Stabbing Shot Mechanics


Rules Questions


Stabbing Shot:
When adjacent to an opponent and making a full-attack action with a longbow or shortbow (including composite bows), you may choose to make a melee attack against that opponent with a drawn arrow rather than firing it. If the attack hits—whether or not it does damage—your target is pushed back 5 feet away from you. You can then fire arrows from your bow normally, at the original target, or at another target within range. This melee attack replaces the extra attack from Rapid Shot, and all of your attack rolls for the round (the melee attack and the ranged attacks) take a –2 penalty. If your initial attack leaves you with no enemies threatening you, you can make the subsequent ranged attack or attacks without provoking attacks of opportunity.

I have a player who has this feat from the Advanced Players Guide and we're having a disagreement about exactly how the attack roll should be applied. My thought is that you take the -2 penalty for Rapid Shot as well as a -4 penalty for using an improvised weapon for a total of -6 to the attack roll. His argument is that only the -2 penalty from Rapid Shot would apply.

If this attack fails to hit does the character still makes all of his other attack rolls for firing arrows and takes an AoO from any adjacent enemies or can he choose not to fire any arrows and avoid the AoO? Thanks for any help with this.


RAW says that the arrow used to stab replaces the attack from Rapid Shot. It goes on to specify that the -2 penalty from Rapid Shot applies to both the ranged and melee attacks but does not declare that the arrow does not count as an improvised weapon. There are several instances in the rules where it talks about using arrows in melee as improvised daggers.

The arrow is an improvised melee weapon and, in all respects, is treated as such. This means taking the -4 non-proficiency penalty on top of the Rapid Shot penalty. You would also not add the enhancement bonus of the bow (since the arrow was not fired from it) nor things like Weapon Focus or Weapon Training in bows.

As to your second question, the answer is "sort of". Nothing in the text of the feat Rapid Shot specifies when you must take this extra shot, or even at what bonus you take it (unlike the 3.5 version, which specified that it was at your full bonus). However, the Pathfinder version still specifies that you must take the full attack action to activate Rapid Shot/Stabbing Shot, so even if you only take one attack (foregoing your others because it might be too dangerous) you cannot take a move action this round. You can, however, still take your 5-foot step if you haven't already, since those can be taken between attacks on a full attack. So, assuming the character wants to make the rest of his attacks (realizing that either way, he's already effectively used his move and standard actions), he would provoke AoOs as normal. He can choose to not fire the arrows, but probably won't get further away than a 5-foot step.


Would the target of a successful Stabbing Shot being pushed back provoke AoOs?

I've looked at Bull rush and other attack that allow you to, "push." Bull rush states that, "An enemy being moved by a bull rush does not provoke an attack of opportunity because of the movement unless you possess the Greater Bull Rush feat;" and Greater Bull rush states that, "Whenever you bull rush an opponent, his movement provokes attacks of opportunity from all of your allies (but not you)." Because, it does not specifically state that it does not provoke an attack of opportunity, will it?

I have a Archer with Snap Shot, giving him a threat range of 5ft with his Longbow. If I use Stabbing shot will the enemy being pushed back provoke an AoO for my archer, for his allies (but not him), or no AoO at all?

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Stabbing Shot Mechanics All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.