Max aiming time?

[SnowDog]

Hello,

I have been thinking if the aiming time for ranged weapons is limited in any way? Sure, in combat it is a tactical question but when your target is not aware of the attack you can basically take your sweet time before letting the arrow loose.

So, is there a max aiming time? Or is it limited to getting the skill up to 100 %? Or something else?

Thanks!

 

[Vile]

Sorry for leaping in without having read the rules, but I presume you're talking about crossbows? The longer you aim with a normal bow of decent draw weight, the more wobbly it gets - best to release as soon as you're on target. :wink:

 

[SnowDog]

Yes, I know that you can hold the normal bow in tension for only so long before you are actually getting penalties (in real life). Still, the rules say that you get the crit amount bonus to your skill per CA spent aiming.

I didn't find any rules/guidelines on how long the aiming can be held, that's why I asked.

Of course the same applies to crossbows (should be more stable), slings and thrown weapons. How they differ from normal bows in this regard.

 

[SetentaeBolg]

My inclination would be to limit combat actions spent aiming to the character's normal combat actions per round score - so a high Dex or Int character could aim longer.

I'm not sure of the official rule, but this seems a usable enough guideline on first thinking.

 

[SnowDog]

True, sounds reasonable. So, basically the character can aim up to one round's worth of CAs.

 

[Simulacrum]

My GM ruling would be that the aiming has to be spent within the round rather than carry over to the next - a round is an abstract after all. Not too worried about the problem of the loss of aim on a bow once drawn because of wobble - I'd expect aiming to include taking a bead (with your eye only) and judging range, movement and wind as you bring the bow up to your bead and loosing the arrow as soon as it gets there. I'm no archery expert, but it seems right to consider the draw and the loose to be a single CA.