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<blockquote data-quote="Godaikin Engineer" data-source="post: 4882954" data-attributes="member: 75483">Howdy all, got a 4eD&amp;D question.Can a PC use a missile weapon to attack an enemy he's in base-to-base contact with?The rules, IMO, are vague on this point. On the one hand, you have p.215 of the PH saying &quot;You can't use a ranged weapon as a melee weapon&quot;, which seems to say you can't do it.On the other hand, you have references in the combat chapter which say using a ranged attack while in a threatened area will provoke an opportunity attack, which may mean you can do it.My interpretation right now is that you need some room to use a missile weapon effectively, so while you can use a ranged attack on an enemy 2 or more squares away (even while being threatened with melee), you can't use the missile weapon on any target you're in close combat with.(Also, since p.215 specifically references _melee weapons_, I'm ruling that other ranged attacks are possible (e.g. a wizard's Magic Missile), but will provoke an OA as usual.)Any thoughts on this? I realize that it's my game and I should make the ruling I like / am comfortable with, but I'd like to hear what others have done on this point. I do like the idea that when critters get close, the long range attackers like bow-specialist rangers have to switch to a close-combat weapon.- GE</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Godaikin Engineer, post: 4882954, member: 75483"] Howdy all, got a 4eD&D question. Can a PC use a missile weapon to attack an enemy he's in base-to-base contact with? The rules, IMO, are vague on this point. On the one hand, you have p.215 of the PH saying "You can't use a ranged weapon as a melee weapon", which seems to say you can't do it. On the other hand, you have references in the combat chapter which say using a ranged attack while in a threatened area will provoke an opportunity attack, which may mean you can do it. My interpretation right now is that you need some room to use a missile weapon effectively, so while you can use a ranged attack on an enemy 2 or more squares away (even while being threatened with melee), you can't use the missile weapon on any target you're in close combat with. (Also, since p.215 specifically references _melee weapons_, I'm ruling that other ranged attacks are possible (e.g. a wizard's Magic Missile), but will provoke an OA as usual.) Any thoughts on this? I realize that it's my game and I should make the ruling I like / am comfortable with, but I'd like to hear what others have done on this point. I do like the idea that when critters get close, the long range attackers like bow-specialist rangers have to switch to a close-combat weapon. - GE [/QUOTE]

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