Re: (TFT) Spellcasting, Fatigue, Wounds and Arrows

[ErolB1@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/24/2003 10:01:59 PM Central Standard Time, pvk@oz.net 
writes:

> I tend to think that increasing the iron content by 2-4 times could be
> pretty easily compensated for by a talented fletcher. 

Possible, maybe, but I don't think it would be easy unless the fletcher had 
access to high technology. 

> I expect that the
> arrowhead on a wood-shafted arrow is probably rather less than 25% of
> the arrow's total mass, so a spine of iron would do the trick without
> unbalancing the arrow at all, and probably some simpler techniques
> would work too.

As it turns out, the arrowhead on a wood-shafted arrow is about 20-25% of the 
arrows total mass. A spine of steel might do the trick, *if* one had good 
steel tubing (a high tech item). Even then the spine would be flimsy-for-the 
weight or heavy-for-the-strength. Steel is stronger than wood or aluminum, but 
doesn't have as good a strength-to-weight ratio. 

Also, immediate treatment for an arrow-wound is to cut the shaft off, if one 
isn't to be treated at once by a Master Physicker. (Advanced wizard, p38) 
Cutting or breaking the shaft would work against iron arrow shafts as well, 
reducing the amount of iron back to just than in the arrowhead. 

(In fairness, there's enough wiggle-room to justify either a GM who wants to 
encourage iron anti-wizard arrows, or who wants to discourage them. I'm on the 
"wants to discourage them" side. For that matter, I downplay the "takes 
damage from removing arrows" angle - I rule that this only applies to *barbed* 
arrows (not normal broadheads or bodkin-point war arrows) and IMC barbed arrows 
are rare exotica.)

Erol K. Bayburt
Evil Genius for a Better Tomorrow
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