The heavy crossbow is by far my favorite ranged weapon flavor-wise, but having a two action reload seems kind of debilitating. Is there any good way to make up for this aspect of the weapon?
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Frankly: No.
The normal crossbow is a good weapon in the hands of a ranger. But even the ranger can't use many of his crossbow abilities with a heavy crossbow. Running Reload -> penetrating shot is a good combo, but doesn't work with heavy crossbows.
A shame. Hopefully we get some feats or an archetype in the future that can make better use of it.
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Title question: Reluctantly
Second question: No. It's only one die type better than a Crossbow, which means your PC gets very little reward for that extra action. It's comparable to having the Slowed condition for +1 damage/ weapon die. If you have a similar love for regular Crossbows, use one of those.
There's a very good reason crossbows are simple and don't get the volley liability. You'll be climbing uphill to break even with other ranged attackers, who already do less damage once melee occurs.
Preamble over, I'd focus on Ranger for Crossbow Ace (1st) & Running Reload (4th), and take Precision for Hunter's Edge. If starting at higher level where you can get Running Reload via Ranger MCD right away, then maybe Fighter (if only for the higher attack/crit chance & Point Blank Shot) though there are good arguments to be made for Rogue (because of their skill dominance, not their combat prowess, though they're functional.)
If Ranger & using a regular Crossbow, I'd think about getting Cleric MCD for Abadar/Crossbow & getting it up to 1d10...which is to say you can do Heavy Crossbow damage and have a 1 action reload/1 less Bulk while keeping most of the flavor. Plus Cantrips & some extra skills is nice.
Hunt Prey/Shoot/move-reload then shoot/move-reload/Hunt or shoot again. Notice how maneuverable you'd be, which means you can worry less about Con than a frontliner. Since you don't need Str, you're free to get Wis (and be awesome at Perc!)
So basic:
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int ??, Wis 14+, Cha ??
Later your attack routine will shift to Hunt/Penetrating Shot, Reload-move/Penetrating Shot, repeat. Notice how a Heavy Crossbow cannot do that, and that whenever you'd have to move to set up the Penetrating Shot, a Crossbow outperforms a bow (due to damage & Crossbow Ace).
If crossbows are fine being secondary:
1. You could also start as a Warpriest of Abadar, with full casting making up for being a touch worse at combat.
Since your spell proficiency lags, I wouldn't emphasize Wisdom nor offensive spells, and maybe even go Diplomacy/face.
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 16 (also for Heal)
This makes for a much different build though, right? You have a lot more breadth, yet be less capable w/ a crossbow. It may not be worth the Ranger MCD, and you may even want Rogue for skills/Sneak Attack. Whether you focus on crossbow or spells, you'll always have something to contribute that's for sure, outside of combat too.
2. Or be a switch hitter, having a Crossbow for ranged combat, but having melee capability to be a frontliner too.
Str 14 Dex 18 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 12 Cha 10.
Still go w/ Ranger for the Crossbow feats, but pick up another weapon too, likely finesse because attack > damage. There are some kinks to work out re: swapping weapons & stowing the crossbow, but you should be able to get a Strike in every round.
If you have Quick Draw, you could start with a loaded Crossbow on your back, and go to whichever weapon suits the encounter.
Cheers
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If you are a rogue with ranger dedication and take some of the crossbow feats to go along with your rogue feats that benefit ranged weapons, then you can be a pretty good sniper. The trick is to load the crossbow, sneak up, snipe with the heavy crossbow, then switch weapons or move back into hiding before reloading.
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What Zwordman says. Grab a familiar and give it the ‘Manual Dexterity’ ability. Turns the 2-action reload into a 1-action reload. This does mean you need to grab the Animal Accomplice Gnome Ancestry Feat or Multiclass into a caster for a Familiar though. If you don’t want to use the familiar for anything other than reloading, and aren’t planning to dip into casting, you can spend the other ability it can get on Scent or Darkvision for a bit more utility. Admittedly familiars are a bit lacking in the what they can give in a niche case like this.
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What Zwordman says. Grab a familiar and give it the ‘Manual Dexterity’ ability. Turns the 2-action reload into a 1-action reload. This does mean you need to grab the Animal Accomplice Gnome Ancestry Feat or Multiclass into a caster for a Familiar though. If you don’t want to use the familiar for anything other than reloading, and aren’t planning to dip into casting, you can spend the other ability it can get on Scent or Darkvision for a bit more utility. Admittedly familiars are a bit lacking in the what they can give in a niche case like this.
There is nothing in the familiar rules suggesting that a familiar can reload its master's crossbow for him, and nothing in the ranged weapon rules suggesting someone other than the person wielding the weapon can spend the actions to reload a weapon.
So if your DM thinks it's cute to allow your familiar to pull a 150# bowstring back to the set position for you, that's great. But you should then also have your familiar carry your backpack and golf clubs for you.
FWIW I would play a heavy crossbow user as a switch hitter. Take one shot with your heavy crossbow then grab a melee weapon and wade into combat. Voilà! no reload problem.
A normal crossbow would be reloaded with a stirrup or a goat's foot lever. A heavy crossbow would be reloaded with a windlass or a cranquin. The 2-action reload time of a heavy crossbow is already very forgiving, much faster than it would take IRL.
I suspect the longer reload time is intended to be a nod to realism. What you need to get is a magical self-reloading crossbow. Now *that* would be magical!
What Zwordman says. Grab a familiar and give it the ‘Manual Dexterity’ ability. Turns the 2-action reload into a 1-action reload. This does mean you need to grab the Animal Accomplice Gnome Ancestry Feat or Multiclass into a caster for a Familiar though. If you don’t want to use the familiar for anything other than reloading, and aren’t planning to dip into casting, you can spend the other ability it can get on Scent or Darkvision for a bit more utility. Admittedly familiars are a bit lacking in the what they can give in a niche case like this.
There probably needs to be an action for the crossbow to change hands though, unless trading gear is a free action.
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There probably needs to be an action for the crossbow to change hands though, unless trading gear is a free action.
And since familiars don't have a carrying capacity and can't wield any weapons (regardless of whether they are given Manual Dexterity or not) they can't hold or wield the crossbow to reload it. Aside from the fact that it takes a bit of strength and a human-sized stature to reload a crossbow at all.
A generous DM might allow a familiar with manual dexterity to hold and carry a single item of negligible weight. A crossbow? Not so much.
If they were given a STR score (say -4 or -5) then with their tiny size we could calculate what they could carry. But they don't have a listed STR score.
Until or unless they get listed stats somewhere (say in the GMG) none of the cool reloading/bombing actions people used to like are possible.
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What Zwordman says. Grab a familiar and give it the ‘Manual Dexterity’ ability. Turns the 2-action reload into a 1-action reload. This does mean you need to grab the Animal Accomplice Gnome Ancestry Feat or Multiclass into a caster for a Familiar though. If you don’t want to use the familiar for anything other than reloading, and aren’t planning to dip into casting, you can spend the other ability it can get on Scent or Darkvision for a bit more utility. Admittedly familiars are a bit lacking in the what they can give in a niche case like this.There is nothing in the familiar rules suggesting that a familiar can reload its master's crossbow for him, and nothing in the ranged weapon rules suggesting someone other than the person wielding the weapon can spend the actions to reload a weapon.
So if your DM thinks it's cute to allow your familiar to pull a 150# bowstring back to the set position for you, that's great. But you should then also have your familiar carry your backpack and golf clubs for you.
FWIW I would play a heavy crossbow user as a switch hitter. Take one shot with your heavy crossbow then grab a melee weapon and wade into combat. Voilà! no reload problem.
While all weapons need some amount of time to get into position, many ranged weapons also need to be loaded and reloaded. This entry indicates how many Interact actions it takes to reload such weapons. This can be 0 if drawing ammunition and firing the weapon are part of the same action. If an item takes 2 or more actions to reload, the GM determines whether they must be performed together as an activity, or you can spend some of those actions during one turn and the rest during your next turn.
An item with an entry of “—” must be drawn to be thrown, which usually takes an Interact action just like drawing any other weapon. Reloading a ranged weapon and drawing a thrown weapon both require a free hand. Switching your grip to free a hand and then to place your hands in the grip necessary to wield the weapon are both included in the actions you spend to reload a weapon.
The only part i see that would really bring into question about who reloads the crossbow is the part about switching grips. Otherwise it only requires two interact actions which a familiar can fulfill with ‘Manual Dexterity’. Is there something else in the rules that says it must be in the possession of the person reloading it?
You use your hand or hands to manipulate an object or the terrain. You can grab an unattended or stored object, open a door, or produce some similar effect. You might have to attempt a skill check to determine if your Interact action was successful.
The only thing in interact that would interfere with this would be the part where it says ‘unattended or stored object’, but it’s immediately followed by, ‘or produce some similar effect’. The familiar is clearly fulfilling the later of the two, so i’m not sure how this is a GM’s call on weather the ruling works or not.
If they were given a STR score (say -4 or -5) then with their tiny size we could calculate what they could carry. But they don't have a listed STR score.
This would imply that as the rules currently stand, they can't lift or hold anything (Weapon or not, manual dexterity feat or not).
I'm not suggesting the rules allow the familiar to reload the crossbow. But it seems that, from what you said, they can't even move a small object from one part of the wizard's lab to another - they lack a strength score. A familiar with the manual dexterity feat but without a strength score can not only not hold a crossbow or load a crossbow, it seems that by the rules as they stand now, it would be against RAW for them to hold a needle and thread to darn the wizard's robes.
> But that's just silly...
Well, maybe I'm wrong but if you're right then I am not. They can't carry *anything* since they lack a strength score.
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FWIW I would play a heavy crossbow user as a switch hitter. Take one shot with your heavy crossbow then grab a melee weapon and wade into combat. Voilà! no reload problem.
Pretty logistically terrible though, since then you're investing resources in upgrading two weapons, one of which you shoot once then drop.
The fundamental problem with the heavy crossbow is just that its design suggests really big numbers, because you either shoot it once and dump it or spend a lot of time reloading it and... it doesn't actually have numbers that are all that big.
It's only one damage more than a regular crossbow and composite bows only need a small amount of strength to eclipse it. Striking runes widen the gulf, but only slightly and require a lot of money to be thrown into something you can't really rely on to define your build.
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Aside from the fact that it takes a bit of strength and a human-sized stature to reload a crossbow at all.
In the game it certainly doesn’t take an adult human-sized stature to reload a crossbow because Gnomes, Goblins, and Halflings all wield and reload the same crossbows that Humans do.
I’m not envisioning the familiar holding the crossbow anyway. I’m envisioning a monkey sitting on your shoulder, working the crank and dropping in a bolt.
Mechanically sound? Probably not. Realistic? Not at all. Awesome? Absolutely. So if someone wants to devote the feats involved to pulling that off, I’d let them — it’s a suboptimal choice but super flavorful.
It does sound like an awesome houserule, but it's very, very generous compared to the listed abilities of familiars in PF2. Note that its master would still need to spend an action to command it, in any event.
Regarding small characters like gnomes, halflings and goblins, the fact that PF2 no longer worries about small-sized weapons is merely an abstraction intended to make the game simpler. A familiar is of course far smaller than that.
But hey, whatever puts the zing in your game! Get your DM on board, and go for it!
It does sound like an awesome houserule, but it's very, very generous compared to the listed abilities of familiars in PF2. Note that its master would still need to spend an action to command it, in any event.
I’m curious where you’re getting that it’s a house rule and not allowable as is? As well as it doesn’t seem anymore generous than asking your familiar to feed you a potion from your bag; or some such similar act.
Potions have light bulk. Can your familiar lift it? Nobody knows, because they are tiny but they don't have a listed STR score.
I'm not trying to be difficult, but the ability of familiars to wind the crank of a heavy crossbow or carry an item of light bulk isn't specified in the familiar rules. Anything you allow a familiar to do beyond the listed capacities in the CRB is by necessity a houserule.
Now, if I were the DM, I'd allow a familiar to lift an item of light bulk and manipulate it if it had the Manuel Dexterity ability that day. Reloading a crossbow seems beyond their strength and stature, as a tiny animal, but if you get your DM to allow it, that's great! You'd use one action to get it to take two actions and youd have an action left over to do something else. But I still don't think you could fire the crossbow any faster.
YMMV.
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I'm not trying to be difficult, but the ability of familiars to wind the crank of a heavy crossbow or carry an item of light bulk isn't specified in the familiar rules.
Heavy crossbows having cranks or requiring any set str score to reload isn't specified either: for all we know it's a screw mechanism that requires little str but takes more time...
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I feel like the feats that make the heavy crossbow viable just haven't been printed yet.
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I'm not trying to be difficult, but the ability of familiars to wind the crank of a heavy crossbow or carry an item of light bulk isn't specified in the familiar rules. Anything you allow a familiar to do beyond the listed capacities in the CRB is by necessity a houserule.
This is actually what I’m asking. Reload only asks for two interact actions via RAW. Manual Dexterity allows Familiars to use actions with the Manipulate trait; one of which is the Interact action. 1 Command action telling the familiar to use two Interact actions to reload the crossbow. If there’s something else included in reloading somewhere in the CRB it doesn’t come to mind, and I’ve posted the rules on reload in a previous post; so it sounds like not allowing as much would be the houserule; unless there’s a piece of information I’m missing that you may know of.
I’m not looking to convince you to like the ruling; but I currently am playing a Ranger with this tactic and if there’s some reason it shouldn’t work i would like to let my DM know. Weather he continues to allow it or not is secondary in this case.
I feel like the feats that make the heavy crossbow viable just haven’t been printed yet.
This is the real issue on the matter. The two action reload makes it too difficult to be used consistently. Certain feats like Penetrating shot and Deadly Aim make it good, but not a much better choice over a regular Crossbow.
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I use my cleric of Abadar effectively with the crossbow (upgraded to d10).
One of my favourite tricks is to use illusory object to create a wall with an arrow slit to shoot through.
How does this work functionally? I get that they would have to aim for that slit against harder cover so they may not actually try to shoot back and may instead run away etc.
but.. the second someone does try to take a shot at you, won't they notice their bolt/arrow/knife/bomb/etc go right through it?
or is it just that folks will scatter or not attempt to attack you while others are there?
Honestly I’m not 100% sure. So far it has deterred anyone from shooting back due to the apparent improved cover. If they interact with the illusion they get a chance to spot it for what it is but even so I believe it would provide concealment which is still quite effective.
“If the illusion is visual, and a creature interacts with the illusion in a way that would prove it is not what it seems, the creature might know that an illusion is present, but it still can’t ignore the illusion without successfully disbelieving it. For instance, if a character is pushed through the illusion of a door, they will know that the door is an illusion, but they still can’t see through it. Disbelieving an illusion makes it and those things it blocks seem hazy and indistinct, so even in the case where a visual illusion is disbelieved, it may, at the GM’s discretion, block vision enough to make those on the other side concealed.”
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You can /kind of/ do it as a ranger.
Precision Edge ranger specifically. With Crossbow Ace and Running Reload.
Running Reload gives you one of the two interact actions you need to reload, and there's nothing stopping you from using Running Reload multiple times in a round.
So you can Hunt Prey, draw weapon, Strike in round 1. If you already have the xbow out, you can then Hunt Prey, Hunter's Aim. 1d12+1d8+2 is pretty awesome at level 1.
Next round you can be a bit more strategic, which is cool. You can use Running Reload twice to basically double move, then Strike. But that's all you can do. You're stuck with JUST that as your ability to effectively use a heavy crossbow.
Just use a regular crossbow and call it a day.
Might as well take Far Shot at that point. Since you won't use any other actions, get the passive stuff.
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.Anything you allow a familiar to do beyond the listed capacities in the CRB is by necessity a houserule.
So what is a familiar who has Manual Dexterity allowed to do?
Manual Dexterity: It can use up to two of its limbs as if they were hands to use manipulate actions.
Anything you disallow a familiar with Manual Dexterity to do that is a manipulate action is by necessity a house rule.
RELOAD
. . . This entry indicates how many Interact actions it takes to reload such a weapon.
CRB p470 states that Interact is a manipulate action.
Reloading a crossbow seems beyond their strength and stature, as a tiny animal,
If you want to enforce that house rule, that’s your choice.
but if you get your DM to allow it, that's great!
It’s not just great, it’s RAW.
You'd use one action to get it to take two actions and youd have an action left over to do something else. But I still don't think you could fire the crossbow any faster.
On one’s own one fires once and interact twice to reload each round.
With a crossbow loading buddy one fires once, commands reload, fires again on round 1, fires once, commands reload and does some random action on round 2, and repeat. That is 3 attacks per 3 rounds, just like in AD&D.
This is the real issue on the matter. The two action reload makes it too difficult to be used consistently. Certain feats like Penetrating shot and Deadly Aim make it good, but not a much better choice over a regular Crossbow.
I feel like what we need are feats that improve the action economy, not "reducing the number of actions needed to reload" since the heavy crossbow is fine as a one shot/round weapon, but things like running reload that let you combine interact actions to reload with "other things you might want to do anyway."
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There probably needs to be an action for the crossbow to change hands though, unless trading gear is a free action.And since familiars don't have a carrying capacity and can't wield any weapons (regardless of whether they are given Manual Dexterity or not) they can't hold or wield the crossbow to reload it. Aside from the fact that it takes a bit of strength and a human-sized stature to reload a crossbow at all.
A generous DM might allow a familiar with manual dexterity to hold and carry a single item of negligible weight. A crossbow? Not so much.
If they were given a STR score (say -4 or -5) then with their tiny size we could calculate what they could carry. But they don't have a listed STR score.
Until or unless they get listed stats somewhere (say in the GMG) none of the cool reloading/bombing actions people used to like are possible.
I would use the Pest Form spell on pages 356/357 as a guide for a familiar's STR score. According to the spell, you transform into a Tiny animal - the same as a familiar. The spell also indicates you gain the statistic of an Athletics modifier of -4 and since the Athletics skill is STR based, I would agree with a STR score of -4 for a Tiny animal/familiar. So according to Table 1-1 of Page 20, the Tiny Animal/familiar would have a STR score of 2-3 and be able to carry a Bulk of 1 (5 - 4). This is also the Bulk of the Tiny animal itself (see Bulk of Creatures on Page 272). Since the Heavy Crossbow has a Bulk of 2, the familiar would have the clumsy 1 condition trying to carry it, but would be able to drag it without penalty. You could impose a DC for the familiar for each of its Interact actions to successfully reload the Heavy Crossbow. Since a crossbow is a simple weapon, a simple DC of 10 might work, but the GM could impose whatever DC seems appropriate for your type of play.
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I would use the Pest Form spell on pages 356/357 as a guide for a familiar's STR score. According to the spell, you transform into a Tiny animal - the same as a familiar. The spell also indicates you gain the statistic of an Athletics modifier of -4 and since the Athletics skill is STR based, I would agree with a STR score of -4 for a Tiny animal/familiar. So according to Table 1-1 of Page 20, the Tiny Animal/familiar would have a STR score of 2-3 and be able to carry a Bulk of 1 (5 - 4). This is also the Bulk of the Tiny animal itself (see Bulk of Creatures on Page 272). Since the Heavy Crossbow has a Bulk of 2, the familiar would have the clumsy 1 condition trying to carry it, but would be able to drag it without penalty. You could impose a DC for the familiar for each of its Interact actions to successfully reload the Heavy Crossbow. Since a crossbow is a simple weapon, a simple DC of 10 might work, but the GM could impose whatever DC seems appropriate for your type of play.There probably needs to be an action for the crossbow to change hands though, unless trading gear is a free action.And since familiars don't have a carrying capacity and can't wield any weapons (regardless of whether they are given Manual Dexterity or not) they can't hold or wield the crossbow to reload it. Aside from the fact that it takes a bit of strength and a human-sized stature to reload a crossbow at all.
A generous DM might allow a familiar with manual dexterity to hold and carry a single item of negligible weight. A crossbow? Not so much.
If they were given a STR score (say -4 or -5) then with their tiny size we could calculate what they could carry. But they don't have a listed STR score.
Until or unless they get listed stats somewhere (say in the GMG) none of the cool reloading/bombing actions people used to like are possible.
In reading further, a Tiny animal as a Bulk limit of Half (according to Table 6-19 on page 295), so it would be able to carry/lift/manipulate an item with a Bulk of 2 (5/2 rounded down). This situation sounds like a good candidate for the "Game Conventions" box on Page 444.
Two action reload, one action shoot is a fine turn, provided you never need to move, hide, hunt target, identify a monster, etc.
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Well, if we're honest, the real issue on the matter is you feeling entitled to a heavy crossbow as your main weapon.
Well I mean, yeah. Why is that problematic? It's a book Paizo printed in their own game, is it that unreasonable that someone might expect it to be worth using?
Two action reload, one action shoot is a fine turn, provided you never need to move, hide, hunt target, identify a monster, etc.But wasn't you the poster pointing to Running Reload...?
Running reload lets you move, but not do any of those other things you might want to do.
Two action reload, one action shoot is a fine turn, provided you never need to move, hide, hunt target, identify a monster, etc.But wasn't you the poster pointing to Running Reload...?
Then it is shoot once, move twice.
Add in skirmishing shot, and it's shoot + move 3 times.
Add in far shot, and it's move 3 times + shoot 240'. Out of range of most retaliation.
Put the rest of your feats into snares, and you can really keep anyone from catching you while you pelt them from massive range.
And top it off with legendary strike. Cause 1200' range.
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This is the real issue on the matter. The two action reload makes it too difficult to be used consistently. Certain feats like Penetrating shot and Deadly Aim make it good, but not a much better choice over a regular Crossbow.Well, if we're honest, the real issue on the matter is you feeling entitled to a heavy crossbow as your main weapon.
If you acknowledge that the weapon is slower than others, and accept that you need a second weapon after firing it once (in cases where melee is imminent), your customer satisfaction might be greatly improved.
Careful on your high horse there; wouldn’t want you to slip off and chip a nail. Is it really considered entitled to point out an issue with a simple weapon; and the only weapon on the weapons chart with an issue like this? I already recognize it’s slower than other weapons and chose it in spite of that. Acknowledging it as a slower weapon doesn’t magically solve the issues it still has; especially when compared to a lighter crossbow.
You know, transferable runes unfortunately remove what could be an otherwise interesting niche for the heavy crossbow: a cool but not overpowered loot drop. A high level crossbow that does a ton of damage for the first round of combat sounds pretty fun to have. But as is you'd just remove the runes to slap onto a better weapon of choice.
Though that does leave room for a specific heavy crossbow. The equivalent of an oathbow or something. I'd enjoy the heck out of that, especially if it got some sweet sniping bonuses like built in sneak attack dice.
Running reload lets you move, but not do any of those other things you might want to do.If you might want to do a lot of stuff without being preoccupied by reloading a heavy crossbow, the solution is to not use a heavy crossbow.
Or rather, to shoot it once, and reload it when circumstances permit but not build your entire character around that weapon alone.
Well, if we're doing this on a ranger (because we keep talking about ranger feats) we might want to also have an action occasionally to use the ranger's signature class feature- hunt target.
I mean, Zapp, do you really think it's a good use of funds to spend gold investing in potency, striking and property runes for a weapon you're only planning on using once per combat?
This is actually what I’m asking. Reload only asks for two interact actions via RAW. Manual Dexterity allows Familiars to use actions with the Manipulate trait; one of which is the Interact action. 1 Command action telling the familiar to use two Interact actions to reload the crossbow. If there’s something else included in reloading somewhere in the CRB it doesn’t come to mind, and I’ve posted the rules on reload in a previous post; so it sounds like not allowing as much would be the houserule; unless there’s a piece of information I’m missing that you may know of.
Well, I can manipulate a door built for Huge creatures, but I'll certainly have to make a Strength check or something to do it. It's not an action that I should expect to perform automatically "because RAW".
You don't need a lot of strength to wind a crossbow.
That's why they have the winding things.
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This is actually what I’m asking. Reload only asks for two interact actions via RAW. Manual Dexterity allows Familiars to use actions with the Manipulate trait; one of which is the Interact action. 1 Command action telling the familiar to use two Interact actions to reload the crossbow. If there’s something else included in reloading somewhere in the CRB it doesn’t come to mind, and I’ve posted the rules on reload in a previous post; so it sounds like not allowing as much would be the houserule; unless there’s a piece of information I’m missing that you may know of.Well, I can manipulate a door built for Huge creatures, but I'll certainly have to make a Strength check or something to do it. It's not an action that I should expect to perform automatically "because RAW".
So you expect a mechanic to work differently based on a given thematic or GM ruling. I never said anything against games running differently; matter of fact, to each their own. I’m just not going to try and pass off subjective interpretation of how a rule should work based on the preference of each individual person. There’s no consistent reason that a Magically bonded creature that is Magically/Alchemically gifted to manipulate objects like a humanoid, should be gated from activities based on the whimsy of each individual GM; unless it’s a houserule that is.
For curiosity sake, is there any information to suggest that it’s not allowable via RAI? Or is that just your interpretation based on your personal preference?