Bows, Ranged combat and Dis

[Tarax the Terrible]

Lots of sweet bows about.
Practically no one using them.

Thinking of many 3D games where ur char has 2 sets of equip set up usually for ranged and melee.
Can usually switch between em using a hotkey.

In terms of distance between each other when fighting we are all in you face melee even for archers/mages.
There is a guild special I can think of puts distance between you and target for a time.. That's cool.
Would be interesting to think about adding more opportunity for ranged combat within the same room in Gen.
Weaker tanking mages blasting before fighters close then getting pummelled, archers getting free volleys before its hack & slash time.

commands like <hang back>
and <close distance>

Would be sweet to have higher global missile weapon skill, sup journey, or a craft guild hunters...
Something to make bows usable but not eclipse archers, armys & rangers have secondary bow skill.
Where U could hang back and then start combat with missiles and get some free dmg before enemy closes (on tank) and you switch to melee.
Think ambush too, time to find concealment in room, those entering have to flee or weather the arrows as they close..

Can't block when hanging back.

Maybe also half dis requirement for attacking when ranged.
So say a team goes for yeti brave ones can close and melee, less brave hang back and play at being robin hood...

Bad if difficult to code or can exploit it to attack and kill creatures too dumb to close when your hanging back.

[Alorrana]

**

[Bromen]

don't they have a distance thing for knights and mounted combat?

-b

[Tarax the Terrible]

ahem... Was being more subtle when I said..
"There is a guild special I can think of puts distance between you and target for a time.. That's cool."

But yes that is who I was thinking of.

[Sharn]

"There was a guild special I can think of puts distance between you and target for a time..."

fixed

Yes, it was awesome.

[Tarax the Terrible]

Okay well.. It was a pretty good inspiration for the concept of range in the same room.
Apart from it was done as a special and you couldn't do anything to close the range again but wait for them to charge!

Would be interesting say 1 knight versus 3 dragonarmy soldiers (lets make it realistic)

Everyone is in the melle then the mounted knight increases range to get away from melee combat.
DA Melee units switch to bows and crossbows to continue attack on now ranged target..
DA tank gets ready switching back to a sword and shield to await the returning rider.
DA Support archers themselves move to a distance to get away from returning rider.
(who is also still at distance so dmg from their ranged attacks drops a bit)

Knight charges back into the fray hitting the melee DA tank for extra damage.
(he has to return to the middle can't go straight to another at distance)
DA support archers firing at melee fighters have small chance of hitting their own guy.
Knight changes target and attacks the DA Archer who is weakest, worst equip etc.
Knight moves towards next target closing distance, melee DA automatically follows, other ranged DA stays ranged.
New melee starts with the 2 DA's and the Knight.
(The middle is now moved to the point where the melee is going on)
Remaining ranged DA archer has more chance of hitting one of his own guys if continuing to fire arrows into the melee.


It all sounds complicated.
It could be fun.
Bows in hands of non expert archers are likely not going to do much more than stop you from healing.
Expert archers could work together and do nice damage.
It might be a lot of work to implement



I also think at the minute although we have a number of cool bows the ammunition is quite vanilla..
Ice arrows, fire arrows, poisoned bolt, etc would make getting your couple of shots off worthwhile.
I don't know of any crossbows a player can use atm.
Crossbow is easier to hit with, more damage, but longer to reload.

[Bromen]

someone should code Cadderly in Faerun.

hand crossbow with oil of impact darts ftw!

Not to mention his leet yo-yo

-b