Many of the magical and mundane items
in our treasure files were archery treasures,
particularly bows. Rangers, archers,
and other warriors from any AD&D®
game world should find these to be of
great help in a tight spot. A set of magical
bolts is included as a bonus.
Of all bows found, 50% are long and
50% are short. A second die roll reveals
whether the bows are self (50%) or composite
(50%). Crossbows are 75% likely to
be light crossbows and 25% likely to be
heavy crossbows.
 
 

Bow built for strength	Gem bow	Phantom bow	Long bow of marksmanship	Long bow of heartseeking
Bow of fire teeth	Bow of ice fangs	Bow of accuracy	Bow of distance	Bow of speed
Elven bow +3, last shot	Elven bow +2, goblin bane	Cursed bow of warning	Crossbow of enchantment	Crossbow of Lir
Crossbow of levitation	Bolts of lightning	Magic Items	Dragon 127	Dragon

Bow built for strength
A s   s t a t e d   i n   t h e   DMG
under combat (page 64), ?to hit? and damage bonuses for strength do not apply to
the use of bows unless they are specially
improved. These specially made bows are
c o n s i d e r e d   to be  built for strength. Bows
built for strength are superior to normal
bows and are slightly larger and heavier.
They are always of the finest workmanship and quality, taking a minimum of six
months to fabricate. They can be made for
any strength up to 18/00 and are priced at
1,000 gp per additional damage point, as
follows:
 

Strength	Damage	Value
16-17	+1	1,000 gp
18	+2	2,000 gp
18/01-75	+3	3,000 gp
18/76-90	+4	4,000 gp
18/91-99	+5	5,000 gp
18/00	+6	6,000 gp

It must be noted that a character with a
strength of less than 16 may not use a bow
built for strength; likewise, a character
with an 18 strength may not pull a bow
built for 18/01-00 strength. However, a
character with a strength higher than that
for which the bow was built can fire it,
although he receives only that damage
bonus the bow allows. Note that these
bows are nonmagical; thus, all normal
weapons rules and restrictions (saving
throws, etc.) apply. All bows (including
cranked crossbows) may be built for
strength from scratch, but no normal,
nonmagical bow can be improved to gain
strength bonuses.
XP Value:  Nil
GP Value:  1,000-6,000
Created by: Dave Monson

Gem bow
Created long ago by a prestigious halfling
bowyer and the Arch-Mage Bendalyre,
these bows (of which there are only three)
were created to help the halfling societies
combat their enemies. Over the years, the
gem bows have disappeared from the
halfling realms, and are now lost and
mostly forgotten by the race that created
them. They are all short bows +1, are of
excellent craftsmanship, and have the
ability to gain additional powers.
On the face of each bow is an indentation
above the handgrip. If certain gemstones
are set into this notch, the bow is
then capable of bestowing one of three
special powers on an arrow fired. Arrows
must be nonmagical to gain these powers.
The gems and effects are as follows:
 

Gem type	Effect
Diamond	1-6 hp damage +10 hp electric shock
Ruby	1-6 hp damage +10 hp fire damage
Sapphire	1-6 hp damage +10 hp cold damage

A gem bow gains one charge per 200 gp
value of each gem. Gems set into a gem
bow decrease in value by 200 gp as each
charge is used, eventually becoming normal
stones with the expiration of their
charges. These bows function normally
with respect to range and rate of fire.
XP Value: 1,000
GP Value: 7,000
Created by: Dave Monson

Phantom bow
This appears to be a transparent bow
with a sparkling string. When the string is
drawn back, a shimmering arrow appears.
Two such arrows can be fired per round
as with a normal bow. The glowing
arrows are +2 to hit and damage; the
arrows vanish with no effect if they miss
their intended target. The phantom bow
fires 1d20 +40 of these arrows, after
which point the bow vanishes.
The bow makes saving throws as per
hard metal with a +2 modifier. Normal
and magical arrows can also be fired from
this weapon, but magical arrows gain no
additional attack bonus. Each normal
arrow fired from the bow gains a +1
bonus to hit and damage in addition to all
other bonuses. Furthermore, these arrows
can be fired without detracting from the
bow's longevity (i.e., the bow?s magic is not
decreased by firing normal arrows).
XP Value: 1,500
GP Value: 10,000
Created by: Bob Reitmann

Long bow of marksmanship
This magical long bow (either composite
or self) also gives a +2 bonus to the "to
hit" rolls of the user in combat. However, a
long bow of marksmanship also gives the
user a +5 bonus to hit against any nonliving
target (including golems, undead, etc.).
This bonus is also gained when attempting
a trick shot, as long as that shot is not
intended to directly harm another character
or creature. In other words, the +5
bonus applies to an attempt to shoot an
apple off another character?s head, hitting
an opponent?s weapon, or any similar shot.
XP Value: 1,500
GP Value: 7,500
Created by: Marc Andreessen

Long bow of heartseeking
This type of long bow (self or composite)
always has a +3 bonus to hit targets. It
acts as a normal magical bow, except
when a sufficiently high number to hit is
rolled. Then, the arrow it fires strikes
directly at the target creature?s heart (if it
has such), slaying the victim instantly. ?To
hit? numbers required for this attack are
as follows:
Opponent ?To hit? roll *
Up to man-size 21-23
Larger than man-size 22-23
Metal or stone* * 23
* Consider only the bow?s bonus of +3.
* * If the foe is using a spell or device that
has transformed him into this material.
Certain creatures (such as elementals,
golems, and undead) do not have hearts,
and so would not be affected by this weapon.
Shape-shifting creatures (such as dopplegangers)
are not affected by this killing
power, either. However, 10% of these
bows have been enchanted to be useful
against vampires, such that the bow can
fire a wooden arrow into a vampire?s
heart and slay it on the spot. Any score of
20 or better, including all bonuses, means
that the long bow of vampire hunting has
killed its vampiric target. No other beings
are so affected by this bow.
XP Value: 4,000 (2,000 for vampire
hunting)
GP Value: 20,000 (10,000 for vampire
hunting)
Created by: Mark Stafford

Bow of fire teeth
When fired, this bow ignites any arrow
it shoots. In addition to regular damage,
the arrow does 1-6 hp fire damage. Magical
arrows must save vs. magical fire if
shot from this bow; if they fail the save,
they catch fire and lose all magical
enchantments. If they save, magical
arrows perform normally. These arrows
set combustibles aflame if the combustible
material struck fails a save vs. normal fire.
Fire bows can set fire to a maximum of
10 arrows per day. The fire bow gives no
?to hit? or damage bonuses other than the
added damage from the arrow?s flames.
Such bows are generally red or yellow in
color and have fire runes incorporated
into their ornate designs.
XP Value: 750
GP Value: 5,000
Created by: David E. Cates

Bow of ice fangs
This long bow, made of ivory and
mithral steel, is believed to have been first
created by the Elder Craftsmen of
Niflheim (the area of Hades known to
worshipers of the Norse gods as the land
of the dead). Duplicates of the ice fang
bow have since been crafted by human
and elven mages. The main feature of the
ice fang bow is that it creates ice arrows
from water vapor in the air. The user need
only pull on the bowstring and release it;
the arrows are created instantly, but may
only be fired at a rate of two per round, to
allow the bow?s magic time to recharge.
These magical arrows are +1 to hit and
do double damage (2-12 hp damage) vs.
fire-using and fire-dwelling creatures. If
used against any other sort of being, these
arrows are merely +1 to hit and damage.
Each ice fang bow can generate a total of
51-150 ice arrows before its magic fades. A
nonmagical ice fang bow is still finely
crafted and is worth 1,000 gp.
Unfortunately, in hot climates (120°F
and up), the effective range of these
arrows is halved. In environments where
the temperature is over 300°F, the ice
arrows cannot form. If normal or magical
arrows are fired from this bow, they do
not gain the bonuses against fiery creatures,
and the bow performs in all ways as
a normal long bow.
XP Value: 600
GP Value: 3,500
Created by: David E. Cates

Bow of accuracy
The bow of accuracy is a simple yet effective
missile weapon. The magic properties
of this bow are a +3 bonus to hit and
damage; likewise, all ranges within normal
bow range are figured as short range in
regard to this weapon.
XP Value: 2,500
GP Value: 15,000
Created by: Andrew Salamon

Bow of distance
Like the bow of accuracy, this bow gives
a bonus to hit and damage -- a bonus of
+2 in this instance. The difference
between the two, however, is that the
ranges of distance for the bow of accuracy
are double that of a normal bow of a
similar type.
XP Value: 2,000
GP Value: 12,000
Created by: Andrew Salamon

Bow of speed
This weapon is +1 to hit and damage. If
there are undamaged and nonmagical
arrows within 10' of the bow, those
arrows are teleported, nocked and ready
to fire, as soon as the bowman pulls back
the string. This allows the normal rate of
fire for the archer to be doubled. Some
10% of these bows are able to teleport any
arrow within l0?, magical or not, to the
bow for firing. The archer can only distinguish
one arrow from another if the
arrows used are distinctive; all arrows to
be fired are chosen at random.
XP Value: 2,000
GP Value: 12,000
Created by: Andrew Salamon

Elven bow +3, last shot
This bow appears to be a normal magic
bow of +1 enchantment; however, in the
hands of an elf, the full powers of this
weapon are evoked. Whenever an elf uses
this weapon, it becomes a +3 magical
weapon with ranges 50% greater than
normal. The rate of fire is also increased
by one arrow per round; this last arrow is
fired after all other attacks have been
completed for that round.
XP Value: 1,200
GP Value: 8,000
Created by: John M. Boback

Elven bow +2, goblin bane
This bow appears to be a standard long
bow +1; in the hands of an elven fighter,
however, its full potential is realized. The
+2 bonus is gained, as well as the following
characteristics: Arrows fired have
double-normal ranges and strike for double
damage (2d6 + 2hp damage) against
any giant-class humanoid successfully hit.
This class of monsters includes those
which may be struck for extra damage by
rangers (as per Unearthed Arcana).
XP Value: 1,000
GP Value: 6,000
Created by: Gregg Sharp

Cursed bow of warning
At first, this bow appears to be a bow
+3, but when an arrow is fired from this
bow, it always misses any living target
which is of evil nature. Furthermore, the
arrow's flight always alerts an evil victim
and instantly directs his attention to the
location of the user of the bow, negating
all further surprise advantages. If the
nature of this bow is discovered, the curse
can be removed by magical means, such as
through the employment of a dispel magic,
wish, or limited wish, or by clerical means,
such as through the employment of a
remove curse. The curse is considered to
be 12th-level magic. Once the curse is
removed, the bow becomes a bow +3.
XP Value: Nil (1,500 without curse)
GP Value: 500 (10,500 without curse)
Created by: Dan Snuffin

Crossbow of enchantment
This weapon casts a spell upon any
nonmagical bolt placed in it, enabling it to
strike any creature that can only be hit by
a magical weapon. Note that there are no
bonuses to hit or to damage; the crossbow
merely enables one to have a chance
against unnatural monsters with nonmagical
bolts. No additional benefit is bestowed
upon a magical bolt.
XP Value: 1,500
GP Value: 7,500
Created by: Gregory W. Detwiler

Crossbow of Lir
This crossbow, which has a ?to hit?
bonus of + 3, may be fired normally
underwater at the same ranges a normal
crossbow has on land, thereby giving
underwater adventurers a badly needed
missile capability. These bows are named
after Manannan Mac Lir, Celtic god of the
sea (DDG, page 28).
XP Value: 2,000
GP Value: 10,000
Created by: Gregory W. Detwiler

Crossbow of levitation
This is a magical crossbow that gives its
user the ability to levitate as per the spell.
While using the crossbow of levitation, the
owner?s feet are not in contact with the
ground; at the least, the bow owner
remains 1? above any ?ground? surface.
Furthermore, the only other weapon the
bow owner may hold in hand is a dagger
or knife. If a levitate spell is used on the
possessor, the bow loses all of its power
for 2-12 rounds. This crossbow has a +1
bonus to hit targets, but offers no bonuses
to damage done by bolts. The user of this
crossbow gains forward movement at a
rate of 1? while levitated, but he can be
towed by flying creatures.
XP Value: 1,500
GP Value: 7,000
Created by: John M. Parker

Bolts of lightning
Also called thunder bolts, these bolts
appear to be normal bolts until fired from
a crossbow. After being shot, a bolt of
lightning becomes a 7?-long bolt of lightning
with a range equal to the maximum
range of the crossbow which fired it (e.g,,
a bolt fired from a heavy crossbow has a
range of 240 yards, and a bolt fired from a
light crossbow has a range of 180 yards.
These bolts are +2 to hit and do 4-16 hp
damage if they strike a target. A save vs.
spells is applicable; if the save is successful,
only half damage accrues to the creature
struck. Furthermore, all creatures
within a 15' radius of where this magical
bolt hits have to save vs. petrification or
be stunned for one round due to the earpiercing
clash of thunder which accompanies
the strike.
Bolts of lightning are usually found in
numbers ranging from 2-8. They are also
often found mixed with normal bolts or
with magical bolts of other types.
XP Value: 200
GP Value: 1,200
Created by: John M. Boback

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