Do you keep track of normal ammunition?

[johnsemlak]

Just wondering,

Do you, either as players or DMs, keep track of the PCs normal ammunition for bows or crossbows?

My tactic has in the past just to ignore the issue, and assume PCs stock up on necessary ammo and if necessary recover arrows/bolts from fallen dead or what not. Bottom line, it often seemed like an unnecessary complication.

Just wondering if any others take ammo more seriously?

 

[Mouseferatu]

I'm right there with you. If it's magic, or special ammo somehow, I want them to keep track. And if they're way out in the wilderness (or, say, the Elemental Plane of Earth) for extended periods of time, I might start keeping track.

But when it comes to normal ammo under normal circumstances, I've never personally found it anything more than an accounting headache.

 

[pdkoning]

I do keep track of them, but sometimes (during an interesting fight) I forget it. Nobody complains about that. I always take ammo from the fallen enemy, and I assume that is just enough to keep my quiver filled.

When it comes to magical or special arrows, we are more serious about keeping track of them.

Just wondering,

Do you, either as players or DMs, keep track of the PCs normal ammunition for bows or crossbows?

My tactic has in the past just to ignore the issue, and assume PCs stock up on necessary ammo and if necessary recover arrows/bolts from fallen dead or what not. Bottom line, it often seemed like an unnecessary complication.

Just wondering if any others take ammo more seriously?

 

[Agemegos]

Do you, either as players or DMs, keep track of the PCs normal ammunition for bows or crossbows?

Yes, of course. How hard is it to make tally-marks?

 

[johnsemlak]

Yes, of course. How hard is it to make tally-marks?

It's not that hard, of course. And if players are used to it, it's a minimal hassle.

On the other hand, does keeping track (normal, of course) ammo make your game more interesting?

 

[Zappo]

It depends. At very low levels, I'll keep track of every arrow. As the PCs get richer, I'll start keeping track of magical arrows only and assume that the heroes will have enough arrows for the journey and replenish whenever they get to a town.

The exception, of course, is for situations where arrows are actually scarce - maybe the PCs are in hostile territory for an extened amount of time, or they are in a nonhuman land where noone makes arrows.

 

[Telperion]

I love the look on my players' face when they realize that they are running low on ammunition. It just makes things so much more interesting =).

Player 1: "That's it! Keep shooting that Beholder full of arrows, and it will drop in no time. Yeah!"

Player 2 & 3: *full attack with mighty composite long bows from 300 feet away against said Beholder*

Player 1: "Yeah! We are doing it!" *makes a little victory dance*

Player 2 & 3: "Um....Bob...We are...um...running low on ammunition. How about a tactical retreat?"

Player 1: "Nooo!!!"

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Bag of holding + a few dozen quivers and we don't bother counting any more! Like most people - I tend not to bother after 1st level, unless there's a good reason for it. Just doesn't really add much to the game IMO.

One of my old GMs introduced the 'quiver of plenty' from Baldurs gate to provide an ingame reason for not counting - basically a quiver that offered unlimited arrows... although the RB got to laugh as the PC couldn't use his bow in an anti magic field.

Unfortunately, no one was willing to follow my idea - employ peasants in shifts to pull limitless arrows from the quiver. Sell for big $$$. Retire! They just lacked my killer business instincts.

 

[Dirigible]

Only in Iron Kingdoms and Midnight; because bullets are expensive and special in one, and because arrows matter when you have to make them yourself in the other...

 

[isoChron]

Well, how many Arrows can a character have at hand ?
Ehlonnas quiver = 60 Arrows. So a ranger level 16 with rapid shot is out of ammo in just 12 rounds of combat. Add haste and said ranger shoots 6 arrows a round = 10 rounds.

Often monsters don't carry missile weapons, or they use crossbows ... So no restocking at a dungeon crawl. I would say one tough fight and the ranger is forced to melee attacks.
So it's really necessary to keep track of the ammo. Not only magic ammo but mundane ammo, too. At least in my game.
If the archers find arrows, there are enough to restock their quivers, but if not ... no machine gun rangers in every encounter.

Now if you are exploring planes or regions without the possibilty to restock it's very interesting to see the high level archers searching their used arrows between the scrubs. Or they take craft bowmaking and spend some days crafting arrows.
Just my point of view, of course.