Magic shortbow 5e is a powerful weapon in the fifth edition of the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. It is a magical version of the standard shortbow and comes with additional abilities that make it more potent in combat. In the game, a magic shortbow can be obtained as a loot drop or purchased from a merchant. It is classified as a ranged weapon and requires proficiency in the shortbow to use effectively. The magic shortbow is typically considered a rare or higher rarity item, and its abilities are dependent on its specific enchantments. One of the primary benefits of using a magic shortbow is its increased damage potential.
Shortbow 5e – How It Works, Best Classes, Comparisons
Welcome to another Black Citadel gear guide where we break down how different weapons and pieces of adventuring equipment work, how to get the most utility out of them, and how they stack up against some of the other options available to an adventurer starting out on the road to greatness (or possibly the much shorter path to becoming an owlbear’s lunch).
This time, we’re going to be tackling one of the most widely available and accessible ranged weapons in Dungeons & Dragons 5e: the shortbow.
As well as breaking down how this weapon works and how it stacks up (or more accurately doesn’t stack up) against its counterparts like the longbow and the light crossbow, we’re going to suggest some house rules to make shortbows stand out a little more from the crowd. Additionally, we’re going to talk a bit about ammunition (magical and mundane) and some different ways you can track your arrows at the table.
Let’s get started.
Shortbow
Simple Ranged Weapon
Proficiency with a shortbow allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.
Table of Contents
One of the primary benefits of using a magic shortbow is its increased damage potential. A magic shortbow typically deals more damage than a regular shortbow, with additional bonuses from its enchantments. These enchantments can include extra elemental damage, such as fire or lightning, or bonuses to accuracy and critical hit chance.
How Does a Shortbow Work in DnD 5e?
A shortbow is a ranged weapon that fires arrows at targets up to 320 feet away. As a ranged weapon, the shortbow requires you to make an attack roll by adding your Dexterity modifier and proficiency bonus (if you’re proficient with the shortbow) to the result of a d20 roll. If the total figure (which can be messed with by stuff like the Bless and Bane spells) is equal to or greater than the target’s armor class (which can be affected by things like cover and the Shield spell), you hit the target and deal 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier points of piercing damage to the target.
Unlike the more powerful longbow and heavy crossbow, the shortbow is classed as a simple weapon, meaning a greater variety of character classes are able to add their proficiency bonus to their d20 roll when rolling to hit with it (the only exception being wizards and sorcerers, who have cantrips anyway).
Shortbows are relatively cheap too. With a price tag of just 25 gp, they’re half the price of a longbow or a heavy crossbow. Given the price of a quiver (1 gp, holds 20 arrows) full of arrows (which cost 1 gp each), you can comfortably set yourself up to use a shortbow for the low price of just 46 gp. Unfortunately for the shortbow, this puts it on price parity with its main competition for the best simple ranged weapon available to non-martial characters: the light crossbow.
We’ll get into why that’s just one more reason to ditch your shortbow in favor of the light crossbow (which is basically a cool fantasy gun that’s always T-posing to assert its dominance) in a minute. For now, let’s look at the shortbow’s properties one by one and break them down.
Two-Handed
Weapons with the two-handed property require you to have both hands free in order to use them. That could mean taking both hands to lift a weighty greataxe or to slam a fresh bolt into your baddass light crossbow (aka The Goblin Annihilator). It also means reloading, drawing, and releasing an arrow from your shortbow.
The two-handed property means you’ll need to stow any shields, torches, or other weapons you’re carrying if you want to use your shortbow, and you’ll need to account for the time it takes to switch weapons if you want to change to or from your shortbow in the heat of battle. If you’re a spellcasting character, you’ll need at least one hand free if you want to cast a spell with the Somatic (fancy magic finger wiggling, basically) component, which means you can’t use a two-handed weapon like a shortbow on the same turn.
Range
All ranged weapons in D&D 5e have a distance up to which they stand a chance of hitting their targets, which is broken up into two ranges denoting the weapon’s short and long ranges. Beyond long range, a weapon can’t attack a target. These effective ranges are expressed with two numbers in a weapon’s description. Outside of melee range (5 feet), which typically imposes disadvantage on ranged attacks, weapons can be fired normally up to their short range and with disadvantage up to their long range.
The shortbow has a range of (80/320), meaning you can use it to roll attacks normally against a target up to 80 feet away and with disadvantage against targets up to 320 feet away. If you’re using a battlemat or map broken up into 5-foot squares, this means you can shoot normally at a target up to 16 squares away and with disadvantage at targets between 17 and 64 squares away.
It’s very rare that a combat encounter will take place over a distance great enough to impose long-range disadvantage on you or beyond long range for that matter, so the shortbow will probably always ensure that you can get shots off against your enemies.
Ammunition
Weapons with the ammunition property are designed to fire pieces of ammunition (crossbow bolts, stones, bullets, or in the case of the shortbow, arrows) that are consumed in the process, although some types of ammunition can be partially recovered after firing.
Arrows are probably the most common type of ammunition (other than the small stones you put in a sling) in the world of D&D and are readily available in most towns with the average price of 1 gold piece per arrow.
Arrow
Arrows are used with a weapon that has the ammunition property to make a ranged attack. Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one piece of ammunition. Drawing the ammunition from a quiver, case, or other container is part of the attack (you need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon). At the end of the battle, you can recover half your expended ammunition by taking a minute to search the battlefield.
Arrows are usually stored in a quiver, which can hold up to 20 arrows at a time and costs 1 gp.
Furthermore, a magic shortbow may possess additional abilities that grant it unique advantages in combat. For example, it could have the ability to shoot magical arrows that seek out their targets or have a longer range than a regular shortbow. These additional abilities make the magic shortbow a versatile weapon choice for characters who prefer ranged combat. To use a magic shortbow effectively, characters must meet the required proficiency and strength requirements. A character proficient in the shortbow can add their proficiency bonus to attack rolls made with the magic shortbow, increasing their chances of hitting their targets. Additionally, characters must have the strength necessary to draw and use a shortbow effectively, as it requires a certain level of physical strength. Overall, the magic shortbow is a valuable weapon for characters who rely on ranged combat in the Dungeons and Dragons 5e game. Its additional damage potential and unique abilities make it a sought-after item among adventurers. With the right enchantments and mastery, the magic shortbow can turn the tide of battle and help characters overcome their foes with deadly accuracy..
Reviews for "Tricks and Techniques for Maximizing Damage with the Magic Shortbow in 5e"
1. Karen - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with the Magic Shortbow 5e. It just didn't live up to the hype. The damage it dealt was lackluster, and it constantly seemed to miss its target. I found myself resorting to my old regular bow within minutes of trying out the magic shortbow. It's definitely not worth the price.
2. David - 3/5 stars - While the Magic Shortbow 5e had its moments, I overall felt underwhelmed by its performance. The additional magical effects it boasted seemed promising but didn't have a significant impact during battles. The range was average, and I found myself needing to get closer to my enemies to ensure I landed hits. I expected more from a magic weapon and wouldn't recommend it unless you have no other options.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - As an experienced archer, I was excited to get my hands on the Magic Shortbow 5e. However, I was sorely disappointed. The bow lacked the power and precision I expected from a magical weapon. Even with my superior archery skills, it seemed like the bow had a mind of its own and consistently missed my targets. I quickly switched back to my trusty longbow, which performed much better. Don't waste your gold on this mediocre piece of equipment.