Firing a bow while prone


Rules Questions


What are the rules regarding firing a bow while prone? I ask simply because, you know, I've fired a compound bow before, and it seems neigh impossible to do so A) while on your back, or B) while lying down on your stomach.

We have conceived that it *might* be possible to fire one down the length of your body, but I was wondering what the official call was on the topic.


nexusphere wrote:

What are the rules regarding firing a bow while prone? I ask simply because, you know, I've fired a compound bow before, and it seems neigh impossible to do so A) while on your back, or B) while lying down on your stomach.

We have conceived that it *might* be possible to fire one down the length of your body, but I was wondering what the official call was on the topic.

You can't fire any other weapons than crossbows while prone. Says so in the description for the condition.


Threeshades wrote:


You can't fire any other weapons than crossbows while prone. Says so in the description for the condition.

I can see it for bows and javelins, but things like shuriken or daggers, I think you'd be able to throw them. Ah well, RAW is clear enough...


I'd say you can shoot a short bows, but not long bows.

Sovereign Court

Except the rules already cover this. Crossbows and shurriken only, it seems.

Pathfinder Core Rulebook, p195, Table 8-5 "Attack Roll Modifiers", footnote 3: "Most ranged weapons can’t be used while the attacker
is prone, but you can use a crossbow or shuriken while
prone at no penalty."

I'd say "most" means "everything in this book, but one day we might make more exceptions, and when we do we'll tell you in the weapon's description".

Sovereign Court

KaeYoss wrote:
I'd say you can shoot a short bows, but not long bows.

Shortbows from horseback, yes. Longbows from horseback, no. Neither when prone.


Prone/supine bow use seems like perfect archer build feat fodder, since feats are largely 'get out of rule free' cards. I bet there is a feat floating around in some 3/3.5/Pathfinder product which allows you to fire while prone/supine.


I would allow it under exceptional situations where it seemed possible — but definitely a range penalty.


Its basically a requirement for the foot bow.

Lying on your back with your feet holding the bow.


Twowlves wrote:
KaeYoss wrote:
I'd say you can shoot a short bows, but not long bows.
Shortbows from horseback, yes. Longbows from horseback, no. Neither when prone.

Composite longbows can be used on horseback too.


nidho wrote:
Twowlves wrote:
KaeYoss wrote:
I'd say you can shoot a short bows, but not long bows.
Shortbows from horseback, yes. Longbows from horseback, no. Neither when prone.
Composite longbows can be used on horseback too.

This makes no sense to me. The only difference is the way its constructed. Why would that make a long bow usable from horseback??


paul halcott wrote:
nidho wrote:
Twowlves wrote:
KaeYoss wrote:
I'd say you can shoot a short bows, but not long bows.
Shortbows from horseback, yes. Longbows from horseback, no. Neither when prone.
Composite longbows can be used on horseback too.
This makes no sense to me. The only difference is the way its constructed. Why would that make a long bow usable from horseback??

Because Long/Shortbows in the rules are simplifications and not true approximations of the real weapons.

I'm not an expert in bows but I'd expect a real bow's damage and range being determined by more parameters than just size of the weapon.

Said that, I suppose that the designer of this rule thought that a composite longbow would be also recurve and therefore shorter than it's normal counterpart. This meaning that it could be used on horseback.


RE: Longbows

The issue is really one of dominant historic image. The D&D longbow is usually considered the English Longbow which is very long and I think generally used by foot soldiers.

The mongols on the other hand used a great many composite bows from horseback and were very proficient. Some of the Mongol bows may well have been both composite and 'longbows' but that is not how they are regarded.

The rules approximate two different romantic images. Neither is perfect or super accurate, but there you are.

Sigurd


Sigurd wrote:

Its basically a requirement for the foot bow.

Lying on your back with your feet holding the bow.

Yeah, firing from prone like this has actually been done in real life, as a tactical attack with a bunch of guys. Haven't you seen movies?? :)

But yeah, if one of my players wanted to fire their bow from supine with their feet, id let them TRY, but I doubt they'd make it, since I would give them huge penalties. But hey, imagine a crit like that. That would make the character the undisputed most awesome thing since Chuck Norris.

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