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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bacon Bits" data-source="post: 8598735" data-attributes="member: 6777737">I don't think ranged attacks are too good in-and-of-themselves. However, I think they're far more appealing than they should be. If you play with feats they are probably the best overall option for martial characters that don't use Divine Smite or Rage. Above level ~8 you're able to eliminate every drawback and pick up a ton of overlapping bonuses, especially with Tasha's custom origin or variant human.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dexterity is broadly useful in virtually all situations. Several good skills, keyed to initiative, keyed to a good save, keyed to AC bonus, keyed to all good ranged weapons, equal to the best one-handed melee damage rolls, has the most weapons that support TWF? Too much, guys. Too much.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Crossbow Expert is too good. I think standard bows should always be preferred by a trained archer, but this means there's no reason to ever do that. No penalty for melee, no drawback for higher damage ranged weapons, and makes hand crossbow a lot better than other ranged weapons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sharpshooter is too good (so is Great Weapon Master). -5/+10 is a stupid ability. Ignoring all but total cover is pretty silly in practice. Combined with CE it makes hand crossbow overwhelmingly superior to nearly every alternative at a pretty ridiculous range with no remaining penalty.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The penalty for firing into melee should be different. I'd prefer a d4 penalty die or plain disadvantage so that it's clear when the player is including it because, in my experience, nobody remembers the static AC bonus.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Archery style should then eliminate the penalty die rather than grant a static bonus to hit to all opponents. It probably needs something else on top of that, but I have no idea what it might be.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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