Fully automatic crossbow for BFRPG?! Yep! Maybe?

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kerc
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Fully automatic crossbow for BFRPG?! Yep! Maybe?

Post by kerc »

So I recently found this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbKGjRoSofA in which the Slingshot Channel dude builds a fully-automatic crossbow, and that got me thinking... How could it work on a BFRPG setting? After giving it some thought, this is my initial "sketch" for it. Feel free to comment and criticize!
  • Works via purely mechanical systems; think of a very strong wind-up mechanism with a spiral spring. So you need to wind it up before each use. This procedure takes a while to perform, probably a few minutes.
  • Loading the system is the same deal. Like the video, you have to load bolts one by one carefully so that they don't snag, and then cover the loader with a spring-loaded bolt-feed mechanism. The whole system loads 12 bolts total. Again, a few minutes for this too!
  • On play mechanics: For simplification, you can either choose to fire a half-load or all the bolts. So you get two shots with less damage, or one shot with full damage.
  • I also am assuming that the bolts wouldn't be as powerful as regular crossbow bolts. Therefore, let's go with 1d6 per bolt. Although maybe 1d8 could be considered, since it would be a basically once-per-encounter weapon.
  • Two shot modes: direct fire, or sweep (cone) from the starting point. So if you go direct fire, it would be all the damage on a single target. So if you shoot a single target, you then roll either 6d6 or 12d6 for damage.
  • Optionally, you could roll for how many bolts hit first: 1d6 or 1d12, or if you want to make it more powerful, 1d4+2 or 1d8+4 (or 2d4+4). Then roll the appropriate number of damage d6's.
  • For sweep, we could roll 1d4+2 or 1d8+4 (again, or 2d4+4) to see how many total bolts hit, then roll 1d3 per target to see how many bolts hit each one. Either start left to right or right to left, as the player decides. Keep adding up until the total number of bolts are accounted for.
Based on some comments I got from the Google+ group, here's some additional replies/thoughts:
  • I view it like a spell. Think of a Fireball spell, for example. The character makes one action and it's done, although causing a lot of damage, potentially to multiple targets. He or she is not getting multiple attacks.
  • You get to use it once per encounter. And eventually you'll run out of bolts. That's its downside. So it'll tip the scale in favor of the wielder, but just on that moment it's used.
  • Regarding level issues, that would be more of a DM-ing thing... Personally, I would definitely NOT give this to very low-level characters. Around 5th-7th level sounds right to me.
  • It would also be a very special weapon. Probably one of a kind, like a magical device or weapon. It wouldn't be something you'd find at the local blacksmith or shop. Heck, getting it could be a quest in itself...
  • Let's now think about the logistics. How many bolts could an adventurer carry in one trip, considering these are special bolts? Or even if we decide to go with regular light crossbow bolts. Let's say, you carry three dozen? Five dozen? So that's a pretty solid limit there. Five shots at full power until you can get more bolts in your adventure. A magic-user with Fireball can deliver more damage than that.
What do you all think? :geek:
Kerc | Dice Pencil & Paper | @dicepencilpaper
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Dimirag
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Re: Fully automatic crossbow for BFRPG?! Yep! Maybe?

Post by Dimirag »

I can see it as a one of a kind dwarven weapon.

Mechanically I see it similar to your posting:
It takes 1 turn to prepare (loading + winding)
Does reduced damage
You get to roll the amount of projectiles that could damage the victim or victims, maybe 1d6 for a normal attack, and 2d6 if not moving
I still don't have a rule for the sweeping that I like, I would use something like dividing the d6/2d6 roll equally among the victims, if space is enough that an extra victim could be there, then it is counted.
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
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kerc
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Re: Fully automatic crossbow for BFRPG?! Yep! Maybe?

Post by kerc »

Being a very special weapon, I'd make it so that it's not easily reusable, basically limit it to one use per encounter because of its complexity. The Fireball spell of weapons. :mrgreen:
Kerc | Dice Pencil & Paper | @dicepencilpaper
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