Need rule on ranged attacks against mounted opponents

[Kershek]

I'm a little confused about how to shoot an arrow at a mounted opponent.

Is it true that whenever you attack one of two people in the same square, there is a percent chance that you'll hit the other one by mistake? For instance, if you shoot an arrow at a mounted opponent, would there be a 25% chance that you hit the mount instead? Then, if the mount is hit instead, can the rider make a ride check to try to make the shot miss?

 

[Kyramus]

When firing upon a mounted opponent. you are either firing at the rider or the mount. No cover bonus.
If there is someone in front of the horse, there is cover for the horse but not for the rider.

Mounted Combat feat allows the rider to make a roll to negate the arrow strike against his mount. The ride check must beat the attack roll.


Mounted Combat [General]
Prerequisite: Ride skill.
Benefit: Once per round when the character's mount is hit in combat, the character may make a Ride check to negate the hit. The hit is negated if the character's Ride check is greater than the attack roll (essentially, the Ride check becomes the mount’s Armor Class if it’s higher than the mount’s regular AC).

 

[Kershek]

Thanks for the reply. Follow-up question.

When a stirge is attached to a party member and you want to attack it, is there a 25% chance you will hit the party member by mistake? Ranged or melee.

 

[IceBear]

I don't think there is anything in the rules for that. If there is nothing between you and the stirge (and technically the stirge is between you and your ally) then there is no miss chance. I house ruled it that if you missed the stirge, then you had to roll again to see if you hit the victim, but that's just a house rule - there's nothing I'm aware of for that.

IceBear

 

[Kershek]

I found that "25% chance of hitting the wrong person" rule. It applies to bull rushes. I thought it also applied to grapples as well. To me, the stirge, being attached, is grappling its victim.

 

[IceBear]

That's a good point. The only time I've used a stirge was back when the game first came out and never looked there. Yeah, that would work for me.

IceBear

 

[Kershek]

The point is, I don't see anywhere in the grapple section about the 25% rule. Don't you think it should be there?

Also, I love using stirges, not just at 1st level. A swarm of them can be fun, especially for party members with combat reflexes.

 

[IceBear]

Yeah, you're right. Hmmmm - I thought I read that somewhere before, but it might have been someone stating that one here as opposed to a published rule (it's been awhile since I've read the books). Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable will respond.

IceBear

 

[Kyramus]

The stirge doesn't have a grapple attack. When it is attacked, it is draining blood.
According to the Monster Manual, when they are attached they are AC 12.

(the below is opinion)
Have your players describe how they are attacking the stirge, an attack with a sword that is parallel to the arm where the stirge is attached to would not get a possible chance to hit the character.
If they do not describe the attack, then it is assumed that they are attacking without using common sense or the use of a heal skill or wilderness lore skill.

IF the attack is a piercing or slashing perpendicular to the arm, then the person will suffer damage after it hits the stirge. I'd say a long sword causing 8 points of damage would injure the stirge for 8, killing it, and the char suffers half damage.

A magic missile doesn't miss and would be a better range attack. An arrow would impale itself on the arm and i'd say that the stirge suffers full damage from that and half to the charaacter.

This is how I would run it.
(end of opinion)

Thanks for the reply. Follow-up question.

When a stirge is attached to a party member and you want to attack it, is there a 25% chance you will hit the party member by mistake? Ranged or melee.

 

[Quidam]

The rule you're looking for is one of the most poorly placed in the PH. Page 132, Table 8-8: Attack Roll Modifiers. Ranged attacks against a grappling defender require one to roll randomly to see which one you hit.

As far as I know, that's the only place it's mentioned...