Can I flank with a ranged attack?
- Thread starter Tidus4444
- Start date
Roxlimn said:
To be a little less concise, No and here's why:
To gain your SA dice, your opponent has to be denied his DEX bonus to AC, such as in the surprise round or while flatfooted. One certainly gets their SA dice under those circumstances, regardless of weapon.
The other way is to flank the poor sod. To flank him you have to threaten his square and be opposite an ally. Since ranged weapons do not threaten squares, one can't flank with them and therefore you do not get your SA dice. It says quite specifically you have to be making a melee attack and your ally must be on the opposite corner or edge of the enemy to gain the flanking bonus.
This was also brought to my attention after nearly a year of letting the party rogue run wild with a shortbow and tumble.
Xarls Taunzund
First Post
jayaint said:
No, you must be one of the flankers.
two
First Post
but...
You can't flank with a ranged weapon, but, you can flank with a non-ranged weapon and use your ranged weapon to sneak attack.
Huh?
Now how brown cow?
Let's say you are a rogue with improved unarmored strike, which lets your threaten 5' around you (with your whole body, including toes and feet).
In your hands is a honkin' big longbow. You and your pal are on either side of an ork.
You flank the ork (because of IUS, you threaten 5') and when you use your longbow w/rapid shot, the guy has no dex and you get sneak attack dice. Of course, he also gets an AOO vs. your ranged attack within his melee reach, but that's another issue.
You can do the same thing with, for example, throwing hand-axes. You are a rogue, have the ax in your hand, thus threaten 5', thus the guy has no dex, then throw the ax (ranged attack) and get sneak attack dice. Use quickdraw and rapid shot for more attacks. Although this is getting a bit iffy.
You can't flank with a ranged weapon, but, you can flank with a non-ranged weapon and use your ranged weapon to sneak attack.
Huh?
Now how brown cow?
Let's say you are a rogue with improved unarmored strike, which lets your threaten 5' around you (with your whole body, including toes and feet).
In your hands is a honkin' big longbow. You and your pal are on either side of an ork.
You flank the ork (because of IUS, you threaten 5') and when you use your longbow w/rapid shot, the guy has no dex and you get sneak attack dice. Of course, he also gets an AOO vs. your ranged attack within his melee reach, but that's another issue.
You can do the same thing with, for example, throwing hand-axes. You are a rogue, have the ax in your hand, thus threaten 5', thus the guy has no dex, then throw the ax (ranged attack) and get sneak attack dice. Use quickdraw and rapid shot for more attacks. Although this is getting a bit iffy.
Last edited:
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Re: but...
No dice. If you're employing the longbow (ie, as soon as you put your second hand to the bowstring ...), you no longer threaten an area, so no flanking, and hence no sneak attack (and why you would want to do this particular tactic anyway is beyond me, as you'd suffer the AoO for using a ranged weapon in melee).
two said:
No dice. If you're employing the longbow (ie, as soon as you put your second hand to the bowstring ...), you no longer threaten an area, so no flanking, and hence no sneak attack (and why you would want to do this particular tactic anyway is beyond me, as you'd suffer the AoO for using a ranged weapon in melee).
Xarls Taunzund
First Post
Re: Re: but...
It's still kind of iffy, because has two pointed out, Improved Unarmed Strike turns your whole body into a weapon, not just your fists. Though I will argue that it would be difficult in the extreme to make an unarmed strike while shooting a bow, and still expect to have half a chance to hit with either attack.
Olgar Shiverstone said:
It's still kind of iffy, because has two pointed out, Improved Unarmed Strike turns your whole body into a weapon, not just your fists. Though I will argue that it would be difficult in the extreme to make an unarmed strike while shooting a bow, and still expect to have half a chance to hit with either attack.
