Post/Author/DateTime	Post
raistlin_devreault 02-05-04, 01:51 PM	Hey you fellow DM out there.. here's a good question... My party decided that to get rid of a Wyvern, they wanted to build a balista. Now, i was looking at the rules in the PHB 3.0 and it says that it cost 1/3 of the cost in gp and then you apply the equation: check*Dc = $ in sp.. or what i like to call CPN(craft points needed) a balista cost 500gp, so 5000CPN. One of my Pc says that since they will get equipment from the town to build one(nails/rope) it shouldn't take as long... and that crafting time based on price doesn't make any sens. I told him that yes it does cause the price of an item is based on how time it takes, or how hard it his to make. And the only thing that getting free equipment will do is reduce the cost to make it... Any comments on that?
Stormweaver 02-05-04, 02:20 PM	hey Raist ! Your player is right the pricing and craft equation is not entirely realistic. Especially when it comes to Alchemy (wich is slower than true magic to craft). However your balista IS going to take some time to craft. Its a little more complicated than your average crowbow. What I do in these situation is I resort to common sense. How long does it take a skilled craftmen to carve the wood and work the firing mechanism. You could have the players cut down on the fabrication time of their contraption. Their appropriate skill should be proffession enginnering. A simple craft weapon would not be sufficient in that retrospect. I also research the subject when I'm not sure. Now ask youself how long would it take your pcs to built this without any power tools (or any prepared wood for that matter) http://198.144.2.125/Siege/OtherSiegeEngines/Full/BallistaPic.jpg
raistlin_devreault 02-05-04, 02:27 PM	What they were thinking is that the Gnome in the group has some knowledge points in Engeneering, so she will make some plans for the balcksmith, woodworking guy and bow making girl to craft various aspect of the balista. A lot of people from the town are gonna help(blacksmith/armorsmith/weaponsmith). I guess this should be enough, combining they're effort all together..
Stormweaver 02-05-04, 02:30 PM	If they got enough rope, wood and help they should be able to build this in a around a week or two.
Wayward Son 02-05-04, 02:35 PM	Well, sounds like the player is trying to make the rules fit his plan, to my ear at least. Stand firm, since getting the building materials is simply represented by the cost in the skill equation. They are getting their materials for free, so they should be ecstatic. Any way they slice it, it's still going to take some time to build. Here's a few ideas on that: --Do any of them have Craft: Seige Engines or Profession: Seige Engineer? If not, the whole point is moot, since a ballista takes a lot more to make than just a "really big crossbow". (I have a feeling they got the idea from SciFi's latest PBM (Pretty Bad Movie) about dragons. Remember, the character who brought in the ballista was a seige engineer, trained by her father, a master seige engineer. The "improvement" resembled modern ranging and targetting systems circa WWII, pre-radar.) --If they purposefully want to make a quick, jury-rigged version, let them. Raise the skill check to allow it to work, and half the cost in work. Then apply a penalty to all attack rolls with it, based on how well they make their Craft check. I wouldn't let the penalty drop below -4 though, considering the inferior nature of the machine. --You might want to check the Arms & Equipment Guide and the DMG for seige engine rules. The weapons don't use a character's RAB, but the operator's Profession: Seige Engineer skill (if I recall correctly). Even a light ballista takes a small team to operate, and accuracy is very low, especially against a moving target. Seige engines are great for busting down big, immobile walls, but really terrible for hitting anything that can dodge out of the way. Anyway, good luck. Remember, if it's at all plausible, you can have the wyvern spot them before their ready, too. :D
raistlin_devreault 02-05-04, 02:40 PM	Ill tell you guys what happen tomorow, since the game is in 2 hours..... The plan that they have is to camouflage the siege as a big cow, since teh wyvern only comes for cows... when the wyvern dive to get the cow, shoot at the last seconds and get away as fast as possible.... It may work...