Archery Damage: Dex Bonus Included?

When it comes to archery, the question of whether you add your dexterity bonus to damage rolls is dependent on the edition of the game you are playing. In 5th edition, you add your dexterity bonus to both attack and damage rolls with a bow. In 3rd edition and Pathfinder, you add your strength score, limited by the bow's rating, to damage rolls. In 3.5, you add your dexterity modifier to attack rolls, but not damage rolls. In Pathfinder, you add nothing to damage rolls with a bow, unless your strength score is negative. If you are using a composite bow, you can add your strength bonus to damage rolls, but only up to the bow's strength rating.

In 5E, you add your dexterity modifier to both attack and damage rolls when using a bow

> You add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll and your damage roll when attacking with a ranged weapon, such as a sling or longbow.

This rule is further clarified in the section on "Making an attack", which mentions that you add your ability modifier (in this case, your Dexterity modifier) to both the attack and damage rolls.

In previous editions of the game, such as 3.5 and Pathfinder, the rules were different. In Pathfinder, for example, you only added your Dexterity modifier to the attack roll, not the damage roll, when using a bow. Additionally, if you had a negative Strength modifier, you would subtract it from the damage roll. If you were using a composite bow, you could add your Strength modifier to the damage roll, but only up to the bow's rating.

So, in 5E, adding your Dexterity modifier to both attack and damage rolls with a bow is a significant change from previous editions, making archery a more appealing option for characters with high Dexterity.

In 3.5E, you add your strength score, limited by the bow's rating, to damage rolls when using a bow

In 3.5E, you add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll and your damage roll when attacking with a ranged weapon. However, this does not apply to bows. When you hit with a melee or thrown weapon, including a sling, you add your Strength modifier to the damage result. A Strength penalty, but not a bonus, applies on attacks made with a bow that is not a composite bow.

There are several ways to add Dexterity to damage for a bow character. The Dead Eye feat from Dragon Compendium lets you apply your Dexterity bonus to your damage with ranged attacks. The Crossbow Sniper feat from Player’s Handbook II adds half your Dexterity bonus to your damage with crossbow attacks. The hit-and-run tactics fighter alternate class feature from Drow of the Underdark allows you to add your Dexterity to damage when attacks flat-footed foes.

In Pathfinder, archery is much better than in 3.5E. The Zen Archer monk is a good option as they can flurry with bows, use the monk bonus feats for archery, and do all sorts of cool archery tricks with ki. They also get to use wisdom for accuracy, so it's much less MAD than a typical monk.

In Pathfinder, you add your strength score, limited by the bow's rating, to damage rolls when using a bow

If you have a negative strength score, you will add this penalty to your damage rolls.

If you have a strength penalty, the entire penalty applies to damage rolls made with a bow that is not a composite bow.

In 3.5E, you add your dexterity modifier to attack rolls, but not damage rolls, when using a bow

In 3.5E, you can add your dexterity modifier to damage rolls for ranged attacks with the Dead Eye feat from Dragon Compendium, which lets you apply your dexterity bonus to damage with ranged attacks. The Crossbow Sniper feat from Player's Handbook II adds half your dexterity bonus to your damage with crossbow attacks. The Hit-and-Run Tactics fighter alternate class feature from Drow of the Underdark allows you to add your dexterity to damage when attacking flat-footed foes.

In 5E, you add your dexterity modifier to both attack rolls and damage rolls when using a bow. This means that your character's proficiency with a bow influences how much damage the bow deals.

In Pathfinder, you can use the Guided weapon enchantment to add your wisdom modifier to both attack and damage rolls when using a bow

In the game Pathfinder, you can use the Guided weapon enchantment to add your wisdom modifier to both attack and damage rolls when using a bow. This enchantment is not part of the official rules of the game, but it is included in the Pathfinder module "A History of Ashes".

The Guided weapon enchantment is a controversial addition to the game, as it allows players to add their wisdom modifier to both attack and damage rolls when using a bow. This can be a significant advantage, as it essentially allows players to increase their damage output and accuracy by utilising their wisdom stat.

While some players and game masters may choose to include this enchantment in their games, others may decide to exclude it as it can be seen as overpowered or imbalanced. Ultimately, the inclusion of this enchantment is up to the discretion of the game master and players involved.

It is worth noting that there are other ways to enhance archery damage in Pathfinder, such as through the use of feats, class features, and magic items. These options may be more balanced and in line with the official rules of the game.

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