Item: Splithead Bow
This +1 striking Hauling longbow is lined with the flesh of a fallen hydra and ornate carvings on the grip that depict the hydra's number of heads it had before it was slain. When you wield the bow in combat, you regain 2 Hit Points at the start of each of your turns.
Activate—Two-Headed Arrow 2 (manipulate)
Effect You imbue your arrow with the properties of a hydra, splitting it in two and sending each at a different foe. Make two ranged Strikes, each against a separate target. Both targets must be in your line of sight, and within 50 feet of you. Both Strikes count toward your multiple attack penalty, but the penalty doesn't increase until after you've made both attacks. Additionally, after using this ability, you do not regain Hit Points from wielding the bow on your next turn.
Activate—Five-Headed Arrow 2 (manipulate)
Frequency once per day
Effect You make a powerful Strike propelled by the ferocity of a hydra at a target within your first range increment. If your Strike is successful, the arrow deals damage as normal and then passes through the target, splitting into four pieces. Choose four other targets within 30 feet of the original target and make a single ranged Strike with your multiple attack penalty, comparing the result to each secondary target's AC. After using this ability, you do not regain Hit Points from wielding the bow until after your next daily preparations.
Craft Requirements The initial raw materials must include the flesh from a severed head of a hydra.
Trait Effects
Deadly: On a critical hit, the weapon adds a weapon damage die of the listed size. Roll this after doubling the weapon’s damage. This increases to two dice if the weapon has a _greater striking rune_ and three dice if the weapon has a _major striking rune_. For instance, a rapier with a _greater striking rune_ deals 2d8 extra piercing damage on a critical hit. An ability that changes the size of the weapon’s normal damage dice doesn’t change the size of its deadly die.
Magical: Something with the magical trait is imbued with magical energies not tied to a specific tradition of magic. Some items or effects are closely tied to a particular tradition of magic. In these cases, the item has the arcane, divine, occult, or primal trait instead of the magical trait. Any of these traits indicate that the item is magical.
Volley: This ranged weapon is less effective at close distances. Your attacks against targets that are at a distance within the range listed take a –2 penalty.
Critical Specialisation Effects
Certain effects can grant you benefits when you make a Strike with certain weapons and get a critical success. This is called a critical specialisation effect. The exact effect depends on which weapon group your weapon belongs to, as listed below. You can always decide not to add the critical specialisation effect of your weapon.
Bow: If the target of the critical hit is adjacent to a surface, it becomes stuck to that surface by the missile. The target is immobilized until it succeeds at an Interact action and a DC 10 Athletics check to pull the missile free. The target doesn't become stuck if it is incorporeal, liquid, or could otherwise escape without effort.
Related Items
| Name | Level | Rarity | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horselord's Longbow | 6 | Uncommon | 1d8 |
| Oathbow | 11 | Common | 1d8 |
| Hunter's Anthem | 11 | Common | 1d8 |
| Longbow | - | Common | 1d8 |
| Dazzling Shortbow | 5 | Uncommon | 1d6 |
| Hunter's Bow | 3 | Common | 1d6 |
| Dragonfire Halfbow | 12 | Uncommon | 1d6 |
| Mammoth Bow | 12 | Unique | 1d8 |
| Composite Longbow | 1 | Common | 1d8 |
| Singing Shortbow | 14 | Common | 1d6 |
| Wintershot | 15 | Unique | 1d6 |
| Singing Shortbow (Greater) | 18 | Common | 1d6 |
| Sky-Piercing Bow | 19 | Rare | 1d6 |
| Wintershot (Heroic) | 20 | Unique | 1d6 |
| Composite Shortbow | 1 | Common | 1d6 |
| Shortbow | - | Common | 1d6 |
| Godsbreath Bow | 15 | Rare | 1d6 |
| Bow of Sun Slaying | 20 | Unique | 1d6 |
| Gut-Ripper | 7 | Unique | 1d10 |
| Reaper's Sigh | 7 | Unique | 1d10 |