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Old 10-17-2014, 12:01 AM   #8
Tomsdad
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Brighton
Default Re: Typical ST for a war bow?

One thing I do is allow Archers to leverage their Skill in order to use heavier bows.

I basically allow a roll against Bow skill. Success with MoS x 5% as an increase on Basic lift for calculating Pull. No success means no additional benefit.

This means that a good bowmen can draw quicker (in one turn not two for bows that would be otherwise over that particular threshold) and can draw bows heavier than than their ST alone would allow.

It is another roll though, so I also allow people to "take 11" which is to assume that rolled 11 and calculate a set bonus from there. e.g a Skill 14 bowman could apply an extra 15% on his BL without bothering to roll.


I like this because it makes the point that years of training on bow helped develop the very specific action of drawing a bow (and I also use Strong bow perk and lifting ST) and it fits the whole "to get good archer start with the grand father" meme where years of very specific training we needed to get to point where heavy war bows fired six accurate volleys per minute. I'd probably limit it to archers who have specifically trained to pull heavy war bows.

I also like that it means there is more of grey area between yes you can draw that bow as much as you like, and no you can't draw that bow at all. As Bowmen trying to draw a bow requiring several success will be gambling on making a roll by enough each time they draw. (you could get into firing bows at less than full power)

Ultimately it's the same theory behind trained ST bonuses (and Trained St would probably be quicker and easier)

Oh and I use the realistic bow damage setting in DS

Last edited by Tomsdad; 10-17-2014 at 07:59 AM.
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