Question........My character has a magical composite shortbow +3. It has no strength rating, so it would be +0 in that regards. If it was an ordinary composite shortbow, damage done would be 1d6 for my medium-sized character, since it has a strength rating of +0. My question is do arrows shot from this magical composite shortbow gain +3 to damage as well as the +3 on "to hit" rolls? I have read the DM guide but it is not exactly clear - as I read it.
If this magical +3 composite shortbow was initially constructed with a +2 strength rating, would arrow damage then be +5?
As I understand the rules, yes, the magical bonus from the enchantment of the bow always applies to both rolls to hit, and to damage. In addition, if you have a mundane ( i.e. non-magical) bonus from the composite bow itself (the strength rating) that would also stack, and you would have a cumulative +5 to damage from those two sources with that weapon.
Question........My character has a magical composite shortbow +3. It has no strength rating, so it would be +0 in that regards. If it was an ordinary composite shortbow, damage done would be 1d6 for my medium-sized character, since it has a strength rating of +0. My question is do arrows shot from this magical composite shortbow gain +3 to damage as well as the +3 on "to hit" rolls? I have read the DM guide but it is not exactly clear - as I read it.
If this magical +3 composite shortbow was initially constructed with a +2 strength rating, would arrow damage then be +5?
Thanks in advance................
John,
It depends. What version of D&D are you playing. There were some changes between 3.0 and 3.5 D&D that would effect the answer to your question.
Assuming you have 3.5 any magic that the bow has is added to the arrow. So any arrow shot from a +3 bow would be +3 (enhancement) to hit and +3 (enhancement) to damage. The +3 (enhancement) damage would stack with a Str bonus, provided the bow was a Str bow.
Examples:
+1 composite shortbow (+2 Str) firing normal arrows
+1 to hit/1d6+3 damage
+1 flaming composite shortbow (+2 Str) firing normal arrows
+1 to hit/1d6+3 plus 1d6 fire damage
+1 composite shortbow (+2 Str) firing +2 arrows
+2 to hit/1d6+4 damage
Notice how the arrows +2 enhancement bonus does not stack with the bows but the Str damage does.
Anyway, I hope this helps.
EDIT: Fixed math mistake (see bold text), the +2 should be +4.
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