It could have been just as easily been a matter of them coming back to town and the town cleric(s) being indisposed (pilgrimage or something) and them (the party) going "crap" and providing their own urgency as the assumption was they could get it done (don't assume!). There are a bunch of ways to play with it without altering the rules outright.
I think what you are seeing with the published adventures is the broadening of the audience. Used to be gamers were a pretty niche market. Now you'll see people talking about how their kids are playing the game at 8 years of age and how they had to mellow out some of the situations. If we're talking younger people, harder adventures and more complicated rules are going to put them off a product. They don't usually have the patience or experience with the game. By taking the simplistic route, the game is playable by everyone and if it seems too easy, an experienced player can take it on themselves...
So "broadening of the audience" means dumbing down? I knew it! ;-)
FDM
Having spent many an unpleasant day/week in constant rain while in the army, I'd say your morale and energy levels would take a hit (especially when some annoying instructor says "Rain, it's perfect infantry weather").
Getting little things done takes longer or can be virtually impossible. Being wet all the time has an impact on your health (I'll skip the unpleasant details, but just think "chafing" and extrapolate in your mind).
So in game terms, on top of the suggestions above about visibility, impact on rest, etc, some kind of penalty to attack, save and skill rolls, could work. Or becoming fatigued/exhausted is easier to achieve. Wet gear is heavier gear, bow/crossbow strings don't function well when wet, movement can be slower.
+1
In the Army, too. Rusting metal items and rotting natural materials cause negative modifiers. Ruined food supplies and sickness lead to problems also. Currently serving in a sub-tropic zone and all of the above can be problems in a modern world so in the fantasy world it would even worse.
Just finding a 12th level cleric would be a quest itself, let alone one that would actually help them. They're what, 4th level? On top of that the god providing the power behind the cures removal would need to convinced to grant his or her cleric the spell (as there may be godly reproductions for getting involved). Sounds like a quest to me for a legitimate in-game effect.
Doesn't remove curse also require and opposed cast check on "spell-like" curses? What's the DC of this god placed curse?
Ok so one of my players destroyed an artifact and was cursed with having a perputual thunderstorm occuring in his vacinity, that vacinity being the size of a city.
What effects would being constantly rained upon occur to a party of adventurers? Naturally the rain only happens outside but always above where the cursed PC is.
They've bought themselves a large tent to rest at night on the road but what other devious in-game effects could we come up with when it's constantly raining non-stop.
If I'm not 100% clear feel free to ask questions.
FDM
Go stand in the rain for 3 days. You will figure it out real fast.
Just finding a 12th level cleric would be a quest itself, let alone one that would actually help them. They're what, 4th level? On top of that the god providing the power behind the cures removal would need to convinced to grant his or her cleric the spell (as there may be godly reproductions for getting involved). Sounds like a quest to me for a legitimate in-game effect.
Doesn't remove curse also require and opposed cast check on "spell-like" curses? What's the DC of this god placed curse?
That depends on the location, the rules say spells of X level are available for XYZ gold (it used to be in the trade good section) and the other rules for the type of civilization would determine if there was someone of appropriately high level in said area (probably not in a village, more likely in a large city/metropolis) and max GP value of any particular item they want to purchase. Obviously the DM can make it otherwise but the "givens" in the game don't make it a quest in of itself.
As for the rain, we're not talking a simple curse from a spell or effect from an ability/disease (were rat). It was the after effect from destroying an artifact so it's pretty much DM says it happens and it does ;)
Artifacts don't follow the rules. So a remove curse would probably not solve the issue. It could, however, temporarily negate it. Say, one week for every level of the cleric (so a minimum of 3 months). That's not a bad expenditure of fundages for negating it on an ongoing basis, and it deffinately puts limitations on them (not getting too far away from where they know they have a cleric who can kill it again for them).
Artifacts don't follow the rules. So a remove curse would probably not solve the issue. It could, however, temporarily negate it. Say, one week for every level of the cleric (so a minimum of 3 months). That's not a bad expenditure of fundages for negating it on an ongoing basis, and it deffinately puts limitations on them (not getting too far away from where they know they have a cleric who can kill it again for them).
The other side of that is having the cleric who attempted to remove it get some sort of feed back (knocked out, drained of spells, etc.) for attempting to do something so foolish as mess with the power of an artifact. Best bet word will go out quick and NO ONE will touch the character with a 10 pole of PC poking after that (unless you want a particular NPC to do it as a plot point).
Strictly off the beaten track, non official rules but... bow use, and particularly composite bow use becomes a problem - composite bows can fall apart in prolonged adverse weather conditions ( not just rain ), strings weaken, arrows warp, wood changes.
Depending how mean you wish to be, and fun spoiling aside for bow using characters, you could place heavy penalties on bow use - and for fumbles have a chance of weapon failure - increased for composite bows.
Traditional pre modern glues for composite bows do not react well to water...
I had a heavy prolonged storm in my campaign and I imposed the harsh penalties above to bow users, cut maximum range down. One of the characters had a composite bow, and chose to sit inside buildings firing out rather than running about in the rain. Later they dared the rain, fumbled, failed a custom break test, I gave them a warning about the bow beginning to fail - rather than outright break it on the spot.
Strictly off the beaten track, non official rules but... bow use, and particularly composite bow use becomes a problem - composite bows can fall apart in prolonged adverse weather conditions ( not just rain ), strings weaken, arrows warp, wood changes.
Depending how mean you wish to be, and fun spoiling aside for bow using characters, you could place heavy penalties on bow use - and for fumbles have a chance of weapon failure - increased for composite bows.Traditional pre modern glues for composite bows do not react well to water...
I had a heavy prolonged storm in my campaign and I imposed the harsh penalties above to bow users, cut maximum range down. One of the characters had a composite bow, and chose to sit inside buildings firing out rather than running about in the rain. Later they dared the rain, fumbled, failed a custom break test, I gave them a warning about the bow beginning to fail - rather than outright break it on the spot.
Wow.... why the bow user hate? :-/
