Mano a Mano:Archery

Archery and Marksmanship

Drawing a Bow

A bow must be drawn before it can be aimed or fired. Drawing a bow counts as one action, separate from firing it. Drawing a light bow is a quick action. Drawing a more powerful bow is a powerful action, depending on whether you meet it's strength requirement. A very powerful bow will require a powerful action for anyone, and be impossible for characters with too little strength. Your reach must also meet or exceed the bow's minimum reach requirement. (For example, a dwarf may not be able to fully draw a long bow built for a giant.)

Keeping a Bow Drawn

The strength and concentration required to keep a bow drawn prevents you from performing any other actions until the bow is fired. (You can perform other actions while holding a crossbow, just like a loaded firearm.)

Releasing the Bow

Releasing the bow without firing the arrow is a quick action.

Drawing and Firing a Bow

A light bow can be drawn and fired as a single powerful action.

Drawing a Crossbow

Drawing a crossbow can take several turns depending on the crossbow and the equipment used to draw it.

Aiming

Aiming gives you a +2 bonus to hit with your next missile weapon attack. If you get hit between aiming and the next attack, you lose the bonus. You may not aim while grappling.

Reloading

Replacing a clip of ammunition can be one powerful action or split into two quick actions (unloading and loading). If rounds must be loaded individually, each round requires a separate quick action. Some weapons take one or more turns to reload. (A "Brown Bess" musket can be fired about 3 times per minute with training, suggesting 9 turns to reload and 1 turn to fire.)

Drawing a Bow Half Way

If your reach is at least half the bow's reach you can draw it halfway instead of drawing it normally. The strength requirement is 2 points less, but the bow fired this way has one fourth of the normal range and attack power.

Crossbow Drawing Tools

A tool can reduce the hit points needed to pull a crossbow by splitting it into multiple steps. A simple lever can replace one powerful action with two quick actions. A crank requires an extra turn for each extra point of strength it gives. For example a crank that takes 5 turns can allow you to draw a crossbow that requires 5 more strength than you have.