Crossbow [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Crossbow [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ilmion
02-16-06, 07:45 AM Is it possible to carry a loaded crossbow ?
Radijs
02-16-06, 08:28 AM Yes. Its not good for the crossbow to keep it loaded all the time though. Just pop an arrow in when you're expecting combat.
kintire
02-16-06, 08:34 AM Yes; Crossbows are better than bows in this regard. Keeping them loaded for hours at a time is plausible. It'll shorten the lifespan of the crossbow if you do it too often, but nothing you'd notice over the sort of timespan most games cover.
tarkin
02-16-06, 10:37 AM I generally rule that you can load it in the morning and use it all day, but can not leave it loaded overnight.
Radijs
02-16-06, 10:44 AM Why is there a diffrent between night and day?
Subedei
02-16-06, 11:20 AM Because you need to stop it somewhere and ruling by number of hours/minutes could become annoying.
tarkin
02-16-06, 11:27 AM Yes. Also, in general it is assumed that you will fire the weapon SOME time during the day.
WombleHunter
02-16-06, 11:32 AM Is it possible to carry a loaded crossbow ?
Yes. In D&D, the weight of a single crossbow bolt is insignificant.

:P

Seriously though, I would let anyone carry a loaded crossbow for as long as they wanted; I would assume that it was properly cared for "off camera". Crossbows suck enough as it is.
pres_man
02-16-06, 01:27 PM Just don't get bumped. **Twang** "Ouch! I've got a bolt in me bum!"
Ilmion
02-16-06, 01:34 PM So there is some machanism that maintain the bolt in place ?
Subedei
02-16-06, 01:56 PM Yes. Hanging a crossbow upside down for instance will not result in the bolt falling out. I also greatly doubt that a light knock would be sufficient to trigger it. Even modern guns usually require quite a bit of force to trigger the firing mechanism.
Adam Smite
02-16-06, 02:54 PM Realisticly, holding a crossbow upside down would cause the bolt to fall out. Pointing it downwards (like -80 degrees or something) would probably cause the bolt to slide out. However, it would be pretty simple to have a piece of cloth tied around the bolt and the crossbow with a bowknot to keep it in place.

The problem with getting bumped is that cross bows are likely to fire if bumped. Modern weapons have much better saftey mechanisms built in, and normally can only fire if a pin strikes the blastcap. A crossbow has a realitively sensative trigger, and the string can simply slide over the retaining mechanism. Repeating crossbows are obviously an exception to all of this, but that's beside the point isn't it?
Subedei
02-16-06, 02:57 PM And uhh, where are you drawing these rather questionable conclusions from?
draconic_swine
02-16-06, 04:22 PM Many crossbows had a mechanism called a leaf spring, which kept the bolt in place so you could the crossbow at any angle (including upside down) without fear of it falling out. The leaf spring was basically a clip that was strong enough to hold the bolt, but obviously nowhere near strong enough to interfere with the actual firing. Also, most crossbows fired by pulling a level that ran parallel to the underside of the stalk. If a small bump would cause the crossbow to go off, I doubt that they would have maintained such large triggers, so no, crossbows aren't prone to fire at the slightest touch.
pres_man
02-16-06, 04:40 PM In 3rd edition there was a covered hand crossbow that was meant to keep the bolt from falling out while climbing.
woodwalker
02-16-06, 06:54 PM i think that it is worth while to keep one loaded at night, instead of day. ( those night ambushes are annoying)
Chaser
02-17-06, 01:39 AM I generally let characters CARRY a loaded crossbow, but anytime they would have slung it, hung it on their saddlebow, climbed any distance, walked many miles, etc, it is then unloaded, and probably uncocked.

So, carrying a loaded crossbow through a dungeon until needed is allowable, generally, IMO.

However, long term holding of a loaded crossbow faces two problems: It's not good for the crossbow [realistically], and the bolt might not stay in place. For the second reason, slurbows, or barrelled crossbows, were invented IRL. They hold the bolt in place, even for shooting at many odd angles.

The common crossbow in DanD is not a slurbow, IMC, though a slurbow can be had as a masterwork crossbow, if the players ask.

Any RAW about this would be interesting, as would a more informed opinion, or something that works really well in play.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ilmion 02-16-06, 07:45 AM	Is it possible to carry a loaded crossbow ?
Radijs 02-16-06, 08:28 AM	Yes. Its not good for the crossbow to keep it loaded all the time though. Just pop an arrow in when you're expecting combat.
kintire 02-16-06, 08:34 AM	Yes; Crossbows are better than bows in this regard. Keeping them loaded for hours at a time is plausible. It'll shorten the lifespan of the crossbow if you do it too often, but nothing you'd notice over the sort of timespan most games cover.
tarkin 02-16-06, 10:37 AM	I generally rule that you can load it in the morning and use it all day, but can not leave it loaded overnight.
Radijs 02-16-06, 10:44 AM	Why is there a diffrent between night and day?
Subedei 02-16-06, 11:20 AM	Because you need to stop it somewhere and ruling by number of hours/minutes could become annoying.
tarkin 02-16-06, 11:27 AM	Yes. Also, in general it is assumed that you will fire the weapon SOME time during the day.
WombleHunter 02-16-06, 11:32 AM	Is it possible to carry a loaded crossbow ? Yes. In D&D, the weight of a single crossbow bolt is insignificant. :P Seriously though, I would let anyone carry a loaded crossbow for as long as they wanted; I would assume that it was properly cared for "off camera". Crossbows suck enough as it is.
pres_man 02-16-06, 01:27 PM	Just don't get bumped. Twang "Ouch! I've got a bolt in me bum!"
Ilmion 02-16-06, 01:34 PM	So there is some machanism that maintain the bolt in place ?
Subedei 02-16-06, 01:56 PM	Yes. Hanging a crossbow upside down for instance will not result in the bolt falling out. I also greatly doubt that a light knock would be sufficient to trigger it. Even modern guns usually require quite a bit of force to trigger the firing mechanism.
Adam Smite 02-16-06, 02:54 PM	Realisticly, holding a crossbow upside down would cause the bolt to fall out. Pointing it downwards (like -80 degrees or something) would probably cause the bolt to slide out. However, it would be pretty simple to have a piece of cloth tied around the bolt and the crossbow with a bowknot to keep it in place. The problem with getting bumped is that cross bows are likely to fire if bumped. Modern weapons have much better saftey mechanisms built in, and normally can only fire if a pin strikes the blastcap. A crossbow has a realitively sensative trigger, and the string can simply slide over the retaining mechanism. Repeating crossbows are obviously an exception to all of this, but that's beside the point isn't it?
Subedei 02-16-06, 02:57 PM	And uhh, where are you drawing these rather questionable conclusions from?
draconic_swine 02-16-06, 04:22 PM	Many crossbows had a mechanism called a leaf spring, which kept the bolt in place so you could the crossbow at any angle (including upside down) without fear of it falling out. The leaf spring was basically a clip that was strong enough to hold the bolt, but obviously nowhere near strong enough to interfere with the actual firing. Also, most crossbows fired by pulling a level that ran parallel to the underside of the stalk. If a small bump would cause the crossbow to go off, I doubt that they would have maintained such large triggers, so no, crossbows aren't prone to fire at the slightest touch.
pres_man 02-16-06, 04:40 PM	In 3rd edition there was a covered hand crossbow that was meant to keep the bolt from falling out while climbing.
woodwalker 02-16-06, 06:54 PM	i think that it is worth while to keep one loaded at night, instead of day. ( those night ambushes are annoying)
Chaser 02-17-06, 01:39 AM	I generally let characters CARRY a loaded crossbow, but anytime they would have slung it, hung it on their saddlebow, climbed any distance, walked many miles, etc, it is then unloaded, and probably uncocked. So, carrying a loaded crossbow through a dungeon until needed is allowable, generally, IMO. However, long term holding of a loaded crossbow faces two problems: It's not good for the crossbow [realistically], and the bolt might not stay in place. For the second reason, slurbows, or barrelled crossbows, were invented IRL. They hold the bolt in place, even for shooting at many odd angles. The common crossbow in DanD is not a slurbow, IMC, though a slurbow can be had as a masterwork crossbow, if the players ask. Any RAW about this would be interesting, as would a more informed opinion, or something that works really well in play.