Post/Author/DateTime	Post
blckspdr 03-27-07, 05:00 PM	Alright so our party is walking down this path in search of a group of fugitives and we have a scout that signals us that people are approaching and he ducks for cover in the brush alongside the road while the rest of our party continues onward and meets up with the group. Now The group that approaches is five guys one guy in the middle with two guys flanking him on either side. They don't spot the scout in the brush and he takes aim and waits for the parties signal as to whether or not he should shoot. Our party talks with these guys for a second and a fight breaks out. The scout uses his ready action and takes his shot. My question is... If an archer takes the time to prepare a shot and takes extra time to take aim does he get any bonus to his shot?:confused:
paladin2019 03-27-07, 05:03 PM	I might house rule a circumstance bonus. Alternately, a +1 to hit per round aiming, limited to lowest of Dex, Con or Wis modifier.
tarkin 03-27-07, 05:22 PM	In the situation you describe, I would rule that the archer, being prepared before hand, automatically is not surprised and gets a natural 20 for his initiative. This likely puts him in front of everyone else, and should get to fire his first shots at flat footed opponents. Flat footed = no dex to ac. But you seem to be looking for called shot rules. Here are typical called shot rules for D20: Power Attack Assasin's Death Attack Sneak Attack Criticals Favored Enemey bonus Monk stun Trip Disarm Sunder Any thing related to /variation of the above (I.E. if it won't work against someone immune to crits, it is a kind of Called shot). The closet thing to what you describe is the Assasin's Death Attack. Note that most of them require a feat/special ability (i.e. training) to do. Your guy did not have that. In the future, he might want to consider getting trained to do something like this. One level of Rogue would have let him add some Sneak Attack damage against those Flat footed opponents (assuming they were within 30ft).
Inigo Carmine 03-27-07, 09:27 PM	It depends on how the situations goes. If the archer intentionally took the first shot, then he would go first (unopposed, since the other side was not aware of his precense) as a suprise round. All of his opponents would be flat footed. If the archer was deciding to wait for something special (like one side or the other to begin aggressive actions), then tough luck, he blew his advantage and he rolls initiative like everyone else. However, he is still hiding, and all of his opponents would be denied their dex bonus against his first shot as he is essentially invisible. See rules on sniping under the hide skill if he wants to play that game too. As for a bonus for multiple rounds of aiming, let me explain this to everyone who has never used a projectile weapon before: Unless you have the weapon braced or secured (not even possible with a bow), and you have a fine-tuned aiming mechanism like a scope that is zoomed more than about 5x, any time greater than about 2 seconds spent aiming will not help your shot. In fact, it will often make your shot worse. This of course assumes no interference in between you and your target. It is possible to hold off on your shot waiting until there are no people standing in front of your target, or until he walks into an area with no trees/bushes between you and him. This is covered on the battleman/DM description though (you simply hold off on your shot until the conditions you desire present themselves), and not a generic result of waiting 20 seconds before you make a shot.
blckspdr 03-29-07, 12:52 PM	thanks that helps alot!!
Xeviat-DM 03-29-07, 01:38 PM	Other gaming systems within the d20 system have an aiming mechanic. They allow you to spend a full-round action lining up your shot, which gives you +2 to hit at range or +5 to hit at melee, but you lose your Dex to AC. I'm assuming something like this is what you were looking for, not aiming for specific location rules.
blckspdr 03-29-07, 02:17 PM	yep thats more along the lines of what i was thinking