Wheel of Time Rules Manual

Weapon Craft / Bowcraft

Weapon Craft

Bowcraft

Mobility, high single-target damage, and crowd control — from a careful distance.

Weapons Any Bow
Excluded Crossbows
Standard AoI 15 feet
Stacking Ability Muscle Memory
Next Channeling
Play Focus
Mobility Single-Target Damage Debuffs Crowd Control Close-Range Options

These attacks all only apply to attacks made with a bow of any sort (except crossbows). Bowcraft is a versatile craft that lets players choose to focus on mobility, damage, or seriously impairing enemy effectiveness.

Volley is an efficient stack builder. Distracting Shot and Inhibiting Shot are effective debuff abilities. Aimed Shot can deal very high single-target damage. Locus of Calm, paired with Reflexive Shot, Fire in Flight, and Close Quarters Firing, lets you stay mobile and still punish enemies that close in.

Because bow users — more than any other weapon type — need distance to operate well, Bowcraft abilities generally cannot be used against targets inside their standard (15-foot) AoI unless stated in the ability, and any attack or ability used inside that standard AoI is done at +1 Disadvantage. Balance long-range shine with tools for when enemies get close. Bowcraft can also be the most effective crowd-control craft in the game, as melee enemies naturally struggle against a strong ranged archer.

Ranged Combat Reminders

Keep these in mind for every bow attack — craft abilities inherit them unless noted.

  • Ranged weapons begin with a 15-foot AoI.
  • Add DEX modifier to Attack Roll.
  • If using a ranged weapon at a target within 15 feet of you (your unmodified AoI), add +1 Disadvantage.
  • If you successfully hit an enemy that's within your standard AoI (15 feet), you always deal full dice damage (the maximum your damage dice can produce — e.g. a 1d4 produces a 4).
  • If attacking an enemy that has an ally within 5 feet, add +1 Disadvantage.
  • You must have a clear LOS to the target. Allies within 5 feet of you do not block LOS.
  • No Bowcraft abilities can target enemies inside your standard AoI unless specifically stated in the ability.

Stacking Ability

Counters build every time you fire — spend them to open range or force bleeding.

Muscle Memory

Every time you roll a D20 to fire your bow, you gain a counter — hit or miss. Some abilities use stacks; some modify how many stacks that ability grants.

Stack Burn

  • 1 Stack

    Expand your AoI by an additional 15 feet.

  • 2 Stacks

    Each attack that damages an enemy this turn forces that enemy to roll an additional 1d4 “bleeding” damage at the beginning of their next turn. This is per roll of a 20-sided die, not per arrow.

At Maximum Stacks

If you are currently at your maximum stacks, you gain the following passive ability. As soon as you spend any stacks, you immediately lose the passive ability.

  • Passive

    Perfect Tension [0 PHYS] — When you have maximum stacks, after taking a Full Attack Action (not an ability that costs a Full Attack Action), either make an additional attack at your Low Attack Bonus, or make attacks with +1 additional Advantage. Choose one option per round.

Abilities

Search every tier at once — useful mid-turn.

15 abilities
Tier 1

Basic Abilities

May be purchased using talent points in any order.

  • Locus of Calm

    1 Stack Free Action

    Experience has given you the ability to remain calm where less seasoned archers would panic, letting you attack enemies close to you more effectively. Remove the Disadvantage you incur by attacking an enemy within your standard AoI (ranged rules penalty).

  • Aimed Shot 1

    1 Phys X Stacks Full Round Action

    You take your time, ensuring the arrow hits a more vulnerable place on a foe outside your standard AoI. Your focus removes any disadvantages you have for this attack. Make a Standard Attack with +X Advantage. Add X to your CTR and Crit Multiplier.

  • Inhibiting Shot 1

    1 Phys Standard Attack Action

    You attempt to strike the target in the leg, making it difficult to move. Make a Standard Attack Action. If successful, the target's movement is cut in half until your next turn, and they make any attacks during their next turn with +1 Disadvantage.

  • Arc-Shot

    1 Phys Standard Attack Action

    By tearing some fletching and skewing the string as you fire, you can curve your arrows around an obstacle. Requires DM / situational approval. Obstacle must be generally equidistant from player and target (in the middle). Player is effectively concealed from target: +1 Advantage.

  • Fire in Flight

    1 Phys Full Attack Action

    You may move an additional 15 feet during your standard movement action this turn, and still make a Full Attack Action. You may make your attacks at any point during your movement. This attack can target enemies inside your standard AoI. Successful attacks at enemies in your standard AoI deal full dice damage.

  • Volley 1

    1 Phys Standard Attack Action

    Holding your bow sideways, you prepare 1 + APM arrows and send a single cloud of arrows at all enemies standing within 10 feet of a single point on the battlefield, which must be at least 30 feet away and contain no friendly targets. This attack is less damaging due to a weighed-down bowstring and lack of proper aiming, but more likely to hit something in that space. Roll once for this attack, adding +APM advantages. You may not count advantages from any other ability during this attack. Each die represents 1 arrow. Compare each die against enemy defenses in the area of effect, starting from the closest enemy to the farthest. Each enemy can be hit by only 1 arrow, which deals normal damage (but cannot crit). Gain 1 + APM stacks of Muscle Memory. See Volley Errata.

  • Distracting Shot 1

    1 Phys Full Attack Action

    You quickly and recklessly fire as many arrows as you can at a single target that is not within 10 feet of a friendly player, making them split their focus. You make [1 + DEX Mod] attacks against an enemy. Use no attack or damage bonuses for this attack, and you cannot crit. Hit or miss, until your next turn, the target gains [1 + DEX Mod] Disadvantages.

  • Reflexive Shot 1

    1 Phys Attack of Opportunity

    Make a Standard Attack at an enemy that has moved at least 10 feet during their turn to cross into your AoI (regardless of AoI range). Add your APM to CTR. (Remember you are at +1 Disadvantage unless you spend on Locus of Calm.) Hit or miss, that enemy is +1 Disadvantage to their next attack roll. If successful, deal full dice damage. This attack can target enemies inside your standard AoI.

  • Close Quarters Firing 1

    1 Phys Standard Attack Action

    Attack an enemy within 15 feet using your HAB. (Remember you are at +1 Disadvantage unless you spend on Locus of Calm.) Add double your DEX Mod to Attack and CTR. If successful, deal full dice damage. This attack can target enemies inside your standard AoI.

Tier 2

Intermediate Abilities

Spend at least 2 points in the weaponcraft tree. Level 2 upgrades require the matching level 1 ability.

  • Inhibiting Shot 2

    2 Phys Full Attack Action Requires Inhibiting Shot 1

    You attempt to strike the target several times in the legs and arms, making it difficult to move or attack. Make a Full Attack Action. For each successful hit, the target's movement is reduced by 15 feet until your next turn, and they make any attacks during their next turn with that many Disadvantages.

  • Aimed Shot 2

    2 Phys X Stacks Standard Attack Action Requires Aimed Shot 1

    You aim at an enemy you successfully hit during the last attack roll you made, making this follow-up shot faster. Make a Standard Attack against that enemy, adding +X Advantage, and adding X to Attack, Damage, CTR, and Crit Multiplier. If you successfully hit, make an additional standard attack using the same bonuses. Remember, additional damage is added after the crit value is multiplied.

  • Distracting Shot 2

    2 Phys Standard Attack Action Requires Distracting Shot 1

    You quickly and recklessly fire as many arrows as you can at a single target that is not within 10 feet of a friendly player, making them split their focus. You make [2 + DEX Mod] attacks against an enemy. Hit or miss, until your next turn, the target gains [2 + DEX Mod] Disadvantages. If you used any level of Distracting Shot against this enemy last turn, they lose 1 Standard Action during their next turn.

  • Reflexive Shot 2

    2 Phys Attack of Opportunity + 1 Immediate Action Requires Reflexive Shot 1

    Make a Standard Attack at an enemy that has moved at least 10 feet during their turn to cross into your AoI (regardless of AoI range). Add double your APM to CTR. (Remember you are at +1 Disadvantage unless you spend on Locus of Calm.) Hit or miss, that enemy is +2 Disadvantage to their next attack roll. If successful, deal full dice damage. This attack can target enemies inside your standard AoI. Make a free 15-foot move away from the targeted enemy, and repeat the attack one time, with the same conditions and results.

Tier 3

Advanced Abilities

You must have spent at least 4 points in the weaponcraft tree.

  • Time for the Stick

    3 Phys Full Round Action

    Make a Standard Attack at a target farther than 60 feet away. For every 10 feet between you and the enemy, add +1 to Attack, CTR, and Crit Multiplier.

  • Blazing Salvo

    3 Phys Full Round Action

    Requires a prepared, hand-sized clay flask of oil. You set an arrow on fire, creating a flaming, smoking missile. Throw the flask towards a point in the air within 30 feet of you. You fire at the flask, shattering it and spraying flaming oil at all enemies within 10 feet of that point. Successfully hitting the flask requires an attack roll totaling 20 or more. Affected enemies receive — now, and at the start of their next 3 turns unless flushed with water — 3d4 burning damage and +3 Disadvantage for that turn.

Volley Errata

Volley uses simplified, special-case rules. Read this when the ability comes up at the table.

Volley is a special-use ability with its own simplified rules. Other advantages or disadvantages you have are ignored for this attack (they don't go away permanently — they just don't factor into Volley). You use exactly APM advantage dice. You select a place on the terrain, not an enemy or group of enemies. You roll all the dice (1 + APM) at the same time. Each die represents a single arrow, and its natural value — combined with your HAB — represents that arrow's likelihood to hit. Consider this each “Arrow Attack Value.”

For each enemy within 10 feet of the chosen terrain point, starting with the highest Arrow Attack Value, compare each value against their Defense, starting with the closest enemy and moving to the farthest. Each enemy can only be potentially hit by a single arrow.

  • Example 1. You fire at a place that has 10 enemies within 10 feet. APM is 2, so you roll 3 d20s total — regardless of elevation, flanking, buffs, or debuffs. Arrow Attack Values end up 20, 15, and 12. All enemies have Defense 15. The closest enemy is struck (15 < 20); roll damage for that enemy. The next two closest enemies' Defense overcomes 12 and 15 (ties favor the defender). All other enemies are unharmed. You gain 3 stacks.
  • Example 2. One enemy within 10 feet. APM is 3, so you roll 4 d20s. Values: 25, 20, 15, 12. Enemy Defense is 15. The first arrow (25) hits; roll damage. Since each enemy can only be hit by a single arrow, the rest miss. Gain 4 stacks.
  • Example 3. One enemy within 10 feet. APM is 1, so you roll 2 d20s. Values: 15, 14. Enemy Defense is 15. The first arrow ties Defense 15 — ties favor the defender. Remaining arrows miss. Gain 2 stacks.

Wheel of Time RPG · Bowcraft weapon craft Rules manual