Ghosts and Oath Bows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Ghosts and Oath Bows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
hobojimathome
02-25-05, 06:53 PM So, we're a level 13 group of drow, and this ghost of some famous ranger of Corellian decides that we're desecrating the temple we're robbing.

Now our DM hates heavy armor, and ghosts go straight through armor. Our DM believes that bows can be made incorporeal, making these arrows also incorporeal.

If my DM is correct, the Oath Bow now fires incorporeal arrows, which go through our armor and can't be stopped by cover or wind.

I argue that the weapon has a 50% miss chance, and should cost a LOT more. Is this even possible, and if so, how would you make arrows incorporeal?
Lopez
02-25-05, 08:30 PM It should not bypass your armor...50% miss chance sounds...kind of good, but the thing to think about is that if it goes through your armor why wouldn't it go through your body??? lol
-Sam
PhaedrusXY
02-26-05, 04:11 AM It should not bypass your armor...50% miss chance sounds...kind of good, but the thing to think about is that if it goes through your armor why wouldn't it go through your body??? lol
-SamIt sounds like the DM is treating this bow as an incorporeal touch attack (which ignore non-living matter), which doesn't sound right to me. Ghost Touch doesn't make a weapon deliver touch attacks, it only allows the weapon to harm incorporeal creatures normally (and vice versa, lets incorporeal creatures harm material creatures). Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of its bonus. (An incorporeal creature’s 50% chance to avoid damage does not apply to attacks with ghost touch weapons.) The weapon can be picked up and moved by an incorporeal creature at any time. A manifesting ghost can wield the weapon against corporeal foes. Essentially, a ghost touch weapon counts as either corporeal or incorporeal at any given time, whichever is more beneficial to the wielder.Nothing in there makes your attacks touch attacks. If the bow is incorporeal, the arrows would go right through you (as Lopez said). If the bow was corporeal, they would act like normal arrows (but the ghost could still wield the bow).

Of course... the DM can do whatever he feels like. Some ghosts manifest looking like they had equipment. This equipment doesn't really help them in anyway usually, it's just "for looks". It sounds like this DM is saying that the ghost was so emotionally attached to his bow during life, that it manifests with him now and he can make his incorporeal touch attacks as ranged attacks. It's a pretty cool idea I think, but not really doable within a strict framework of the rules. The closest thing to it would be a Brilliant Energy and Ghost Touch weapon, but Brilliant Energy can only be applied to melee weapons.
Gedrin
02-26-05, 03:06 PM The weapon power you describe, goes through armor but harms flesh, is the "Brilliant Energy" power. There is no standard miss chance for a brilliant energy weapon.

The odds are the DM either:
...it's a Ghost Touch Brilliant Energy weapon. It would be facinating to talk to the person who made the weapon.
...thought it would be cool for it to work that way. Give the bow to the wizard and have him use is touch spells through it.
...the DM came up with different enchantment that allows arrows to take the properties of touch attacks. Same action. Find an Elf.
...the DM wasn't certain how the enchantment works. It happens. Still, the DM should be consistent with the function of the weapon. He might also decide to clarify things out of game. There are 15 special abilities for ranged weapons, and that's just in the DMG. Mistakes happen, cut some slack.

In any event, just get the weapon thoroughly identified by an expert so you can understand its properties.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
hobojimathome 02-25-05, 06:53 PM	So, we're a level 13 group of drow, and this ghost of some famous ranger of Corellian decides that we're desecrating the temple we're robbing. Now our DM hates heavy armor, and ghosts go straight through armor. Our DM believes that bows can be made incorporeal, making these arrows also incorporeal. If my DM is correct, the Oath Bow now fires incorporeal arrows, which go through our armor and can't be stopped by cover or wind. I argue that the weapon has a 50% miss chance, and should cost a LOT more. Is this even possible, and if so, how would you make arrows incorporeal?
Lopez 02-25-05, 08:30 PM	It should not bypass your armor...50% miss chance sounds...kind of good, but the thing to think about is that if it goes through your armor why wouldn't it go through your body??? lol -Sam
PhaedrusXY 02-26-05, 04:11 AM	It should not bypass your armor...50% miss chance sounds...kind of good, but the thing to think about is that if it goes through your armor why wouldn't it go through your body??? lol -SamIt sounds like the DM is treating this bow as an incorporeal touch attack (which ignore non-living matter), which doesn't sound right to me. Ghost Touch doesn't make a weapon deliver touch attacks, it only allows the weapon to harm incorporeal creatures normally (and vice versa, lets incorporeal creatures harm material creatures). Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of its bonus. (An incorporeal creature’s 50% chance to avoid damage does not apply to attacks with ghost touch weapons.) The weapon can be picked up and moved by an incorporeal creature at any time. A manifesting ghost can wield the weapon against corporeal foes. Essentially, a ghost touch weapon counts as either corporeal or incorporeal at any given time, whichever is more beneficial to the wielder.Nothing in there makes your attacks touch attacks. If the bow is incorporeal, the arrows would go right through you (as Lopez said). If the bow was corporeal, they would act like normal arrows (but the ghost could still wield the bow). Of course... the DM can do whatever he feels like. Some ghosts manifest looking like they had equipment. This equipment doesn't really help them in anyway usually, it's just "for looks". It sounds like this DM is saying that the ghost was so emotionally attached to his bow during life, that it manifests with him now and he can make his incorporeal touch attacks as ranged attacks. It's a pretty cool idea I think, but not really doable within a strict framework of the rules. The closest thing to it would be a Brilliant Energy and Ghost Touch weapon, but Brilliant Energy can only be applied to melee weapons.
Gedrin 02-26-05, 03:06 PM	The weapon power you describe, goes through armor but harms flesh, is the "Brilliant Energy" power. There is no standard miss chance for a brilliant energy weapon. The odds are the DM either: ...it's a Ghost Touch Brilliant Energy weapon. It would be facinating to talk to the person who made the weapon. ...thought it would be cool for it to work that way. Give the bow to the wizard and have him use is touch spells through it. ...the DM came up with different enchantment that allows arrows to take the properties of touch attacks. Same action. Find an Elf. ...the DM wasn't certain how the enchantment works. It happens. Still, the DM should be consistent with the function of the weapon. He might also decide to clarify things out of game. There are 15 special abilities for ranged weapons, and that's just in the DMG. Mistakes happen, cut some slack. In any event, just get the weapon thoroughly identified by an expert so you can understand its properties.