Rated ST and Bows

[Kromm]

Roughly: To get +1 damage with a bow, add +2 to its ST, because on average, +1 to thrust damage calls for +2 ST. Thus, if you're using a bow strong enough to give +1 damage relative to what your ST would give, you're using one that requires +2 ST relative to yours, and so -2 to skill. Functionally, then, each +1 to damage is -2 to skill. Since skill levels out at 4 points/level and for Bow has no uses beyond hitting things with arrows, you're "giving up" 8 points per +1 to damage.

That's an intended tradeoff. You could also get +1 to damage by taking Striking ST 2 for 10 points and using a bow that fits your ST + Striking ST. So, that's 10 points per +1 to damage . . . but it benefits all your weapons, not just your Bow, and doesn't eat your FP.

Overall, then, you're looking at getting your damage at 80% of its usual price in return for having it work only with one specific class of weapons, and at a FP cost. A 20% discount for that is, if anything, ungenerous – I wouldn't worry much about it being unbalanced!

I'd probably set the limit on how far you could go with this using FP, of all things. Someone with FP 12 could burn at most 12 FP . . . so, their hard cap would be their ST+12, for -12 to hit and 12 FP at the end of each fight. They'd get an effective +6 damage out of that, which is cool and all but I'm wondering if they'd ever hit. And of course there's "and then you pass out and don't get to loot" at the end of the fight.