Description: You need at least two hands to use a bow, regardless of its size. You can use a composite longbow while mounted. All composite bows are made with a particular strength rating (that is, each requires a minimum Strength modifier to use with proficiency). If your Strength bonus is less than the strength rating of the composite bow, you can't effectively use it, so you take a –2 penalty on attacks with it. The default composite longbow requires a Strength modifier of +0 or higher to use with proficiency. A composite longbow can be made with a high strength rating to take advantage of an above-average Strength score; this feature allows you to add your Strength bonus to damage, up to the maximum bonus indicated for the bow. Each point of Strength bonus granted by the bow adds 100 gp to its cost. If you have a penalty for low Strength, apply it to damage rolls when you use a composite longbow.
For purposes of Weapon Proficiency and similar feats, a composite longbow is treated as if it were a longbow.
What this actually says, is your bow needs a strength rating first. If you just buy a Composite Longbow, then it's strength rating is +0, meaning none of your strength bonus is applied to the bow. You have to purchase a bow with a strength rating in order to apply your strength. A strength rating of +1 allows you to apply a +1 Str Bonus to your damage roll.
However, if you are using a Composite Longbow and you have a penalty to your Strength score (-1 or lower), then you apply that penalty to your damage rolls. Also, since you need a strength score equal to the strength rating of the bow, you also take a -2 to hit with the bow.
Projectile Weapons: Most projectile weapons require two hands to use (see specific weapon descriptions). A character gets no Strength bonus on damage rolls with a projectile weapon unless it's a specially built composite shortbow or longbow, or a sling. If the character has a penalty for low Strength, apply it to damage rolls when he uses a bow or a sling.
I believe these are the rules you're looking at? If so you only get a strength bonus to damage with a bow if it is a composite bow with a strength rating that you are capable of drawing (meaning your strength bonus is greater than or equal to the bonus of the bow). However if you have a strength penalty, because your STR score is low, then that negative score applies to the damage of the bow.
For example:
If a character has a Strength score of 9 and they are a medium creature wielding a longbow their damage would be 1d8-1.
Edit: severely ninja'd
Oh, as for the melee part, if one of your allies is engaged with an enemy target, you take -4 to hit because your ally is unintentionally interfering with your line of fire. However, if you take the feat Precise Shot you can avoid this penalty.
In 3.5, there was a chance that the -4 would cause you to hit your ally on accident, but I think Pathfinder got rid of that rule, as I haven't found it yet in the books.
[Edit] Relevant text from Ranged Attacks in the CRB.
If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.)
If your target (or the part of your target you're aiming at, if it's a big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character, you can avoid the –4 penalty, even if the creature you're aiming at is engaged in melee with a friendly character.
If your target is two size categories larger than the friendly characters it is engaged with, this penalty is reduced to –2. There is no penalty for firing at a creature that is three size categories larger than the friendly characters it is engaged with.
Precise Shot: If you have the Precise Shot feat, you don't take this penalty.
Along similar thoughts.. if you fire into melee and your ally is between you and target do you get the -4 to hit AND they get cover or is that built into the -4?
To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target's square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).
The -4 is cover. That's what provides the penalty.
|
We rule the cover penalty and the penalty for ranged attacks into melee combat were separate.
Say there are three characters lined up diagonally -
A) ranged character
B) melee character
C) target
Since the melee character is both blocking the ranged character and engaged in melee, the ranged character takes a -8 to their attack on the target.
Is this incorrect? If so, where in the rules does it say so - I am constantly having this come up in combat with a ranger who won't take precise shot.
To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target's square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).The -4 is cover. That's what provides the penalty.
The -4 is not cover. It is the penalty to the attack roll for firing into melee. If the target has soft cover from any creature between it and the attacker (including a creature engaging the target in melee), then the target gains a +4 bonus to AC as well.
WARNING:
Bad ascii art ahead !
I believe you have it correct, Deidre.
Please forgive the crude diagrams.
_._._
_.T._
_._._
_.A._
_._._
_.R._
R firing at T past ally A, T has cover
_.T._
_.A._
_._._
_.R._
R firing at T past ally A who is engaged in melee, T has cover and R takes the "firing into melee" penalty
_.T.A
_._._
_._._
_.R._
R firing at T past ally A who is engaged in melee, T does not have cover and R takes the "firing into melee" penalty.
Edit: Got my T and A confused
WARNING:
_.T._
_.A._
_._._
_.R._R firing at T past ally A who is engaged in melee, T has cover and A takes the "firing into melee" penalty
Thanks for the correction
Right all the way around. <snipped> because my own post was confusing.
Edit: Rereading my own post is unclear. So to clarify: an ally can provide both the -4 for being engaged in melee and another -4 (+4 to target AC) if they are in the direct line of the shooter.