Stupid ranged damage question

[Eonas]

Do you add dex to your ranged attack damage, the same way you add str to a melee attack damage?

[Douglas]

No, you do not. There are a few feats or special abilities that change this, but the default is no.

[Valwyn]

Sadly, no.
The Hit-and-Run Tactics ACF (Drow of the Underdark) for Fighters let's you add your Dex as bonus damage against flat-footed targets, but only if you are within 30 ft of your target.

[Than]

I haven't checked the lastest D&D Next playtest in a couple of packets (read: January), but in that you DID get Dex to damage for ranged and finesse weapons. Should still be free to playtest.

[Neo Tin Robo]

You can however add STR to the damage of thrown weapons and composite bows.

[Rhynn]

Gonna assume this is D&D 3.5...


You can however add STR to the damage of thrown weapons and composite bows.

Slightly inaccurate on the bows.


You can use a composite longbow while mounted. All composite bows are made with a particular strength rating (that is, each requires a minimum Strength modifier to use with proficiency). If your Strength bonus is less than the strength rating of the composite bow, you can’t effectively use it, so you take a –2 penalty on attacks with it. The default composite longbow requires a Strength modifier of +0 or higher to use with proficiency. A composite longbow can be made with a high strength rating to take advantage of an above-average Strength score; this feature allows you to add your Strength bonus to damage, up to the maximum bonus indicated for the bow. Each point of Strength bonus granted by the bow adds 100 gp to its cost.

So a composite longbow for a +2 Str modifier costs 300 gp and allows you to add +2 from your Strength modifier (and no more) to damage.

[Ace Nex]

No, but there are ways you can get that by either being a drow fighter and taking that alternate class ability. I think there is a way in TOB [Tome of Battle] (Shadow blade?) as well, but I am unsure if you can use it with ranged attacks.

[Person_Man]

As others have stated, the default answer is no, which is one of the mechanical weaknesses for ranged attacks. But there are various X to Y options (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732).

[SciChronic]

No, but there are ways you can get that by either being a drow fighter and taking that alternate class ability. I think there is a way in TOB [Tome of Battle] (Shadow blade?) as well, but I am unsure if you can use it with ranged attacks.

shadow blade only allows dex to damage for shadow hand weapons (dagger, shortsword, sai, siangham, unarmed strike, and spiked chain)

[Neo Tin Robo]

Slightly inaccurate on the bows.

So a composite longbow for a +2 Str modifier costs 300 gp and allows you to add +2 from your Strength modifier (and no more) to damage.

That's exactly what I was referring to; I just didn't feel like pasting the entire paragraph.

[ericp65]

Consider archery in real life. One's strength determines how powerful a bow he or she can use, so that relates strength to the force that launches the arrow. The archer's dexterity, as hand-to-eye coordination, determines how accurate his or her shots are. I'll qualify this by adding that I've been shooting, off and on, for 40 years.

[The Trickster]

There is a feat from Dragon Magazine called Dead Eye that allows you to add DEX to damage for ranged weapons;


Your precision with ranged weapons translates into more telling strikes than you wou;d normally make.
Prerequisite: Dex 17, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (any ranged weapon), base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You may add your Dexterity bonus on damage rolls made with ranged weapons for which you have the Weapon Focus feat, so long as the target is within 30 feet.
Special: Dead Eye does not increase the damage dealt to creatures immune to critical hits.

Issue #304. That is, if your DM allows it.:smallwink:

There is one for crossbows too, but I can't remember what it is called or where it is from.

[HylianKnight]

No DEX is added. Composite Bows allow for STR to by added to Damage. Pathfinder has the Focused Shot feat that lets you add INT on standard action attacks.

There is so much stuff that's been published or suggested for 3.5 that I'm sure workarounds exist somewhere, but I'll leave that for people who actually know.

[Barsoom]

shadow blade only allows dex to damage for shadow hand weapons (dagger, shortsword, sai, siangham, unarmed strike, and spiked chain)And a dagger can be used as a thrown weapon, so ...