Archery in this game kind of sucks.

[Witchking]

Originally Posted by Boge

My point is that bow vs melee is very unbalanced. Limited ammo. Two strikes vs one per turn, not counting extra attack which can't be used with a bow. +4 vs +1 all out attack. Telegraphic attacks which bows can't do. +2 or 1 damage per die all out attacks which I can't use with a bow. Flurry of blows and mighty blows which I can't do with a bow. Parries and blocks which are typically higher defense than my dodge. Very high range penalties which negate my skill where that doesn't affect melee.

But hey, I can probably kill pigeons better

If I were 15 yards back from the melee scrum and Archer-18 I would definitely consider All Out Attacking.

+4 to hit raises the skill to 22. At that skill level eye shots start to enter the realm of the possible. Since you *should* be 2-3 rounds of foot travel away from opponents no real risk for the AoA.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Witchking

If I were 15 yards back from the melee scrum and Archer-8 I would definitely consider All Out Attacking.

+4 to hit raises the skill to 22. At that skill level eye shots start to enter the realm of the possible. Since you *should* be 2-3 rounds of foot travel away from opponents no real risk for the AoA.

Ranged AoA is +1.

Having watched Scouts utterly dominate against anything with eyes or vitals for three different DF campaigns, this whole discussion seems to be from an alternate universe.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Having watched Scouts utterly dominate against anything with eyes or vitals for three different DF campaigns, this whole discussion seems to be from an alternate universe.

Indeed. It's one where the characters are about a hundred pts less competent and (IMHO) the GM went out of his way to nerf the OP's character concept.

<shrug> I'd have made the character differently and if told that no one in the village could make me a bow that fit my strength I'd have found the pts to invest in Armory and made my own.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

Indeed. It's one where the characters are about a hundred pts less competent and (IMHO) the GM went out of his way to nerf the OP's character concept.

<shrug> I'd have made the character differently and if told that no one in the village could make me a bow that fit my strength I'd have found the pts to invest in Armory and made my own.

I'd also have insisted on attacking from range and not handwaving the closing to melee...

[Farmer]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I'd also have insisted on attacking from range and not handwaving the closing to melee...

Or have just handwaved myself into an ideal ranged distance to keep shooting...

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Farmer

Or have just handwaved myself into an ideal ranged distance to keep shooting...

Yes, "Okay, well while they were running 30 yards, I climbed up the belltower, cool?"

[Witchking]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Ranged AoA is +1.

Having watched Scouts utterly dominate against anything with eyes or vitals for three different DF campaigns, this whole discussion seems to be from an alternate universe.

LoL thanks for the correction. Been playing GURPS since 1986 mostly Sword + Sorcery, never been an archer.

It shows!

[brianfb]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

Indeed. It's one where the characters are about a hundred pts less competent and (IMHO) the GM went out of his way to nerf the OP's character concept.

<shrug> I'd have made the character differently and if told that no one in the village could make me a bow that fit my strength I'd have found the pts to invest in Armory and made my own.

If you are building an archer on stupidly low points, the Telescopic Vision advantage is your new best friend.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by brianfb

If you are building an archer on stupidly low points, the Telescopic Vision advantage is your new best friend.

Eh, not really. It costs [5] per level and gives +1 per level to Aimed attacks, provided you Aim for seconds equal to this bonus. It should probably be limited to giving a total bonus equal to Acc, like a mounted scope does.

Meanwhile, increasing Bow skill costs [4] per level, and gives +1 per level to all attacks with the bow (as well as any roll to rapidly fire).

Telescopic Vision is still useful to a scout-type character, as it basically functions as Acute Vision 1 (Only to Negate Range Penalties) + Acute Vision 1 (Only to Negate Range Penalties; Requires Aim) + Ranged Attack +1 (Requires Aim; Cannot Exceed Weapon Acc). But if you don't need the bonus to spotting things at a distance, it's not worth it for the +1 to ranged attacks... although if the GM lets you buy it for the bonus alone, at [3]/level (only getting the vision bonus reduces cost to [2]/level), that may well be worth it. Or if you frequently use incompatible ranged combat skills, like Bow and Guns.

[brianfb]

I th ink you missed the part about it also reduces range penalties, it essentially gives you a +3 to your bow if you aim for a mere 5 points.