Missile Weapons at Point Blank Range

[Kalthanis]

Fortunately, I have also never been in a real life situation in which I had to shoot someone with a bow and arrow while they were swinging a sword at me. So I can't really say for certain. I suppose my response would be something close to your ranger's.

I play an Archer Ranger. If I'm anywhere close to an opponent, something is horribly wrong.

 

[Dreadite]

All I have experience with is foam weapons and arrows with tennis balls on them (in regards to melee).

I can tell you for sure, run away! The sword man will turn you into paste. Even IF you hit him well enough to kill him (no misses, dodges, or glancing blows off the helmet), you might still get hit, and if you miss he'll turn you to paste so fast it's not even funny.

 

[DracoSuave]

Because it's easier to dodge at point-blank range - you just need to be sure the bow isn't pointing directly at you. It's relatively easy to duck under or around and get inside the archer's guard, at which point you can make an opportunity attack.

Or hell, use one hand to push the bow while you step to the side, while the other hand pummels their face with... your pommel.

"But I has a shield!"
Fine. Use the shield to push.

"But I has a two-handed weapon!"
Above still works. Many two-handed weapon styles involve the user taking the hand off the hilt every so often, especially the ones that involve disarming. (They don't involve knocking the weapon out of the hand, but locking the weapon while you grab their arm, forcing them to choose between keeping their weapon, and not having your sword in their belly. Most do not choose death.)

You don't dodge the bow, you simply push it out of the way of the defenseless archer.

Fortunately, D&D characters get to be a bit more heroic and are allowed to sneak that shot in there, generally after a lot of impressive 'gunkata' Legolas archer stuff.

 

[Quicken]

Originally Posted by PH 271
Provoke Opportunity Attacks: If you use a ranged power while adjacent to an enemy, that enemy can make an opportunity attack against you.

(emphasis mine on power)

Is a basic ranged attack considered a power?

 

[Flipguarder]

Because the rules say so.

It is PAINFULLY obvious that this:

You
can’t use a ranged weapon as a melee weapon.

Has no effect on this idea:

Improvised weapons
aren’t weapons you train with—they’re objects
you pick up to hit someone with.

 

[DracoSuave]

(emphasis mine on power)

Is a basic ranged attack considered a power?

Absolutely.

A basic attack is an at-will attack power that everyone possesses, regardless of class

 

[Panthine]

AOO atacking while using a bow.
Step 0 pick up spiked gauntlets from any village or just go toughen your fists up a bit
Step 1 FREE ACTION shift from holding the bow 2 handed to holding it one handed
Step 2 Bitchslap the idiot provoking AOO with your free hand

Mind you im a human artificer with a disembodied hand familiar (feat) and Alchemical opportunist (feat). So im throwing globs of nasty @$%T in your face; i can blind, immobilise, damage, cause ongoing damage etc, just cost me a bit of cash to do it.

 

[Mort_Q]

Is a basic ranged attack considered a power?

Yes.

 

[Turtlejay]

AOO atacking while using a bow.
Step 0 pick up spiked gauntlets from any village or just go toughen your fists up a bit
Step 1 FREE ACTION shift from holding the bow 2 handed to holding it one handed
Step 2 Bitchslap the idiot provoking AOO with your free hand

Mind you im a human artificer with a disembodied hand familiar (feat) and Alchemical opportunist (feat). So im throwing globs of nasty @$%T in your face; i can blind, immobilise, damage, cause ongoing damage etc, just cost me a bit of cash to do it.

I like this. . .I am working on building a ranged artificer, this would be a cool schtick to have.

Jay

 

[Panthine]

Ranged artificer (and artificer in general) is cool enough but make sure you take that disembodied hand (in passive mode) for FREE ACTION item swapping.
I use a xbow and wish it could be used as an implement, but until some custom rule comes out i have my hand to switch my weapon and implement, and since FREE ACTIONS can take place on my AOO action i replace my weapon with acid glob (for example) and use it on my enemy, then switch back so fast you would swear my xbow never left my hand.