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Old 10-27-2011, 07:25 PM   #3
DouglasCole
Doctor of GURPS Ballistics
 
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lakeville, MN
Default Re: Max Damage on Bows?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin View Post
I use a simpel 2x BL for the effective ST (i.e. 1x BL for each arm) but I know Doug Cole wants a higher number (2.5?) for some reason.
Basic Lift, ST 10 = 20
Basic Lift, ST 20 = 80

with 2.5x, a 50-lb. bow is the norm for ST 10, and a 200-lb. bow, in line with the estimates of the heaviest warbows drawn, is ST 20, which is GURPS' shorthand for "about the strongest person."

It just worked out well for what I wanted. Your way is 40-lb and 160-lb, which isn't terrible or evil or nuthin'. It does mean that the heaviest Mary Rose longbow (about 180-190 lbs) requires ST 21.5, and that Mark Stretton's 190-200-lb. bow is ST 22.3. That's fine, but I like ST 20 = 200# bow.

Matter of taste.

And to the OP's point: yes, with the bonuses you can stack on (and no, as Fred notes, you can't do Very Fine arrows) you can do some pretty ugly things with Strongbow (allows +2 ST at DX+2 . . . NOT +2 damage), Heroic Archer (Gunslinger for Bows), Special Exercises (Arm ST 2), and Weapon Master (Bows), you can stack up some MONSTER bonuses. The bow damage in GURPS is highly cinematic as written.
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