Firing into melee

[Hawkeye]

Firing into melee causes the archer to take a -4 penalty unless they have the precise shot feat. However, I swear I read some place that if there was a significant size difference between the involved parties, that the penalty can be waved. Am I misremembering? If not, doesn't it make sense that if, for example, a large creature is fighting a small that an archer or dagger thrower, could aim at a part of the larger creature without harming his buddy?

Hawkeye

 

[Tatsukun]

Well, it makes sense that if you could fire at a square that contained a bad guy, but was not within 10' of a friend, you don't take the -4.

-T

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The rule you're probably thinking of is:

Shooting or Throwing into a Melee: If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.)

If your target (or the part of your target you’re aiming at, if it’s a big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character, you can avoid the –4 penalty, even if the creature you’re aiming at is engaged in melee with a friendly character.

Precise Shot: If you have the Precise Shot feat you don’t take this penalty.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Ive always ruled that fireing into melee your opponent has cover - from your friend - thus there is a -4 and if that penalty causes you to miss then you strike the cover (per striking cover rules) and you apply the orginal attack roll against your friends AC to see if hurt them.
According to cover rules in 3.0 a large target only gets +2 AC from a medium friend. etc.
This is not a strict interpretation of the rules but I love friendly fire problems,
It really happens more to NPC's than PC's.

 

[Sammael]

While we're at it, I just want to make sure about a few things. If you are firing into melee, and one of your melee friends is providing soft cover for the opponent, you get a -4 on the attack, and the opponent gets +4 to AC (effectively, a -8 on the attack)? While you still have a -4 penalty on attacking a large opponent, does he get cover from a small (or smaller) creature?

 

[Jeff Wilder]

If you are firing into melee, and one of your melee friends is providing soft cover for the opponent, you get a -4 on the attack, and the opponent gets +4 to AC

Correct.

(effectively, a -8 on the attack)?

Not correct. Due to the "natural 20 always hits" rule, there's is a difference between +4 AC and -4 to attack.

While you still have a -4 penalty on attacking a large opponent, does he get cover from a small (or smaller) creature?

Technically yes, although with opponents larger than Medium, you can choose which square they occupy (at least four of them) for purposes of determining cover from your attack. In many, perhaps most, situations of one on one melee, a ranged attacker can avoid the cover.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Does the firing into melee penalty apply to ray spells as well?

 

[Egres]

Does the firing into melee penalty apply to ray spells as well?

Yes.

 

[Bauglir]

(effectively, a -8 on the attack)?

Not correct. Due to the "natural 20 always hits" rule, there's is a difference between +4 AC and -4 to attack.

Maybe it's just because it's late, but I can't see it. How does that make a difference?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Yes.

D'oh! I'll have to suggest the party wizard pick up Precise Shot.