Modifying Heavy Crossbow

[Endur]

Crossbows in 3e are pretty wimpy.

Even Tordek, the iconic dwarven fighter, doesn't use a crossbow.

Bows have a massively higher rate of fire, do almost the same amount of damage, and have almost the same range. Not only that, but Mighty Bows do more damage than crossbows.

So how would you fix crossbows? I suppose you could change the re-load rules or you could change the weapon stats, so they do more damage when they hit.

After thinking about it for a while, I decided to keep the light crossbow the same and modify the heavy crossbow. The heavy crossbow has the slowest rate of fire (takes a full round to reload) and its damage (d10) is barely more than a longbow does (d8).

I decided to leave the critical threat the same and just modify the damage (to keep things simple). New damage range for the heavy Xbow could be: 2d6, 2d8, or 3d6.

After thinking about it for a while, I decided that I didn't want to make the heavy xbow too powerful, so 3d6 was probably too much.

I decided to go with 2d6. The 2d6 gives the heavy xbow a little more damage, but not putting it out of sight of other weapons.

Tom

 

[DanMcS]

One of the better suggestions I have seen is that crossbows are essentially mighty bows which don't require high str to use. A bolt typically isn't as big as an arrow, so it does a d4 + the str bonus of the crossbow, which is +4 for the light and +6 for the heavy crossbow.

 

[Argus Decimus Mokira]

Hey
IMC I was pretty cheesed that the longbow, a weapon that people dedicated their entire lives to learning, was a Martial weapon as available to the fighting classes as a hammer. So I changed the longbow to an exotic weapon, requiring a feat to use. The only class that starts with proficiency in it are rangers (and elves, natch).
The point? Try it yourself and watch how many people decide that heavy crossbows are "just right" for them. The heavy crossbow is still inferior, of course, but the longbow is less common, so I figure it balances out.
Later

 

[Kip the Bold]

One way of making the crossbow better would be to make firing the crossbow in melee not provoke an attack of opportunity. Its a lot easier to aim and fire an xbow than a normal bow, so it makes sense that you wouldn't leave yourself open when firing one. Reloading should still provoke one, though. This makes it a little better for close-quarters dungeon combat. Upping the damage might not be a bad idea, but I would only go up to 1d10 for light and 1d12 for a heavy, 2d6 is probably just a little too good.

 

[Staffan]

IMO, the crossbows are already balanced by being Simple weapons, and thus much easier to learn and use than bows. Sure, that doesn't affect fighters much, but then again fighters learn to handle pretty much all sorts of weapons anyway.

 

[Celebrim]

I allow crossbows to be mighty on the same scale as regular bows. If you don't have sufficient strength to use the mighty crossbow, you still get the bonus to damage, but it takes additional actions to complete the loading. I also allow 'broad head bolts' with reduced range increments but +2 damage.

A readied heavy crossbow commands respect in the same way that a double barrel shotgun commands respect. But that doesn't mean I have to make shotguns on par with assualt rifles.

That said, I think making the longbow exotic isn't that bad of an idea. Certainly there is historical precendence for such a move. Elves I think could use the help. I think they overcompensated for elven munchiness in earlier addtions. I wouldn't front end the Ranger any further though by giving them yet another virtual feat at first level. If you did, I'd expect all fighters to take 1 level in ranger.

 

[gpetruc]

I have changed the heavy crossbow damage to 2d6 (as the normal size increment: d6 goes d8, d8 goes 2d6) and also added the Double Crossbow (up to heavy) and the Repeating Crossbow (hand or light) to be able to make more attacks; these are exotic weapons, but the gnomes (and maybe the dwarves, if there where dwarves in my world) gain proficiency in them. (Note: I also have renaissance firearms)

if you want to see the rules visit
http://digilander.iol.it/gpetruc/crystaldawn
and then go in the Equipment section

The idea of house-ruling that firing a crossbow does not trigger an AoO sounds good also, and maybe I'll use it in my world.

 

[Argus Decimus Mokira]

Hey
I suppose I should mention that I use the Woodsman from WoT instead of the PB Ranger IMC (low magic, Renaisannce-ish Ravenloft, lots of swashbuckling type stuff interspersed with gothic horror). No front loading at all
I've also considered porting over some of the gunfighting feats from d20 Modern for use with crossbows and pistols (hence Renaissance-ish). The idea of a wererat rogue crashing through a window with two loaded crossbows, fully capable of firing is too good of an idea to burden it with the ridiculous penalties such an action would incur in normal D&D (equipment chapter, under light crossbow)
Later