Okay, so apart from common sense (and DM mandate), why doesn't this work? A bow with the splitting enchantment fires a Raptor arrow (which, the round after it fires, restrings itself). The splitting enchantment causes two arrows to fire instead of one, and the next round, two raptor arrows come back to the bow.
I'm pretty sure that's not how it should work, but I can't come up with a solid reason why. What should happen (1,2, or 0 arrows come back), and why?
Okay, so apart from common sense (and DM mandate), why doesn't this work? A bow with the splitting enchantment fires a Raptor arrow (which, the round after it fires, restrings itself). The splitting enchantment causes two arrows to fire instead of one, and the next round, two raptor arrows come back to the bow.
I'm pretty sure that's not how it should work, but I can't come up with a solid reason why. What should happen (1,2, or 0 arrows come back), and why?
Welcome to part of the problem with Splitting. I'd simply say that the copied arrow loses its magical properties after a round (if, indeed, it remains at all - it's not the worst part of Splitting, but it does basically let you double up on how many expensive magical arrows you recover at the end of each battle if the copies are permanent). The "true" Raptor Arrow returns faithfully as you'd expect.
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Away from books right now, but doesn't splitting say it turns your arrows into a two lasers or something? No longer actual arrows?
If so, there you go. 0 return because they were turned into lasers. If not, ignore me.
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I'm actually away from the book that has splitting too atm, left it up at school and won't be back for a couple weeks. Pretty sure it was in Champions of Ruin, anyone have the book on them for a word-for-word reading?
The book (I don't have a hard copy, but I found one online) states:
Any arrow or bolt fired from a splitting weapon magically splits into two missiles in mid-flight. Both missiles are identical, sharing the nonsplitting properties of the original missile; for example, a +1 splitting arrow splits into two +1 arrows in mid-flight. Both missiles strike the same target. Make a separate attack roll for each missile using the same attack bonus.
This makes me think that you'd double your return with raptor arrows.
The raptor arrows make it especially weird, and they're already weird to begin with (how does the arrow restring itself on the bow when holding the bow in position requires the wielder's involvement?).
If I needed to handle it, I'd probably say that by having both arrows try to return to the same position on the bow, they simply fuse back together. As a possibility, it's not supported or excluded by the text, but it seems like a reasonable way to handle it.
I wonder what would happen if you shot a raptor arrow at someone else who used Snatch Arrows to grab it and then fired it back at you. According to the text, it doesn't look like there's anything to stop it from flying to each bow at the appropriate time, even if the last thing that happened was it being fired from a different bow (so two archers could have a duel with just one raptor arrow if they really wanted to do so).
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The book (I don't have a hard copy, but I found one online...link to follow) states:
Any arrow or bolt fired from a splitting weapon magically splits into two missiles in mid-flight. Both missiles are identical, sharing the nonsplitting properties of the original missile; for example, a +1 splitting arrow splits into two +1 arrows in mid-flight. Both missiles strike the same target. Make a separate attack roll for each missile using the same attack bonus.
This makes me think that you'd double your return with raptor arrows.
(it's page 42)
heh, I forgot about that.
Also, I'd recommend dropping the link. (The mods aren't too happy about this type of thing)
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Sounds like RAW you get to double all your magical arrows. Good luck getting your DM not to laugh, and house rule that one.
I'd do something like "The fake arrow disintergrates after impact" personally. Splitting is already super super good, no need to make it also provide infinate money/arrows.
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