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View Full Version : Ranged weapons realism fixes



JusticeZero
2013-03-28, 01:33 PM
Always frustrated by the wonky weapon stats in the basic game. Let's try this again.



Ranged Weapons Cost Dmg(S) Dmg(M) Critical Range Special
Shortbow 15g 1d4 1d6 x3 60 -
Longbow 50g 1d6 1d8 x3 100 Martial
Sling - 1d3 1d4 x2 100 Thrown
Atlatl 5c 1d4 1d6 x2 50 Thrown
Crossbow, light 35g 1d6 1d8 19-20x2 50 Sniping, Reload (Move)
Crossbow, heavy 80g 1d8 1d10 19-20x2 80 Sniping, Reload (Full)
Thrown: Treated as a thrown weapon, and thus gains Strength bonuses to damage
Sniping: Crossbows can be fired while prone, from behind cover, and with minimal movement; therefore, the check to remain hidden after attacking is only -4 rather than -20.
Martial: A martial weapon.
Reload: Crossbows require a lot more fiddling to reload; either a move-equivalent action (which cannot be combined with moving) or a full-attack action (which cannot be combined with moving) are needed to reload the weapon.

The numbers could use a bit of mechanical pondering regarding balance points.

Greenish
2013-03-28, 02:36 PM
Sniping: Crossbows can be fired while prone, from behind cover, and with minimal movement; therefore, the check to remain hidden after attacking is only -4 rather than -20.That seems like a fairly huge adjustment coming from a single source. Able Sniper, the feat specifically for sniping, only gives you +4 bonus to the Hide check, and while yeah, that's silly low, I think that you're going over the other end.


Reload: Crossbows require a lot more fiddling to reload; either a move-equivalent action (which cannot be combined with moving) or a full-attack action (which cannot be combined with moving) are needed to reload the weapon.Do you mean a full round action?

JusticeZero
2013-03-28, 03:51 PM
That seems like a fairly huge adjustment coming from a single source.
Do you mean a full round action?
Yeah, i don't know what it aught to be. The attack itself gives a -20, which might be over the top in the other direction.
And yeah, brainfart on the term.

Greenish
2013-03-28, 03:57 PM
Yeah, i don't know what it aught to be. The attack itself gives a -20, which might be over the top in the other direction.But there is potentially huge Spot penalty from distance, and the tactic, successfully executed, can basically only be countered by running away (or hiding behind something). That may be realistic, but opinions on how fun or interesting it is probably vary.

Also, why do you say "a move-equivalent action (which cannot be combined with moving)" instead of "a move action"?


[Edit]: I do like the new sling and atlatl, but you might want to specify that they're not actually thrown weapons, and that reloading them is a X action (atlatl being a free action to reload would result in weirdness if javelins remained as thrown weapons).

JusticeZero
2013-03-28, 04:02 PM
Honestly? Because i've been trying not to fall asleep at my desk after a ridiculous morning. :smallredface:

Yitzi
2013-03-28, 04:07 PM
That seems like a fairly huge adjustment coming from a single source. Able Sniper, the feat specifically for sniping, only gives you +4 bonus to the Hide check, and while yeah, that's silly low, I think that you're going over the other end.

On the other hand, keep in mind that crossbows don't allow STR bonuses and need reloading, and sniping generally has to be at a distance that doesn't allow sneak attacks, so you're not exactly getting a lot of damage; your target can probably get to cover fairly quickly.

Greenish
2013-03-28, 04:26 PM
Whether sniping is a good option or not, I feel getting an effective +16 to Hide from picking a simple, non-magical weapon is quite excessive.

Lappy9001
2013-03-28, 11:59 PM
Now, I know nothing about IRL archery, but I've always thought that focusing on Critical damage and multiple dice (like 2d4's and 2d6's) would be a pretty realistic because it could represent just how lethal ranged weapons get

vasharanpaladin
2013-03-29, 04:15 PM
You want realism? Longbows have longer effective range than shortbows, but shortbows deal more damage.

Ashtagon
2013-03-29, 05:27 PM
You want realism? Longbows have longer effective range than shortbows, but shortbows deal more damage.

Now why would they do that?