Couple Question on Shooting

A Place to post your game questions and rule clarifications. Once answered the post will go into the Games F.A.Q. Archive.

Moderators: Immortals, Supreme Beings, Old Ones

User avatar
volt875
D-Bee
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2019 2:18 pm

Couple Question on Shooting

Unread post by volt875 »

Hey all, couple super quick question here. Is there any penalty for shooting at someone who is engaged in melee? I could of sworn there was something listed for it but I can't seem to find it now. I'm using Palladium fantasy if someone knows what page it's listed on.

Also does the characters bonus to damage from P.S. add to bow and thrown damage?
User avatar
Nekira Sudacne
Monk
Posts: 15488
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2003 7:22 pm
Comment: The Munchkin Fairy
Location: 2nd Degree Black Belt of Post Fu
Contact:

Re: Couple Question on Shooting

Unread post by Nekira Sudacne »

volt875 wrote:Hey all, couple super quick question here. Is there any penalty for shooting at someone who is engaged in melee? I could of sworn there was something listed for it but I can't seem to find it now. I'm using Palladium fantasy if someone knows what page it's listed on.


Nope, Palladium has no penalties for ranged characters firing into melee and no particular risk of hitting your teammates. It's preference is to focus on more cinematic action where trying to shoot the guy grappling your friend might not hit but won't hurt your friend.

Also does the characters bonus to damage from P.S. add to bow and thrown damage?


No, though a high PS does add to range of thrown weapons, it does nothing for bows, and nothing for damage on either.

One should note there are also no penalties for moving while shooting.

In General therefore, ranged combat doesn't do at lot of damage, but it is fairly safe if you can stay out of range somehow and they don't have anything that can hit you back.
Sometimes, you're like a beacon of light in the darkness, giving me some hope for humankind. ~ Killer Cyborg

You can have something done good, fast and cheap. If you want it done good and fast, it's not going to be cheap. If you want it done fast and cheap it won't be good. If you want something done good and cheap it won't be done fast. ~ Dark Brandon
User avatar
volt875
D-Bee
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2019 2:18 pm

Re: Couple Question on Shooting

Unread post by volt875 »

Thanks for the info!
User avatar
Prysus
Champion
Posts: 2593
Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 7:48 pm
Location: Boise, ID (US)
Contact:

Re: Couple Question on Shooting

Unread post by Prysus »

volt875 wrote:Hey all, couple super quick question here. Is there any penalty for shooting at someone who is engaged in melee? I could of sworn there was something listed for it but I can't seem to find it now. I'm using Palladium fantasy if someone knows what page it's listed on.

Greetings and Salutations. No such penalties that I'm aware of. A G.M. may consider this a "Wild" shot or related to the Movement penalties (I'll address these both more later), or require a Called Shot (especially if the ally is between the shooter and the target), but those would be G.M. calls and/or situational.

volt875 wrote:Also does the characters bonus to damage from P.S. add to bow and thrown damage?

In general, no. The P.S. damage is applied to hand to hand combat, which in general is melee. I don't believe this is ever expressly addressed in Palladium Fantasy Second Edition (PF2), but this is directly addressed in Rifts Ultimate Edition (RUE) on page 328. While Rifts rules aren't always the same as PF2, they can often give indicators.

Nekira Sudacne wrote:One should note there are also no penalties for moving while shooting.

There are penalties for moving in both PF2 and RUE.

In PF2, on page 59 (within the W.P. Archery section) there are penalties for moving. This rule is repeated again for the Long Bow on page 83 (within the Long Bowman O.C.C. write-up). The rule halves bonuses and rate of fire (ROF) if moving or off balance.

In RUE, on page 361 (in the Ranged Combat section) there are rules for Shooting Wild. This is a flat -6 penalty, and includes moving and firing off balance*. Within the W.P. Archery write-up on page 326 it lists the same penalties as PF2 (above). This could be cumulative, but I suspect it's just an editing mistake.

* The rule also mentions enraged and panicked, so including mentally off balance seems to apply as well as physically.

I personally prefer the RUE rule for Wild Shots, as it penalizes all individuals equally. The PF2 rule has higher penalties for better skilled archers. So a Level 1 archer has no penalty to strike at all, and ROF is reduced from 2 to 1 (-1 to ROF). Meanwhile, a level 15 archer would goes from +6 to only +3 (-3 penalty total), and ROF from 8 to 4 (-4 to ROF). This makes it a minor inconvenience for an unskilled archer, but a far greater impact on the skilled character.

If you're interested in more rules and options for archery, I personally recommend Rifter #45 article: Of Bows & Arrows. Of course, I am biased. Hope some of that helps. Farewell and safe journeys.[/justify]
Living the Fantasy (fan website)

Rifter #45; Of Bows & Arrows (Archery; expanding rules and abilities)
Rifter #52; From Ruins to Runes (Living Rune Weapons; playable characters and NPC)
Rifter #55; Home Away From Home (Quorian Culture; expanded from PF Book 9: Baalgor Wastelands)

Official PDF versions of Rifter #45, #52, and #55 can be found at DriveThruRPG.
User avatar
Nekira Sudacne
Monk
Posts: 15488
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2003 7:22 pm
Comment: The Munchkin Fairy
Location: 2nd Degree Black Belt of Post Fu
Contact:

Re: Couple Question on Shooting

Unread post by Nekira Sudacne »

huh! I double checked the Longbowman before posting and somehow still missed it.
Sometimes, you're like a beacon of light in the darkness, giving me some hope for humankind. ~ Killer Cyborg

You can have something done good, fast and cheap. If you want it done good and fast, it's not going to be cheap. If you want it done fast and cheap it won't be good. If you want something done good and cheap it won't be done fast. ~ Dark Brandon
User avatar
Axelmania
Knight
Posts: 5523
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2015 1:13 pm

Re: Couple Question on Shooting

Unread post by Axelmania »

volt875 wrote:Is there any penalty for shooting at someone who is engaged in melee?

Rifts 243 had a penalty for hitting "moving targets", you could probably consider people in the middle of a fight to be moving.

I don't know how many other core books the equivalent shows up in though.
User avatar
drewkitty ~..~
Monk
Posts: 17737
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Location: Eastvale, calif
Contact:

Re: Couple Question on Shooting

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

Just use the HU automatic fire rules for spraying the target and shoot your friends and hope to miss. :angel:

(pssst: remember to THINK before responding.)
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
Post Reply

Return to “Palladium Books® Games Q. & A.”