Man-Portable Ballista (3.5e Equipment)

The man-portable ballista (also known as the MPB) is precisely that. Slung and fired over the shoulder like a bazooka instead of in the hands like a traditional crossbow. It fires less of a bolt and more of a small tree. The bolts for the MPB cost five times the normal amount and are much larger. The MPB itself is quite bulky, and slows the user's speed by 5 feet (minimum 5 feet).

In return it packs quite a punch. It counts as a siege weapon when beneficial, and has a long range and high damage. Loading a MPB takes two full-round actions that provokes attacks of opportunity. If you have one or more assistants you can load it much faster by having them take actions to reload. A wielder of a MPB can fire every round if he has two assistants reloading for him.

Operating a man-portable ballista always requires two hands, you cannot fire it one-handed. If you fire while prone, you gain a +2 bonus to your attack rolls.