Bow questions

[Psyco]

...The higher "to-hit" is useful for bypassing a creatures DR.

I'm fairly certain that it is the "+" of the ammunition that determines this. Pretty sure I've shot things with DR using a +3 crossbow and regular ammo and not made a dent before. Yes? No?

I would tend to agree with this, only because I believe that AA's can bypass DR with their enchanted arrows. I have no other information to base it on though.

Since a recent patch (don't know which one off hand) It is both.

+2 bow with mundane arrows will break X/+2 DR.
mundane bow with +2 arrows will break X/+2 DR.

It used to be that you needed +X ammo and the +X on the bow made no difference whatsoever. This is where most of the confusion has come from. Bioware changed it, and there was not enough fanfare over it for everyone to know about the change.

[Anniko]

Rapid reload will allow a xbow user to gain the normal amount of attacks/round, otherwise they suffer a -1 attack/round penalty. This would translate to a 16+ level fighter gaining 4 attacks/round as opposed to 3.

Rapid shot gives normal bow users an extra attack per round. For a fighter, this would become 5 attacks/round at 16+ level.

Rapid shot doesn't work with crossbows.

A lvl 16 fighter with rapid reload feat will not have 4 attacks/round with a crossbow, they will only have 2 attacks/round with a crossbow

Rapid Reload feat gives you an extra attack with a crossbow, it doesnt match your attacks/round

[VETT SCALES L7]

Rapid Reload
The character is able to reload so quickly that he gets the same number of attacks with any crossbow as he would get if using a normal bow.

[Alphonse]

Rapid Reload
The character is able to reload so quickly that he gets the same number of attacks with any crossbow as he would get if using a normal bow.

The rapid reload issue was dealt with

viewtopic.php?t=52292

After testing it was discovered the most attacks per round with a crossbow is 2

[Dirk Cutlass]

Rapid Reload
The character is able to reload so quickly that he gets the same number of attacks with any crossbow as he would get if using a normal bow.

Yup, I was drawn into this mistake too. But severe testing, and even attempts to edit 2da files and haks and everything has only ever resulted in 2 attacks per round. Which is as per PnP description (well almost .. not quite right for heavy crossbow which it should treat as a 2 round action normally, 1 to load and 1 to fire .. but its close enough).

...The higher "to-hit" is useful for bypassing a creatures DR.

I'm fairly certain that it is the "+" of the ammunition that determines this. Pretty sure I've shot things with DR using a +3 crossbow and regular ammo and not made a dent before. Yes? No?

I would tend to agree with this, only because I believe that AA's can bypass DR with their enchanted arrows. I have no other information to base it on though.

Since a recent patch (don't know which one off hand) It is both.

+2 bow with mundane arrows will break X/+2 DR.
mundane bow with +2 arrows will break X/+2 DR.

It used to be that you needed +X ammo and the +X on the bow made no difference whatsoever. This is where most of the confusion has come from. Bioware changed it, and there was not enough fanfare over it for everyone to know about the change.

Actually, it used to be the other way around (in NWN). In NWN it was the + of the "launcher" (bow / sling / etc.) and the + on the arrow had no effect bypassing DR. This was the complete opposite of PnP BTW. I wasn't aware of this recent patch. It is actually a very big difference, and one that should have been "announced" more by Bioware IMHO.

Just to clarify something, light and heavy crossbows do have a major difference. Light crossbows are medium weapons, whearas heavy are Large.
This means halflings and gnomes may never use a Heavy Crossbow.

I am 99% certain that this is not the case, and my gnome can use a Heavy Crossbow! That is why I mentioned it earlier. Although it is in heavy weapon class... but I distinctly remember trying it out in-game *looks puzzled* need to re-check.

EDIT: I just confirmed this in the toolset. Gnomes (and presumably halflings) can use Heavy Crossbow!

[nonscience]

Just to clarify something, light and heavy crossbows do have a major difference. Light crossbows are medium weapons, whearas heavy are Large.
This means halflings and gnomes may never use a Heavy Crossbow.

I am 99% certain that this is not the case, and my gnome can use a Heavy Crossbow! That is why I mentioned it earlier. Although it is in heavy weapon class... but I distinctly remember trying it out in-game *looks puzzled* need to re-check.[/quote]

PnP version, light crossbows = small weapons, heavy = medium

[Dirk Cutlass]

Since a recent patch (don't know which one off hand) It is both.

+2 bow with mundane arrows will break X/+2 DR.
mundane bow with +2 arrows will break X/+2 DR.

It used to be that you needed +X ammo and the +X on the bow made no difference whatsoever. This is where most of the confusion has come from. Bioware changed it, and there was not enough fanfare over it for everyone to know about the change.

I just double-checked this in a test mod, and the above statement is not correct.

To overcome X/+2 DR you need a bow with +2 to-hit. The +X damage on the ammunition has no effect at all. This is how it has always been in NWN, there has been no change. It is still the opposite of PnP.

EDIT: Arcane Archers are a different thing altogether, and their magically imbued arrows to bypass DR (do they get +X to hit too? not sure). Anyway, it is different to the base mechanics that the rest of us have to manage.

[Arond]

Yep, AA's get + to hit and on damage and regardless of bow or ammo used can bypass DR depending on level. About the best thing about being an AA

[Cromagnon]

ripping off the skin on your forearm

*cringes, as he remembers this happening years ago*


I can also attest to the fact that at least in NWN (not sure about Avlis), a gnome can use a heavy crossbow.



Sounds like the whole system is fooked.