Rock arrow head

[Hellblazer]

I was wondering about the druids not being able to use any processed metal beside the scimitar (and of course jewelry). So it got me to think how the north American Indians used to make their arrows with chipped rocks.

So there I thought, we have limestones that can be mined, and a light came. How about adding Limestones arrow heads so the druids could actually use bows?

[ycleption]

Currently Druids are allowed to use bows, so long as they don't have compound parts added - I've seen some druids simply RP as having flint arrow heads, and others simply say that the small amount of metal in the arrowhead doesn't harm their connection with nature...

it's a good idea, but I think the problem it solves it RPable around.

[Dorganath]

Druids do use bows, or at least some elven druids do (and are the only ones allowed to use them).

It's a good idea, and something we looked at for spears at one point. I think we even have art resources for gem-tipped spears too, but we haven't made use of them.

To do this right, we would need every variation that we have in the metal-tipped arrows duplicated in some form of stone, which will do ugly things to our already-strained object palette.

Either that, or we have to replace the metal-tipped arrows with stone/gem tipped ones.  Either way, it's a big job with refactoring recipes, and the quantity balance for gem-tipped arrows vs. metal tipped ones will be way off, since the yield from a single chunk of mineral would be rather small.

We could limit it to limestone, but that's not much in the variety department.

So on that, by allowing elven druids to use bows, we're implicitly allowing them to use arrows as well, since having a bow without arrows is pretty useless. As such, having alternate druid-specific recipes is rather redundant.

As a reminder, only elven druids can use bows.  No other race is permitted to use bows as druids, regardless of what feats have been taken.

[lonnarin]

How does race factor into class-specific oaths?  If it's an issue of culture, then wouldn't they also be allowed rapiers for which they receive racial training?  On that note, could a half-giant/ogre use a falchion as a "giant-sized scimitar"?

Metal worked bullets are still allowed for slings, correct?

[Dorganath]

How does race factor into class-specific oaths?  If it's an issue of culture, then wouldn't they also be allowed rapiers for which they receive racial training?  On that note, could a half-giant/ogre use a falchion as a "giant-sized scimitar"?

Metal worked bullets are still allowed for slings, correct?

Good question, and in my personal opinion, it shouldn't.  

However, Bioware decided (or allowed without thinking) that if a druid was also an elf, that druid would still get all the Elven weapon proficiencies.  So mechanically, elven Druids can equip bows right out of the gate.

Some time ago, this very question came up, because there were two schools of thought: Those who believed that Druids should follow D&D rules and those who think that if NWN allows it, it should be OK.  Ultimately the question was brought to Leanthar and after some thought and discussion, he decided to allow what NWN allows, with the explanation being that use of the bow was deeply ingrained in elven tradition and culture, and was therefore an acceptable thing for elven druids to equip bows.  He also stated that no other racial type would be permitted this accommodation.

So the reason is primarily one of what NWN allows being given an IC explanation and a codification of world lore and rules.

And again, if the ranged weapon is allowed, so to is the ammunition, as a) we don't have enough different types of ammunition to cover all cases, and b) the weapon is useless without ammunition.

[HooD!uM]

on a note about druids, whatever happened to wooden intergrated armours? Im sure this was discussed a long time ago..also wouldnt it be cool if druids could make rings out of wooden strands.. oak for +1 mahogany +2 and yew +3

[darkstorme]

on a note about druids, whatever happened to wooden intergrated armours? Im sure this was discussed a long time ago..also wouldnt it be cool if druids could make rings out of wooden strands.. oak for +1 mahogany +2 and yew +3

As always, the reply for this would be:
[list=a]

• That's a lot of recipes to add.
• That's a lot of palette items to use up, unless we use the same items that are normally crafted, in which case there'd be no means by which to distinguish a druidic ring from a conventially-crafted ring.

They might be neat, but limitations on both programmer time and the engine with which we're working make a lot of ideas impractical or shelved until even neater ideas have been implemented.

[lonnarin]

Druids do use bows, or at least some elven druids do (and are the only ones allowed to use them).

LORE does not specify the "only elves" rule.  

LORE: Druid Information
"Druids may use any ranged weapon that is not refined or that does not use objects that may harm the connection with nature. Such objects may include pulleys, or metal. Acceptable ranged weapons at this time are slings, shortbows, or longbows. Crossbows and their like are not accepted as they harm the connection with nature. Compound longbows are not allowed either due to their refinement process. (as a note: Druids are not about archery and I could—perhaps should have—stated no bows at all)."

Simply that since there are no complex parts involved, just wood and string, that the bow is allowed for all druids.  It lacks the necessary parts to break the no-metal oath, and the race of the wielder does not change the physical composition of the bow.

[Dorganath]

*nods* That's correct, it doesn't.

However, elves, druid or otherwise, get the necessary weapon feat to equip and use a bow.  This is permitted mechanically by NWN.  This question came up a long time ago, and Leanthar eventually wrote the above comment.  But as important as the first part...

Druids may use any ranged weapon that is not refined or that does not use objects that may harm the connection with nature.

is the last part...

Druids are not about archery

In addition, druids are druids first, regardless of whatever else may be in their backgrounds or what other classes they might have that might have mechanically permitted equipping and using of a bow.

So elves start out with the necessary feat (as a cultural throwback) to use a bow as a druid, but as druids are not about archery, there's no reason for a non-elven to take the necessary feats to use bows.  There are other ranged weapons at their disposal.

[Falonthas]

as a player who has three elven druids, it might be known that once 5th level is achieved with shape shifting for alternate fighting forms, even though yes my druids have their bows, they if anything have become antiques and not used

but from 1st to 4th the bow comes in handy for protection when spells and protections are limited

drogo for one used his bow when he was called by ozlo but very little once he found his mentor and his staff became his primary defense

since it was brought up, as before. all arrows can be played as having the stoneflint tips, or i recall using animal teeth as arrow tips years ago, for the rp aspect