Missile Weapons
Missile weapons include numerous weapons that can be fired or hurled over a distance in order to cause damage. This includes [Using Found Objects as Weapons|found objects]], such as stones, chairs, boxes or even a back pack. Missile fire occurs simultaneously with other forms of combat, as part of the expenditure of action points; as with melee, the combatant identifies a target and then rolls to hit.
Hand-sized objects like natural or magic stones, chromatic orbs and flasks of oil have a range like any other weapon, as described below.
Bonuses
Depending on the character and the weapon, some combatants have hereditary bonuses that increase their chance to hit. Additionally a sufficient dexterity, one above 15, also allows bonuses to hit with a missile weapon. Unlike their use in melee, strength bonuses don't apply to fired or hurled weapons.
Fired Weapons
| Weapon | Point Blank |
Short | Medium | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| heavy crossbow | 2 | 3-14 | 15-28 | 29-40 |
| light crossbow | 2 | 3-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 |
| long bow | 2-3 | 4-22 | 23-44 | 45-66 |
| short bow | 2-3 | 3-16 | 17-32 | 33-48 |
| sling | — | 2-13 | 14-25 | 26-37 |
| staff sling | — | 4-18 | 19-35 | 36-52 |
Sometimes called projectile weapons, these launch solid projectiles at targets, usually with a much greater range than hurled weapons. Bows fire arrows, crossbows fire bolts and slings fire stones or metal bullets. Firing requires re-loading,
Hurled Weapons
| Weapon | Point Blank |
Short | Medium | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| axe (short) | 2 | 3-5 | 6-7 | 8-10 |
| bola | — | 3-9 | 10-16 | 17-23 |
| club | 2 | 3-5 | 6-7 | 8-9 |
| dagger | 2 | 3-5 | 6-9 | 10-12 |
| dart | 2 | 3-5 | 6-10 | 11-15 |
| hammer (short) | 2 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 |
| hand axe | 2 | 3-6 | 7-9 | 10-13 |
| javelin | 2 | 3-9 | 10-18 | 19-27 |
| spear | 2 | 3-6 | 7-12 | 13-18 |
| trident | 2 | 3-5 | 6-9 | 10-13 |
| warhammer | 2 | 3-5 | 6-8 | 9-11 |
Missile Ranges
The table shown gives ranges for missile weapons. Weapons thrown or fired at point blank range are +1 to hit. There is no adjustment at short range. Medium range gives a -2 penalty, while long range gives a -5 penalty.
ARCHED MISSILES
See also: strengthened arm, opportunity fire, siege engines, ballista, catapult, trebuchet, giants, cover, grenade-like missiles, combat, deflect missile, poisoning missile, bowyer
