Aiming siege weapons

[Ravingdork]

Can you select a target or area when deploying a siege weapon? After all, it's gotta be pointed somewhere, right?

Or must you always deploy then aim before being able to launch at the start of a conflict?

I'm wondering if my Munitions Master can deploy his light mortar as a free action with Spring-loaded at the start of combat, then immediately launch at a given target. Or if he has to aim first making it effectively a 2-action activity.

Obviously you would still need to aim if the target moved out of the target area.

[NorrKnekten]

While there is no mention about a siegeweapons aim when deployed, I believe that a siege weapon when deployed especially a single target or burst targets are assumed to not be aimed properly and thus you would need to aim before you fire.

Luckily the Munitions Master is built for this as its dedication means we dont need to answer the question, The Munitions Master Aims and fires with a single action already at lvl 2. And its a mandatory feat for the Class Archetype. The frequency of once per turn for the action also isn't really relevant as a Siege Weapon can only be fired once per round anyways.

Munitions Master Dedication wrote:

You have drilled enough with your light mortar to operate it with unrivaled efficiency. You gain the Engineer's Efficiency action.

Engineer's Efficiency [one-action] Frequency once per turn; Requirements You are adjacent to your light mortar; Effect You Aim your light mortar and then either Load or Launch it.

[Finoan]

Ravingdork wrote:

Can you select a target or area when deploying a siege weapon? After all, it's gotta be pointed somewhere, right?

That's shady logic.

Yes, technically the weapon would be pointed "somewhere".

Not necessarily anywhere useful.

So how about 'for realism' I'll propose game mechanics that the GM makes a secret flat check with a DC equal to 20 minus the value of the proficiency tier of the character setting up the siege weapon (so DC 18 for Trained proficiency, DC 16 for Expert and so on). Success means that the weapon is pointed somewhere in the 90 degree arc facing in the general direction of the intended target. Failure means that it is not.

Once the weapon is set up, then the GM makes another secret check with a die size determined by the maximum degree arc off target that the weapon could be. So 1d45 if the first check is successful and 1d180 if not (Can use 11d4 or 1d4x11, and 45d4 or 1d4x45 if not using a software dice bot). That value is then applied as a penalty to each attack made with the weapon until the siege weapon is aimed properly.

So: Someone Expert in a siege weapon sets one up.
DC 16 check to set up in the right arc: 1d20 ⇒ 11 failure
Off target penalty value: 1d180 ⇒ 98

Without aiming after setting up, the siege weapon is taking a -98 (untyped) penalty to attack rolls and DCs.

Sound good?