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Old 04-14-2012, 09:40 PM   #1
Flyndaran
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Default Why short bow instead of long bow?

Less damage and range for a tiny reduction in Bulk when it would take a cinematic archer to actually hit the broad side of a barn with -6 penalty.
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Old 04-14-2012, 09:43 PM   #2
sir_pudding
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Less damage and range for a tiny reduction in Bulk
They're cheaper too.
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when it would take a cinematic archer to actually hit the broad side of a barn with -6 penalty.
What -6 penalty?
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Old 04-14-2012, 09:47 PM   #3
DouglasCole
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Less damage and range for a tiny reduction in Bulk when it would take a cinematic archer to actually hit the broad side of a barn with -6 penalty.
Usually they'd be used because you just don't need the power of a longer bow (hunting), or because the materials you have (horn, for example) might not be available super-long, or because you want to use it on horseback.
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Old 04-14-2012, 09:51 PM   #4
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

Isn't it also lighter?

You may want to add a reusable ranged attack, but minimize encumbrance hit
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Old 04-14-2012, 10:07 PM   #5
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

Realistically a shorter bow would be easier to use from horseback, in dense woodland, in a Dungeon, or any other place where a longer bow is likely to bump into the scenery.
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Old 04-14-2012, 10:15 PM   #6
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

This isn't a game reason so much as a historical one, but...

Because a human being can use a short bow and a long bow typically requires someone who has spent a freakish amount of time developing the upper body strength required to draw a longbow. Wikipedia mentions that skeletons of longbowmen are visibly deformed by there efforts and I heard a (possibly apocryphal) quote attributed to some English king that "If you want to train a longbowmen, you have to begin with his grandfather."
So it's kind of like why be an infantryman when you could be special forces- it is better to be extra-awesome if you have the time, resources, and desire to put in, but the investment in training is prohibitive to many (which is probably why many nations favored the simple but not terribly effective crossbow when it came to warfare).
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Old 04-14-2012, 10:18 PM   #7
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

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Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
They're cheaper too. What -6 penalty?
Bulk penalty occurs when using a move and attack.
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Old 04-14-2012, 10:22 PM   #8
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

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Originally Posted by DouglasCole View Post
Usually they'd be used because you just don't need the power of a longer bow (hunting), or because the materials you have (horn, for example) might not be available super-long, or because you want to use it on horseback.
Using your spreadsheet I could squeeze out the same damage for a short bow as a man tall long bow... well for my SM+1 "men" at least.

But cost is always important, I agree.
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Old 04-14-2012, 10:23 PM   #9
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

In all, I just thought there might be an advantage to sneaking/running around with a less cumbersome bow.
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Old 04-14-2012, 10:25 PM   #10
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Default Re: Why short bow instead of long bow?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Bulk penalty occurs when using a move and attack.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
In all, I just thought there might be an advantage to sneaking/running around with a less cumbersome bow.
By RAW, Bulk only applies when making a Move & Attack or trying to hide a weapon, but it would make logical sense to apply it (or some value derived from it) in other situations where a bulky weapon is a disadvantage.
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