[Ulzgoroth]

One place (not necessarily the most useful to delving PCs) where missile weapons are particularly advantageous is attacking from ambush.

Popping up out of nowhere at throat-cutting range is great, of course, but unless you're actually invisible most enemies aren't going to let you get that close without being noticed. If your effective attack distance is 10-20 yards rather than about 4, you're much more likely to score that initial attack on a surprised target. And if you don't like the odds after the initial volley, you have a several-yard head start from which to run away.


This may or may not be useful for your PCs. You probably could use it to demonstrate the merits of ranged capability to your players, though they might not appreciate a lesson in the form of being pincushioned by goblins.