Heya! This is my first post so I'm not sure where to post this, but I was wondering if a certain combination would work. With crossbow expert feat, you can fire a shot from the crossbow as a bonus action IF you attack with a 1 handed weapon first. But, a hand crossbow is a 1 handed weapon, right? The reloading function is skipped, so would I need an empty hand? And if not, could I get 4 hand crossbows on a Thri-kran and fire them all (main action for the first crossbow then domino effect), OR does it only trigger once?
Only once; you have a single bonus action to spend, and unless the feature specifically says otherwise like Flurry of Blows, you only get a single extra attack.
. . . a hand crossbow is a 1 handed weapon, right?
Yes, all weapons without the Two-handed or Versatile properties are one handed. Versatile weapons are considered one handed when held in only one hand.
The reloading function is skipped, so would I need an empty hand?
You still need a free hand to load your crossbow. The Crossbow Expert feat allows you to ignore the Loading property, which limits you to one attack per action even if you have features like Extra Attack that would normally allow you to make multiple attacks.
The need for a free hand comes from the Ammunition property, which Crossbow Expert does not affect.
And if not, could I get 4 hand crossbows on a Thri-kran and fire them all (main action for the first crossbow then domino effect), OR does it only trigger once?
As The_Ace_of_Rogues points out, all creatures are limited to one Bonus Action on their turn. What you can do with your Bonus Action is determined by the features you have that grant a Bonus Action. In the case of Crossbow Expert you can use you Bonus Action to make one attack with a hand crossbow you are holding.
Thanks! Also, I didn't mean to attack with the same crossbow multiple times in one turn. So at most, I can only have 3 crossbows with Thri-Kreen?
Yes a thri-kreen can hold up to 3 hand crossbows, attack with any one of them when taking the Attack action and use a bonus action to attack with any of them again.
The Thri-Kreen does benefit from being able to wield two hand crossbows and still having a free hand to reload them. Other creatures are essentially limited to one shot from each before having to put one down to reload.
The Thri-Kreen does benefit from being able to wield two hand crossbows and still having a free hand to reload them. Other creatures are essentially limited to one shot from each before having to put one down to reload.
But as Fangeye pointed out, you get the same number of attacks with just one hand crossbow, so there's no benefit to wielding two.
While there isn't more attacks , the benefit of wielding multiple weapons is the ability have many different magic weapons on hands without the need to drop and draw basically,.
The Thri-Kreen does benefit from being able to wield two hand crossbows and still having a free hand to reload them. Other creatures are essentially limited to one shot from each before having to put one down to reload.
But as Fangeye pointed out, you get the same number of attacks with just one hand crossbow, so there's no benefit to wielding two.
You get the bonus action shot for having two, and can still shoot again in the next turn because you have the free hand to reload.
The Thri-Kreen does benefit from being able to wield two hand crossbows and still having a free hand to reload them. Other creatures are essentially limited to one shot from each before having to put one down to reload.
But as Fangeye pointed out, you get the same number of attacks with just one hand crossbow, so there's no benefit to wielding two.
You get the bonus action shot for having two, and can still shoot again in the next turn because you have the free hand to reload.
But you only need one to get the bonus action shot.
I’ve just checked Crossbow Expert in the PHB and indeed I was incorrect.
“When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow you are holding.”
It doesn’t specify that the one-handed weapon must be different from the hand crossbow.
I assumed that it would be the same as for wielding two light weapons. (It looks like it’s handled more consistently with other light weapons in the 2024 revision play-test.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Heya! This is my first post so I'm not sure where to post this, but I was wondering if a certain combination would work. With crossbow expert feat, you can fire a shot from the crossbow as a bonus action IF you attack with a 1 handed weapon first. But, a hand crossbow is a 1 handed weapon, right? The reloading function is skipped, so would I need an empty hand? And if not, could I get 4 hand crossbows on a Thri-kran and fire them all (main action for the first crossbow then domino effect), OR does it only trigger once?
Only once; you have a single bonus action to spend, and unless the feature specifically says otherwise like Flurry of Blows, you only get a single extra attack.
Yes, all weapons without the Two-handed or Versatile properties are one handed. Versatile weapons are considered one handed when held in only one hand.
You still need a free hand to load your crossbow. The Crossbow Expert feat allows you to ignore the Loading property, which limits you to one attack per action even if you have features like Extra Attack that would normally allow you to make multiple attacks.
The need for a free hand comes from the Ammunition property, which Crossbow Expert does not affect.
As The_Ace_of_Rogues points out, all creatures are limited to one Bonus Action on their turn. What you can do with your Bonus Action is determined by the features you have that grant a Bonus Action. In the case of Crossbow Expert you can use you Bonus Action to make one attack with a hand crossbow you are holding.
Thanks! Also, I didn't mean to attack with the same crossbow multiple times in one turn. So at most, I can only have 3 crossbows with Thri-Kreen?
Yes a thri-kreen can hold up to 3 hand crossbows, attack with any one of them when taking the Attack action and use a bonus action to attack with any of them again.
Whether your a Thri-Kreen holding 3 hand crossbows or a human holding just one you can make the same number of attacks.
The Thri-Kreen does benefit from being able to wield two hand crossbows and still having a free hand to reload them. Other creatures are essentially limited to one shot from each before having to put one down to reload.
But as Fangeye pointed out, you get the same number of attacks with just one hand crossbow, so there's no benefit to wielding two.
While there isn't more attacks , the benefit of wielding multiple weapons is the ability have many different magic weapons on hands without the need to drop and draw basically,.
You get the bonus action shot for having two, and can still shoot again in the next turn because you have the free hand to reload.
But you only need one to get the bonus action shot.
Wether you have two or a dozen arms wielding one or more hand crossbows, the number of possible attack is just the same.
I’ve just checked Crossbow Expert in the PHB and indeed I was incorrect.
“When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow you are holding.”
It doesn’t specify that the one-handed weapon must be different from the hand crossbow.
I assumed that it would be the same as for wielding two light weapons. (It looks like it’s handled more consistently with other light weapons in the 2024 revision play-test.)