D&D 5E Strength bows?

[Oofta]

You know there is nothing in the archery fighting style that requires it to be a bow. It says +2 attack bonus to ranged attack. So have a high strength character that specializes in javelins.

Sadly, no. The archery fighting style has to be with a "ranged weapon". A javelin is a simple melee weapon that can be thrown. Same with sharp shooter.

Basically, don't expect to be particularly effective at range unless you're a dex based character. I think that's silly and have house rules ... but officially it doesn't work.

 

[Hriston]

Sadly, no. The archery fighting style has to be with a "ranged weapon". A javelin is a simple melee weapon that can be thrown. Same with sharp shooter.

Basically, don't expect to be particularly effective at range unless you're a dex based character. I think that's silly and have house rules ... but officially it doesn't work.

You could use Archery fighting style with darts.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Its not just about the archetype. Archery simply required strength and years of training, often times since birth as you can see on the remains of longbow archers. Even crossbows didn't change that. You needed a different type of strength to load them but you still needed to be stronger than average even with a winch. Only gunpowder made ranged weapons available for everyone which was the major reason guns displaced bows and not some mythical armor piercing property.
From a game point of view it would not only depower archery build which are currently overperforming but also slightly reduce the importance of DEX which currently simply is too useful and make Str better. And imo more differentiation between ranged weapon types is always welcome.

Yadda yadda yadda.

EVERY form of attack, not just archery, benefits from a combination of strength and dexterity. But if we start fussing over every rule that is somehow unrealistic we are going to be redesigning the game from the ground up.

All that should matter is what is fun, which (from my point of view) is derived from two things:
1) The opportunity to create interesting and compelling characters.
2) Simple (shallow) rules with complex (deep) implications.

 

[Oofta]

You could use Archery fighting style with darts.

I agree that it works by the rules but I just tried to envision how that would happen and I think I strained a few neurons.

 

[Hriston]

I agree that it works by the rules but I just tried to envision how that would happen and I think I strained a few neurons.

Umm, you're really strong and good at throwing darts?

 

[Oofta]

Umm, you're really strong and good at throwing darts?

Right, but only darts. Not daggers, and certainly not javelins. I get that there needs to be a line somewhere ... it's just something I house rule to not nerf strength based characters as much.

Probably doesn't bother other people.

 

[jgsugden]

In my game I have the following optional rule:

If a PC has a higher stength than dexterity, they may have a bow made that allows them to add their strength to damage (but they still use dex to hit). Archers witha lower strength have disadvantage when using the bow. Magic bows will automatically allow a PC to use their strength for damage if it is advantageous, but adjust for lower strength PCs.

And it never gets used, except by a few monsters.

One fighter had a bow built, but he never actually used it in combat.

 

[Hriston]

Right, but only darts. Not daggers, and certainly not javelins. I get that there needs to be a line somewhere ... it's just something I house rule to not nerf strength based characters as much.

Probably doesn't bother other people.

I have a house rule I use in certain campaigns that allows a second attack with a dart as a bonus action if you only move half your speed. If you use no movement, you can throw a third dart as a reaction you take at your initiative minus 10.

The same house rule allows you to throw a third dagger at your initiative minus 10 as well.

 

[Garthanos]

One fighter had a bow built, but he never actually used it in combat.

Did Odysseus even? It was evidence of potent godlike strength AND a token of his identity but... killing things with it or doing William Tell or Robinhood Tricks not really.

 

[S'mon]

IMC I have strength-based war bows (d8 war bow, d10 for the rare Orichalan dragonbone bow); I also have dagger holsters (DEX) and javelin quivers (STR) that let them count as ammunition for the purposes of making multiple attacks (can draw without using object interaction). Doesn't break anything.