Help me! I hate archery!

Ashakyre · March 26, 2017, 08:47:50 PM

Quote from: Skarg;953711In the games I've played and preferred, archery seems about as interesting as other types of combat, which has been plenty interesting to me, and I tend to be just as (or more) interested in combat as magic and other stuff. Again, usually because the focus of the game tends to be about the combat situations, and provides a lot to work with other than character sheets and a list of foes. With detailed maps and terrain in play, the layout of the place where everyone moves and faces and so on determines which targets are available and how difficult they are to hit from each attacker's position. So an archer has to decide where to move to be able to clear shot at whom, and to avoid getting hit by which foes - even more than front-line fighters, a smart archer should take into account the entire battle layout and situation when deciding where to move and what shots to take.

Archers are a bit more capable in short-range fighting in TFT compared to GURPS because of the differences in the movement rules and the time scale. In TFT, an archer can generally attack about as often as a hand-weapon fighter, and if he has friends who can keep foes away from him, may get off several shots per fight. In GURPS, even the fastest archer is about half as fast at attacking as a swordsman.

Positioning is very important to me game. I think having very clear rules about how to get a clear shit makes it feel very strategic for the.archer.

Still love Xanther's suggestion for wet strings.ruining bows.

rawma · March 27, 2017, 10:58:06 PM

Quote from: Ashakyre;953746how to get a clear shit

An excellent if subtle reminder to schedule that colonoscopy for those who should.

Gronan of Simmerya · March 28, 2017, 12:52:40 AM

Quote from: Ashakyre;953746how to get a clear shit

I find fiber helps.

Spinachcat · March 28, 2017, 12:57:28 AM

Quote from: Ashakyre;953213Do you have a fun memory from a 4E campaign?

Lots - I really enjoyed the interrupt attacks of an archer. Also, the long range accuracy was important because I could drop high damage on a target before it could get in range so the strikers could slice it apart when it entered melee range. Also, some of the 4e arrow attacks threw conditions, including the ability to slow down foes, thus making it even longer before a long range melee monster could do its business.

Also, as 4e has high level minions, the ability to drop two arrows in one attack meant my ranger could whack lesser beasties that were out of the mage's burst radius.

AKA, my ranger could do Legolas shit from the LotR movies.

RPGPundit · March 30, 2017, 10:42:17 PM

Quote from: Ashakyre;952892So I'm working on my game and... I have rules for archery, and bows, etc. It's just that... it's seems boring. I can't fathom how anybody would ever want to use a archery based character when there are spells or cooler weapons. It just seems so boring. Melee characters are moving around, trying not to get surrounded, sometimes wrestling, etc. But archers? It seems to so boring.

I assume the problem is me. Tell me your cool archery stories or mechanics. Inspire me! Make me think archery is the coolest thing since pierced bread.

If your game is a fantasy game, you may want to check out Arrows of Indra. Because it's based on Indian mythology, and in India it was the Bow & Arrow, rather than the sword, which was considered the weapon of choice of the warrior-noble.

And it includes a wide variety of magical bows & arrows, from the kind that are standard-power-level for fantasy games, to the kind that can destroy an entire kingdom.

Omega · March 30, 2017, 11:33:02 PM

One thing some so-called archery experts seem to forget when bitching about D&D ranges is that those ranges are mean for underground combat where you cant arch fire for the longer ranges and that outdoors it shifts to yards (I believe.)

S'mon · March 31, 2017, 02:58:10 AM

Quote from: Omega;954516One thing some so-called archery experts seem to forget when bitching about D&D ranges is that those ranges are mean for underground combat where you cant arch fire for the longer ranges and that outdoors it shifts to yards (I believe.)

When I bitch it's always about excessive archery ranges in RPGs. The designers don't seem to realise that arrows are much slower than bullets, and even if an arrow can physically reach a target, a human will have moved out of the way before the arrow arrives. Most medieval archery seems to have been direct aimed shooting at fairly short ranges.

Christopher Brady · March 31, 2017, 04:03:56 AM

Quote from: S'mon;954538When I bitch it's always about excessive archery ranges in RPGs. The designers don't seem to realise that arrows are much slower than bullets, and even if an arrow can physically reach a target, a human will have moved out of the way before the arrow arrives. Most medieval archery seems to have been direct aimed shooting at fairly short ranges.

I was under the impression that most medieval military archery was long range, but more like artillery, where they more or less 'bomb' an area with a multitude of arrows. More quantity than quality of shots.

Omega · March 31, 2017, 06:52:27 AM

Quote from: Christopher Brady;954547I was under the impression that most medieval military archery was long range, but more like artillery, where they more or less 'bomb' an area with a multitude of arrows. More quantity than quality of shots.

For warfare yes.

I get the impression that adventurers are using a bow more like bow hunters do. Shorter ranges. In AD&D the ranges were pretty short even outdoors. I believe there was an article explaining why in Dragon?

S'mon · March 31, 2017, 09:52:55 AM

Quote from: Christopher Brady;954547I was under the impression that most medieval military archery was long range, but more like artillery, where they more or less 'bomb' an area with a multitude of arrows. More quantity than quality of shots.

Apparently current thinking is that this does not generally seem to have been the case. Going by Scholagladiatoria, Lindybeige, Metatron et al on Youtube. I tend to trust Scholagladiatoria.

Kiero · April 01, 2017, 06:29:15 AM

Lindybeige is good, but sometimes makes rather dubious conclusions (see his view on the eternal overhand v underhand grip for spears).

Steppe horse archers preferred shorter range shots that were directed and on a flat trajectory, even though their composite bows had significant range.

Ashakyre · April 01, 2017, 07:33:02 AM

Quote from: Kiero;954822.Steppe horse archers preferred shorter range shots that were directed and on a flat trajectory, even though their composite bows had significant range.

I imagine because at that range it's a garanteed kill shot and the steppe archer has the ability to hit-and-run.

Moracai · April 01, 2017, 10:14:38 PM

Quote from: Ashakyre;952892Tell me your cool archery stories or mechanics. Inspire me! Make me think archery is the coolest thing since pierced bread.

Wont do that, sorry. Today I was working a bit in making a roleplaying system to do fantasy. A thing that it doesn't do well innately. I left archery significantly inferior to melee. My reasoning for this was partly simulationist. I figured that an arrow is a flying pointy stick, and "stick and stones wont break my bones, but a greataxe sure as hell will!"

Then there's this guy who thinks everything we think we know about oldenday archery is wrong.

[video=youtube;2zGnxeSbb3g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zGnxeSbb3g[/youtube]

He's able to shoot superfast accurately. While tumbling, etc. On the other hand when I looked at the end credits it was revealed that he used 20 lbs drawstrenght bows, and modern minimum legal hunting drawstrenght is 40 lbs.

Omega · April 04, 2017, 12:28:55 AM

Quote from: Moracai;954961Wont do that, sorry. Today I was working a bit in making a roleplaying system to do fantasy. A thing that it doesn't do well innately. I left archery significantly inferior to melee. My reasoning for this was partly simulationist. I figured that an arrow is a flying pointy stick, and "stick and stones wont break my bones, but a greataxe sure as hell will!"

Then there's this guy who thinks everything we think we know about oldenday archery is wrong.

He's able to shoot superfast accurately. While tumbling, etc. On the other hand when I looked at the end credits it was revealed that he used 20 lbs drawstrenght bows, and modern minimum legal hunting drawstrenght is 40 lbs.

He's using alot of stunt archery tricks. Also hes just making stuff up at points and actual archery masters have been disecting him mercilessly and pointing out where hes using tricks or just flat out being deceptive like the quiver thing. Still. He is fast. But so are several others.

AsenRG · April 05, 2017, 11:36:07 AM

Or, in short, he's using a lighter-than-suitable-for-hunting bow, and doesn't draw even that one fully.