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[M.V.Tuynman]

The rules about not getting enough sleep and such can be found in Book 3.
Mathijs

At 12:20 31-01-99 +0900, you wrote:
(...)
>Yes please. I looked but didn't find it, though I remember there should be
>something there about not getting enough sleep and such.
>
>Matijs.
>
Date:         Mon, 1 Feb 1999 02:27:26 -0600
Reply-To:     Powers and Perils Fantasy Roleplaying Game Mailing List
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From:         Henrik Lawaetz <henrik.lawaetz at MEDTRONIC.COM>
Subject:      Shooting things... -Reply

Hi Paul (and everyone else),

I play that the Base Line is the table used, no OCV/DCV modifications. I do
not have the rules here, but I am pretty confident the rules as written
support this (but, hey,  this is RPG, the GMs opinion is what matters,
eh!?).

Your OCV/DCV is your Melee skills, not your dodging skill, as Mathijs
points out - those are entirely separate in P&P.

Thus, in your example, you roll on the +12 line, subtracting your EL from
the roll, plus any other applicable modifiers. This sound like very good
odds, but if you consider that your opponent (presumably charging against
you) has two "free" blows against you, perhaps even three, this is more
fair. I like to think, that unless your opponent is unaware of you or has
his back to you, you cannot use missile weapons except in the very first
round - your opponent will be attacking you and you need to do defensive
maneuvers - not possible while aiming with your bow.

Assuming your archer is being charged by an opponent, and you wait to range
1 to fire, here's how I work out the series of events:

Round R (the round your opponent moves adjacent and you fire as he does
so):
Your opponent attacks, you have no Shield, and presumably gets a further
bonus as you are not actively defending yourself (?).

Round R+1:
Your opponent attacks, you retrieve your shield or melee weapon, but you
are now actively defending, i.e. no further bonus.

Round R+2:
Your opponent attacks while you retrieve your other item (shield or melee
weapon). Sure, you can skip this round if you are willing to do without
your shield, but this is P&P, where shields RULE!

Round R+3:
Now you fight on equal terms.

(((One might argue that it requires extreme coolness to await t*him moving
adjacent, but I hold that the PCs are 'heroes' who can judge this for
themselves. Again, a character with low Will should be PLAYED differently,
as I see it, but I generally leave that to the players))).

*****
This is where thrown weapons come into their right - thrown weapons, e.g. a
hand axe, dagger, javelin, (what have you), require but 1 hand to throw, as
compared to two for a bow or X-bow. Assuming you are stationary and your
opponent charges, you need to estimate his PMR and throw one turn before he
can reach you - then you have time to ready your weapon (your shield
already up) and suffer no penalties.

IMHO. your 'archer type' had better stay to the rear.

---

Anecdote Warning:
One character in my campaign has adopted this approach, and demonstrated
his skill (and luck) Thursday, when he and the rest of the party was being
charged in the Hills by an Orchi (one-eyed, cyclops-type, 15 ft. creature).
Having not been surprised, two characters tried using their bows and X-bows
while the Orchi charged, with zero effect. Our hero, however, carefully
positioned himself and readied his Shield and Javelin. Estimating the
Orchi's PMR at 3, he let go at threw at Range 5, giving himself the time to
ready his Spear - which in the case proved unneccesary, as his deadly hit
had been ruled as a direct hit on the eye, i.e. a straight kill... Sure, a
very lucky punch, but sort of a 'free' shot.

***

Yours, Henrik