Siege Archery

[LooseCannoneer]

Are there rules for firing arrows over walls? My previous DM declared that you have to choose a spot, then roll to see if you hit the person if someone is there, adding a reasonable penalty to the roll for firing over the wall, of course. But is this RAW?

[Seharvepernfan]

There are no core rules for this. Heroes of battle probably has something, but I think your DM just made a houserule.

[JDL]

The rules for firing at a battlement covered in the rules for cover and concealment. Note the PHB version includes more information than the SRD, and I've included the details below:


Total Cover
If you don’t have line of effect to your target (for instance, if he is completely behind a high wall), he is considered to have total cover from you. You can’t make an attack against a target that has total cover.

Varying Degrees of Cover
In some cases, cover may provide a greater bonus to AC and Reflex saves. For instance, a character peering around a corner or through an arrow slit has even better cover than a character standing behind a low wall or an obstacle. In such situations, the DM can double the normal cover bonuses to AC and Reflex saves (to +8 and +4, respectively). A creature with this improved cover effectively gains improved evasion against any attack to which the Reflex save bonus applies (see the improved evasion ability in the rogue class description, page 51). Furthermore, improved cover provides a +10 bonus on Hide checks.

The DM may impose other penalties or restrictions to attacks depending on the details of the cover. For example, to strike effectively through a narrow opening, you need to use a long piercing weapon, such as an arrow or a spear. A battleaxe or a pick just isn’t going to get through an arrow slit.

Thus by RAW, if your target was completely concealed behind a wall, you cannot attack him. If there's enough of a hole to sight your opponent (such as arrow slits) they would have improved cover. This is subject to DM interpretation, so you'll have to accept your DMs verdict on this. Note that of course total cover works both ways, and an enemy shouldn't be able to attack you if you can't attack them back.

[atemu1234]

The rules for firing at a battlement covered in the rules for cover and concealment. Note the PHB version includes more information than the SRD, and I've included the details below:


Total Cover
If you don’t have line of effect to your target (for instance, if he is completely behind a high wall), he is considered to have total cover from you. You can’t make an attack against a target that has total cover.

Varying Degrees of Cover
In some cases, cover may provide a greater bonus to AC and Reflex saves. For instance, a character peering around a corner or through an arrow slit has even better cover than a character standing behind a low wall or an obstacle. In such situations, the DM can double the normal cover bonuses to AC and Reflex saves (to +8 and +4, respectively). A creature with this improved cover effectively gains improved evasion against any attack to which the Reflex save bonus applies (see the improved evasion ability in the rogue class description, page 51). Furthermore, improved cover provides a +10 bonus on Hide checks.

The DM may impose other penalties or restrictions to attacks depending on the details of the cover. For example, to strike effectively through a narrow opening, you need to use a long piercing weapon, such as an arrow or a spear. A battleaxe or a pick just isn’t going to get through an arrow slit.

Thus by RAW, if your target was completely concealed behind a wall, you cannot attack him. If there's enough of a hole to sight your opponent (such as arrow slits) they would have improved cover. This is subject to DM interpretation, so you'll have to accept your DMs verdict on this. Note that of course total cover works both ways, and an enemy shouldn't be able to attack you if you can't attack them back.

To be fair, if you're looking out of an arrow slit, they shouldn't have concealment provided they're within range.

[Mystral]

Heroes of Battle has rules for volley fire. Basically it's like a fireball that does piercing damage. That's only for massed shooting, though.

For single shooters, the amount of damage done would be negligible.