A question on heavy repeating crosbows.

**Hazzardevil** · 2011-01-10, 01:24 PM (ISO 8601)

I am making a crazy iron golem repeater/warhammer build.

and I am thinking theoretically I can use a repeater crossbow, shoot 4 bolts, reload, and keep repeating. Or is it I can only shoot 5 bolts per round?

Feel free to try to help me build.

**Toliudar** · 2011-01-10, 03:46 PM (ISO 8601)

I'm not too clear on what you're asking.

Normally, you can apply iterative attacks to a repeating crossbow, up to the point where you run out of bolts. At that point, loading a new set of bolts in is a full-round action. If you swap out cases of bolts before you get to five, it's still a full-round action to switch cases.

If you're building a custom golem anyway, then you might as well build a force crossbow or something into the process. Perhaps look for inspiration at something like the Force Golem (MM5) to see what an intelligent golem might do.

**Hazzardevil** · 2011-01-10, 03:52 PM (ISO 8601)

I was reading on teh srd and it said that repeating crossbows reload as a free action if you have any bolts still in it.
I was thinking this could leave me shooting for a long time with a crossbow.

**Dreadn4ught** · 2011-01-10, 04:17 PM (ISO 8601)

Yes, reloading it is a free action, but shooting it is a standard action. So you can only shoot once per round.

Hope that answers you're question.

**Urpriest** · 2011-01-10, 04:46 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Dreadn4ught

Yes, reloading it is a free action, but shooting it is a standard action. So you can only shoot once per round.

Hope that answers you're question.

Shooting it is an attack action just like shooting any other ranged weapon. So you can do it as a standard action, or as part of a full attack.

**Suropej** · 2011-01-10, 05:02 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Hazzardevil

I was reading on teh srd and it said that repeating crossbows reload as a free action if you have any bolts still in it.
I was thinking this could leave me shooting for a long time with a crossbow.

There's two kinds of reloading with repeating crossbows.
1. Reloading the bolt in the firing mechanism.
2. Reloading the case of bolts that acts as the weapon's clip of ammo.

Reloading the bolt in the firing mechanism is a free action, and it is done by flipping a switch (according to the PHB) and dropping another bolt from the clip/case into the firing slot. You can only reload this way until you run out of ammo in the clip/case. This reloading does not interrupt your attack.

Once you run out of ammo in the clip/case you need to reload that. That is a full round action that interrupts your attack action.

**panaikhan** · 2011-01-11, 08:56 AM (ISO 8601)

There is a Warforged weapon in Eberron that is basically a repeating crossbow that summons it's own bolts. If you're building it into a golem, I'm sure you can make it unlimited.

-edit- build them into twin shoulder-turrets to keep the golem's hands free for squishy goodness.

**stainboy** · 2011-01-11, 09:45 AM (ISO 8601)

For those confused, pulling the reloading lever on a repeating crossbow is a free action, a full attack is a single action, and actions in D&D usually have to happen in sequence. I believe there's a ruling from the Star Wars D20 online Q&A that states you can't take a free action between attacks as part of a full attack action, but I can't remember it and I don't know Star Wars D20.

Anyway the rules on ammunition state that drawing ammunition for a bow is a free action, as opposed to not an action or part of an attack:

Originally Posted by From the SRD:

Projectile weapons use ammunition: arrows (for bows), bolts (for crossbows), or sling bullets (for slings). When using a bow, a character can draw ammunition as a free action; crossbows and slings require an action for reloading.

This is poorly worded, but if it's possible to reload a bow between attacks during a full attack action, there's no explicit reason that shouldn't also be true for a repeating crossbow.

**Greenish** · 2011-01-11, 10:21 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by panaikhan

There is a Warforged weapon in Eberron that is basically a repeating crossbow that summons it's own bolts.

It's a bit overpriced though, and requires EWP.

**The Glyphstone** · 2011-01-11, 10:23 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by stainboy

For those confused, pulling the reloading lever on a repeating crossbow is a free action, a full attack is a single action, and actions in D&D usually have to happen in sequence. I believe there's a ruling from the Star Wars D20 online Q&A that states you can't take a free action between attacks as part of a full attack action, but I can't remember it and I don't know Star Wars D20.

Anyway the rules on ammunition state that drawing ammunition for a bow is a free action, as opposed to not an action or part of an attack:

This is poorly worded, but if it's possible to reload a bow between attacks during a full attack action, there's no explicit reason that shouldn't also be true for a repeating crossbow.

For that matter, it'd also make Rapid Reload close to worthless, as it specifically reduces the reload time for Light crossbows down to a free action. If that didn't do anything, it would be unnecessary text.

**panaikhan** · 2011-01-11, 12:02 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Greenish

It's a bit overpriced though, and requires EWP.

All repeating crossbows are exotic.

I'm just saying - custom-made golem, with automatic heavy crossbow turrets (make them Weapon Familiars, same setting) for shoulders. Win-Win.

**Greenish** · 2011-01-11, 01:26 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by panaikhan

All repeating crossbows are exotic.

Yeah, but when you basically got Quick Loading on it anyhow, making it a repeating one is waste.

+1 Quick Loading light crossbow would cost you 8k, and have the capacity of 100 bolts, reloadable without costing hitpoints.

Thread: A question on heavy repeating crosbows.

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