Deflect Arrows

[kolikeos]

Does the Deflect Arrows feat allow you to deflect a ranged attack automaticly? If so the feat is too powerful IMO.
I remember that in the 3e PHB it said you need a DC 20 ref save to deflect a ranged attack with the deflect arrows feat. How come the skill of the shooter is not taken into account in the ref save?

 

[AuraSeer]

Yes, success is automatic. The skill of the archer is irrelevant. No matter how awesome his aim, he's still firing a regular arrow, which travels at regular arrow speed.

The feat is hardly overpowered. Any reasonably skilled archer can fire multiple arrows, and the target can only deflect one per round.

 

[kolikeos]

Yes, success is automatic. The skill of the archer is irrelevant. No matter how awesome his aim, he's still firing a regular arrow, which travels at regular arrow speed.

I disagree. The arrow may be affected by magic if it has been shot from a magical bow, so it is not a regular arrow. An arrow fired from a more powerful bow (with a higher str bonus) will travel faster, so it does not travel at regular arrow speed.

 

[Darklone]

I disagree. The arrow may be affected by magic if it has been shot from a magical bow, so it is not a regular arrow. An arrow fired from a more powerful bow (with a higher str bonus) will travel faster, so it does not travel at regular arrow speed.

AS is right here. Power of an archer in D&D increases mostly with the number of arrows he can shoot per round (with a few minor exceptions and even the scout archer shines only with greater manyshot AND many arrows).

The 3.5 Deflect Arrows feat is just a simplification which improved gameplay a lot IMHO.

 

[Bryntryst]

The arrow may be affected by magic if it has been shot from a magical bow, so it is not a regular arrow.

Being magical doesn't inherently disqualify the feat from functioning. Only "unusually massive ranged weapons and ranged attacks generated by spell effects can’t be deflected." So if your bow was enchanted to turn regular arrows into flying telephone poles, I think I would probably agree with you.

An arrow fired from a more powerful bow (with a higher str bonus) will travel faster, so it does not travel at regular arrow speed.

Injecting real-life physics doesn't always work.

 

[pawsplay]

Unless it reaches bullet speed, I think the feat is still working as intended.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

So if your bow was enchanted to turn regular arrows into flying telephone poles...

That would be an awesome weapon, wonder how much it would cost.

You could always just go back to the way it worked in 3.0. Or make it reflex DC 10/15/20/whatever+enhancment bonus+str. bonus (for mighty bows).

 

[moritheil]

Injecting real-life physics doesn't always work.

It usually doesn't work. Though we do have that to thank for the occasional, entertaining quantum physics debate here.

At any rate, there are many classes that reshape reality with a few gestures and muttered words; why not allow monks to deflect a few arrows now and then?

That would be an awesome weapon, wonder how much it would cost.

I imagine you'd use Shrink Item or Polymorph Any Object.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

The only problem with the way that Deflect Arrows works in 3.5 (the automatic deflection) is when you combine them with the epic feats, Infinite Deflection and ... the other one, that allows you to deflect ranged spells. Then it becomes hideous.

Later
silver

 

[moritheil]

The only problem with the way that Deflect Arrows works in 3.5 (the automatic deflection) is when you combine them with the epic feats, Infinite Deflection and ... the other one, that allows you to deflect ranged spells. Then it becomes hideous.

Exceptional Deflection.

IMHO it's not really hideous, though - the point of monks is that they are often able to shrug and laugh when magic is tossed at them.