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

Crossbows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Bohica
05-12-06, 01:58 PM Is it unreasonable for a character to have a "tactical" sling on a crossbow?

Bohica
Tony Vargas
05-12-06, 02:15 PM Depends on what you think that would do, mechanically.

All weapons come with a sheath, strap, or other apropriate gear so they can be carried and ready to draw normally. Drawing a weapon is a move action (that doesn't provoke, and can be combined with movement if you have BAB 1+). Quickdraw makes that a free action.

If that's what you expect from it, yes, your crossbow can have one - it's a cosmetic detail.
mvincent
05-12-06, 04:30 PM I think the OP might be suggesting firing with the sling on as a way to retain your crossbow if "dropped". However, since firing a crossbow usually involves raising it to eye-level, this might be an issue.
reese
05-12-06, 05:10 PM I think the OP might be suggesting firing with the sling on as a way to retain your crossbow if "dropped". However, since firing a crossbow usually involves raising it to eye-level, this might be an issue.

nonsense, i can fire an M-16 with the sling around me at eye level. you could fire the crossbow then drop it, and it will still tag along with you when you run away.

the only problem i see with it is that you can't jack up the price for a longer leather cord tied to your crossbow, and i'd say it gives you the quickdraw feat for free. not quite fair, but if one of my PC's came up with this logic themselves and i believed they weren't BSing i'd let them have it.
Watchman
05-12-06, 05:26 PM Carbines, musketoons and assorted similar short firearms were back in the day often carried hanging from a broad baldric. Cavalry in particular liked this method, as it left their hands free as necessary and kept the gun easily available (they normally hung to the right and rear with the stock coming up to about midrib or bit lower at the back). Similar arrangements are quite conceivable for at least the lighter and smaller varieties of crossbows (ie. the ones that need not particularly complicated spanning procedures), but the inconvenient shape - mainly the two arms projecting to the sides - ought to make it a bit of a pain. Mounted crossbowmen apparently usually carried theirs slung from the saddle, in saddle-holsters, or slung across the back.
mvincent
05-12-06, 05:29 PM nonsense, i can fire an M-16 with the sling around me at eye level. you could fire the crossbow then drop it, and it will still tag along with you when you run away.I was thinking about the hipshooting length sling. But you are correct, you could do this comfortably with one a bit longer. It would be similar to a melee weapon's lanyard (which I allow). I might impose a penalty for some actions though (just like I impose a penalty if you try to attack with a different weapon using a hand that has a lanyarded weapon dangling from it).
Tony Vargas
05-12-06, 05:29 PM I have no problem with the concept of a 'dummy cord' sort of arangement, so that when you drop an item, it isn't left in your square. For the sake of game balance, though, I'd still rule the item dangling from the cord 'unattended' for most purposes, and require the same action to retrieve it as picking up an item off the ground. That might not be realistic, but it allows the idea with a minimum of fuss and rule changing, and as little impact as possible on game balance.

It might be more realistic to assess some sort of penalty (to DEX, for instance) for having the item flapping around you as you move, but I'd prefer not to go into that kind of detail.

It might also be reasonable to restrict the number of items you can have 'tied on' at one time. Maybe make the thing take up a 'slot' (a classic dummy cord would take the kneck, for instance). In that case, it might be OK to give it more of a benefit (since you're giving up a slot, much as with a spiked gauntlet) - like remaining attended, and being retrieveable with the same action as drawing a weapon (not needing to sheath or stow an item is a substantial benefit, since normally doing so is an AoO provoking action and the only alternative is to dropping it).

The idea of a piece of string giving you quickdraw, though (which is what I was afraid the OP had in mind) is right out. Cheap equipment shouldn't obviate a feat.
ClementWillowbreaker
05-12-06, 09:09 PM Except of course, when the item is Sundark Goggles. God damn WotC "fixing" kobolds with cheese after giving them horrible stats.

If you don't want to drop something, get a locked gauntlet. Anything you want to describe it as should have the same limitations (except if you wanted it to be just string, you could lower the weight + cost and drop the lethal-unarmed strike part).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bohica 05-12-06, 01:58 PM	Is it unreasonable for a character to have a "tactical" sling on a crossbow? Bohica
Tony Vargas 05-12-06, 02:15 PM	Depends on what you think that would do, mechanically. All weapons come with a sheath, strap, or other apropriate gear so they can be carried and ready to draw normally. Drawing a weapon is a move action (that doesn't provoke, and can be combined with movement if you have BAB 1+). Quickdraw makes that a free action. If that's what you expect from it, yes, your crossbow can have one - it's a cosmetic detail.
mvincent 05-12-06, 04:30 PM	I think the OP might be suggesting firing with the sling on as a way to retain your crossbow if "dropped". However, since firing a crossbow usually involves raising it to eye-level, this might be an issue.
reese 05-12-06, 05:10 PM	I think the OP might be suggesting firing with the sling on as a way to retain your crossbow if "dropped". However, since firing a crossbow usually involves raising it to eye-level, this might be an issue. nonsense, i can fire an M-16 with the sling around me at eye level. you could fire the crossbow then drop it, and it will still tag along with you when you run away. the only problem i see with it is that you can't jack up the price for a longer leather cord tied to your crossbow, and i'd say it gives you the quickdraw feat for free. not quite fair, but if one of my PC's came up with this logic themselves and i believed they weren't BSing i'd let them have it.
Watchman 05-12-06, 05:26 PM	Carbines, musketoons and assorted similar short firearms were back in the day often carried hanging from a broad baldric. Cavalry in particular liked this method, as it left their hands free as necessary and kept the gun easily available (they normally hung to the right and rear with the stock coming up to about midrib or bit lower at the back). Similar arrangements are quite conceivable for at least the lighter and smaller varieties of crossbows (ie. the ones that need not particularly complicated spanning procedures), but the inconvenient shape - mainly the two arms projecting to the sides - ought to make it a bit of a pain. Mounted crossbowmen apparently usually carried theirs slung from the saddle, in saddle-holsters, or slung across the back.
mvincent 05-12-06, 05:29 PM	nonsense, i can fire an M-16 with the sling around me at eye level. you could fire the crossbow then drop it, and it will still tag along with you when you run away.I was thinking about the hipshooting length sling. But you are correct, you could do this comfortably with one a bit longer. It would be similar to a melee weapon's lanyard (which I allow). I might impose a penalty for some actions though (just like I impose a penalty if you try to attack with a different weapon using a hand that has a lanyarded weapon dangling from it).
Tony Vargas 05-12-06, 05:29 PM	I have no problem with the concept of a 'dummy cord' sort of arangement, so that when you drop an item, it isn't left in your square. For the sake of game balance, though, I'd still rule the item dangling from the cord 'unattended' for most purposes, and require the same action to retrieve it as picking up an item off the ground. That might not be realistic, but it allows the idea with a minimum of fuss and rule changing, and as little impact as possible on game balance. It might be more realistic to assess some sort of penalty (to DEX, for instance) for having the item flapping around you as you move, but I'd prefer not to go into that kind of detail. It might also be reasonable to restrict the number of items you can have 'tied on' at one time. Maybe make the thing take up a 'slot' (a classic dummy cord would take the kneck, for instance). In that case, it might be OK to give it more of a benefit (since you're giving up a slot, much as with a spiked gauntlet) - like remaining attended, and being retrieveable with the same action as drawing a weapon (not needing to sheath or stow an item is a substantial benefit, since normally doing so is an AoO provoking action and the only alternative is to dropping it). The idea of a piece of string giving you quickdraw, though (which is what I was afraid the OP had in mind) is right out. Cheap equipment shouldn't obviate a feat.
ClementWillowbreaker 05-12-06, 09:09 PM	Except of course, when the item is Sundark Goggles. God damn WotC "fixing" kobolds with cheese after giving them horrible stats. If you don't want to drop something, get a locked gauntlet. Anything you want to describe it as should have the same limitations (except if you wanted it to be just string, you could lower the weight + cost and drop the lethal-unarmed strike part).