Bows for the Druids

[Guest Notasophist]

I can't remember nor rationalize the reasons why bows are restricted from AD&D Druids. The fact that the bow is a weapon made completely from "nature" and that it is one fo the most primitive weapons makes me think that the restriction is pretty assinine.

 

Is there any chance that Divine remix may consider removing the restriction? Or is it beyond the scope of the mod to make contents "outside" of the official rules?

[Andyr]

Changing weapon restrictions for some Clerics (in pnp, certain Speciality Priests have more or fewer restrictions on weapon and armour usage) is something I'd like to do and we've discussed--specifically, I am in favour of adding a "Can use weapons available to a Fighter" to Clerics of deities of war or combat (so with the ones we've got at the moment probably Tempus, Helm and Xvim). I'd not thought about druids but that would make some sense too.

 

Quite often I wish BG2 was a 3.5E game, with a fully customisable engine!

[yarpen]

Cool... but can you add a RESTRICTION for example. some kits can't use some weapons?

[Andyr]

Yes, that'd be the point--some kits are less restricted than others.

[Guest Notasophist]

I'd not thought about druids but that would make some sense too.

 

Quite often I wish BG2 was a 3.5E game, with a fully customisable engine!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

A little late on my part, but thanks for your response (and possible interest).

[SixOfSpades]

Making all Long and Short Bows (but not Crossbows, as they use metal) usable by Druids would be a snap--in fact, I'm surprised it hasn't been done already. The problem is their ammo: Druids would be perfectly fine using arrowheads made from flint or obsidian or bone or antler or something....but the vast majority of arrows (all Normal Arrows, anyway) have their heads fashioned from iron, which Druids refuse to use (except when it's shaped like a Dagger or Scimitar, apparently). It's very arguable that the differences between the ethos of using Darts and the ethos of using Arrows are practically nonexistent, so Bows & Arrows might as well be opened up for use. (Perhaps Short Bows only?) If you, the player, don't think Druids should be using Bows, just don't equip them.

 

A nice side-effect of giving Druids a 2-handed ranged weapon is that now they have a reason to use all those Spears and Staves flying around.

 

On a vaguely-related matter, my plan for the Archer of Silvanus makes all Arrows (but not Bows) usable by Druids, and as the character levels up, they are granted a series of magical Longbows which gradually increase in enchantment level.

 

[EDIT] Crossbows, not Crassbows. ("Look! There! On the crassy gnoll!")

[Domi]

I think that 'crossbow is a mechanical thing' makes a better argument than 'OMG iron!', since scimitars/spears will have iron more often than not. Btw, Druids cannot use daggers, iirc, just scimitars. Anyways, I could never find any plausible explanation as to why druids cannot use bows and/or darts.

[Kish]

Druids can use daggers.

[Bri]

I think that 'crossbow is a mechanical thing' makes a better argument than 'OMG iron!', since scimitars/spears will have iron more often than not. Btw, Druids cannot use daggers, iirc, just scimitars. Anyways, I could never find any plausible explanation as to why druids cannot use bows and/or darts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sometimes the reasons that were picked for why some weapons were allowed, and others weren't could be fairly arbitrary. I remember the explanation for allowing scimitars/khopeshes for druids was because they were reminiscent of the sickles they used to harvest their mistletoe.

 

Heck, the whole "clerics are restricted to bludgeoning weapons" came from an old Christian proscription about men of the cloth drawing blood. So it was alright to crush bones and bash heads, but you couldn't carve them into scrimshaw.

[NiGHTMARE]

What people don't seem to realize is that only "standard" clerics are restricted to bludgeoning weapons. Even the 2nd Edition Player's Handbook mentioned that DMs could (should, even) give priests of different faiths different restrictions.