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D&D General Pellet bow?
- Thread starter abe ray
- Start date
Greenfield
Adventurer
A slingshot requires something stretchy. In modern, high perf ones we use surgical tubing. No such thing though, in the D&D world.
In hard fact, a standard sling (David v Goliath version) throws a heavier stone and does more damage.
Now, in creating a "Long bow version", are you looking for a better range increment, or more damage?
In hard fact, a standard sling (David v Goliath version) throws a heavier stone and does more damage.
Now, in creating a "Long bow version", are you looking for a better range increment, or more damage?
Greenfield
Adventurer
<Chuckle> So when I ask if your concern is range or damage, your answer is "yes"?
There are a number of specialty ammunition types mentioned in the Arms and Equipment guide that might add to damage.
Also consider just enchanting the sling, or at least getting a master worked one.
While masterworking a sling doesn't add to damage, the +1 to hit effectively increases the range by reducing the long range penalty. And, of course, you can add weapon enhancements to anything. Far-Shot? I think that's a possible weapons enhancement. Want to add an energy type, like fire or electricity? That adds to damage.
If you want to be silly, add Object Bane to it so you can blow doors out of their hinges with a sling stone. Now that would be a sight!
There are a number of specialty ammunition types mentioned in the Arms and Equipment guide that might add to damage.
Also consider just enchanting the sling, or at least getting a master worked one.
While masterworking a sling doesn't add to damage, the +1 to hit effectively increases the range by reducing the long range penalty. And, of course, you can add weapon enhancements to anything. Far-Shot? I think that's a possible weapons enhancement. Want to add an energy type, like fire or electricity? That adds to damage.
If you want to be silly, add Object Bane to it so you can blow doors out of their hinges with a sling stone. Now that would be a sight!
TBeholder
Explorer
Can't find anything already done on this.
Except that PO:C&T mis-labeled stonebow (pellet crossbow) as this. They gave it stats as equivalent of a light crossbow (only a little bit lighter) that shoots equivalent of sling stones (with sling range, etc).
So just do the same and use fallback of treating it as a bow that shoots sling stones (what it gains in velocity, it loses on mass).
It's not like you have to make it somehow awesome to reflect its properties. The only advantage of pellet bow over common bows is using dirt-cheap and compact ammunition, yet still sufficient to kill small birds, and over sling, no need to do any abrupt moves before the attack (which obviously helps in ambush hunting).
Same for enchanted version, use for pellets properties from sling stones and for launcher properties from short bow.
Or add netherpelter ammunition (from Netheril: Empire of Magic) for extra giggles. With 10D fireball, suddenly-ton-of-water thing, etc.
Except that PO:C&T mis-labeled stonebow (pellet crossbow) as this. They gave it stats as equivalent of a light crossbow (only a little bit lighter) that shoots equivalent of sling stones (with sling range, etc).
So just do the same and use fallback of treating it as a bow that shoots sling stones (what it gains in velocity, it loses on mass).
It's not like you have to make it somehow awesome to reflect its properties. The only advantage of pellet bow over common bows is using dirt-cheap and compact ammunition, yet still sufficient to kill small birds, and over sling, no need to do any abrupt moves before the attack (which obviously helps in ambush hunting).
Same for enchanted version, use for pellets properties from sling stones and for launcher properties from short bow.
Or add netherpelter ammunition (from Netheril: Empire of Magic) for extra giggles. With 10D fireball, suddenly-ton-of-water thing, etc.
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Greenfield
Adventurer
I can see a "Pellet Bow" as a modified crossbow, and it should have the same reloading limitations and requirements.
Being an archer IRL I can tell you that there's no way to do this with a long bow or short bow. Plus, if the ammunition is that much lighter it's the equivalent of "Dry firing" the bow, which can actually break it.
Being an archer IRL I can tell you that there's no way to do this with a long bow or short bow. Plus, if the ammunition is that much lighter it's the equivalent of "Dry firing" the bow, which can actually break it.
Greenfield
Adventurer
Actually, thinking back, I did see a PBS show where they explored some of Da Vinci's designs and tried to see if they could work.
His flying machine actually flew, like a hang-glider, though it required a high speed that made it hard to land, and lacked maneuverability.
The other invention they explored was a giant crossbow designed to hurl stones. They built and rebuilt this one, and near the end of the show they fired it.
The machine was huge, by the way, and the stone they threw was about the size of a grapefruit. Maybe a small melon. It went about 60 feet total, and while they called it a success, I saw it as a dismal failure.
A pellet actually rolls out of a sling, so it's spinning as it flies. A stone fired by any kind of bow wouldn't have that spin. It would be a knuckle ball. So even if you could increase the range increment (which the Da Vinci demo didn't do), the accuracy would suffer.
There's a reason why we add fletchings (feathers) to arrows. They spin it slightly and keep it going straight.
His flying machine actually flew, like a hang-glider, though it required a high speed that made it hard to land, and lacked maneuverability.
The other invention they explored was a giant crossbow designed to hurl stones. They built and rebuilt this one, and near the end of the show they fired it.
The machine was huge, by the way, and the stone they threw was about the size of a grapefruit. Maybe a small melon. It went about 60 feet total, and while they called it a success, I saw it as a dismal failure.
A pellet actually rolls out of a sling, so it's spinning as it flies. A stone fired by any kind of bow wouldn't have that spin. It would be a knuckle ball. So even if you could increase the range increment (which the Da Vinci demo didn't do), the accuracy would suffer.
There's a reason why we add fletchings (feathers) to arrows. They spin it slightly and keep it going straight.
TBeholder
Explorer
Yet somehow both Chinese and Italians did this. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=50771.15
The answer is that it's too weak to have such problems, as a cheap weapon with dirt-cheap ammunition, made specifically for plinking away at small game and nothing else. The projectile only needs to be energetic enough to kill fowl within or slightly beyond throwing range.
Thus, the staff doesn't break because it's very flexible (being a weak spring) and forces sufficient for doing something inelastic to it aren't involved, so it just bends and vibrates some more after the pellet departs. Long range ballistics issue simply does not stand in the way, because this matters little in its niche: while pellet bow most likely can't shoot better than a reasonably well-made common slingshot no matter what, it doesn't have requirements higher than a common slingshot either (the trade-off is that it's larger, but doesn't need rubber).
The answer is that it's too weak to have such problems, as a cheap weapon with dirt-cheap ammunition, made specifically for plinking away at small game and nothing else. The projectile only needs to be energetic enough to kill fowl within or slightly beyond throwing range.
Thus, the staff doesn't break because it's very flexible (being a weak spring) and forces sufficient for doing something inelastic to it aren't involved, so it just bends and vibrates some more after the pellet departs. Long range ballistics issue simply does not stand in the way, because this matters little in its niche: while pellet bow most likely can't shoot better than a reasonably well-made common slingshot no matter what, it doesn't have requirements higher than a common slingshot either (the trade-off is that it's larger, but doesn't need rubber).
Cleon
Legend
I'd say a pellet bow is at best a shortbow version of a slingshot.
AD&D has stats for a pellet bow in Oriental Adventures, but offhand I can't think of official 3E stats for them.
The simple approach is just use the damage and ammunition cost of a sling — they ought to be able to use stones or bullets plus the other stats for a Shortbow.
The weapon stats would be something like this:
Martial Weapon (Ranged Weapon)
Pellet Bow; 30 gp; 60 ft. range increment; 2 lb. weight.
Bullets [for 10]: 1 sp; 1d4×2 bludgeoning; 5 lb.
Stones [for 10]: cost n/a; 1d3×2 bludgeoning; 5 lb.; –1 attack penalty
Pellet Bow
You need at least two hands to use a pellet bow, regardless of its size. You can use a pellet bow while mounted. If you have a penalty for low Strength, apply it to damage rolls when you use a shortbow.
You can hurl ordinary stones with a pellet bow, but stones are not as dense or as round as bullets. Thus, such an attack deals damage as if the weapon were designed for a creature one size category smaller than you and you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls.
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That makes it a really crummy weapon, but they are really crummy weapons.
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