The Composite Longbow

[Ellington]

I am considering removing the various types of Composite bows and simply make a single type for both Shortbows and Longbow that deal +2 damage and requires 14 strength. This is really just to make things easier for me as the DM and I don't think the players would mind too much.

Is there something drastic I'm not noticing that's bad for gameplay, apart from some fighter/barbarian frustration?

[Alexander Kilcoyne]

You would definitely reduce the damage of a good archer build who in all honesty should have more than 14 strength. But it would still be a viable option and probably still preferred to crossbows.

[kyrt-ryder]

On the opposite side of the spectrum, have you considered just scrapping the 'composite/not composite' division between bows, and establishing that normal bows don't get strength bonus, and masterworked bows allow the use of whatever your strength bonus is, regardless of if it goes up or down?

[Alexander Kilcoyne]

Wow... Don't you think archery has it easy enough already? Poor crossbow...

[Ellington]

Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:

Wow... Don't you think archery has it easy enough already? Poor crossbow...

I know you weren't talking to me, but I'm thinking about just putting in an equivalent for the crossbow. Mighty Light/Heavy Crossbow, +2 damage. Since they'd need a feat or two to reload as a free action, I think it balances out quite nicely.

[kyrt-ryder]

Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:

Wow... Don't you think archery has it easy enough already? Poor crossbow...

In my personal games it's a non-issue. Crossbows are fully functional equivalent to bows ;)

But I realize that's not the case in everybody's game. If you want crossbows to compete with bows, it takes some tweaking.

[Ross Thompson]

Personally, I love heavy crossbows. Or at least, I want to. But needing to spend a feat in order to fire once every round makes them a pretty crappy option...

Light crossbows aren't so bad (but not as good as a longbow), but I can't figure out why anyone would ever want a heavy crossbow.

[kyrt-ryder]

Ross Thompson wrote:

Personally, I love heavy crossbows. Or at least, I want to. But needing to spend a feat in order to fire once every round makes them a pretty crappy option...

Light crossbows aren't so bad (but not as good as a longbow), but I can't figure out why anyone would ever want a heavy crossbow.

Level 1 commoners (who's simple weapon is heavy crossbow because they're trained for this purpose) who's job during wartime is to man battlements with heavy crossbows to support the city's defenders. A heavy crossbow has a fair chance of taking out most level 1 targets.

[Dragonsong]

Ross Thompson wrote:

Personally, I love heavy crossbows. Or at least, I want to. But needing to spend a feat in order to fire once every round makes them a pretty crappy option...

Light crossbows aren't so bad (but not as good as a longbow), but I can't figure out why anyone would ever want a heavy crossbow.

Because in early renaissance Italy they gave crossbowmen a tower shield that could be planted into the ground for cover and let them go to town.

Several medieval combat shows have shown that the ROF is comparable to the bow. So while I am un-thrilled with the feat tax until i run the game I will have to deal with it.

[Blueluck]

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Ellington wrote:

This is really just to make things easier for me as the DM and I don't think the players would mind too much.

I don't understand what is difficult about the current system. Players calculate their own needs and take care of their own bookkeeping. Since NPC wealth levels aren't critical, just assume they have whatever bow best fits their strength and always give them the listed bonus.

If you want to simplify the shopping, just make magic bows automatically adjust to the users strength. They are magical, after all!

Ellington wrote:

Is there something drastic I'm not noticing that's bad for gameplay, apart from some fighter/barbarian frustration?

Most archers become unplayable. Also, those barbarians and fighters now have no good options other than melee.

They fly? Oh well, lets go back to town.