Your archer tactics (not necessarily smackdowns)

[molonel]

Fair enough, but ...

Fair enough. But if you are using the "drop weapon" rule as a free action to use the spiked gauntlet etc. to arm yourself for AoO's, then in order to ready yourself for using your bow next round you have to switch back to your bow, which ain't dropping a weapon, and it is therefore not a free action.

I'm open to debate on this, but that is how it seems to me.

Okay, if your archer has quick draw, that means he can shift from bow to spiked gauntlet (dropping a weapon) as a free action after a full combat action of firing arrows, and shift from spiked gauntlet to bow (drawing a weapon) as a free action at the beginning of his next turn.

But what if you don't have quick draw?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Fair enough, but ...

Fair enough. But if you are using the "drop weapon" rule as a free action to use the spiked gauntlet etc. to arm yourself for AoO's, then in order to ready yourself for using your bow next round you have to switch back to your bow, which ain't dropping a weapon, and it is therefore not a free action.

You're neither dropping it nor drawing it.

It's like using a longsword - you can hold it in two hands, or you can hold it in one hand. If you want to cast a spell, you need a free hand. It's a free action to let go of the hilt with one hand so you can cast, and it's a free action to grab the hilt again after you cast the spell. But if you're holding it one-handed, and it's not your action, and someone provokes an AoO, you can't make a free action as part of your AoO - you can only attack one-handed.

Similarly, if you're using a longspear, but you want to threaten 5', then at the end of your turn, you can let go of the longspear with one hand. Your 'free' hand can now punch someone with the spiked gauntlet you're wearing as an AoO, but you no longer threaten 10' with your longspear. At the start of your next action, you can grab the longspear with both hands again as a free action and stab someone.

Same goes for the bow. If you're wearing gauntlets and holding a bow, you can either be prepared to punch someone or prepared to shoot someone. You can switch between the two as a free action. But only on your turn.

-Hyp.

 

[YuriPup]

As the Group Cleric

GMW was the frist (and second I would say) 4th level spell that I learned--one of them going to the groups archer (using the Monty Cook ranger varient) and the second going for our lead fighters axe.

Our archer even agrees--archery is too darned powerful. At 12th level--using his various feats-- his attack progression is something like 20, 20, 17, 12. His bow is only plus 1 but has shocking, acid and sonic on it. Many a combat my cleric has just leaned on her sword and watched Tyro (the archer) shoot.

Tactics when the enemy closes? 5' step back and full attack. Nothing has survived to attack after that.

-Y

 

[frankthedm]

Get to high ground for a better target selection whether fly or getting up on a high rock [preferably out of 'reach']

Aim for the mages

Don't let the dm cheat you on encounter distance.

 

[Steverooo]

Archers with Spiked Gauntlets

While it is true that a bow is a two-handed weapon, it is false to assume that one must grip it with two hands when it is not actually being used... If that were the case, it would be impossible to reload! An archer with Rapid Shot, or 2+ attacks/round, OBVIOUSLY has to let go of the bowstring in order to fire, draw an arrow, nock, and then use two hands, yet again, to draw, aim, release.

In game mechanics, does this mean that a 20th level Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger must have the Quick Draw Feat in order to get off his five attacks/round? Hardly!

An archer needs both hands on the bow only to fire it. Once his IP (Initiative Point) is passed and he has fired his rounds, he is standing there holding it one-handed. He may conduct Attacks of Opportunity with the Spiked Gauntlet on either hand, or even switch to melee with both hands (modified by penalties for fighting with two weapons).

Likewise, the buckler, being strapped to his arm, doesn't interfere with the bow (although he will not receive the shield bonus when using the two-handed weapon, and will suffer the buckler's Armor Check Penalty, if it isn't at least masterwork).

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Archers with Spiked Gauntlets

An archer needs both hands on the bow only to fire it. Once his IP (Initiative Point) is passed and he has fired his rounds, he is standing there holding it one-handed. He may conduct Attacks of Opportunity with the Spiked Gauntlet on either hand...

Per the latest FAQ update, he needs to take a free action at the end of his round to switch from "bow mode" to "gauntlet mode", and a free action at the start of his next round to switch back.

This only really causes a problem for a/ OotBI with the "free attack" 6th level class ability, or b/ people with literal-minded DMs who forget to mention they're doing so.

... or even switch to melee with both hands (modified by penalties for fighting with two weapons).

Huh? How? By dropping the bow? How do you attack with both hands while holding a bow in one of them?

-Hyp.