Archery and melee

[Ancalagon]

Hello

We in our group have always thought that if you were wielding a missile weapon (bow/crossbow) in melee, you recieved a -4 penalty to AC. I don't mean firing into melee, I mean if you fired an arrow and some guy comes at you and takes a swipe with his axe, you are more vulnerable.

There was confusion about this in the last game, and I wanted to find it to clarify. Lo and behold, I can't find it anywhere. Did we dream up this rule, or am I just unable to find it?

Thanks,

Ancalagon

 

[Camarath]

I am not aware of any such penalty. But if you were prone you could fire a crossbow and you would have a -4 vs. melee attacks maybe that is where you group got the idea. It also could have been a house rule that everyone forgot was a house rule that has happened to my group occasional.

 

[Li Shenron]

Hello

We in our group have always thought that if you were wielding a missile weapon (bow/crossbow) in melee, you recieved a -4 penalty to AC. I don't mean firing into melee, I mean if you fired an arrow and some guy comes at you and takes a swipe with his axe, you are more vulnerable.

There was confusion about this in the last game, and I wanted to find it to clarify. Lo and behold, I can't find it anywhere. Did we dream up this rule, or am I just unable to find it?

Thanks,

Ancalagon

You are more vulnerable and provoke an AoO from the foes who threaten you, but no penalty to AC whatsoever.

 

[S'mon]

You are more vulnerable and provoke an AoO from the foes who threaten you, but no penalty to AC whatsoever.

Yep. NB you can always 5' step back and fire a bunch of arrows at the guy who was meleeing you, with no penalties at all!
I guess it models Legolas in the movies ok.

I think bows are easy to sunder in melee though -presumably the archer doesn't get an opposed attack roll to avoid it...

 

[Darklone]

Hmm, if you shoot at someone who's within 5 ft of you, matey, then you'd be in melee with 'im, aye?

Blimey. Shooting someun in melee gains yee a -4 penalty.

Just joking, ya landlubber!

 

[Keith]

Hmm, if you shoot at someone who's within 5 ft of you, matey, then you'd be in melee with 'im, aye?

Blimey. Shooting someun in melee gains yee a -4 penalty.

Just joking, ya landlubber!

Thanks. That hurt my brain. Glad I'm at work.

 

[isoChron]

This "rule" comes from Baldur's Gate the Computer Game. It was never incorporated in the D&D rules.
BYE

 

[Darklone]

This "rule" comes from Baldur's Gate the Computer Game. It was never incorporated in the D&D rules.
BYE

Not so sure about that... my old AD&D group used it as well and that was years before Baldurs Gate.

 

[Ancalagon]

This "rule" comes from Baldur's Gate the Computer Game. It was never incorporated in the D&D rules.
BYE

Realy? Now that is interesting... was it baldur's gate 1 or 2?

Ancalagon