Rebalancing the availability of arrows

[Feronius]

As someone pointed out to me, the difference between the availability of bolts and arrows may also have a lot to do with the fact bows are just the more popular weapons. Bow users also typically get more attacks per round, firing more arrows per fight.
In other words, crossbow users do not have to share ammo nearly at much and simply use up their ammo slower than bow users do.

[Loreweaver]

The reason for the restriction is simply that Impilturan society assumes that only two types of civilian need ammunition. The first are the hunters who excercise their commoners' rights to bring home a limited quantity of game; they only need a limited supply. The second are those who live in poorly patrolled areas and have to cope with occasional monster raids. These too don't need large stockpiles, because if it gets really bad they should just pack up and leave for civilized lands instead, where they're welcome to the protection of the crown. Because security is provided by royal representatives, holy warriors, the army, lordly militias and, if necessary, mercenaries or even adventurers, the munitions allowed by license are thought to be adequate for almost everyone.
Another reason for the restriction is that hard-hitting ranged weapons like throwing axes, bows and crossbows are considered more dangerous than swords in the hands of the common folk, both because they can be launched from concealment and because they're more likely to strike innocent victims when they miss. Slings, darts and the like can be equally deadly to citizens but are both too compact to monitor and less dangerous to a fully armoured soldier trying to arrest the so-armed rabble.
Because most professional fletchers and artillators are recruited to produce their goods for the military, in the same way that master armourers are, home-made ammunition is almost always of lesser quality.

But as it stands, the ammunition availability mechanics aren't really living up to what we set out to accomplish. The reliable presence of quality ammo in monster dens is a good example of this, it's contradictory. We would also have liked players to feel that using an arrow with a -1 damage penalty was fine, but in practice they're not really considered worth a second glance. Things like that mean the system as a whole will either need major rebalancing or scrapping, because it does indeed not have a future in its current incarnation.

[ljuslek]

That buying ammunition is restricted in the setting is something I personally appreciate, it solidifies Impiltur as a place where rigid bureaucracy reigns. The issue to me however, as laid out previously, is that there's no recourse besides dungeoneering to find more arrows. I would be happy having my character shoot -1 or -2 damage projectiles whilst searching for more qualitative ammunition in dungeons, or waiting for next weeks ration of ammunition. But there is to my and my character's knowledge, no reliable means of securing them. The fletching kit provides, with lucky rolls of the three sided dice, projectiles for what amounts to two and a half rounds of combat per arrowhead used, and is in essence without any practical use. The various speciality ammunition it can provide coupled with the right arrowheads also suffers near uselessness as a result.

That said, I'm glad the team is looking into the ammunition situation and look forward to see what might change in the future.

[Kerstman]

One of my characters is not using a bow as a main weapon and he carries a ton of arrows and bolts. Eager to sell them for 5-10 cp per bundle and happy to help out friendly archers. Maybe not strictly legal, but then he's not the city type.

Just saying that turning to other PC's can also be a very fun and rp promoting way to obtain your arrows.

[EppyAl]

For those of us who do not have a much opportunity to trade with other players... would there be a way we can trade one type of munition for another? Example.. Amber currently has two boxes full of nornal bolt stacks, I would love to trade them.