Ultimate Edition

[icycalm]

So it seems like firing into melee only gives you a -4 modifier to your attack roll in PF1, which is too permissive. AD&D 2E had rules for hitting your friends by accident, if I remember correctly, so this will be the first rule we'll graft in. Maybe for this weekend if I have time to look it up, otherwise maybe someone else can look it up and help us integrate it.

I want there to be a serious penalty for a bunch of archers hanging back and taking potshots at the melee.

[schadenfreude]

Here it is: https://adnd2e.fandom.com/wiki/PHB_Ch9_ ... to_a_Melee

Missile weapons are intended mainly as long-range weapons. Ideally, they are used before the opponents reach your line. However, ideal situations are all too rare, and characters often discover that the only effective way to attack is to shoot arrows (or whatever) at an enemy already in melee combat with their companions. While possible, and certainly allowed, this is a risky proposition.

When missiles are fired into a melee, the DM counts the number of figures in the immediate area of the intended target. Each Medium figure counts as 1. Small (S) figures count as ½, Large as 2, Huge as 4, and Gargantuan as 6. The total value is compared to the value of each character or creature in the target melee. Using this ratio, the DM rolls a die to determine who (or what) will be the target of the shot.

Tarus Bloodheart (man-size, or 1 point) and Rath (also man-size, or 1 point) are fighting a giant (size G, 6 points) while Thule fires a long bow at the giant. The total value of all possible targets is 8 (6+1+1). There's a 1 in 8 chance that Rath is the target; a 1 in 8 chance that Tarus is hit; and a 6 in 8 chance the shot hits the giant. The DM could roll an 8-sided die to determine who gets hit, or he could reduce the ratios to a percentage (75% chance the giant is hit, etc.) and roll percentile dice.

Note that there's a feat called Precise Shot that, if taken, removes the penalty for firing into melee: https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-f ... hot-combat

[icycalm]

Great, thanks for the help. So we're adding this rule into our system starting this Saturday. Precise Shot avoids this new penalty too, so if any players want to rearrange their feats to pick it, post here to let us know, and DM dan on Discord to fix your sheet. I don't yet trust myself to mess with people's sheets.