Archery in this game kind of sucks.

[Eric Funk]

Here is a worked example of how such an encounter with a 99cp archer could work:

Default:
1 Draw arrow
2 Ready Bow
3 Aim 0-3 turns
Fire



My party just recently added an archer, so using the rules mostly gathered by GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, I can make this archer defeat about 15 humanoid foes starting at 30 yards...

Ordinary Joe becomes Archer [99cp]
ST 10
DX 10
Ranged Weapon DX+7 (BOW) [24]
Quick-draw DX+2 (Arrow) [1]

Heroic Archer [20] DF1p14
Quick-shot [3] -- no penalty for Heroic Archer (DF11 Powerups p. 32)
Weapon Bond [1] DF1p14
Targeted Attack (Bow/Eye) (to -4) [6] (p. MA68)
Forest Guardian 4 [20] -- From GURPS Powerups 3: TALENTS (or GDF2) Forest Guardian talent which gives +1 to bow and to Fast-Draw (Arrow) for only 5 points per level.

Double-shot [7] -- dual draw and ready 2; fire at same or different target! (GDF11 Powerups p. 32)
Strongbow [1]

Enhanced Tracking (multiple lockons)[6] (GDF11 Powerups p. 32, but rules from POWERS)






TOOLS

Composite Bow: Balanced, Elven (B275, GDF1p.26 / "reflex bow p.LT75)

Arrow: balanced, very fine, tempered glass (+1 to hit, +3 to damage)

"Barbed" Arrows, when removed, inflict half damage again that they did going in. (p.MA232, p.LT73)

Quick Draw +2 Vest 600$: Tactical vest from HT, using the rules for Fine and Very Fine Gear from GURPS Action1p.26, to make a +2 Fast-Draw tactical vest for 600$ based on the AdventurerWebbing in Dungeon Fantasy 1p.26 (and Load-Bearing Vest Action1p.28).

Fast-draw is now @DX +2 (Vest) +4 (Forest Guardian) = 16

Note with these tools an unaimed AoA shot is:
@DX+7, +1 Weapon Bond, +1 Balanced, +4 Forest Guardian, +1 AoA, +3 from Bow Acc (Heroic Archer) = 27

Aiming for 1 second adds +1 (heroic archer), +1 from scope (Yes, HT201 mentions bows can use scopes, and DF1p.26 has a 2x scope for +1 that explicitly grants Telescopic Vision1 when peered through)*


POWERDOWN: If you have stone arrows (p. B275) then the damage is only 1d6+2 but the rest applies! (The doubling of armour does not apply if you bypass it!) (1d6+4 with Weapon Master(Bow)!)





Odds are this archer can defeat up to 15 humanoid foes.


Start: Melee guys at 0y point, archer at 30y point. Let's say they are DX11 HT11 Combat reflexes so have Dodge 9 (43%).

Depending on who does what first will make a little difference in the end: Hopefully archer also has Combat Reflexes (+1 to fast-draw too) and can ready and step back before foes move...

Turn 1 : Melee guys run 4 yards to point 4y,
Archer Fast-draws 2 arrows, Targets at TWO different foes' eyes.

Extra Attack(Bow): Archer fires. Distance is now 26y (-7 to hit) then -4 for TA(Eye), for net -11 skill. 16 or less on 3d6.

POWERUPS:
Extra Attack (Bow Only) permits the first part being an AIM which here only grants +2 to hit:


Each arrow is 1d6+4 damage (B399) encountering 0 DR, Damage x4, knockdown rolls at -10 (likely unconscious p. B420), roll on critical head table p.B556... Damage over 2HP blinds the foe...

Steps back 1 step to 31y (free B386)


TURN 2 : Melee guys run 4 yards to point "8yard".
Archer Fires 2 arrows at skill 16 (oops, one dodges!)
Archer steps back 1 step to point 32y.

Turn 3 : Melee to 12y
Archer Fires 2 arrows at skill 17
Archer steps back 1 step to point 33y.

Turn 4 Melee to 16y
Archer Fires 2 arrows at skill 18 ->16 (Foes -1 to Dodge)**
Archer steps back 1 step to point 34y.

Turn 5 : Melee to 20y
Archer Fires 2 arrows at skill 20 -> 16 (Foes -2 to Dodge)** (Odds: 1 Critical success)
Archer steps back 1 step to point 35y.

Turn 6 Melee to 24y
Archer Fires 2 arrows at skill 20 -> 16 (Foes -2 to Dodge)**
Archer steps back 1 step to point 36y.

Turn 7 : Melee to 30y
(Haha, Archers can walk too!)
Archer Fires 2 arrows at skill 20 -> 16 (Foes -2 to Dodge)** (odds are one dodges)
Archer steps back 1 step to point 37y.

Turn 8 Melee to 34y
Archer Fires 2 arrows at skill 22 -> 16 (Foes -3 to Dodge)**
Archer steps back 1 step to point 38y.

Odds are this archer has just stopped 15 foes.

Then around turn9 depending who is resolved first archer may get to act again...

**

Take a Deceptive Attack (B369, MA121 for Bow). -4 to hit gives foes -2 to Dodge. You want to stay at net 16 or better target for max critical success rate (10% for 3-6 on 3d6) which will remove the chance a foe can roll a defense...

Now with the -2 these foes must Dodge against 7 or less
(16% down from 43%, one in 6 will Dodge successfully)




POWERUPS:

Assuming a typical foe has a dodge skill under 10 then this is a good build (DX and HT under 12, plus CR)... Otherwise you need to overcome this with Higher net Skills (via telescopic Vision, even, to get +3 to +6 in bonuses per level when you aim) so you can take a Deceptive Attack (B369, MA121 for Bow). -4 to hit gives foes -2 to Dodge. You want to stay at net 16+ for max critical success rate (10% for 3-6 on 3d6) which will remove the chance a foe can roll a defense...


POWERUP: Not included, but only 18cp more from above due to discounts it offers:
Weapon Master (Bow) [20] (+2 to damage and lowers costs of other advantages)

Telescopic Vision [5/level] -- acts as +1 to hit as a scope ... (Recommended DF11 Powerups p. 32 )


If MAGIC Is available:

* For ONLY 100+100$, have the bow enchanted with QUICKAIM 2 which makes 1 turn of Aim worth as if you aimed for 3 turns!
That will add the +2 for Aiming, plus +3 for a scope (or more for telescopic vision)...

Note this is doubly useful as fixed scopes are the only kind available before TL7 (HT156) so buy one +3 fixed scope and with Quick-AIM 2 you get the +3 bonus with 1 second of aiming!



Buy a BLESS Spell casting on yourself for 50$ (p. M129), given standard enchantment costs for +2 to all die rolls including attack and damage dice. (Costs of spellcastings of 100 energy or less are 1$/point, and BLESS is part of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, mentioned in DF9:Guilds)







--
-
Eric Funk

Knowledge Brings Fear -- Motto of Mars University, Futurama

[Eric Funk]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

It doesn't actually say that, you are inferring it, which was my point.

The rules for telescopic vision and for optics are identical except telescopic vision's acc bonus is not expressly limited by the Acc of the weapon.

Actually it does on p. B364: "Your combined bonus from all targeting systems (scopes, sights, computers, etc.) cannot exceed the weapon’s base Accuracy. "

Telescopic Vision acts as a scope (B92).

[Eric Funk]

Originally Posted by Farmer

If one of your melee is knocked down you could have a shot to help protect them from attack.

If magic is available, buy healing spell arrows and fire harmless Boffer arrows at your allies to heal them! (302$ for 6HP arrow, on par with a major healing potion from GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1)...

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Eric Funk

Actually it does on p. B364: "Your combined bonus from all targeting systems (scopes, sights, computers, etc.) cannot exceed the weapon’s base Accuracy. "

Telescopic Vision acts as a scope (B92).

It says it "functions as a telescopic sight:" in that it adds Acc. Not that it is a targeting system. Now you might think that means it is limited to the Acc of the weapon, and I would agree with you.

My entire point was that the rules for Telescopic Vision exactly matches the rules for optics, except that it doesn't expressly on B92 limit the bonus to Acc.