i want to play a small sized ranger (dex based), but that leaves me with no good weapons at level one besides daggers, because longbow is a heavy weapon.
do i just ask the dm for a crossbow to replace the longbow? how have others approached this?
My most recent DM was dead set on using starting equipment only, even though I was a gnome. We went back and forth for days. It was ridiculous. I told them that shortbows even cost less, and it didn't make any sense that a gnome would start with a longbow. That is the first time I have ever had a DM so set in their belief like that. In the end, the first session was kind of a village giving us whatever we needed, so tin the DM's mind it was going to be fine, but that was a prime example of of important good two-way communication is between players and a DM. If they just would have eluded to something along the line of "it will be alright during session 1", or whatever, we could have saved a lot of aggravation on both sides. Poor communication.
i want to play a small sized ranger (dex based), but that leaves me with no good weapons at level one besides daggers, because longbow is a heavy weapon.
do i just ask the dm for a crossbow to replace the longbow? how have others approached this?
Yes.
You're right in saying that standard starting equipment is prescriptive. Alternatively:
When you create your character, you receive equipment based on a combination of your class and background. Alternatively, you can start with a number of gold pieces based on your class and spend them on items from the lists in this chapter. See theStarting Wealth by Class table to determine how much gold you have to spend.
You decide how your character came by this starting equipment. It might have been an inheritance, or goods that the character purchased during his or her upbringing. You might have been equipped with a weapon, armor, and a backpack as part of military service. You might even have stolen your gear. A weapon could be a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation until your character finally took up the mantle and followed in an ancestor’s adventurous footsteps.
The PHb simply says you can do this though, with some DMs, it may be best to check with/ask them first. (Rangers get 5d4 × 10 gp averaging 125gp if your DM lets you go with that).
So, seeing that you'll be talking with the DM anyway, it can be good to start with that.
Perhaps the DM will let you have both 25gp and a 25gp shortbow/light crossbow in place of a 50 gp longbow or maybe you'd just swap weapon for weapon.
In-game, a typical rule for selling equipment, which can be applied to selling starting equipment, is you get half-price which would suit trading an inexplicably acquired longbow for a ~shortbow.
The 'heavy' quality mainly relates to usability by small creatures. long and shortbows both weigh 2lbs while a 'light' crossbow weighs 5lbs (and a lance weighs 6lbs).
I just handwave it away and say the Gnome Ranger has a Gnomebow that is a specially crafted bow that is small but shoots as effectively as a longbow. But in the future, I think I'm crossing gnomes off my list of playable PC races for several reasons. The same Gnome fussed that she wanted a longsword just because she was proficient with a longsword. One of the other players said, "Now wait a minute. Do you understand the Longsword is over 48 inches long and you are 2'11" according to your own character sheet?" I decided to add on, "If you sheathed the longsword it would be dragging on the ground behind you." The Gnome's size and relentless inquisitiveness has become a problem that I'd just prefer not to deal with again. She's got a pet mouse, Scampers, and now a Beast Companion, Honey, a Giant Badger. I've read lots of warnings about too many pets on the battlefield, so I'm getting wary things might become a problem.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Older versions had the short composite bow. For 5e just reskin the longbow as a short composite ( mongol style) bow - IRL composite bows are always short bows but they have the hitting power and range of a long bow. If anything they may have even greater range.
A small sized ranger is facing a similar choice as a Medium one, choosing between easier use or better damage, except it average 1 less damage in comparison to non-heavy wielder. No big deal really.
Small: 1d6 damage, no loading VS 1d8 damage, loading
Medium: 1d8 damage, no loading VS 1d10 damage, loading
i want to play a small sized ranger (dex based), but that leaves me with no good weapons at level one besides daggers, because longbow is a heavy weapon.
do i just ask the dm for a crossbow to replace the longbow? how have others approached this?
My most recent DM was dead set on using starting equipment only, even though I was a gnome. We went back and forth for days. It was ridiculous. I told them that shortbows even cost less, and it didn't make any sense that a gnome would start with a longbow. That is the first time I have ever had a DM so set in their belief like that. In the end, the first session was kind of a village giving us whatever we needed, so tin the DM's mind it was going to be fine, but that was a prime example of of important good two-way communication is between players and a DM. If they just would have eluded to something along the line of "it will be alright during session 1", or whatever, we could have saved a lot of aggravation on both sides. Poor communication.
My DM always allowed to start with a Shortbow or any sort of Crossbow.
Take the longbow and scale mail and then sell both of those for a shortbow and better armor.
Yes.
You're right in saying that standard starting equipment is prescriptive. Alternatively:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/phb/equipment#StartingEquipment
The PHb simply says you can do this though, with some DMs, it may be best to check with/ask them first. (Rangers get 5d4 × 10 gp averaging 125gp if your DM lets you go with that).
So, seeing that you'll be talking with the DM anyway, it can be good to start with that.
Perhaps the DM will let you have both 25gp and a 25gp shortbow/light crossbow in place of a 50 gp longbow or maybe you'd just swap weapon for weapon.
In-game, a typical rule for selling equipment, which can be applied to selling starting equipment, is you get half-price which would suit trading an inexplicably acquired longbow for a ~shortbow.
The 'heavy' quality mainly relates to usability by small creatures. long and shortbows both weigh 2lbs while a 'light' crossbow weighs 5lbs (and a lance weighs 6lbs).
I just handwave it away and say the Gnome Ranger has a Gnomebow that is a specially crafted bow that is small but shoots as effectively as a longbow. But in the future, I think I'm crossing gnomes off my list of playable PC races for several reasons. The same Gnome fussed that she wanted a longsword just because she was proficient with a longsword. One of the other players said, "Now wait a minute. Do you understand the Longsword is over 48 inches long and you are 2'11" according to your own character sheet?" I decided to add on, "If you sheathed the longsword it would be dragging on the ground behind you." The Gnome's size and relentless inquisitiveness has become a problem that I'd just prefer not to deal with again. She's got a pet mouse, Scampers, and now a Beast Companion, Honey, a Giant Badger. I've read lots of warnings about too many pets on the battlefield, so I'm getting wary things might become a problem.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Or just play raw and all this crap won't happen :)
It's like one damage in difference.
Edit: not the moron dm that refused to change long for short bow then ofc.
Older versions had the short composite bow. For 5e just reskin the longbow as a short composite ( mongol style) bow - IRL composite bows are always short bows but they have the hitting power and range of a long bow. If anything they may have even greater range.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
A small sized ranger is facing a similar choice as a Medium one, choosing between easier use or better damage, except it average 1 less damage in comparison to non-heavy wielder. No big deal really.
Small rangers also have more and better mount options.