New Weapon: Bowblade

[Lysander]

Here's an idea for a new weapon (although it very well may exist in some book somewhere already). The bowblade.

A lightweight hollow steel longbow. The tips of the bow are sharpened to points and elongated, allow you to use them as piercing weapons. What you get is a two-handed weapon that functions as both a bow and a melee piercing weapon. Does this exist? And if not, would this work?

[Warclam]

There's something very similar to that: the Yuan-Ti Serpent Bow (Secrets of Xen'drik, p. 136-137). It's slashing, not piercing, but just substituting the damage type should work just fine.

The way it works is it functions as a longbow with a range increment reduced to 80ft, as well as a two-handed melee weapon dealing 1d6 damage. It's treated as a double weapon for enchantments, so to make the bow and the blades +1 you'd need to pay for two weapon enchantments.

[Sereg]

If I remember correctly, there's als a bow that functions as a club in Races of the Wild, and a magic weapon that can switch between being a bow and a sword.

[Serpentine]

Races of the Wild has an Elvencraft Bow, which doubles as a staff; a close-fighting blade, but can only be applied to melee weapons for some reason; and a swordbow, which is a magical weapon that switches between the two forms.
I feel like this idea should have been done somewhere...

[Anasazi]

Theres an elven bow that works as both a projectile bow and a bow staff, which is pretty handy, i forget what it is off hand, but its bashing damage.

And then ofcourse what Warclam noted.

However, in a purely function standpoint, a bow, while not exactly fragile, is designed specific, its molded to perfection, and any form of melee combat without some essence of magic infused would clearly end in destorying the accuracy of the bow. We're not just talking range, but precision also.
But then, this is dnd, where laws of physics and functionality are thrust out the window :)

[Wannabehero]

An excellent idea. I consistently have homebrewed melee-capable ranged weapons into my campaigns and make them exotic weapon proficiencies. These usually include:


The Bladed Longbow
The Axe-head Crossbow and Bayoneted Crossbow
The Sling Staff (Halfling sling staff, but treat has a non-double weapon quarterstaff for melee)

[Warclam]

Just a few additional notes:

First, I forgot to mention that the serpent bow is an exotic weapon.

Second, a little more detail on elvencraft bows. Any bow can be made elvencraft, and it will function as a club (shortbow) or a quarterstaff (longbow) in melee (use your best judgement for other bows, I suppose). The melee and ranged capabilities need to be separately enchanted, like with the serpent bow.

[Lysander]

At least you can enchant them as seperate weapons though, instead of seperate enchantments on the same weapon.

While we're on the topic of "multiattack mode weapon", what do you think about a dagger that functions as a wand? I know there's an enhancement that allows you to slip a wand into a weapon, but I mean that the dagger itself is the wand.

[Warclam]

At least you can enchant them as seperate weapons though, instead of seperate enchantments on the same weapon.

While we're on the topic of "multiattack mode weapon", what do you think about a dagger that functions as a wand? I know there's an enhancement that allows you to slip a wand into a weapon, but I mean that the dagger itself is the wand.

Maybe, since some rods can be used as maces or clubs. The trouble is that wands are pretty flimsy. I'd probably handle it by adding the price of a masterwork dagger to the price of the wand.

[Lysander]

What would also be neat for a bard is a lutebow, which both plays music and allows you to use its strings to launch arrows.

[Wannabehero]

What would also be neat for a bard is a lutebow, which both plays music and allows you to use its strings to launch arrows.

Big bonus for awesome flair :smallcool:

[Ashtagon]

A club (shortbow) or quarterstaff (longbow) version already exists. Complete Adventurer has options that allow you to place a dagger blade in a bow.

Realistically, such a weapon would no longer be usable as a bow ever again. But if it works for you, enjoy.

[Lysander]

Realistically, such a weapon would no longer be usable as a bow ever again. But if it works for you, enjoy.

Maybe it could require it to be made out of special durable materials, like mithril or adamantium.

[Ashtagon]

Maybe it could require it to be made out of special durable materials, like mithril or adamantium.

And then it wouldn't be functional as a bow.

The material you are looking for is called unobtanium; it is both flexible enough to bend when pulled, yet rigid enough to maintain its shape perfectly when swung.

[Draconi Redfir]

theirs also the Elvin Swordbow, wich is a bow with blades on its "arms", like the one my avatar is weilding.

[playswithfire]

There's also the bow blade from Complete Scoundrel, basically stick a punching dagger on the bow grip, add enhancements separately and take a -2 penalty when using it as a melee weapon.

[Warclam]

And then it wouldn't be functional as a bow.

The material you are looking for is called unobtanium; it is both flexible enough to bend when pulled, yet rigid enough to maintain its shape perfectly when swung.

A compound bow might manage it, since they're more or less mechanical. That's not D&D-era tech, though.

[jiriku]

What would also be neat for a bard is a lutebow, which both plays music and allows you to use its strings to launch arrows.

G-Clef Attack! And when you use Manyshot with your lutebow, it sounds a chord!