D&D 5E How do you adjudicate firing through combatants?

[Hriston]

Use a ruler or some yarn, or a laser pointer, don't physically draw them, just quickly count them.

That's OK. I like drawing lines.

Which one to hit? the one with the highest AC that the roll hits. Ties go to closest to the firer.

Interesting suggestion, although it seems a bit counterintuitive to have the projectile hit the highest AC that it can automatically considering the dex bonus and whatnot that goes into that. It almost makes it seem like the projectile is making an intelligent choice to maximize its effect based on what it can feasibly do.

Also breaking ties by proximity would lead to the problem of having to impose disadvantage on the attack if the intervening creature were within 5 feet, potentially changing the result that lead to the target being selected in the first place.

How about this: If the missile attack misses the target by less than or equal to the AC bonus due to cover, then the creature who is covering the most lines gets hit. Ties are resolved randomly based on size because a larger creature takes up more of the space that the stray shot is moving through, and so is more likely to be hit.

 

[aramis erak]

That's OK. I like drawing lines.



Interesting suggestion, although it seems a bit counterintuitive to have the projectile hit the highest AC that it can automatically considering the dex bonus and whatnot that goes into that. It almost makes it seem like the projectile is making an intelligent choice to maximize its effect based on what it can feasibly do.

Also breaking ties by proximity would lead to the problem of having to impose disadvantage on the attack if the intervening creature were within 5 feet, potentially changing the result that lead to the target being selected in the first place.

How about this: If the missile attack misses the target by less than or equal to the AC bonus due to cover, then the creature who is covering the most lines gets hit. Ties are resolved randomly based on size because a larger creature takes up more of the space that the stray shot is moving through, and so is more likely to be hit.

Also a reasonable approach.

My way is easier for TOTM... and discourages non-tanks from engaging to let the rogue get his ranged sneak attack...

 

[Hriston]

My way is easier for TOTM...

Time of the month?

 

[aramis erak]

Time of the month?

Theater of the mind.

 

[Lidgar]

Theater of the mind.

Or Toad on the Mountain.

 

[Hriston]

Theater of the mind.

Oh, OK.
So, if we're talking about TOTM, how do you keep track of who's in the way of whom? Sometimes I'll at least use some graph-paper or something behind the DM screen to keep track. Is that your approach?

 

[aramis erak]

Oh, OK.
So, if we're talking about TOTM, how do you keep track of who's in the way of whom? Sometimes I'll at least use some graph-paper or something behind the DM screen to keep track. Is that your approach?

Usually, in TOTM play, I simply track distances. Everyone at a given distance is in a single melee group.

I've been using that mode since I first adapted it from the range bands in classic traveller.

Sometimes, I think in terms of a number of key features, and distances between them, and track distance to that feature. If you're within 5' of an opponent's position, you're able to engage in and be engaged by melee attacks.

 

[Hriston]

Usually, in TOTM play, I simply track distances. Everyone at a given distance is in a single melee group.

I've been using that mode since I first adapted it from the range bands in classic traveller.

Sometimes, I think in terms of a number of key features, and distances between them, and track distance to that feature. If you're within 5' of an opponent's position, you're able to engage in and be engaged by melee attacks.

Nice system. I think I'll try that.

 

[the Jester]

Years ago, we had a house rule that if someone fired through a crowd, and if the reason they missed the target was because of the +2 of cover, and if that "to hit" roll managed to hit the AC of the intervening creature (random for creatures), then the intervening creature got hit (we also at a different time had a reroll if cover was the reason). Sucked to be him sometimes.

That was actually the basic cover rule in 3.0. I thought it was the rule in 3.5 too, but I just looked it up and it's not in the PH description of cover, which is where it appears in 3.0. It may be in the 3.5 DMG as a variant somewhere, but I didn't bother to check.