Weapon Skill: Bow

Playtest 3.2 / 4th Ed

Build Cost: 4 (Off-List: 10)

Purchase: Once

Tagged: No

Duration: Constant

Skill Type: Martial

Prerequisites: None

Skill List: Warrior Basic Career, Rogue Basic Career

Skill Rules & Full Description

This skill gives the character the ability to call damage with Bows. If a character does not have the appropriate weapon skill, then not only can they not call damage, but if the weapon they are holding is struck, they take that damage anyway.

A bow does not block damage unless it is magical or unshatterable. These special weapons can be used to block attacks but can NOT be used to strike in melee combat.

The base damage for a Bow is 4 when wielded in both hands.

Site Note — not rules text

Bow now covers Crossbows

Weapon skills were consolidated in an out-of-game announcement on 10 May 2025. The separate Crossbow skill was merged into this one, so Bow covers both bows and crossbows. The rules text below predates the merge and still refers only to bows.

If you still have the old Crossbow skill listed on your character card, you may treat it as the Bow skill for all intents and purposes.

Playtest 3.2 lists only Bow (4 on-list / 10 off-list) on the Warrior and Rogue Basic Career Skill List tables (pp. 7–8) with no Crossbow entry, and its Special Notes still address the two together: “Bows and Crossbows may not be used to block an attack for they are too delicate. The one exception is Magic or unshatterable Bows, these weapons can be used to block attacks in melee combat but cannot be used to strike with in melee combat.” Several later skills — Double Shot, Far Shot and Marksman — likewise still name bows and crossbows together.

The consolidated skill description Playtest 3.2's change log points to was not included in the released document. The rules committee has been asked for updated wording.

Source: LAIRE #oog-announcements, 10 May 2025 (conversion guide). Cost, list placement and Special Notes from Playtest 3.2, pp. 7–8.

Canonical Source: Playtest 3.2 (Page 8)

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