05-23-2018, 12:33 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Mar 2010
|
Odd Question.... { Crossbows having ST-based damage }
I can see why a Bow would be be STRength based damage (imp+...) but why a Crossbow?
|
05-23-2018, 12:38 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
|
Re: Odd Question....
Note that in both cases, it's not the user's ST, as such, that sets the damage of the bow or crossbow. Muscle-powered weapons like these have their own ST, set when you purchase the item. See "Crossbows and ST", p. 270. Hopefully that makes it clearer why crossbow damage is ST-based - it's because the crossbow's damage is defined by ST, just the ST of the limbs and such that propel the bolt, not necessarily the ST of the person holding it up and pointing it.
|
05-23-2018, 02:41 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
|
Re: Odd Question....
Using a bow of higher ST than your own results in penalties; see B270 (the right-hand column under "Crossbows and ST", which also talks about self bows, forbidding stronger bows than your own ST).
Although that section just mentions reloading time penalties, I've also taken it to mean crossbows have a -1 per point of ST that you lack, as in the opening paragraph of the ST column for equipment. (Was it just 3e that had the bit about "a large crossbow is heavy and kicks" when describing the penalty for an over-ST crossbow?) |
05-23-2018, 03:19 PM | #4 | |
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ellicott City, MD
|
Re: Odd Question....
Quote:
|
|
05-23-2018, 05:27 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Dreamland
|
Re: Odd Question....
Quote:
|
|
05-23-2018, 08:00 PM | #6 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
|
Re: Odd Question....
The reason crossbows are ST related, is because of the limitation imposed by reloading the crossbow. Mechanisms exist allowing a character to reload crossbows of a ST waiting higher than their actual ST would normally allow, but at a penalty to reload time.
|
05-24-2018, 11:12 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Mar 2010
|
Re: Odd Question....
Got it - sorry - its been awhile....
|
05-24-2018, 12:05 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, Colorado
|
Re: Odd Question....
I checked into this topic, when Anten wanted a.crossbow for his character. Even with modern materials, the top-end pull available on a reasonably portable crossbow puts a bolt down-range at 330 fps. I gave that a GURPS ST of about 22.
The one used by A.J., in my campaign, is a hinged model that includes a geared lever as long as the whole crossbow. It's based on a real world crossbow made in Belgium, and their top-end model does about 305-310 fps., so we figured that was about ST 21.
__________________
-- MXLP:9 [JD=1, DK=1, DM-M=1, M(FAW)=1, SS=2, Nym=1 (nose coffee), sj=1 (nose cocoa), Maz=1] "Some days, I just don't know what to think." -Daryl Dixon. |
05-24-2018, 12:29 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
|
Re: Odd Question....
Quote:
|
|
05-24-2018, 01:08 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, Colorado
|
Re: Odd Question....
I did not. We just sorta eyeballed it. It works well enough.
__________________
-- MXLP:9 [JD=1, DK=1, DM-M=1, M(FAW)=1, SS=2, Nym=1 (nose coffee), sj=1 (nose cocoa), Maz=1] "Some days, I just don't know what to think." -Daryl Dixon. |
Tags |
bow, strength |
|
|