Firing into Melee

[Hywaywolf]

Again, its a metagaming rule so logic doesn't apply. Just say disregard all shooter bonuses.

[Birthright]

Magic improves the chance to hit. Is this due to enhanced accuracy or greater impact velocity?

....or due to 'magic'-al enhancement of the users ability to aim, which if the shot missed is no longer a consideration?! Keeps it simpler.

[Birthright]

In all cases, firing into melee should only be allowed at short range.

As to this, there should never been any rule, especially a metagaming rule, that prevents a player from taking an action even if it is a stupid one.

I should have been more clear - what I meant was that beyond short range, you just roll randomly to see who gets hit - under normal conditions it would be virtually impossible to pick out an individual target in a melee that is 100 yards (for example) away.

[Solomoriah]

Ack, Birthright, you have a point; but that just makes it more complicated.

You all have swayed me somewhat. At this point, if I ever get a 3rd edition underway, I'll omit modifiers on this roll. I'm not changing the other metagame aspects, though... it really does serve a purpose. I might clarify that "up to 3" doesn't mean "3 if at all possible" also.

[Hywaywolf]

In all cases, firing into melee should only be allowed at short range.

As to this, there should never been any rule, especially a metagaming rule, that prevents a player from taking an action even if it is a stupid one.

I should have been more clear - what I meant was that beyond short range, you just roll randomly to see who gets hit - under normal conditions it would be virtually impossible to pick out an individual target in a melee that is 100 yards (for example) away.

You mean if you miss your target you randomly roll to see who may get hit? I hope you aren't saying that shooting into melee over a 100 yards is considered an automatic miss to the main target. If that is what you are saying, then I would argue that using cover modifiers would work better in that situation.

[Birthright]

You mean if you miss your target you randomly roll to see who may get hit?

No. Just that you can't really pick out an individual at 100 yards in a melee, something that I never though was really adequately reflected in the range modifiers. But, it's just a game so, meh.

[Hywaywolf]

I don't disagree that it would be a very difficult shot, but thats why the shooter would get quite a few negative modifiers. The GM should never just say you can't hit him. he should just make it hard to do.

[Dimirag]

It should be hard, but a long range attack suffers a -2...
I prefer using 0/-2/-4 for the penalties (or maybe 0/-1/-2) (I use the BAB as a value under optimal condition and to keep fighters good at melee).
Besides that I don't like to punish players choices or actions, I prefer leaving that to the outcome of the situation (just a matter of personal taste).

[Hywaywolf]

If I remember correctly English longbow practice ranges were at least 220 yards. I think the short/med/long ranges in the book are acceptable.