Can Quickdraw and Crossbows work ever work together


Rules Discussion


So the Quickdraw Feat specificaly allows you to draw and fire a weapon with one action. But since you can't fire until after you reload, does that mean you can't quickdraw crossbows at all? Or is there some way to perform the reload before you finish the quickdraw?


If you haven't fired it yet, it should already be loaded.


Aratorin wrote:
If you haven't fired it yet, it should already be loaded.

The unanimous opinion at my Pathfinder lodge is that you cannot have a loaded crossbow stowed or holstered. That definitely won't be an option for me when playing in Society.


BastionofthePants wrote:
Aratorin wrote:
If you haven't fired it yet, it should already be loaded.
The unanimous opinion at my Pathfinder lodge is that you cannot have a loaded crossbow stowed or holstered. That definitely won't be an option for me when playing in Society.

To not have a loaded crossbow while playing in society could be understandable.

Apart from that I see no issues ( it's only a matter of action economy, no roleplay involved ).


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

See the duplicate thread you made.

https://paizo.com/threads/rzs431wb?Can-Quickdraw-and-Crossbows-work-ever-wo rk

To quote myself: [Not being able to carry a loaded crossbow] is fine enough, but I feel like it should also call for bows not being strung all the time, and walking around with a sword in hand ready to swing would probably poke an eye out if you stumble on a rock. If you're gonna let people carry their weapons out rather than cost actions at the start of the fight, the crossbow shouldn't be singled out. The game doesn't balance around crossbows being worse than they already are to other weapon options.


I thought the entire point of PFS was to not use Homebrew Rules. Not allowing you to carry a loaded Crossbow is definitely Homebrew, as the Rules say nothing of the sort.

Using a crossbow is a weak enough choice already, without arbitrarily adding more penalties on top of it.


Aratorin wrote:

I thought the entire point of PFS was to not use Homebrew Rules. Not allowing you to carry a loaded Crossbow is definitely Homebrew, as the Rules say nothing of the sort.

The PFS ruling he cites is that you cannot stow or holster a loaded crossbow, therefore you can't quickdraw it and fire it. You can certainly carry it, you just can't have your hands free for anything else when combat begins if that's the case or be using them for any exploration tactics that your GM rules require hands.

Shadow Lodge

Aratorin wrote:

I thought the entire point of PFS was to not use Homebrew Rules. Not allowing you to carry a loaded Crossbow is definitely Homebrew, as the Rules say nothing of the sort.

Using a crossbow is a weak enough choice already, without arbitrarily adding more penalties on top of it.

PFS has always used 'House Rules' where necessary: It just these rules are made by PFS leadership and apply to all PFS tables.

What they try to avoid is individual GMs making their own house rules, as this can make for an extremely confusing campaign where your character's core functionality might depend on which GM you have this session...


If you can have a loaded crossbow on your person, then we're back into the territory of a player carrying around 3 loaded crossbows to quickdraw, drop, quickdraw, drop, and quickdraw to fire three times in a round before shifting to regular reload rotations.

To be clear, no one is suggesting that a player couldn't load a crossbow and keep it out and at the ready in the same way someone could have a bow or sword drawn prior to combat when the scenario requires it. You similarly couldn't quickdraw a halfling sling staff, sling, or blowgun for precisely the same reason that you cannot draw the weapon and strike with the weapon at the same time because you'd need an interact action to load it.


cavernshark wrote:
If you can have a loaded crossbow on your person, then we're back into the territory of a player carrying around 3 loaded crossbows to quickdraw, drop, quickdraw, drop, and quickdraw to fire three times in a round before shifting to regular reload rotations

So what? They're wasting 3 Bulk and 3 Actions for the exact same result as firing a Longbow 3 times, without being able to use any specialty Actions. Not exactly OP.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
Aratorin wrote:
cavernshark wrote:
If you can have a loaded crossbow on your person, then we're back into the territory of a player carrying around 3 loaded crossbows to quickdraw, drop, quickdraw, drop, and quickdraw to fire three times in a round before shifting to regular reload rotations
So what? They're wasting 3 Bulk and 3 Actions for the exact same result as firing a Longbow 3 times, without being able to use any specialty Actions. Not exactly OP.

Interestingly enough, this remains true even for a Crossbow Ace. I'd always wondered why the feat specified you had to Hunt Target or Reload to gain the benefit, because that should be any attack with a crossbow. I'm realizing it prevents Quick Draw from letting the Ranger deal their much higher damage by cycling crossbows. Which makes me think all the more being able to stow a loaded crossbow is intended.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder Second Edition / Rules Discussion / Can Quickdraw and Crossbows work ever work together All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.