Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aomis 02-02-06, 05:05 PM	Can the same arrows be used for both longbows and shortbows?
masterofmayhem 02-02-06, 05:30 PM	Can the same arrows be used for both longbows and shortbows? When I first say your post, I was ready to answer "yes," at least from a mechanics point of view (I have no idea if they can be for real bows, and that knowledge would help). However, looking at the weapons section of the SRD, it would seem that there are listed prices for arrows under both the longbow and the shortbow, and although there is no difference in price or weight, the mere fact that arrows are listed twice (and once under each size of bow) leads me to suspect that perhaps the two most common types of bow do require differently sized arrows. I am far from certain about that, however, so feel free to look for a second opinion. :D
draconic_swine 02-02-06, 11:15 PM	To go with the spirit of simplicity in 3.5, I'd go with the one-arrow-fits-all thing. Besides, nowhere does it really even hint at each bow having its own arrow, and I'd think if that was the intention, it'd mention it somewhere (like the DMG random items tables, so you know what type of bow is necessary to fire the shiny new magic arrows you just found). I'd also say the repetition of the arrows in the table is just that -- repetition. Although I could definitely see a game where there were two arrow types, and you'd take a -4 to attack when using a shortbow arrow with a longbow, for instance.
Shadowfax7 02-03-06, 12:46 PM	I agree with the 2 above posters. If the arrows were different, we could presume that Longbow arrows would be longer and thus more expensive . . . But the prices for arrows in the PHB are all the same.
mvincent 02-03-06, 01:09 PM	As above. If the arrows were different, they would have different entries on the "Common Ranged Weapons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm)" random magic item generation table.
jaelis 02-03-06, 02:31 PM	Also, they had to list them twice on the table, since the same arrow does different damage if fired from a shortbow or a longbow. Same for crossbow bolts.
crossbow 02-03-06, 02:42 PM	In reality? Sort of but not really, unless you happen to have the same draw length on your long bow as your short bow. Likewise, people trading arrows, unless they have the same draw length, can be problematic as well. Likewise arrows of differing weights. Arrows are not bullets and they are not all made the same. It helps for each person to have arrows that fit them and their style of archery. For D&D though? Sure, why not? It’s a fairly generic combat system and it doesn’t do anything but bog the game down to go into that kind of detail. Unless it’s somehow important to the story, I’d say don’t worry about it. crossbow