AoO for firing bow in melee

[Wee Jas]

In one of our campaigns our Ranger (who is much better with a bow) uses his bow in melee. Allowing for his enemy to get a free swipe at him. So he takes some damage but then gets his 5 or 6 crazy arrow attacks.

After being hit on the AoO should he have to make a concentration check like a spellcaster or like a person drinking a potion or is the one attack all the enemy gets before being pelted with arrows?

 

[AGGEMAM]

After being hit on the AoO should he have to make a concentration check like a spellcaster or like a person drinking a potion or is the one attack all the enemy gets before being pelted with arrows?

No, but the person making the AoO would be really stupid if he did not try break the bow instead of striking the person wielding it.

 

[Wee Jas]

No, but the person making the AoO would be really stupid if he did not try break the bow instead of striking the person wielding it.

Thats what I said but our group rarely (never) tries that. Doesn't the AoO attacker need a magical weapon of equal or greater value to break the bow?

 

[Caliban]

Thats what I said but our group rarely (never) tries that. Doesn't the AoO attacker need a magical weapon of equal or greater value to break the bow?

Not equal or greater value, just equal or greater enhancement bonus.

A +1 shocking flaming bow can be broken by a +1 mace.

And even if you don't have a magic weapon, you can still aim for the bow string.

 

[AGGEMAM]

And even if you don't have a magic weapon, you can still aim for the bow string.

If the bow is magical I would assume the bowstring is as well.

 

[Drawmack]

Is the archer's arrow holder magical? If you cut the band holding that then it would fall to the ground and the arrows would fall out, then the arrows can be scattered around no magical weapons needed.

 

[Caliban]

If the bow is magical I would assume the bowstring is as well.

Depends on how much a bastard you feel like being as a DM.

Normally bowstrings are seperate from the bow, and are changed frequently.

In my home game, I assess penalties to the bow if the PC's keep their bows strung for more than 24 hour hours at a time. (I ruled that it is a MEA to string a bow.)

 

[AGGEMAM]

Is the archer's arrow holder magical?

Possibly, specialised archers tend to have Ehlona's Quiver or some homegrown magical quiver, in order to hold the vast amount of ammunition needed.

 

[kreynolds]

Is the archer's arrow holder magical?

Not by default.

If you cut the band holding that then it would fall to the ground and the arrows would fall out, then the arrows can be scattered around no magical weapons needed.

It's also really mean to slice open a wizard's spell component pouch, or pick pocket it from him.

 

[Nail]

Doesn't the AoO attacker need a magical weapon of equal or greater value to break the bow?

As I'm sure you know, the "attack an object" action can be tried outside of the AoO as well.

Also, as I know you frequent this forum often, I know you've seen the obvious counter for the bad guys: they also have a spell-caster with Greater Magic Weapon. Thus, they have weapons with a high enough plus to attack and damage the bow.

Finally, remember that the archer doesn't threaten the area around him, and thus doesn't get AoOs himself. So....have the enemy grab the bow from him. Yep, that's right: grapple or grab. Isn't that the answer to every over-powered tactic?

Or, have the enemy trip the archer. No AoO for the trip attempt. The archer can't fire while prone, and he only gets one attack if he gets up and fires his bow.

Or, have the archer bull rushed past even more bad guys, each of which gets an AoO on the archer.

Etc.

No AoOs for the archer = vulnerable archer.

Vulnerable archer = archer-on-a-stick!