6 Ways for Dogs to shoot Arrows

Art @gaudibuendia

I found this cute picture and I instantly started thinking about animal companions, playable animals, and fantastic animals to have in a war. Including in this might be hyper competent archer dogs. These archer dogs I think are more implied to be like a walking quiver and assistant to a human archer. But more importantly how the HELL does a dog shoot a bow?

Ways for Dogs to Shoot Arrows – Roll 1d4

[1] One end of the bow is heavy and has a clawed foot design. This allows it to be stuck into the ground and stand on its own weight. Then the bowstring is drawn back by the dog's mouth and launches the arrow, which is either placed first on a special ramp on the arrow to align it or put in the dog's mouth with the dog skillfully placing the string into the arrow nock in their maw. Also; this would cause some serious burns and cuts from the arrow's fletching or bowstring. Maybe a leather lip guard might be needed like a typical archer bracer.

[2] The crossbow is attached to the dog's back like a saddle. It can be fired either by a special mouth lever, or just fired at will in an abstract sort of way as a mobile weapon. The dog might be able to reload it by rolling over and placing the bolt back on with their teeth, but in a more realistic or practical setting would require a human or something to load it each time.

[3] The dog can throw down the bow and it has small studs on both ends of the bow; these prop up the bow horizontally. It has a duck-bill style design so whichever way it falls, it will always fall with the bow angled upwards at a shallow angle. The dog places the arrow on the string and pulls back with either their mouth or both front paws and releases to fire.

[4] The dog has a minor amount of anthropomorphism. They can fire the bow while standing, though they can't walk or pick things up like a human, but instead jump up on their feet like a dog could and then shrug the bow off their shoulders, firing it similar to a human before putting it back on their head and running like a regular dog would afterwards to reposition.

[5] Prehensile tail. Slinging the bow across the dog's back at an angle, the tail could wrap around the string and pull it back while the dog uses its mouth, biting near the arrow head, to position the arrows onto the pow and fire. Awkward position but could be fired pretty organically and on the move. Naturally this technique doesn't work with stubby crop-tailed dogs.

[6] Dog rolls onto back, uses hind legs to pull bowstring. Holds bow with front paws, aims upside down, tongue lolled out everywhere with each trick shot.

10 Arrow Traps

For this list; assume all traps are either a single arrow at 1d6 or a volley of smaller darts or flechettes that deal equal up to a single arrow in damage unless otherwise stated. All traps save to avoid all damage, with thieves getting their appropriate bonus.

[1] Black Tar Arrows. All blood spilled from this trap becomes nasty black tar. It drips on the ground and is sticky, meaning you can trapped in front of the arrow hall and get pelted again and again. If any arrow head or projectile is fully lodged into your skin on a maximum damage roll; take 1d4 Dexterity damage from the black tar sticking to your veins and slowing you down.

[2] Seeking Arrows. If you fail the save; the arrows that come from trap are homing. The first arrow will strike and “mark” you. Every exploration turn, another arrow will be spawned . They “see” in darkness but can only see straight ahead as a creature would, and tend to stay near the ceiling to float around to find the marked person. They may travel in swarms and alert other seeking arrows by tapping on the wall when they find their mark. They will continue to spawn until that person is dead, or if they hadn't been found in 3 days. Once the deed is done, the arrows fall to the ground lifeless.

[3] Spirit Arrow. Glowing green arrow that hits the magical aura of a person, instead of their body. Destroys an open spell slot or random prepared spell of the highest level possible. Roll 1d6- that's the highest level spell slot it can destroy. Spell slots destroyed this way are lost for good and can only be restored with powerful magic or advanced magical relic. Classes with some innate magical powers but no spell slots lose the advantage of their ability for the rest of the adventure instead.

[4] Slow-burn Poison arrows. If you are hit, save vs poison or take 1d4 poison damage per turn for 6 turns. You can cancel this early with an antidote or magic spell. If this poison kills you, you fall to the ground with scorch marks and a foul smell as though you were just cooked alive. Make a wandering monster check from the corpse after 1 turn of giving off the scent.

[5] Wig Arrow. If you are struck with this arrow, your natural hair falls out and is replaced with an ugly wig. The wig is cursed and glued to your head and will take either a full day with a barber or you take 1d4 damage to pull it out. As long as you wear the wig, you have -1 to all reaction penalties. There is also a 1 in 10 chance that a tiny poison spider (1d4 poison damage) will take up nesting in your wig after sleeping for a night. Races with full body fur or hair coverings just have their head shaved and have the gaudy wig instead.

[6] Flying Swordsmen Arrows. Also called 'Wuxia' arrows. Appear as little wind up tin men with swords dressed in a chain robe and move in short, hopping, mechanical movements. They have 1 hit point and 18 AC; they make an attack each round and deal 1d4 damage on a hit.

[7] Feeder arrows. Anyone struck by an arrow only takes 1 damage, but has a strange urge to fight big monsters. When fighting anything large enough to swallow or eat the creature; they'll have to make a save each round when fighting in melee to avoid the urge to jump into the creature's mouth. Even if they follow the urge; they can still attack from within the creature or tactically defend themselves besides wanting to be eaten. Set up by dungeon residents to feed the big monsters automatically.

[8] Rubber darts. The tiny sharp darts fired from this device bounce off the walls; everyone along the hallway has to make a save to try and avoid or take 1d6 damage.

[9] Horsebane arrow. Deals normal damage in the form of blunt damage, and the arrowhead is shaped like a horse's hoof. Horses you ride will sicken, and if ridden for more then a day will die. To make it more obvious, make the horse uncomfortable around the person and shake off their touch, sensing the negative magic. This can be cured by paying for and caring for a lame horse- as long as you care for it, the curse is suspended, and when it dies of natural causes you will be free from the curse.

[10] Starving arrow. When the arrow hits the target, the target takes the 1d6 damage and also feels as though they haven't eaten for that many days AND that many rations/flasks they are carrying are destroyed. If this arrow kills someone, their body shrivel up to appear as though they had been exposed to a harsh desert sun and withered away.

Magic Arrow Fluff + 12 Magic Arrows

Knockback, Conflagration, and Pinning Arrows

What's a Magic Arrow?

One time use powerful weapons, fired from a bow. Most Magic Arrows have an area of effect, like a wooshing nova or dark cloud or fiery blast from the point of impact. Making a Hazard save can let you avoid some or all of the negative effects. Use a Hazard save if using traditional ASU triple class system, or use a new 'Bombardment' save if using the “advanced” classes.

Where do Magic Arrows come from?

Archers make them. I prefer my fantasy settings to be less Wizard and magic user focused, so it is the best and most mystic archers themselves who make the arrows. Some probably form naturally or are made by Gods and Spirits.

After all, the only difference between a hunter creating a special boar-hunting arrow out of the tusk-tip of the biggest hog he's killed and another rolling a half-forgotten dream in morning dew and tying it together with cobwebs to create a sleep arrow is the level and magic bonus of the characters.

12 Magic Arrows

[1] Night-Sky Blanket Arrow

Firing this arrow up into the sky during the day creates a 'seam' the flows horizontally from the arrow, creating a 'blanket' of night over the daylight. The blanket stays up in the air and then slowly fades away over 6 combat rounds. Creatures of the daylight will have penalties for seeing while fighting under the blanket, despite the bright surroundings just a short ways away. Any competent archer can fire the arrow hard and high enough to cover an entire field or city block. Expert archers could stretch it across a whole city or valley, drenching it in unnatural darkness.

[2] Honey-Hive Arrow

Bright orange arrow with honey-comb head. Conjures a swarm of bees where it lands, dealing 1d4 damage per turn against all thin skinned opponents nearby. If the arrow hits a target directly, the swarm targets them first. If the arrow's damage on hit kills the target, their corpse bleeds 1d4 honey rations.

[3] Volley Arrow

This arrow splits magically into dozens of other arrows, and flies in a great cloud. Roll 3 attacks per enemy within a cone, and roll normal damage for each attack that hits.

[4] Shrapnel Arrow

This arrow deals normal damage, then fires forth a cloud of sharp projectiles in the opposite direction of the angle the arrow hit. Deals 2d6 to those directly next to the arrow blast, and 1d6 for those farther away. Add +1d6 to damage if an enclosed space like a room or hallway. Skilled marksmen can angle the arrows to fire their shrapnel around corners.

[5] Conflagration Arrow

Creates a liquid explosive that fills in space of pure flame. Deals 2d6 fire damage to all within a small area, if not indoors the range is incredibly small.

[6] Icicle Arrow

Ice arrows that melts after hitting an enemy. Deals +2 ice damage and leaves no evidence. If used during a winter storm add +2 to hit. Chills enemies, dropping their initiative by -1.

[7] Knockback Arrow

Has a round cube arrow head made of some kind of stone. When it hits enemies, knocks them back ft equal to damage, and can sometimes shatter heavy armor open.

[8] Pinning Arrow

Solid metallic arrow of light material and wicked sharp point. Penetrates straight through things and pins them to walls, floors, objects, etc. Requires a save to pull it out or break free.

[9] Vine Arrow

Arrow made of a tangled up thorny vine. Upon hit creates entangling roots that seek and curl up around all nearby living creatures and objects, dealing 1d4 damage each turn people move through it.

[10] Glowing Arrow

Arrowhead is replaced by a glowing mushroom head or a small jar filled with firebugs. Upon impact, illuminates and 'spotlights' enemies nearby. This negates darkness penalties to ranged attacks and 'highlights' invisible enemies, making them easy to spot.

[11] Lightning Arrow

Powerful arrow that transforms into a lightning bolt as soon as it is loosed. Travels to the target almost instantly, granting +1 to hit, and deals 1d12 lightning damage.

[12] Seeker Arrow

On a miss, this arrow curves around to seek the target again, or at the request of the shooter. Marksmen can control a “swarm” of these arrows to suddenly attack one target all at once; number of arrows they can control at once in a swarm is equal to their level.