One of the things I like about BG3 is how limited the scope of each act is. Many times campaigns take on this sprawling multi-headed hydra approach. I like that each act is limited to one decent sized location with a clear goal/end. I never feel like 'oh I wish I could go to Waterdeep'. Definitely something I'm going to use in my next game.
Something that I don't think most people realize about crossbows is that their draw weight is MASSIVELY higher than a longbow (which is many times harder than a compound bow). Almost all crossbows require either a separate, specialized winding or cranking tool or a belt attachment and leg power to recharge! The benefit is that (like firearms) it doesn't require nearly as much conditioning and training to point and shoot as it does to draw and loose! Additionally, you can hire men to reload the crossbow and the guard can switch between firing two or more. This significantly reduces the cost of manpower to protect an outpost as compared with paying specially trained soldiers; just hire a couple of strong laborers looking to make more than they can get working in the fields, and you're golden! Basically, there's no reason for an adventurer to be carrying one of these, because they are too bulky and slow, but they can be used to arm a host of minions with minimal prep time!
@@wizardsling thanks for the reply! I should have started with: I love your videos and you have a ton of great advice. ALSO I don't mean to suggest that you shouldn't make adjustments to the game that make it more fun for everyone - it's a game with giant talking, flying, element belching lizards and psychic eyeballs that float, so it's not like you have to make everything else realistic to history (though that happens to be my idea of fun, I totally understand that's just me). Again, thank you for all the great work you do!
This is a really good explanation. Can I add the fun fact that some of the original crossbows, before the crank mechanisms were figured out, required you to LAY DOWN to use your leg strength to get that sucker reloaded. Really only mentioning it as a fun fact. But could you imagine having to go prone for like a whole turn just to reload a weapon? 🤔 I assume the crossbows in D&D are the much later, better optimised ones, with clips to hold in the bolts and all that though. Crossbows and their history are incredibly interesting and don't get enough love. 😅
Neat, might experiment with these some. Also, side note. It's always been my personal belief that Minsc is a ranger because Boo is a barbarian, chasing down enemies in his tiny furry rage. lol =^_^=
It’s probably an unpopular opinion but nerfing ranged attacks by requiring a reload makes ranged attacks a better risk/reward. Unless you have a player who builds around using their bow, making that choice a little harder is not uncommon amoung other games and adds more to your decisions.
Making a crossbow akin to a sub-machine gun is another example of 5e hand-waving any meaningful decisions a player may have to make (also see encumbrance, dark vision, short rests, cantrips, bonus actions etc etc etc)
@@wizardsling Agreed. Still, *if* a crossbow has greater range and/or damage it makes game sense to give it a limitation, e.g. a longer reload time. (Black powder weapons even moreso.) Unless you do indeed go the Dungeon World route.
A longbow does 1d8 and has a range of 150. A heavy crossbow does 1d10 with a range of 100. I think the "loading" tag isn't a balancing thing, it's just supposed to be a realism thing.
@@wizardsling Sorry, I didn't check the PHB before posting. Ideally they'd give the longbow a higher minimum STR or make it harder to use than a crossbow. That would balance them out *and* serve realism. As it stands there's almost no reason to use a heavy crossbow at all, since everyone's automatically a Welsh longbowman.
One of the things I like about BG3 is how limited the scope of each act is. Many times campaigns take on this sprawling multi-headed hydra approach. I like that each act is limited to one decent sized location with a clear goal/end. I never feel like 'oh I wish I could go to Waterdeep'. Definitely something I'm going to use in my next game.
heh yeah that was smart to deal with all the scatterbrained players who would want to teleport all over the place
Something that I don't think most people realize about crossbows is that their draw weight is MASSIVELY higher than a longbow (which is many times harder than a compound bow). Almost all crossbows require either a separate, specialized winding or cranking tool or a belt attachment and leg power to recharge! The benefit is that (like firearms) it doesn't require nearly as much conditioning and training to point and shoot as it does to draw and loose! Additionally, you can hire men to reload the crossbow and the guard can switch between firing two or more. This significantly reduces the cost of manpower to protect an outpost as compared with paying specially trained soldiers; just hire a couple of strong laborers looking to make more than they can get working in the fields, and you're golden!
Basically, there's no reason for an adventurer to be carrying one of these, because they are too bulky and slow, but they can be used to arm a host of minions with minimal prep time!
fair enough, thanks for the info!
@@wizardsling thanks for the reply! I should have started with: I love your videos and you have a ton of great advice.
ALSO I don't mean to suggest that you shouldn't make adjustments to the game that make it more fun for everyone - it's a game with giant talking, flying, element belching lizards and psychic eyeballs that float, so it's not like you have to make everything else realistic to history (though that happens to be my idea of fun, I totally understand that's just me).
Again, thank you for all the great work you do!
This is a really good explanation. Can I add the fun fact that some of the original crossbows, before the crank mechanisms were figured out, required you to LAY DOWN to use your leg strength to get that sucker reloaded. Really only mentioning it as a fun fact. But could you imagine having to go prone for like a whole turn just to reload a weapon? 🤔 I assume the crossbows in D&D are the much later, better optimised ones, with clips to hold in the bolts and all that though. Crossbows and their history are incredibly interesting and don't get enough love. 😅
Unstoppable is basically just the original interpretation of Stoneskin.
ahh, interesting
Nice video. Also funny blooper !
thanks! Most of my bloopers are me stumbling over a word several times and then muttering "f&ck!" so they're not really useable :)
Neat, might experiment with these some. Also, side note. It's always been my personal belief that Minsc is a ranger because Boo is a barbarian, chasing down enemies in his tiny furry rage. lol =^_^=
heh @ tiny furry rage
Minsc is a ranger because of the previous games, that's all.
i want to lodge a formal complaint!
It’s probably an unpopular opinion but nerfing ranged attacks by requiring a reload makes ranged attacks a better risk/reward. Unless you have a player who builds around using their bow, making that choice a little harder is not uncommon amoung other games and adds more to your decisions.
I could see that if a crossbow did 2d8 damage, but with only a 1d10, it's not much better than a longbow.
Making a crossbow akin to a sub-machine gun is another example of 5e hand-waving any meaningful decisions a player may have to make (also see encumbrance, dark vision, short rests, cantrips, bonus actions etc etc etc)
a submachine gun is a bit of an overstatement
@@wizardsling Agreed. Still, *if* a crossbow has greater range and/or damage it makes game sense to give it a limitation, e.g. a longer reload time. (Black powder weapons even moreso.) Unless you do indeed go the Dungeon World route.
A longbow does 1d8 and has a range of 150. A heavy crossbow does 1d10 with a range of 100. I think the "loading" tag isn't a balancing thing, it's just supposed to be a realism thing.
@@wizardsling Sorry, I didn't check the PHB before posting.
Ideally they'd give the longbow a higher minimum STR or make it harder to use than a crossbow. That would balance them out *and* serve realism. As it stands there's almost no reason to use a heavy crossbow at all, since everyone's automatically a Welsh longbowman.
🥳❤️👍🏿
:)