Composite bows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Composite bows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
xrp3_robot
05-11-07, 06:34 PM Is there any house rules on improving the strength rating of a composite bow?
Salla
05-11-07, 06:46 PM Not that I'm aware of. I suppose you could just pay the difference between the two Strength Ratings, if your DM is lenient ... or you might have to shell out for a new one.
Watchman
05-11-07, 07:34 PM Based on what I know of how those things are made, I'd say you'd just have to buy a new one.
BugHunter
05-11-07, 08:08 PM Strength bows are made for each strength bonus so you would have to buy a new one if your strength bonus goes up. Or you can use the current bow with the lower strength bonus for damage.
xrp3_robot
05-11-07, 11:00 PM My reason for asking is that I'm going to make a character that starts with a MW Composite bow with a +0 str mod to damage. Well over the character's life he was going to add to it and make it stronger.

To bad rules don't play well with character building.
SD
05-12-07, 12:17 AM Yeah, if only we had an entire rules system based on character building. But as little as I like the "get in one little insult or sharp remark as the end when I have to accept that things aren't the way I want them to be" school of thought, I have to admit that I was a member of it for far too long to actually say anything bad about it.

Getting a stronger bow is exactly the same as getting a stronger sword or lance, specifically the part that says "you can't add the masterwork quality to a weapon after it is created; it must be crafted as a masterwork weapon." What I have tended to allow is that an old weapon be broken down and made into a new one for the same cost. That way, the 4th-level warrior doesn't have to throw away or never again use his ancestral axe. I may even have allowed a played to upgrade their weapon to adamantine by melting their old one down and crafting an alloy between that and the new material, a more flavorful version of "sell it and buy a new one" but one that ended in the exact same cost and treatment of the weapon. I'm a big fan of the "make whatever you want as long as we're treating it like something that already exists" worldbuilding strategy.
Tetsubo
05-12-07, 07:20 AM Based on what I know of how those things are made, I'd say you'd just have to buy a new one.

Correct. When made the bowyer chooses specific materials to create the bows strength rating. This can't be changed once the bow is completed. Possible materials include bone, wood, ivory, horn, sinew and animal glues.
Watchman
05-12-07, 07:43 AM Well, the historical ones were just wood, sinew and horn. And glue. Seriously specialized glues. Some of which took in the environs of a year to dry properly, which time the bow spent bent into a circle in a suitable storage space...

Not really something the average D&D adventurer is going to want to sit through, I would imagine. :D
Saberus
05-12-07, 07:30 PM I wonder, would dwarves maybe use special metal alloys to build their composite bows?

I doubt that would make it any easier to upgrade them, just adds flavor.
Watchman
05-13-07, 03:16 AM Why the heck would they ? Their usual habitats aren't exactly prime archery ground to begin with...

IRL metal incidentally works well enough in crossbows, but not really in handbows. The Indians actually tried it at one point - around 1700s or so - but the results were never satisfactory.
Tetsubo
05-13-07, 04:13 AM I've always seen a connection between Dwarves and Crossbows. But Dwarves and Firearms are even better... :)
RoninFrosty
05-13-07, 08:23 AM I'm with SD: if you're treating it like something that already exists, you're not hurting anything.

Hell, I'm typically willing to, as a DM, bend the rules in favor of flavor (heh).

I'd personally rule that while the PC still has to pay the difference between a +0 and a +1, he could have that done, as long as he finds a bowyer of sufficient skill. Say something to the effect that the string has to be tightened, and the recurve made more pronounced, and only an very skilled bowyer can do this without snapping the bow or string. See?

Problem solved.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
xrp3_robot 05-11-07, 06:34 PM	Is there any house rules on improving the strength rating of a composite bow?
Salla 05-11-07, 06:46 PM	Not that I'm aware of. I suppose you could just pay the difference between the two Strength Ratings, if your DM is lenient ... or you might have to shell out for a new one.
Watchman 05-11-07, 07:34 PM	Based on what I know of how those things are made, I'd say you'd just have to buy a new one.
BugHunter 05-11-07, 08:08 PM	Strength bows are made for each strength bonus so you would have to buy a new one if your strength bonus goes up. Or you can use the current bow with the lower strength bonus for damage.
xrp3_robot 05-11-07, 11:00 PM	My reason for asking is that I'm going to make a character that starts with a MW Composite bow with a +0 str mod to damage. Well over the character's life he was going to add to it and make it stronger. To bad rules don't play well with character building.
SD 05-12-07, 12:17 AM	Yeah, if only we had an entire rules system based on character building. But as little as I like the "get in one little insult or sharp remark as the end when I have to accept that things aren't the way I want them to be" school of thought, I have to admit that I was a member of it for far too long to actually say anything bad about it. Getting a stronger bow is exactly the same as getting a stronger sword or lance, specifically the part that says "you can't add the masterwork quality to a weapon after it is created; it must be crafted as a masterwork weapon." What I have tended to allow is that an old weapon be broken down and made into a new one for the same cost. That way, the 4th-level warrior doesn't have to throw away or never again use his ancestral axe. I may even have allowed a played to upgrade their weapon to adamantine by melting their old one down and crafting an alloy between that and the new material, a more flavorful version of "sell it and buy a new one" but one that ended in the exact same cost and treatment of the weapon. I'm a big fan of the "make whatever you want as long as we're treating it like something that already exists" worldbuilding strategy.
Tetsubo 05-12-07, 07:20 AM	Based on what I know of how those things are made, I'd say you'd just have to buy a new one. Correct. When made the bowyer chooses specific materials to create the bows strength rating. This can't be changed once the bow is completed. Possible materials include bone, wood, ivory, horn, sinew and animal glues.
Watchman 05-12-07, 07:43 AM	Well, the historical ones were just wood, sinew and horn. And glue. Seriously specialized glues. Some of which took in the environs of a year to dry properly, which time the bow spent bent into a circle in a suitable storage space... Not really something the average D&D adventurer is going to want to sit through, I would imagine. :D
Saberus 05-12-07, 07:30 PM	I wonder, would dwarves maybe use special metal alloys to build their composite bows? I doubt that would make it any easier to upgrade them, just adds flavor.
Watchman 05-13-07, 03:16 AM	Why the heck would they ? Their usual habitats aren't exactly prime archery ground to begin with... IRL metal incidentally works well enough in crossbows, but not really in handbows. The Indians actually tried it at one point - around 1700s or so - but the results were never satisfactory.
Tetsubo 05-13-07, 04:13 AM	I've always seen a connection between Dwarves and Crossbows. But Dwarves and Firearms are even better... :)
RoninFrosty 05-13-07, 08:23 AM	I'm with SD: if you're treating it like something that already exists, you're not hurting anything. Hell, I'm typically willing to, as a DM, bend the rules in favor of flavor (heh). I'd personally rule that while the PC still has to pay the difference between a +0 and a +1, he could have that done, as long as he finds a bowyer of sufficient skill. Say something to the effect that the string has to be tightened, and the recurve made more pronounced, and only an very skilled bowyer can do this without snapping the bow or string. See? Problem solved.