I have all the books purchased and unlocked. When I search magic items for magical bows, there is a single one. Oathbow.
Is it just me, or is this... wrong?
Can you clarify what you mean by suggesting this is wrong?
D&D Beyond has all of the weapons from all official published material.
Are you saying that your preference would be for the D&D game designers to have added more magical bows into the game, rather than just +1, +2, and +3?
I was looking at this as well recently. Would be cool to give either a bow or ammunition to a character that adds say some fire or cold damage when it's used. That not saying something like that couldn't be homebrewed. Also not saying it's not something I've missed in the rules either :)
Totally agree, if it helps at all, I homebrewed a bow for my campaign, based off the blazing bowstring from critical role. I made mine a "blazing longbow" so you couldn't change the bowstring over.
I did it like this:
"When speaking the command word you can wreath your bow and any fitted arrow in a magical flame that lasts for 10 minutes, or until an arrow is fired. On a successful hit, the arrow deals an extra 1d10 fire damage. The bow has two charges and recharges at the dawn of the next day."
Obviously you could play with the damage/charges, but I made the weapon itself "blazing" for some cool effects! need a torch? Light your bow. Want to use your bow as a quarterstaff? Sure! Blazing quarterstaff! etc etc. I designed mine for a Level 6 Ranger, and didn't want to give him something TOO powerful.
Part of the issue is that a lot of the magic weapon options in the DMG are listed as "weapon," eg +1 weapon, weapon of warning, etc. In the magic items listing n DDB, that's how they are listed. If you go to the character sheet, though, click on add an item and search for longbow or short bow, you will see several magical bows. (If you bought the DMG, these include 3 + bows, a bow of warning and a vicious bow). So DDB has done some magic behind the scenes with the entries. Note that searching for bow won't find these. You have to search for shortbow, longbow, or crossbow.
Concerning bows. Recently a DM I play with enchanted a bow with a gibberling soul. This had some negatives. One I have to hear this thing speaking when I hold the bow all the time.....And this speech is so distracting that it causes disadvantage on perception checks. This bow has force arrows. As in I no longer need ammunition to use it. However we are at a disagreement on how this bow should work in D&D 5E.
The DM states the bow can not use real arrows it burns them up. Also that it grants a extra attack but only on the bonus action.
For me this seems wrong. I am thinking not having to knock arrows should be an extra attack. Flat out. Not bonus action. So I as a ranger should be able to use my hunters mark and then make 3 attacks in my round. Since I no longer need to actually knock arrows during my attack phase the extra attack is gained there. Not in the bonus round where I was never having to knock arrows anyway cause I was using hunters mark or what not.
To further this argument he says I can not use spells like lightning arrow or flame arrows with being as the bow burns up arrows knocked. I do not think this is correct. Should I choose to knock an arrow that should instead just negate the extra attack. Making my 2 attacks do 1d8 force + 1d8 piercing. If I had used hunters mark I should get 1d8 force + 1d8 piercing + 1d6 hunters mark.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
SORRY IF THIS IS A NO NO BUT I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO START MY OWN THREAD OR ASK THE SAGES ELSEWHERE........
Given that bows (not crossbows) don't have the loading property, knocking the arrows is considered part of drawing the bowstring back, and you can knock as many as you have attacks and ammunition for.
For force damage / not requiring ammunition, I would say that you could knock an arrow if you wanted to (such as because they are +1, or lightning arrows) but the bow converts the base piercing damage to force, not adds to it.
Look at comparable magic items. The only one I can find that give an extra attack is scimitar of speed which grants it as a bonus action, so its seems fair.
Also, perception disadvantage is a huge penalty. I would probably only apply it during the rounds that you use the bow to attack and not while it is sheathed / on your back.
Concerning bows. Recently a DM I play with enchanted a bow with a gibberling soul. This had some negatives. One I have to hear this thing speaking when I hold the bow all the time.....And this speech is so distracting that it causes disadvantage on perception checks. This bow has force arrows. As in I no longer need ammunition to use it. However we are at a disagreement on how this bow should work in D&D 5E.
The DM states the bow can not use real arrows it burns them up. Also that it grants a extra attack but only on the bonus action.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Well, if your GM says that's how it works, then that's how it works.
Carry a short/long bow and some silver arrows around so you can use your special shots.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
It was created in homage to Corellon Larethian and it's powers can only be used by someone that is Elven or Half-Elven.
+2 Bow with the following additional powers:
-Sharpshooter feat
-Elven accuracy feat.
The bow only stays attuned with the character when they obtain the feats permanently that are those of the bow at ability score improvement time. Any deviation results in a non attuneable weapon. Also upon achieving the said feats it becomes non-attuneable.
When the string of this bow is pulled back an arrow of energy is formed that delivers force damage. These arrows disappear once they hit or miss. Additionally this bow has 7 charges of Magic Missile. As an action, you can expend 1 or more of its charges to cast the magic missile spell from it. For 1 charge, you cast the 1st-level version of the spell. You can increase the spell slot level by one for each additional charge you expend. The range of the magic missiles is that of the bow.
If you expend the bow's last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the bow cannot be recharged for 1d6+1 days.
Notes: DM Note: This can optionally function as a +1/+2/+3 weapon., Ammunition, Heavy, Range, Two-Handed
I'm currently crafting a Bow of Fate that is loosely inspired by the Skyrim version. This one is designed for limited crowd control within a certain range.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
" The Shadow Monarch is the ultimate expression of a "One Man Army" even in a team Setting his minions would act as meat shields for the allies while going on the Offensive, maybe in future version I will develop tactics and formations for the minions so the minions and party won't easily be decimated by random monsters or even the character's current enemies."
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I have all the books purchased and unlocked. When I search magic items for magical bows, there is a single one. Oathbow.
Is it just me, or is this... wrong?
Tabletop D&D player, DM
Neverwinter Online
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D&D Beyond FoundersCan you clarify what you mean by suggesting this is wrong?
D&D Beyond has all of the weapons from all official published material.
Are you saying that your preference would be for the D&D game designers to have added more magical bows into the game, rather than just +1, +2, and +3?
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If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Sorry, I wasn't implying that there was coding error or bug in DDB. I just suggesting that there aren't enough magical bows in the game world.
Tabletop D&D player, DM
Neverwinter Online
Witty Quote Here
I was looking at this as well recently. Would be cool to give either a bow or ammunition to a character that adds say some fire or cold damage when it's used. That not saying something like that couldn't be homebrewed. Also not saying it's not something I've missed in the rules either :)
Yeah, magical ranged weapons have been sorely neglected this edition. Magical non-swords in general actually.
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D&D Beyond FoundersNo worries, was just checking. :)
D&D seems to have always been highly biased towards magic swords over other types of magic weapons - probably due to the popularity of swords.
It's fairly easy to homebrew some interesting bows though!
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Totally agree, if it helps at all, I homebrewed a bow for my campaign, based off the blazing bowstring from critical role. I made mine a "blazing longbow" so you couldn't change the bowstring over.
I did it like this:
"When speaking the command word you can wreath your bow and any fitted arrow in a magical flame that lasts for 10 minutes, or until an arrow is fired. On a successful hit, the arrow deals an extra 1d10 fire damage. The bow has two charges and recharges at the dawn of the next day."
Obviously you could play with the damage/charges, but I made the weapon itself "blazing" for some cool effects! need a torch? Light your bow. Want to use your bow as a quarterstaff? Sure! Blazing quarterstaff! etc etc. I designed mine for a Level 6 Ranger, and didn't want to give him something TOO powerful.
Thanks! That's a good idea.
Tabletop D&D player, DM
Neverwinter Online
Witty Quote Here
Part of the issue is that a lot of the magic weapon options in the DMG are listed as "weapon," eg +1 weapon, weapon of warning, etc. In the magic items listing n DDB, that's how they are listed. If you go to the character sheet, though, click on add an item and search for longbow or short bow, you will see several magical bows. (If you bought the DMG, these include 3 + bows, a bow of warning and a vicious bow). So DDB has done some magic behind the scenes with the entries. Note that searching for bow won't find these. You have to search for shortbow, longbow, or crossbow.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
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Concerning bows. Recently a DM I play with enchanted a bow with a gibberling soul. This had some negatives. One I have to hear this thing speaking when I hold the bow all the time.....And this speech is so distracting that it causes disadvantage on perception checks. This bow has force arrows. As in I no longer need ammunition to use it. However we are at a disagreement on how this bow should work in D&D 5E.
The DM states the bow can not use real arrows it burns them up. Also that it grants a extra attack but only on the bonus action.
For me this seems wrong. I am thinking not having to knock arrows should be an extra attack. Flat out. Not bonus action. So I as a ranger should be able to use my hunters mark and then make 3 attacks in my round. Since I no longer need to actually knock arrows during my attack phase the extra attack is gained there. Not in the bonus round where I was never having to knock arrows anyway cause I was using hunters mark or what not.
To further this argument he says I can not use spells like lightning arrow or flame arrows with being as the bow burns up arrows knocked. I do not think this is correct. Should I choose to knock an arrow that should instead just negate the extra attack. Making my 2 attacks do 1d8 force + 1d8 piercing. If I had used hunters mark I should get 1d8 force + 1d8 piercing + 1d6 hunters mark.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
SORRY IF THIS IS A NO NO BUT I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO START MY OWN THREAD OR ASK THE SAGES ELSEWHERE........
Given that bows (not crossbows) don't have the loading property, knocking the arrows is considered part of drawing the bowstring back, and you can knock as many as you have attacks and ammunition for.
For force damage / not requiring ammunition, I would say that you could knock an arrow if you wanted to (such as because they are +1, or lightning arrows) but the bow converts the base piercing damage to force, not adds to it.
Look at comparable magic items. The only one I can find that give an extra attack is scimitar of speed which grants it as a bonus action, so its seems fair.
Also, perception disadvantage is a huge penalty. I would probably only apply it during the rounds that you use the bow to attack and not while it is sheathed / on your back.
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(not wordsmithed to match other items, but a general idea of how I would handle it)
Bow of Blasting
very rare weapon (longbow/shortbow), requires attunement
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Well, if your GM says that's how it works, then that's how it works.
Carry a short/long bow and some silver arrows around so you can use your special shots.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
You should create that.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Riley Fuzzle's Trick Longbow turned up in my campaign. It could always turn up in yours as well :)
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Good lord...
As if bow rangers weren't already overpowered...
Plus, the one in my game has taken some rogue levels and adds sneak attack dice in...
Seems to me that disADV with perception if more than fair as a trade-off.
The Quarter Moon Bow
It was created in homage to Corellon Larethian and it's powers can only be used by someone that is Elven or Half-Elven.
+2 Bow with the following additional powers:
-Sharpshooter feat
-Elven accuracy feat.
The bow only stays attuned with the character when they obtain the feats permanently that are those of the bow at ability score improvement time. Any deviation results in a non attuneable weapon. Also upon achieving the said feats it becomes non-attuneable.
JUST MAKE IT UP!
(Rule #1 in my DnD games.)
PC: Fitzroy Hammerstone - The Mad Empiricist of Corinth
DM:
Popular Stream Character Sheets
I created the following...
https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/491611-missile-longbow
When the string of this bow is pulled back an arrow of energy is formed that delivers force damage. These arrows disappear once they hit or miss. Additionally this bow has 7 charges of Magic Missile. As an action, you can expend 1 or more of its charges to cast the magic missile spell from it. For 1 charge, you cast the 1st-level version of the spell. You can increase the spell slot level by one for each additional charge you expend. The range of the magic missiles is that of the bow.
If you expend the bow's last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the bow cannot be recharged for 1d6+1 days.
Notes: DM Note: This can optionally function as a +1/+2/+3 weapon., Ammunition, Heavy, Range, Two-Handed
I'm currently crafting a Bow of Fate that is loosely inspired by the Skyrim version. This one is designed for limited crowd control within a certain range.