Usable by all but mages. Long bows require open spaces and can only be fired from a standing position. Light crossbows require a full round to cock before they can be loaded and fired; heavy crossbows require two rounds. A sling is the simplest missile weapon, consisting of a few leather or cloth strips with a small pouch attached, but it requires open spaces for use. Take care when creating magical missile weapons, for magical bows with magical arrows can add to be very powerful. Missile weapons above +3 are discouraged. Nonmagical arrows fired from magical bows do not normally affect creatures that require magical weapons to hit them. GMs are reminded to specify whether bows are long bows or short bows and whether crossbows are light or heavy. As a guideline for randomly determining the type of a magical bow, 1/3 of magical bows are short bows, and 2/3 of magical crossbows are light crossbows.
See the appropriate section.
Level 1. Cursed-14. This item acts as a +N weapon. However, 25% of the time it is fired, the missile goes at a random target within range, including the user.
Level N+1. This +N weapon has twice normal range.
Level N+1. This weapon acts as a +1 bow. If used by an elf, it becomes +N, +5 against dwarves, orcs, and ghouls.
Level 3. Any missile fired by this weapon seeks out the nearest target in some other plane and hit at +5. Thus it can damage ethereal beings, astral beings, phase spiders, blinking blink dogs, etc. If there is no such target in range then the bolt merely disappears into one of these planes.
Level N+1. This weapon acts as a +1 short bow/sling. If used by a hobbit, it becomes +N, does double damage to undead, and is capable of hitting undead using nonmagical arrows/stones.
Level N+1. If this +N crossbow has not been fired within the last 24 hours, it shoots a 6D6 Lightning Bolt. The bolt forms at the front of the crossbow and extends 60 feet in the direction it is pointed, just like the mage spell. If a quarrel is in the crossbow at this time, the bolt backfires.
Level 4. Any nonmagical missile fired from this weapon splits into three in flight. Each one has the usual chance to hit the intended target. In 10 melee rounds all three copies of the missile will crumble to dust.
Level 4. No slings. This weapon needs no missiles, but instead fires an icy bolt that is +3, +5 vs. fire-based creatures. If a user tries to fire an arrow or quarrel from it, it backfires, always hitting and doing maximum damage. In addition, if the bolt hits a cold-blooded creature (e.g., reptile or insect), then the creature must save vs. physical or move at half speed for 10 melee rounds.
Level N+1. This +N crossbow may be fired every round.
Level 4. No slings. This weapon is similar to the Weapon of the North, except it fires a fiery bolt that is +3, +5 vs. cold-based creatures.
Last Modified on September 10,1995.
ammulder@princeton.edu