Missile Combat

Touch Spells and Combat

Many spells used by priests and wizards take effect only when the target is touched by the caster. Under normal circumstances, this is no problem--the spellcaster reaches out and touches the recipient. However, if the target is unwilling, or the spell is used in the midst of a general melee, the situation is much different.

Unwilling Targets

The spellcaster must make a successful attack roll for the spell to have any effect. The wizard or priest calculates his to-hit number normally, according to the intended victim's Armor Class and other protections. The DM can modify the roll if the victim is unprepared for or unaware of the attack. If the roll succeeds, the spellcaster touches the target and the normal spell effect occurs.

Rules
  • Attack Roll: Required for spell to take effect
  • Calculation: Normal to-hit calculated according to victim's AC and protections
  • Dm Modifiers: Can modify roll if victim is unprepared or unaware
  • Success: Spellcaster touches target and normal spell effect occurs

Willing Targets

When attempting to cast a spell on a willing target, the casting is automatic as long as both characters are not engaged in combat. For example, if a fighter withdraws from melee, a cleric could heal him the next round.

If the recipient of the spell attempts to do anything besides waiting for the spell to take effect, an attack roll against AC 10 must be made. However, no AC modifiers for Dexterity are applied, since the target is not trying to avoid the spell!

Rules
  • Out Of Combat: Casting is automatic if both caster and target are not engaged in combat
  • Target Action: If target attempts any action besides waiting for spell, attack roll is required
  • Attack Roll: Must roll against AC 10
  • Modifiers: No AC modifiers for Dexterity applied

Special Effects

Whenever a touch spell is successful, the spellcaster suffers from any special defenses of his target, if they are continually in operation. A successful touch to a vampire would not result in energy drain, since the power only works when the vampire wills it, but touching a fire elemental would result in serious burns.

When a touch spell is cast, it normally remains effective only for that round. However, certain spells do specify special conditions or durations. Be sure to check each spell description carefully.

Rules

  • Target Defenses: Spellcaster suffers from any continually operating special defenses of the target
  • Duration: Touch spell normally effective only for that round unless specified otherwise

Missile Weapons in Combat

In general, missile combat is handled identically to standard melee. Intentions are announced, initiative is rolled, and attack rolls are made. However, there are some special rules and situations that apply only to missile combat.

Missile weapons are divided into two general categories. The first includes all standard, direct-fire, single-target missiles--slings, arrows, quarrels, spears, throwing axes, and the like.

The second category includes all grenade-like missiles that have an area effect, no matter how small. Thus, an attack with these weapons does not have to hit its target directly to have a chance of affecting it. Included in this group are small flasks of oil, acid, poison, holy water, potions, and boulders. Hurled boulders are included because they bounce and bound along after they hit, leaving a swath of destruction.

Missile Categories

Standard Missiles
Direct-fire, single-target missiles such as slings, arrows, quarrels, spears, and throwing axes
Grenade-like Missiles
Missiles with area effects that don't need to hit directly to affect targets, including flasks of oil, acid, poison, holy water, potions, and boulders

Range

The first step in making a missile attack is to find the range from the attacker to the target. This is measured in yards from one point to the other. This distance is compared to the range categories for the weapon used (see Table 45 in Chapter 6: Combat).

If the distance is greater than the long range given, the target is out of range; if the distance is between the long- and medium-range numbers, the target is at long range; when between the medium- and short-range numbers, medium range is used; when equal to or less than the short-range distance, the target is at short range.

Short-range attacks suffer no range modifier. Medium-range attacks suffer a -2 penalty to the attack roll. Long-range attacks suffer a -5 penalty. Some weapons have no short range since they must arc a certain distance before reaching their target. These attacks are always made with an attack roll penalty.

Rules

Measurement: Range measured in yards from attacker to target

Range Categories
  • Short Range: Equal to or less than short range distance - no penalty
  • Medium Range: Between medium and short range numbers - -2 penalty to attack roll
  • Long Range: Between long and medium range numbers - -5 penalty to attack roll
  • Out Of Range: Greater than long range - attack not possible

Exceptions: Some weapons have no short range and always incur attack roll penalty

Rate of Fire

Bows, crossbows, and many other missile weapons have different rates of fire (ROF)--the number of missiles they can shoot in a single round.

Small, light weapons can be thrown very quickly, so up to three darts can be thrown in a single round. Arrows can be nocked and let loose almost as quickly, so up to two shots can be fired in a single round.

Some weapons (such as heavy crossbows) take a long time to load and can be fired only every other round.

Whatever the ROF, multiple missile shots are handled the same way as other multiple attacks for the purposes of determining initiative. The ROF of each missile weapon is listed in table 45 in Chapter 6.

Rules

Definition: Number of missiles that can be shot in a single round

Examples
  • Light: Darts - up to three per round
  • Medium: Arrows - up to two per round
  • Heavy: Heavy crossbows - one shot every other round

Initiative: Multiple missile shots handled same way as other multiple attacks

Reference: ROF listed in Table 45, Chapter 6

Ability Modifiers in Missile Combat

Attack roll and damage modifiers for Strength are always used when an attack is made with a hurled weapon. Here the power of the character's arm is a significant factor in the effectiveness of the attack.

When using a bow, the attack roll and damage Strength modifiers apply only if the character has a properly prepared bow (see Chapter 6: Money and Equipment). Characters never receive Strength bonuses when using crossbows or similar mechanical devices.

Dexterity modifiers to the attack roll are applied when making a missile attack with a hand-held weapon. Thus, a character adds his Dexterity modifier when using a bow, crossbow, or axe but not when firing a trebuchet or other siege engine.

Rules
Strength
  • Hurled Weapons: Strength modifiers always apply to attack roll and damage
  • Bows: Strength modifiers apply only with properly prepared bows
  • Mechanical: No Strength bonuses for crossbows or similar devices
Dexterity
  • Hand Held: Dexterity modifiers apply to attack roll with hand-held weapons
  • Siege: No Dexterity modifiers for trebuchets or other siege engines

Firing into 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.

Rules

Target Determination: DM counts figures in immediate area of intended target

Size Values
  • Small: Counts as ½
  • Medium: Counts as 1
  • Large: Counts as 2
  • Huge: Counts as 4
  • Gargantuan: Counts as 6

Resolution: DM rolls die based on ratio of figure values to determine actual target

Taking Cover Against Missile Fire

One of the best ways to avoid being hit and injured is to hide behind something--a wall, a tree, a building corner, a heap of boulders, or whatever happens to be available. Professional adventurers, wishing to make this sound heroic, call this taking cover.

Taking cover doesn't work particularly well in a melee, since the cover hampers defender and attacker equally. However, it is quite an effective tactic against missile fire.

There are two types of protection a character can have. The first is concealment, also called soft cover. A character hiding behind a clump of bushes is concealed. He can be seen, but only with difficulty, and it's no easy task to determine exactly where he is. The bushes cannot stop an arrow, but they do make it less likely that the character is hit. Other types of concealment include curtains, tapestries, smoke, fog, and brambles.

The other type of protection is cover, sometimes called, more precisely, hard cover. It is, as its name implies, something a character can hide behind that will block a missile. Hard cover includes stone walls, the corner of a building, tables, doors, earth embankments, tree trunks, and magical walls of force.

Cover helps a potential target by giving the attacker a negative modifier to his attack roll. The exact modifier for concealment or cover depends on the degree to which it is being used as shelter. A character who stands behind a two-foot wall is a pretty obvious target, especially when compared to the character who lies down behind that wall and carefully peers over it. Table 59 lists the different modifiers for varying degrees of cover and concealment.

Types
Concealment

Soft cover that makes target harder to see but doesn't block missiles

  • Bushes
  • Curtains
  • Tapestries
  • Smoke
  • Fog
  • Brambles
Cover

Hard cover that can physically block missiles

  • Stone walls
  • Building corners
  • Tables
  • Doors
  • Earth embankments
  • Tree trunks
  • Magical walls of force
Table 59: Cover and Concealment Modifiers
Target is:CoverConcealment
25% hidden-2-1
50% hidden-4-2
75% hidden-7-3
90% hidden-10-4

Cover also has an affect on saving throws, granting the character the modifier listed on Table 59 as a bonus to his saving throws against spells that cause physical damage (for example, fireball, lightning bolt, etc.)

Furthermore, a character who has 90% cover (or more) suffers one-half normal damage on a failed save and no damage at all if a saving throw is successful. This assumes, of course, that the fireball, lightning bolt, or whatever, hit the cover--a man crouching behind a stone wall would be protected if a fireball exploded in front of the wall, but would not be protected by cover if the blast occurred behind him, on his side of the wall.

Saving Throws

Bonus: Cover modifiers apply as bonus to saving throws against physical damage spells

90% Cover Effects
  • Failed Save: Half normal damage
  • Successful Save: No damage
  • Requirement: Spell must hit the cover

Grenade-Like Missiles

Unlike standard missiles, which target a specific creature, a grenade-like missile is aimed at a point, whether this point is a creature or a spot on the ground. When the attack is announced, the player indicates where he wants the missile to land. This then becomes the target point and is used to determine the direction and distance of any scatter.

Most grenade-like missiles are items of opportunity or necessity--rocks, flasks of oil, vials of holy water, or beakers of acid. As such, these items are not listed on the equipment tables for range, ROF, and damage. The range each can be thrown varies with the Strength of the character and the weight of the object.

A missile of five pounds or less can be thrown about 30 feet. Short range is 10 feet, medium range is 20 feet, and everything beyond is maximum range. Heavier items have reduced ranges. Just how far an object can be thrown is decided by the DM.

Exceptionally heavy items can be thrown only if the character rolls a successful bend bars/lift gates check. In no case can a character throw an item heavier than his Strength would allow him to lift. Thus, the DM can rule that a character would have little trouble chucking a half-empty backpack across a ten-foot chasm, but the character would need to make a check in order to heave an orc ten feet through the air into the faces of his orcish friends.

Once a container hits, it normally breaks immediately. However, this is not always true. Some missiles, like soft leather flasks or hard pottery, are particularly resistant. If there's some doubt about whether or not a thrown object will break, the DM can require an item saving throw (this information is in the DMG) to see if it shatters or rips, spewing its contents everywhere.

The DMG contains information on how to resolve the inevitable situations in which grenade-like missiles miss their targets.

Rules

  • Targeting: Aimed at a point rather than a specific creature
  • Range:
    • Lightweight: 5 pounds or less - about 30 feet total (10 feet short, 20 feet medium)
    • Heavier: Reduced ranges determined by DM
    • Exceptionally Heavy: Require bend bars/lift gates check; cannot exceed character's lift capacity
  • Breaking:
    • Normal: Container breaks immediately on hit
    • Resistant: DM may require item saving throw for resistant containers
  • Missing: Refer to DMG for rules on missed grenade-like missiles

Special Defenses

So far, the bulk of this chapter has dealt with ways to attack. Now, it's time to turn to defense. There are several ways to avoid taking damage. Two of the most common are the saving throw and magic resistance. Somewhat less common, because its use is limited to clerics and paladins, is the ability to turn undead.

Parrying (Optional Rule)

During a one-minute combat round, each character is assumed to block many attempted attacks and see many of his own attacks blocked. In normal combat, characters parry all the time--there's no need to single out each parry.

When a character deliberately chooses not to parry (a wizard casting a spell, for instance), his chance of being hit increases. Thus, choosing to parry, in and of itself, is not a separate option under the AD&D game rules.

At the same time, the assumption is that characters in combat are constantly exposing themselves to some risk--trying to get a clear view of a target or looking for the opening to make an attack. There are times, however, when this is not the case. Sometimes, the only thing a character wants to do is avoid being hit.

In order to make himself harder to hit, a character can parry--forfeit all actions for the round--he can't attack, move, or cast spells. This frees the character to concentrate solely on defense. At this point, all characters but warriors gain an AC bonus equal to half their level. A 6th-level wizard would have a +3 bonus to his AC (lowering his AC by 3). A warrior gets a bonus equal to half his level plus one. A 6th-level fighter would gain a +4 AC bonus.

Note that the benefit is not a perfect all-around defense, and it's not effective against rear or missile attacks. It applies only to those characters attacking the defender with frontal melee attacks. This optional defense has no effect against magical attacks, so it wouldn't do anything to protect a character from the force of a lightning bolt or fireball, for example.

Rules

  • Normal Assumption: Characters are constantly parrying in normal combat
  • Deliberate Parry:
    • Requirements: Forfeit all actions for the round (can't attack, move, or cast spells)
    • Non Warriors: AC bonus equal to half character level
    • Warriors: AC bonus equal to half level plus one
  • Limitations:
    • Direction: Only effective against frontal melee attacks
    • Ineffective: Not effective against rear attacks, missile attacks, or magical attacks
  • Examples:
    • Wizard: 6th-level wizard gets +3 AC bonus
    • Fighter: 6th-level fighter gets +4 AC bonus