Miscellaneous rules rants

[gamecat]

Is it just me, or is rapid shot disgustingly powerful? Ambidexterity plus two-weapon fighting plus a light weapon (both total to a -2 penalty) with a 1d8 weapon?!? I dunno of any light weapon that deals a d8.

Alter self. Argh. It gives you a limited fly effect plus water breathing for a 2nd level spell. Not cool.

pass the prozac.

 

[Crothian]

Rapid shot is, but it can have some unforseen problems. Many times, ranged attacks are not the best way to go. Even if you try to set up ambushes, the enmey hasa habit of running at you and getting in melee as fast as possible. If your compainions go into melee you really need precise shot (making that three feats needed). then there is the limit of arrows. Only 20 in a quiver, that's 10 rounds of shooting, then you are hoping you find more or some of your arrows are not destroyed.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Rapid Shot is a fabulous feat...until someone casts magical fog on the area.

It is not difficult to temporarily thwart range attacks. These are standard anti-mage tactics, so they become quite common as you get to higher levels.

Power Attack and crit boosters also are much more effective on melee weapons. Cleave also boosts average melee damage.

At low levels, Rapid Shot is a bit of an uber-feat. At higher levels, you will not be able to keep up with the kind of damage a maximized grunt can do.

The pace of combat makes a big difference of whether a grunt or archer does better. In a longer, spaced out combats, archers average excellent damage -- with low personal risk as gravy. But in a short, brutal fight, you have nothing that compares to a power-attack partial charge with a keen 2-handed weapon on the surprise round.