Arrows are meant for being loosed from a bow. So in melee use I'd treat it as an improvised weapon. So in the first case of pushing the arrow deeper, call it 1d4+STR piercing damage. And since they're using something in the target's body, there's a case to be made for having an opposed check (athletics vs max(athletics,acrobatics) for doing so. Probably would also only allow one push, saying it goes through after the push if successful. (Or on a fail the grip by which to push is gone.) Could also call it an unarmed strike for the to-hit. Depends on the player's arguments of how they're doing it too.
For the pulling it out, depends on the target. A while back in a PBP my character got hit by a goblin's arrow. Party-member wanted to rip the arrow out (item-interaction) and then use his longbow. In a case like that with a friendly creature it makes sense IMO to allow the arrow to be taken out. (Though you might consider additional damage if the realism of haphazardly ripping out an arrow in the middle of combat annoys you. Like 1d4 slashing or something.) For taking it out of a hostile creature, probably include a contested check again for seeing if you can get the arrow.
Generally speaking interacting with anything that's attached to, carried by, or otherwise on the person of an active enemy is not possible in combat unless there's a feature or description that says otherwise, so if the target is still kicking that's basically a non-starter. As for pulling the arrow out of a corpse, technically arrow recovery is something that's delegated for after combat per the description for the Ammunition property. But unless you're running a game that closely tracks ammunition, I'd say it doesn't impact anything if you let them retrieve a single arrow as their free item interaction.
It sounds like a cool idea. I agree with Ace, but for Rule of Cool I could see allowing it.
So for pushing further in, use your action to make an attack roll and on a hit 1+STR, like an unarmed strike as VitusW mentioned. Or even just a flat 1 damage. It’s not going to be doing much, imo. Would such a tactic be worth it? I don’t think so but it is cool idea.
As for taking it out and shooting it. I would probably have you do an opposed roll like a grapple to pull it out and 1 flat damage. Then you could shoot it in the same turn, if you had extra attack or next turn.
For pushing the arrow further in, I'd say probably just have the person make an Unarmed Strike, maybe even at Disadvantage since you're aiming for a very specific spot on the target's body.
For taking the arrow out and shooting it, I'd say probably the attacker's Atheltics check vs the target's Acrobatics check(I might allow them an Athletics check, but the target's Strength isn't going to help as much as their ability to dodge the attempt) to pull the arrow out. Just like a Grapple attempt, that would eat up one attack. Then of course there's the issue of whether the arrow is even able to be fired again. I believe the rule of thumb the books give is that you can recover about half of the arrows you fire, so even if you can pull it out it might not be usable again. And if it was a magic arrow, it would have lost the enchantment.
1) that can be appropriate. Although I wouldn’t consider pushing an arrow that is already in a creature the same as hitting someone with a table leg. But using improvised weapon rules is a simple solution that’s already RAW.
2) This doesn’t really help on how the arrow is retrieved from the creature since usually you can’t just grab an item that is worn or carried (I would consider an arrow in your shoulder as being carried at the least) off of a creature. (The thread title was a little misleading to what they were asking)
But the rules you linked does apply to shooting unless you have something like the crossbow expert feat.
In other words, to allow these cool moves i would not have auto damage without at least an attack roll, nor would i require a separate roll or check to retrieve the arrow before shooting it. In one case it's an improvised melee attack and in the other it's a ranged attack at close range.
This could be a cool move. If the arrow is lodged inside a body, I'd treat it as a stuck dagger. You could potentially press it further in, or twist the arrow, after which, the arrow will break. If you want to be mean, you could add a check to see, if the PC is also damaged by the suddenly broken shaft, being smashed into their palm or chest.. :p
I would also add a DC Str check (insert number) for the potential of the arrow breaking when attempting. To add further flavor. Exception if it’s a magical arrow that was fired. Only because arrows can break (or give the arrow a saving throw from breaking).
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How would you do this:
The PC fires an arrow into a target then on a following round, wants to shove the arrow further into the target.
The PC fires an arrow into a target then on a following round, wants to pull out the arrow they fired and shoot it again.
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Arrows are meant for being loosed from a bow. So in melee use I'd treat it as an improvised weapon. So in the first case of pushing the arrow deeper, call it 1d4+STR piercing damage. And since they're using something in the target's body, there's a case to be made for having an opposed check (athletics vs max(athletics,acrobatics) for doing so. Probably would also only allow one push, saying it goes through after the push if successful. (Or on a fail the grip by which to push is gone.) Could also call it an unarmed strike for the to-hit. Depends on the player's arguments of how they're doing it too.
For the pulling it out, depends on the target. A while back in a PBP my character got hit by a goblin's arrow. Party-member wanted to rip the arrow out (item-interaction) and then use his longbow. In a case like that with a friendly creature it makes sense IMO to allow the arrow to be taken out. (Though you might consider additional damage if the realism of haphazardly ripping out an arrow in the middle of combat annoys you. Like 1d4 slashing or something.) For taking it out of a hostile creature, probably include a contested check again for seeing if you can get the arrow.
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Generally speaking interacting with anything that's attached to, carried by, or otherwise on the person of an active enemy is not possible in combat unless there's a feature or description that says otherwise, so if the target is still kicking that's basically a non-starter. As for pulling the arrow out of a corpse, technically arrow recovery is something that's delegated for after combat per the description for the Ammunition property. But unless you're running a game that closely tracks ammunition, I'd say it doesn't impact anything if you let them retrieve a single arrow as their free item interaction.
It sounds like a cool idea. I agree with Ace, but for Rule of Cool I could see allowing it.
So for pushing further in, use your action to make an attack roll and on a hit 1+STR, like an unarmed strike as VitusW mentioned. Or even just a flat 1 damage. It’s not going to be doing much, imo. Would such a tactic be worth it? I don’t think so but it is cool idea.
As for taking it out and shooting it. I would probably have you do an opposed roll like a grapple to pull it out and 1 flat damage. Then you could shoot it in the same turn, if you had extra attack or next turn.
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https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
For pushing the arrow further in, I'd say probably just have the person make an Unarmed Strike, maybe even at Disadvantage since you're aiming for a very specific spot on the target's body.
For taking the arrow out and shooting it, I'd say probably the attacker's Atheltics check vs the target's Acrobatics check(I might allow them an Athletics check, but the target's Strength isn't going to help as much as their ability to dodge the attempt) to pull the arrow out. Just like a Grapple attempt, that would eat up one attack. Then of course there's the issue of whether the arrow is even able to be fired again. I believe the rule of thumb the books give is that you can recover about half of the arrows you fire, so even if you can pull it out it might not be usable again. And if it was a magic arrow, it would have lost the enchantment.
1) Improvised Weapon
2) Ranged Attacks in Close Combat
1) that can be appropriate. Although I wouldn’t consider pushing an arrow that is already in a creature the same as hitting someone with a table leg. But using improvised weapon rules is a simple solution that’s already RAW.
2) This doesn’t really help on how the arrow is retrieved from the creature since usually you can’t just grab an item that is worn or carried (I would consider an arrow in your shoulder as being carried at the least) off of a creature. (The thread title was a little misleading to what they were asking)
But the rules you linked does apply to shooting unless you have something like the crossbow expert feat.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
This is how i would do this in order to adjudicate the player's action as best as possible.
Others are free to do differently.
In other words, to allow these cool moves i would not have auto damage without at least an attack roll, nor would i require a separate roll or check to retrieve the arrow before shooting it. In one case it's an improvised melee attack and in the other it's a ranged attack at close range.
This makes sense, is within RAW, and is easy to remember.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I know I'm late to the party.
This could be a cool move. If the arrow is lodged inside a body, I'd treat it as a stuck dagger. You could potentially press it further in, or twist the arrow, after which, the arrow will break.
If you want to be mean, you could add a check to see, if the PC is also damaged by the suddenly broken shaft, being smashed into their palm or chest.. :p
I would also add a DC Str check (insert number) for the potential of the arrow breaking when attempting. To add further flavor. Exception if it’s a magical arrow that was fired. Only because arrows can break (or give the arrow a saving throw from breaking).