Archery has an avid following in the hunting world, and the technology of bows continues to improve alongside firearms. The bow used by a competitive archer is just as advanced as the gun of a world-class marksman. Accessories have followed suit and modern bows are built to accept a wide variety of accessories which improve their stealth and accuracy.
| Type | Durability | Size | Structure | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Damper | 1 | 1 | 2 | • | Silences the bow to avoid startling game |
| Glow Sight | 2 | 1 | 3 | • | Better accuracy for aimed shots |
| Stabilizer | 2 | 2 | 4 | • | Better accuracy at medium and long range |
| Letoff Weight* | - | - | - | +• | Aim for an additional round before tiring |
* Must be built into the bow
Unlike firearms, bows are quiet to shoot: they impose a -4 penalty on all hearing-based perception checks to notice the shooter. When hunting, though, this isn't enough. Arrows are relatively slow projectiles and at range, the sound of a bowstring is enough to startle a game animal. String and arm dampers can further reduce the sound of the bow, increasing the penalty to -6.
Bows can easily mount a form of glow sight (see Armory page 165-166), providing an extra +1 to all Archery attacks where the shooter takes a turn to aim.
Stabilizers are commonly seen on competition bows and high-end hunting bows. These rods hold weights in front of the bow (and sometimes to the sides) which help prevent it from changing angle while at full draw. When properly installed, a stabilizer reduces the penalty for attacking at medium and long ranges by 1.
Just like telescopic sights, stabilizers need to be calibrated before they give any benefit. Sighting in a bow is similar to sighting in a rifle, requiring an extended Intelligence + Athletics or Firearms test with a target of 10 and an interval of 10 minutes.
The great benefit of compound bows is that their draw weight decreases at full draw. Called the bow's letoff weight, this is not an accessory per se, but an integral part of the bow. This feature allows a shooter to hold the bow at full draw for longer without her muscles shaking, which in turn allows her to aim for more rounds. More expensive bows can have lower letoff weights, allowing the shooter to aim the bow for even longer periods of time.
Recurve bows only allow the wielder to aim for a number of rounds equal to their Stamina. Compound bows allow Stamina + 1 rounds of aiming. Bows with the lowest letoff weights allow Stamina + 2 rounds of aiming and are exceptionally expensive: increase their cost by 1 dot. Since letoff weight is built into the bow, it cannot be changed after the bow has been made.