Cost of Autoloading Ability on Crossbows? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cost of Autoloading Ability on Crossbows? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Harliquinn
10-08-03, 01:18 PM I was trying to come up with the 'price' of adding Autoloading to a Crossbow. The effect would draw the string back and (if a repeating crossbow) drop another bolt onto the firing chamber as it were. This would allow a crossbow to be used with one hand and give full BAB (Assuming it was a Repeating Crossbow or already had the Self-loading feature that creates the extradimensional space).

My thinking is +1 is fine, since it really doesn't add a lot of 'game' effect over a normal bow this way, but it might be considered +2 since it's a combination of effects (pulling string back, loading bolt). The bolts have to exist (So it's not like it fires energy or anything), so that's one thing to keep in mind.

ANyone have any thoughts on this?
kreynolds
10-08-03, 01:32 PM There's the Self-Loading Crossbow from page 116 of the Arms and Equipment Guide. You can probably extrapolate from there.
Harliquinn
10-08-03, 04:45 PM yeah I saw that one. It draws the string back but the user must still load the bolt into the chamber. It's an odd price, I think it comes out to be +1.4 or something if you scale things.
Perpetual Wizard
10-08-03, 04:46 PM The spell the enchantment would be based on would have to be pretty powerful like a telekinesis spell, since it would have to be able to pull back a 100-120 lb. draw on the crossbow. An auto-cocking repeating heavy crossbow would be a potent weapon after all. I would give it at least a +4 equivalent weapon bonus for pricing. I believe it is that powerful.
RhoPhiGamma
10-08-03, 05:19 PM Take the Self-Loading Crossbow and add the Quick-Loading enchantment to it (page 97 Arms and Equipment Guide). Speedy heavy crossbow goodness, and at only 28,350gp I'm cuttin' me own throat. ;)

Both enchantments drop the reload time to a MEA for a heavy crossbow. As a DM I'd probably let it go down to a free action.
Galahad_Knight
10-08-03, 06:11 PM Congradulations! You've now spent enough money to make a far superior longbow instead of a crossbow that fires as fast but doesn't have any damage enhancers or anything else on it :P

Just teasing, I always liked crossbows.
RhoPhiGamma
10-08-03, 08:59 PM Originally posted by Galahad_Knight
Congradulations! You've now spent enough money to make a far superior longbow instead of a crossbow that fires as fast but doesn't have any damage enhancers or anything else on it :P

Just teasing, I always liked crossbows.
Heh, yeah, I know. It's not really that bad. Especially if you're a cleric or rogue, since they get a fair number of attacks. The Quick-Loading enchantment allows you to hold 100 bolts in the ED space, and you can pick exactly which bolt you want as a free action, so you can just load it up with all sorts of different bolts and use the "right tool" for the job.
Harliquinn
10-08-03, 10:58 PM Well the enchantment is going on a repeating hand crossbow. I use cartridges of specific bolts, so I won't be adding the Quick-Loading enchantment. A +4 enhancement is way out of line for the ability I believe. I am thinking it might be +2 since it is decently nice to have, though hardly overpowering since I could do so much more with a bow. It's mainly for 'effect' as I want to wield two hand crossbows and not have to use hands to reload.

I'm going for a 'John Woo' look in a fantasy setting, so I'm trying to keep things like the repeating cartridges unique to the crossbows i use. I think the enchantment could use "Animate Object" like the Self-Loading Crossbow does, so that keeps the level lower.

Harliquinn
RhoPhiGamma
10-09-03, 06:10 AM Originally posted by Harliquinn
Well the enchantment is going on a repeating hand crossbow. I use cartridges of specific bolts, so I won't be adding the Quick-Loading enchantment. A +4 enhancement is way out of line for the ability I believe. I am thinking it might be +2 since it is decently nice to have, though hardly overpowering since I could do so much more with a bow. It's mainly for 'effect' as I want to wield two hand crossbows and not have to use hands to reload.
Oh, on a repeating hand crossbow. Well then I guess you could just use the Self-Loading Crossbow from the AaEG as a basis. Since it's a free action to reload a light repeating crossbow, and thus logically a repeating hand crossbow, an enchantment that would turn the crank for you would allow you your full iterative attacks when firing with one hand, plus any extras from using one in the hother hand as well.

Just change the price to reflect the cost of a masterwork repeating hand crossbow, whatever that may be.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Harliquinn 10-08-03, 01:18 PM	I was trying to come up with the 'price' of adding Autoloading to a Crossbow. The effect would draw the string back and (if a repeating crossbow) drop another bolt onto the firing chamber as it were. This would allow a crossbow to be used with one hand and give full BAB (Assuming it was a Repeating Crossbow or already had the Self-loading feature that creates the extradimensional space). My thinking is +1 is fine, since it really doesn't add a lot of 'game' effect over a normal bow this way, but it might be considered +2 since it's a combination of effects (pulling string back, loading bolt). The bolts have to exist (So it's not like it fires energy or anything), so that's one thing to keep in mind. ANyone have any thoughts on this?
kreynolds 10-08-03, 01:32 PM	There's the Self-Loading Crossbow from page 116 of the Arms and Equipment Guide. You can probably extrapolate from there.
Harliquinn 10-08-03, 04:45 PM	yeah I saw that one. It draws the string back but the user must still load the bolt into the chamber. It's an odd price, I think it comes out to be +1.4 or something if you scale things.
Perpetual Wizard 10-08-03, 04:46 PM	The spell the enchantment would be based on would have to be pretty powerful like a telekinesis spell, since it would have to be able to pull back a 100-120 lb. draw on the crossbow. An auto-cocking repeating heavy crossbow would be a potent weapon after all. I would give it at least a +4 equivalent weapon bonus for pricing. I believe it is that powerful.
RhoPhiGamma 10-08-03, 05:19 PM	Take the Self-Loading Crossbow and add the Quick-Loading enchantment to it (page 97 Arms and Equipment Guide). Speedy heavy crossbow goodness, and at only 28,350gp I'm cuttin' me own throat. ;) Both enchantments drop the reload time to a MEA for a heavy crossbow. As a DM I'd probably let it go down to a free action.
Galahad_Knight 10-08-03, 06:11 PM	Congradulations! You've now spent enough money to make a far superior longbow instead of a crossbow that fires as fast but doesn't have any damage enhancers or anything else on it :P Just teasing, I always liked crossbows.
RhoPhiGamma 10-08-03, 08:59 PM	Originally posted by Galahad_Knight Congradulations! You've now spent enough money to make a far superior longbow instead of a crossbow that fires as fast but doesn't have any damage enhancers or anything else on it :P Just teasing, I always liked crossbows. Heh, yeah, I know. It's not really that bad. Especially if you're a cleric or rogue, since they get a fair number of attacks. The Quick-Loading enchantment allows you to hold 100 bolts in the ED space, and you can pick exactly which bolt you want as a free action, so you can just load it up with all sorts of different bolts and use the "right tool" for the job.
Harliquinn 10-08-03, 10:58 PM	Well the enchantment is going on a repeating hand crossbow. I use cartridges of specific bolts, so I won't be adding the Quick-Loading enchantment. A +4 enhancement is way out of line for the ability I believe. I am thinking it might be +2 since it is decently nice to have, though hardly overpowering since I could do so much more with a bow. It's mainly for 'effect' as I want to wield two hand crossbows and not have to use hands to reload. I'm going for a 'John Woo' look in a fantasy setting, so I'm trying to keep things like the repeating cartridges unique to the crossbows i use. I think the enchantment could use "Animate Object" like the Self-Loading Crossbow does, so that keeps the level lower. Harliquinn
RhoPhiGamma 10-09-03, 06:10 AM	Originally posted by Harliquinn Well the enchantment is going on a repeating hand crossbow. I use cartridges of specific bolts, so I won't be adding the Quick-Loading enchantment. A +4 enhancement is way out of line for the ability I believe. I am thinking it might be +2 since it is decently nice to have, though hardly overpowering since I could do so much more with a bow. It's mainly for 'effect' as I want to wield two hand crossbows and not have to use hands to reload. Oh, on a repeating hand crossbow. Well then I guess you could just use the Self-Loading Crossbow from the AaEG as a basis. Since it's a free action to reload a light repeating crossbow, and thus logically a repeating hand crossbow, an enchantment that would turn the crank for you would allow you your full iterative attacks when firing with one hand, plus any extras from using one in the hother hand as well. Just change the price to reflect the cost of a masterwork repeating hand crossbow, whatever that may be.