Emerald Expansion 8 - Short Bows

Short Bow

Skill: Small Ranged
Damage: 2d10
Range: 50ft/100ft/150ft

With 1 less accuracy AND damage die, AND half the range, have you ever wondered why you shouldn't just use a Composite Bow? Me too. Hopefully now we'll have a reason.

You should really read the previous post, but, in short: remember you have more opportunities for allotment given set damage requires no investment, and at Qi 2 you should take Slicing Arrow because this weapon secretly does 6d10.

I've chosen to present the techniques in level order rather than alphabetically so you get a sense for how skill with the weapon progresses. Without further ado:

Bow Slam

Discipline: Waijia

Skill: Small Ranged against Parry

Type: Normal

Qi: 1

Channeling your frustration that no one will engage you at range, you raise your short bow over your head and slam it down upon your foe’s skull.

Roll Small Ranged against Parry. On a Success you deal Muscle+2d10 damage.

Cathartic: Cathartically you do 1 Extra Wound.

Eccentric Uppercut

Discipline: Waijia

Skill: Small Ranged against Evade

Type: Counter

Qi: 2

You drop down and duck below a blow aimed at your upper body, then fire a short bow shot up at the attacker.

Make a Small Ranged roll against the Evade of one melee attacker. On a Success you reduce the attacker’s damage dice by 1d10 per Waijia and may take a shot at her.

Cathartic: On a Cathartic Success you dodge the attack completely and your counterattack does 1 Extra Wound.

Sweep of Miseries

Discipline: Waijia

Skill: Small Ranged against Parry

Type: Normal

Qi: 3

You lean forward and slice with your short bow, bashing it into those in an arc before you like it’s a bludgeoning weapon.

Make a Small Ranged roll against the Parry of up to four people directly in front of you. On a Success you do normal damage plus 2 Extra Wounds.

Cathartic: Cathartically you do normal damage plus 2 Extra Wounds, twice.

Draw the Bow, Release the Bear

Discipline: Waijia

Skill: Small Ranged against Evade

Type: Normal

Qi: 4

You draw your short bow with all your strength, unleashing a deadly arrow.

Roll Small Ranged against Evade. On a Success you deal Muscle+2d10 Open Damage.

Cathartic: Cathartically you do 2 Extra Wounds.

The Dichotomy of Man

Discipline: None

Skill: Martial Discipline (Any) TN7

Type: Normal

Qi: 5

You demonstrate how far you have walked along two distinct paths of martial arts.

This technique takes your Move and Skill action. In either order, select a single target Normal technique that uses a short bow and one that does not. For each selection, make a TN 7 Martial Discipline Knowledge roll of the appropriate type for the technique. On a Success, you use it.

You may use both techniques on the same person or one each on two people.

Cathartic: Cathartically you may choose techniques that target more than one person.

Headless Ghost's Vengeance

Discipline: Waijia

Skill: Small Ranged against Evade

Type: Normal

Qi: 6

You allow your desire for vengeance to consume you as you pour your anger into a short bow shot.

Roll Small Ranged against Evade. On a Success you and your target both lose 1 Hardiness, then you deal 6d10 Open Damage to him.

Cathartic: Cathartically, if you dealt any damage, roll 3d10 against his Resolve. On a Success he loses his next Move and on a Total Success he loses his next turn.

If this technique causes Qi Spirit Possession, it is always by a Headless Ghost who attempts to use your body to reclaim her lost head and take vengeance on her killer.

Soldier's Smash

Skill: Small Ranged against Evade

Type: Normal

Qi: 7

You fire another weapon from your short bow, imbuing it with Qi energy so it smashes into your opponent with its full force.

First, load one melee weapon as ammunition. Then roll Small Ranged against the Evade of one target in short bow range. On a Success, they take automatic wounds equal to your dice pool for the melee weapon. For example, if you fired an Ox Tail Dao, which deals Muscle+2d10 damage, and you have 3d10 in Muscle, then the target takes 5 automatic wounds.