Saturday, January 1, 2011

House Rules - New Ammunition

New Ammunition

This is a list of specialized ammunition that do not appear in the Player's Handbook, but that I use in my campaigns. As new ammunition gets added to my ongoing campaigns, I will add more to this listing. Some of these weapons have been adapted from Dragon 274, Dragon 281, Dragon 283, Dragon 298, Dragon 301, Dragon 303, and Dragon 304.

This list uses several abbreviations to show what sourcebook the entries were drawn from. For guidance as to what sourcebooks these abbreviations reference, see my key to Sourcebook Abbreviations.

All of the material contained on this page and other pages of this blog is presented in accordance with the terms of the Open Game License.

Ammunition

Ammunition
ItemSourceCostWeight
Arrow, Armor Piercing
QF
7 shillings3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Barbed
QF
10 shillings3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Bouncing
B&B
30 shillings3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Cable
B&B
25 shillings5 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Double
B&B
50 shillings6 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Fire
QF
20 shillings3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Fishing
QF
4 shillings3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Flight
QF
1 shilling3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Footbow
QF
5 shillings6 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Game
QF
4 shillings3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Net
B&B
50 shillings4 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Razor
N:AA
10 shillings4 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Screaming
PotS
2 shillings1 lb. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Shard
M:AtS
12 shillings½ lb.
Arrow, Shrieking
B&B
15 shillings4 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Smoke
W&R
20 shillings1/0 lb.
Arrow, Stretch
B&B
40 shillings4 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Whirling
-
10 shillings3 lbs. per 20 arrows
Arrow, Zip
B&B
35 shillings5 lbs. per 20 arrows
Blowgun Needles
N:AA
1 shilling-
Bolt, Doorbreaker
W&R
15 shillings6 lbs.
Bolt, Siege
QF
25 shillings9 lbs. per 20 bolts
Bolt, Shatter
-
75 shillings1 lb. per 10 bolts
Bullet, Iron-Breaker
QF
1 shilling10 lbs. per 10 bullets
Hunting Fletchings
QF
2 shilling-
Kastllian Thunder Club Ammunition
-
105 shillings7 lbs.
Arrow, Armor Piercing: The arrows have long, narrow points instead of the broader heads commonly used with most arrows. This far smaller impact area allows the arrow to more readily punch through armor. Any archer using armor-piercing arrows gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls against targets that have an armor bonus. This bonus does not apply if a creature has only a natural armor or shield bonus. The cost and weight given are for 20 armor-piercing arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 15.

Arrow, Barbed: With vicious, curved back hooks lining the head, this arrow causes a great deal of pain and damage when removed as it digs into flesh. A barbed arrow hitting a target has a 50% chance of wedging in. If this occurs, the arrow will cause an additional 1d6 points of damage upon removal unless a DC 15 Heal check is made. The cost and weight given are for 20 barbed arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 15.

Arrow, Bouncing: These odd arrows have wavy, twisting shafts. Sleeker and longer than normal, they are used to strike concealed foes. When fired, a bouncing arrow seems to bounce and weave through the air. Its erratic flight makes it less accurate, imposing a -2 penalty to the attack roll, but it helps the arrow twist through partial obstructions such a dense undergrowth. This eliminates the 20% miss chance normally associated with concealment.

Targets with greater degrees of concealment still gain some benefit. In general, subtract 20 from any miss chance greater than 20%. These arrows do not avoid the miss chance granted by total concealment, nor do they bypass the effects of concealment from magical effects or abilities such as blur. The cost and weight given are for 20 bouncing arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20.

Arrow, Cable: Constructed with an alchemical process similar to that for net arrows, cable arrows are intended for crossing gaps or gullies. An unused cable arrow looks like a normal arrow with a slight twist to its shaft and what appears to be a second arrowhead on the nock end, slit so that it can still be strung and loosed. When launched, the twist causes the arrow to spin sideways. This motion causes the arrow to expand into a 50-foot cable. The spinning motion of the arrow sends the nock end into the ground at the archer's feet, while a successful attack roll causes the head to strike its target and embed itself there. An adhesive in each end further secures the newly formed cable, which can hold up to 200 pounds without breaking or coming free at either end. Cable arrows have a maximum range of 50 feet. The cost and weight given are for 20 cable arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20; Craft: Alchemy DC: 25.

Arrow, Double: Thicker and heavier than normal arrows, double arrows (or split arrows as they are often called) are actually two thin arrow shafts with the same substance used to hold net arrows together. By loosing the arrow while giving it a subtle twist, a skilled archer can generate a certain amount of friction that dissolves the bond, resulting in two arrows flying where one was released. An archer who is not proficient with the bow he is using cannot produce this effect.

The archer designates two targets, both of whom must be within 10 feet of each other, and must be at least 50 feet away from the archer. Make a single attack roll for both arrows and compare it to the Armor Class of each target. Both parts of a double arrow cannot target the same opponent. Even in the hands of a proficient archer, attacks made with double arrows suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls.

Enhancing double arrows, like enhancing double weapons, costs twice the normal amount. Double arrows suffer a -20 foot penalty to the range increment of the bow being used. The cost and weight given are for 20 double arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20; Craft: Alchemy DC: 25.

Arrow, Fire: Fire arrows are specially constructed devices, designed to stay alight even in the midst of wind and rain through the use of a broad head and a small internal reservoir of oil. A fire arrow will remain alight for 1d6 rounds after it has been ignited and will cause fire damage when it strikes. The range increment of any bow launching a fire arrow is reduced by 20 feet, due to the extra weight o the missile. The cost and weight given are for 20 fire arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20.

Arrow, Fishing: Sometimes used in combat to attach thin lines to targets, the fishing arrow has small, barbed hooks and waterproofed fletchings to allow fishermen to easily catch fish just beneath the surface of the water. Each arrow has 50 feet of line attached to its tail, which will support up to 30 pounds of weight. The line limits the range of a bow using this arrow to 50 feet. The cost and weight given are for 20 fishing arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 12.

Arrow, Flight: Far lighter than other arrows, flight arrows are lightly constructed but fly true in order to give them much greater range. The range increment of a bow using flight arrows is increased by +30 feet, but the arrows do less damage. A flight arrow loosed from a shortbow causes 1d4 damage, while a flight arrow used with a longbow will inflict 1d6 damage. The cost and weight given are for 20 flight arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 12.

Arrow, Footbow: A sheaf of arrows made for use in a footbow. These are longer and heavier than normal arrows, and cannot be used in other types of bows. The cost and weight given are for 20 footbow arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 12.

Arrow, Game: Game arrows have blunt, heavy tips, designed to stun small prey rather than completely destroy them. The game arrow inflicts a bludgeoning damage, but only deals nonlethal damage. The range increment of a bow used with game arrows is halved due to the unpredictable flight characteristics of the arrow. The cost and weight given are for 20 game arrows. Craft:Bowmaking DC: 12.

Arrow: Net: These are not really arrows at all, but rather alchemically treated nets compacted into the shape of an arrow and then fletched for flight. Close inspection reveals the strands of strong, thin, fibrous twine used to construct the net, but a casual glance might mistake them for the grain of wood. When the arrow is released, friction from the wind dissolves the alchemical bonds holding the netting together. Hitting a target with a net arrow requires a successful ranged touch attack. The now open net entangles the target, according to the normal rules for using a net. Although a net arrow does not have a trailing rope that can be used to control the target, all other normal penalties and restrictions apply to the entangled creature.

Net arrows halve the range increment of the bow used to loose them. When launched by an archer who is not proficient with that bow, they have a 50% chance of opening prematurely or late in addition to the normal nonproficiency penalty. A misloosed net arrow neither deals damage or entangles a foe. Net arrows have a range increment half as long as the bow's normal range increment. The cost and weight given are for 20 net arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20; Craft: Alchemy DC: 25.

Arrow, Razor: To maintain its awesome damage potential, a greatbow requires special razor tipped arrows; otherwise it functions as a normal longbow. Razor arrows cannot be used in any bow other than a greatbow or composite greatbow. The cost and weight given are for 20 razor arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC 12.

Arrow, Screaming: These arrows are mainly used for signaling, but can be used as a weapon if need be. A screaming arrow has various holes cut into it, causing it to make a loud, shrill, shrieking noise when the arrow is loosed. When shot straight up into the air, the arrow can be heard from up to a mile away. Screaming arrows suffer a -1 penalty to damage rolls due to their light weight. The cost and weight given are for 20 screaming arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 15.

Arrow, Shard: Crafted from bone and bits of jagged metal, shard arrows are favored weapons among warriors from Elizon. On a successful critical hit, the arrowhead shatters in the wound, sending the metal shard ripping through the flesh of the target. Though this causes no additional damage, the excruciating pain of having these tiny hooks of metal embedded in muscle tissue can make sudden movements impossible. Using a shard arrow reduces the base damage for a longbow to 1d6, and the base damage for a shortbow to 1d4, and cuts their range increment in half, but it increases the threat range of these weapons to 16-20.

When a shard arrow scores a critical hit, it deal no additional damage. Instead it shatters and embeds in its target's flesh, which has several effects. First, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 15 + 1 for every shard arrow embedded in its flesh) or take a 5 foot penalty to its movement rate and suffer 2 points of temporary Dexterity damage. Second, the target must make a Concentration check when casting spells or using spell-like abilities, just as if it were taking continuous damage from the arrow (DC 15 + the slell level + the amount of damage inflicted by the arrow), or the spell fizzles. If the target is reduced to 0 Dexterity by multiple arrows, it is paralyzed by pain.

These effects persist until a successful Heal check (DC 20) is made, one per shard arrow critical hit, or all damage by each arrow is magically healed.

The price and weight listed for shard arrows are for an individual arrow; they are both heavier and more difficult to make than normal arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20.

Arrow, Shrieking: Used to sound alarms and startle foes in ambushes, these unique arrows have long, streamlines, twisting heads that extend nearly one-third the length of the shaft. In the middle, the shaft bulges slightly where numerous channels have been drilled partially along its length. When loosed, these arrows fill the air with a piecing screech, similar to an amplified eagle's cry. The noise can be heard for up to ½ mile away inn moderately wooded terrain, and up to 1 mile in open terrain.

When a shrieking arrow strikes a target, it impact shatters the arrowhead, causing a tremendous, high-pitched retort. A creature struck by a shrieking arrow must make a Fortitude save (DC 13) or be deafened for 1 round. Shrieking arrows suffer a -1 penalty to damage rolls, and a -10 foot penalty to the bow's range increment. The cost and weight given are for 20 shrieking arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20.

Arrow, Smoke: This alchemically treated arrow is lit before use, creating thick clouds of smoke in a 10-foot cube wherever it strikes. The arrow is consumed after 1 round, and the smoke dissipates normally. Smoke arrows can be used against a specific object or location, but the standard -4 penalty for attacking prone targets applies when aiming at a flat piece of ground. Mussed shots are treated as duds and do not create smoke. The cost and weight given are for a single arrow. Craft: Bowmanking DC: 20; Craft: Alchemy DC: 20.

Arrow, Stretch: Soaked with an alchemical solution that softens wood, these arrows can be used to make ranged trip attacks. When handled, a stretch arrow resembles a normal arrow, except that its head is a spongy ball. Loosing a stretch arrow causes air friction to heat the alchemical fluid, stretching and elongating the wooden shaft so it becomes flexible and slightly sticky. With a successful attack, the arrow deals no damage, but the target must win an opposed trip check or fall prone. Treat the arrow's Strength bonus on the trip attack a +10, plus an additional +1 per point of Strength bonus the bow can apply to damage (if the archer is using a composite bow). If the arrow is magically enhanced, add its enhancement bonus to this check. A tripped target can unwrap the arrow as a move-equivalent action.

An archer who is not proficient with that bow takes the normal penalties to the attack rolls when using stretch arrows, which also apply to the opposed trip check. The cost and weight given are for 20 stretch arrows. Craft Bowmaking DC: 20; Craft: Alchemy DC: 25.

Arrow, Whirling: These odd-looking projectiles do not look like traditional arrows. The only similarities they have to normal arrows are their length and the fact that they are launched from a bow. Flat, flexible, and constructed of metal, the length of a whirling arrow is razor sharp and the tip tapers to a rapier-thin point. When loosed, the arrow spins through the air, whipping towards its target. Unlike normal arrows, a whirling arrow deals slashing damage instead of piercing damage. The cost and weight given are for 20 whirling arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20; Craft: Weaponsmithing DC: 20.

Arrow, Zip: Zip arrows combine the compacting process of cable and net arrows with the alchemical wood treatment of stretch arrows, and are intended to help in the ascent of steep surfaces. One of these arrows resembles a normal arrow, albeit with a spongy ball in place of an arrowhead, as on a stretch arrow. When launched toward a higher elevation, the nock end melts into a pseudopod of goo that strikes the loosing hand of the archer and secures there. The rest of the arrow elongates to a distance of 50 feet, similar in effect to a cable arrow, but more elastic. The head, when it strikes the target, sticks firmly.

On the following round, this stretchy cord retracts, drawing the archer quickly into the air as a free action, to the spot where the head is stuck. He can then find purchase at the new height (possibly requiring a Climb or Balance check), if a suitable hold is available. Once having gotten a purchase, the archer can secure herself with a successful Strength check (DC 18). The cable dissolves automatically after 6 rounds. If the archer has not gotten purchase within that time, they fall back to their original position, taking any applicable falling damage. The zip cable can hold a combined weight of 200 pounds. More weight breaks it, dealing 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage to any creature or creatures attached (in addition to any falling damage). Zip arrows have a maximum range of 50 feet. The cost and weight given are for 20 stretch arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 20; Craft: Alchemy DC: 25.

Blowgun Needles: The cost and weight listed are for 20 needles.

Bolt, Doorbreaker: These blunt rods of pig iron resemble hammers more than projectiles and are so massive they cannot be used with any weapon smaller than a heavy crossbow, and are most often used in arbalests or siege crossbows. A doorbreaker bolt reduces the weapon's range increment to 1/10th normal, deals bludgeoning damage instead of piercing damage, and deals normal damage against objects. They are often used against doors or walls in sieges. The cost and weight given are for a single bolt. Craft: Weaponsmithing DC: 12.

Bolt, Shatter: This beautiful crossbow bolt is crafted entirely from a specialized form of glass. It has a long tip that is more slender than the rest of the shaft. Upon striking a target, it shatters into razor sharp slivers that cause tremendous amounts of pain, increasing the critical increment to 18-20/x3. Shatter bolts are available for both normal sized (light and heavy) crossbows and hand crossbows. Shatter bolts are extremely delicate, however, and they are easily destroyed by intense jolting, such as that which occurs in melee combat. Any time that a person holding shatter bolts (held, in a crossbow, or in a quiver) is grappled, tripped, or takes 10 or more points of damage from a single strike, there is a 50% chance that all of the shatter bolts will break and be destroyed. A shatter spell automatically destroys any shatter bolts that are caught in its area of effect. Unlike normal bolts, shatter bolts are always destroyed if they miss their target. Because of this, most wielders of shatter bolts try to stay out of melee. Because of their extremely fragile nature, shatter bolts cannot be the target of the following spells: Magic weapon, keen edge, and greater magic weapon. The cost and weight given are for 10 shatter bolts. Craft: Weaponsmithing DC: 20.

Bolt, Siege: These bolts are larger and heavier than normal crossbow bolts. They can only be used in an arbalest or siege crossbow, as they are too large to fit into any other type of crossbow. The cost and weight listed are for case of 20 siege bolts. Craft: Weaponsmithing DC: 12.

Bullet, Iron-Breaker. These are the over-sized bullets used with an iron-breaker. The cost and weight given are for a pouch of ten of these large bullets. Craft: Weaponsmithing DC: 10.

Hunting Fletchings: Hunting fletchings may be added to any type of arrow except cable, double fire, net, shard, shrieking, stretch, and zip arrows, and require a DC 10 Craft: Bowmaking check to successfully fit. Most bowyers will perform this service for an additional 2 shillings over the cost of the fletchings themselves. These fletchings are designed to quickly decelerate the arrow once loosed, reducing the range increment of any bow using them by -20 feet. These arrows are then far easier to recover because of this, and every arrow used with hunting fletchings has a 75% chance of being recovered after use. The cost given is for 20 enough fletchings to modify 20 arrows. Craft: Bowmaking DC: 12.

Kastillian Thunder Club Ammunition: Stuffed into the hollow head of a Kastillian thunder club, an ammunition packet is a mixture of alchemist’s fire, other alchemical items, and iron pellets, all covered with a wax sealed wooden plate. A short string runs down the club from this plate to the weapon’s handle. In combat, the wielder may use a standard action (that does not provoke an Attack of Opportunity) to pull the string, breaking the seal, and removing the wooden plate. With the contents of the metal chamber exposed to air, the alchemist’s fire within detonates in a small explosion that sends the pellets bursting forth toward the enemy in a 20 foot cone that deals 2d4 points of Piercing damage. A successful DC 15 Reflex save halves this damage. After using the club in this manner, a character can reload the club with an ammunition packet, which is a full-round action that provokes Attacks of Opportunity. The cost and weight given are for a single thunder club ammunition packet. Craft: Alchemy DC: 25.

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