Bows Found as Treasure—Restring to Different ST?

[Stripe]

Are there any printed rules for restringing bows to a different strength? If so, how much does it cost and how long does it take?

Do the printed rules cover bows with modifiers? For example, if one found a Balanced, fine, elven composite bow worth $22,800, how much would it cost and how long would it take to make it a lower strength?

Seeking page references and quotes if available.

Thanks!

[DanHoward]

Realistically, it isn't possible. Each bow is tillered for a specific length and draw strength. Messing around with this will seriously degrade its performance. Just sell the bow and buy one with a lower strength.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by Stripe

Are there any printed rules for restringing bows to a different strength? If so, how much does it cost and how long does it take?

Do the printed rules cover bows with modifiers? For example, if one found a Balanced, fine, elven composite bow worth $22,800, how much would it cost and how long would it take to make it a lower strength?

Seeking page references and quotes if available.

Thanks!

This stream of comments in this Primitive Archer forum suggests you can sinew-back a bow after it's been shot for a while. That would be adding to ST after the bow has been made. In terms of lowering ST, I suspect it's possible but unwise, for the reasons Dan suggests. The entire bow would need to be reshaped and re-tillered.

And how it responds if it's, say, a magical bow will depend strongly on the cosmology. You might need a ritual circle or a bunch of chanting elves (or elvish chants) or something under a moonlit sky wearing only white linen or something.

[Anthony]

The OP seems to have found rules in Caverntown that let you do it. Which is reasonably consistent with the style of Dungeon Fantasy, whether or not it makes any sense at all.

[Stripe]

Correct, I did find those rules in (the fantastic) Caverntown. I'm just making sure I didn't miss any rules anywhere.

Thanks, all!

[Kromm]

Adjusting bow ST isn't realistic but doesn't pose any great challenge to willing suspension of disbelief in a universe that has elves, magic, orichalcum, walking trees, portals to other dimensions, etc. Who knows what secrets blatant violations of our universe's principles of physics, biology, probability, and so on might unlock?

As for the cost: Yes, there are rules in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Setting: Caverntown. As a service to Dungeon Fantasy RPG players and an ad for my book, here's the short version:

Craftspeople can restring a bow to a new ST as long as the bow is designed for someone of the end user's Size Modifier. Cost is 10% of mundane artifact value; time is a week.

There's more, but I have to leave some reason to buy the supplement. ;)

[Dalin]

Originally Posted by Kromm

There's more, but I have to leave some reason to buy the supplement. ;)

There are oh-so-many reasons to buy this outstanding supplement!