Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

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Michael
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Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by Michael » Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:30 pm

Any listing or thoughts to the biggest crossbow a troll could accurately use in combat? Something maybe from an airship/ship?
If there's something in a book, please list page/name

thanks

Slimcreeper
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Re: Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by Slimcreeper » Sun Aug 18, 2019 11:04 pm

Are you sure you don't want to play 1879?

https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/punt-gun-1910-1920/

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Mataxes
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Re: Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by Mataxes » Mon Aug 19, 2019 5:23 am

There's nothing in the books, but they can't carry anything larger than Size 7 (their 2-handed size limit).

A light crossbow is Size 3, base Damage Step 4. A medium crossbow is Size 4, base Damage Step 5.

Extrapolating from there... a Size 7 crossbow would be base Damage Step 8.

(For comparison, a ballista or spear-thrower is Damage Step 12 according to the old Crystal Raiders book. So this mega-crossbow isn't that large.)

Assuming you scale the other stuff somewhat appropriately, it would also need a Strength 21 to wield, cost 250 silver... never mind the ammunition.
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Michael
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Re: Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by Michael » Tue Aug 20, 2019 2:59 am

thanks for the ideas

Lursi
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Re: Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by Lursi » Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:39 pm

And I always thought the damage is related to the force of the bow....
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

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Mataxes
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Re: Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by Mataxes » Wed Aug 21, 2019 1:10 pm

Lursi wrote:
Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:39 pm
And I always thought the damage is related to the force of the bow....
From an actual physics standpoint? Sure.

But that's not how the damage system for ranged weapons was established in the game system. Personally, I haven't ever found it enough of a game-breaker to feel the need for a change.
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ChrisDDickey
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Re: Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by ChrisDDickey » Wed Aug 21, 2019 5:44 pm

Lursi wrote:
Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:39 pm
And I always thought the damage is related to the force of the bow....
That is why the Size 7, base Damage Step 8 crossbow needs a Strength 21 to wield. That is the STR needed to reload that bow.

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Re: Biggest crossbow that a player could wield?

Post by Lursi » Sun Aug 25, 2019 2:26 pm

I experimented with higher damage steps for a crossbow but only firing every other round.

This would make a troll crossbow(wo)man more interesting. At the moment, the rate of karma spent is hardly sustainable for the low karma pool races.

Giving them the opportunity to fire every other round with a terrible bang would put them again on par with the other races
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

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