I need help with understanding how this weapon works:
Quote:
Underwater Crossbow: An underwater crossbow functions like its normal counterpart above water, and can be used underwater. When fired underwater, the crossbow has a range increment of 20 feet. Anyone proficient with a normal crossbow can use an underwater crossbow.
Underwater rules from the environment section of the rulebook:
Quote:
Ranged Attacks Underwater: Thrown weapons are ineffective underwater, even when launched from land. Attacks with other ranged weapons take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties for range.
Where does it say a normal crossbow cannot be used under water? Even Sahuagins have a normal crossbow as their standard equipment. It looks useless to me. It should at least mitigate the penalty for shooting through 5 feet of water. Or does the desctiption imply it does?
Normal crossbow:
when used underwater, you take a penalty to attack roll of -2 for each squares (i.e 5 ft) between you and your target
ex: you are underwater and your target underwater is at 30 ft of you. If you shoot, you will have a penalty of -12 to your attack roll with a normal crossbow.
penalty= 0 (your range is 80ft for a light crossbow or 120 ft for an heavy crossbow) - 12 (6 squares of water to pass through x -2)
Underwater crossbow:
Used above water, its like a normal crossbow (light or heavy) and has a range of 80ft or 120ft
When used underwater, this crossbow has some change: its range changes to 20ft "only" but it has no penalty "to pass through water"
ex: you are underwater and your target underwater is at 30 ft of you. If you shoot, you will have a penalty of -2 to your attack roll with an underwater crossbow.
penalty= -2 (your range is 20ft so you are above your range and take a penalty of -2) + 0 (no penalty of "pass through water")
Well, yes this would make sense, but it's not what's written in the description. It just says "it can be used underwater" and not "it can be used underwater without penalties".
Also I don’t see how the next sentence “When fired underwater, the crossbow has a range increment of 20 feet” can be read as “the range increment underwater is smaller but you get no penalty for shooting through water ”.
For me it seems like the person, who has written the description of the crossbow didn't knew, how the underwater rules are formulated. If he knew, he wouldn’t spell it this way.
Well, yes this would make sense, but it's not what's written in the description. It just says "it can be used underwater" and not "it can be used underwater without penalties".
Also I don’t see how the next sentence “When fired underwater, the crossbow has a range increment of 20 feet” can be read as “the range increment underwater is shorter but you get no penalty for shooting through water ”.
For me it seems like the person, who has written the description of the crossbow didn't knew, how the underwater rules are formulated. If he knew, he wouldn’t spell it this way.
There is no line saying "the range increment of every ranged weapon used underwater changes to 5 feet" as the penalties for underwater shooting are in addition to the range increment, and not a range increment.
"Benefit: An underwater crossbow functions like its normal counterpart above water, and can be used underwater....
...was enough to say the undercrossbow has no penalties. A normal crossbow or ranged weapon are not supposed to function underwater.
If you try however, thrown weapon are ineffective and others have big penalties.
I think it's "common sense" if they don't explain why a ranged weapon cannot be used underwater.
As we are in an high fantasy game, they explain the case if you try... and you could see you'll fast prefer to draw a spear...
So, if it's written "can be used underwater", it's mean "normally", so without penalties...
While prone, you use the ground to stabilize your aim while using a crossbow or firearm.
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (crossbow or firearm), base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: If you have been prone since the end of your last turn, you can ignore the penalty the prone condition imposes on ranged attack rolls you make using a crossbow or firearm with which you have Weapon Focus.
Special: If you have the Prone Slinger feat, Weapon Focus (sling) satisfies this feat's Weapon Focus prerequisite, and you can apply this feat's benefit to attack rolls you make using a sling with which you have Weapon Focus.
There isn't any penalty for shooting a crossbow or gun while prone. As published, this feat does nothing, maybe now you can shoot your underwater crossbow prone underwater and not take the penalties for THE SKY IS FALLING! RUN CHICKEN LITTLE!
Seems to me this actually makes it worse (RAW): shooting something 30 ft away underwater: -2 (>1 full range increment (20ft)) & -12 (6 5-ft squares * -2/square)
Odea, you're right, that is a strange feat that does nothing.
From the SRD wrote:
The character is lying on the ground. A prone attacker has a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use a ranged weapon (except for a crossbow). A prone defender gains a +4 bonus to Armor Class against ranged attacks, but takes a –4 penalty to AC against melee attacks.
Standing up is a move-equivalent action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
