Avondale Textmachine

Avondale Textmachine

Description:

The Avondale Textmachine is a crossbow like none other. A state-of-the-art heavy piece of machinery expertly crafted to get rid of as many targets in close proximity as possible. Like any crossbow, it features a butt to rest upon one's shoulder, to brace oneself for the recoil. And is there ample! Brace yourself, indeed.
However, what it exceeds in recoil, it makes up for in sheer number of projectiles flung into the air. Clocking in with an arrow count of at least 1.33 per second! This purring machine will shurely bring proper use to any battlefield, alleyway and anything in between. In order to provide with enough ammo for such an endeavour, a cilindrical magazine holding 16 rounds for your target to munch on is preferred. You heard that correctly, 16 rounds!
The astute amongst you will have seen that the bow is not the firing mechanism. Indeed, it functiones as the driving force behind the firing mechanism. A single bow-length is enough to launch 8 bolts in the blink of an eye. Fast enough to catch anything by surprise!

Power, at a cost.

The Avondale Textmachine is an automatic repeating heavy crossbow that flings bolts with tremendous power. That power does translate into a whole lotta recoil. This makes the Avondale Textmachine relatively inaccurate at a larger range. As long as the target is polite enough to be stationary -or even better, walking towards you- you should be fine! However, as any proficient with heavy crossbows can tell you, the further your target is, the more the recoil matters.

For each bolt shot with the Avondale Textmachine, a roll has to be made to see if the attack hits the target. Each roll has to be made with disadvantage when the target stands at a range exceeding 30 ft.

A fast, purring machine

When asked what the meaning of fast is, any Artificer will show you a picture of this crossbow. It fires at an insane rate, fast enough to shower your enemy in a hail of bolts. The signature "purr" of this work of art comes from the driving mechanism -a heavy piston driven by the bow- punching the bolts at such ridiculous speeds. 

Per use of the bow, 8 bolts can be fired. As an action, a creature wielding the Avondale Textmachine can shoot up to 8 bolts. Once 8 bolts have been fired, one needs to redraw the bow. This takes an action.
After 16 bolts have been fired, the magazine is empty and needs to be replaced with a full one. This takes a bonus action.
In one turn, a creature can shoot up to 8 bolts or redraw the bow (if slack) or redraw the bow (if slack) and replace the magazine (if empty).
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A creature with multiple attacks per turn can shoot 8 bolts for one attack, redraw the bow for a second attack and shoot 8 more bolts for a third attack when the magazine is not empty. If a full magazine (16 bolts) is emptied in one turn, no more attacks or bonus actions can be made to redraw and reload the Avondale Textmachine during that turn.

Accustomed to recoil

If one has enough training in using ranged weapons -especially those with tremendous power- they can better wield the Avondale Textmachine. Whenever a person went the extra mile and researched the proper techniques using a crossbow, they become even deadlier when wielding this great weapon.

Any creature with proficiency with heavy crossbows or longbows does not suffer the disadvantage from 30ft. Instead, they only suffer from the disadvantage if their target is further than 60 ft. This range doubles again for any creature with the "Crossbow Expert" Feat.

 

 

Proficiency with a Heavy Crossbow allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.

Notes: Disadvantage: Ranged Attacks, Disadvantage: Ranged Attacks, Disadvantage: Ranged Attacks, Ammunition, Heavy, Loading, Range, Two-Handed, Push