Describing Archery / The Archer in Combat

[TGMohle]

When it comes to combat description (to me at least), it seems that the one that is most limited is the archer. Magic users are free game and you truly are limited only by your imagination. Melee fighters are more limited in this regard by comparison, but there are still many nuances that could be addressed, especially since you are in the thick of things when your enemy is right up next to you. However for the archer, I can never really move past "I shoot him," since in my mind the archer is constricted to the basic movement of knocking, pulling the arrow back, and then shooting. There are only so many things I could think to add to this...

Because of this, I would love to hear some suggestions on how to spice up combat descriptions when playing an archer!

[Jerrykhor]

That is a problem not just in D&D. Archer characters in movies/shows always have moments where they do CQC just to spice things up, when they have no reason to be that close to the enemy.

Not having mechanics for called shots also contributes to this. Narratively, there is not much to archery. You shoot the target, and it either hit or misses.

[Quoxis]

Look at Xanathar’s descriptions for fighter‘s fighting styles - funny, acrobatic, stoic, whatever.
There’s a huge difference between „X draws an arrow from his quiver and with an inaudible prayer to [insert deity here] he lets loose the bowstring“, „with a smile on his face X leaps out of the way of his opponents‘ attacks, drawing and shooting two arrows in mid-air“, „X draws two arrows, and while he pulls them both back he mentally aims at the two thugs that held back so far“, etc. etc.

[MrWesson22]

You can also certainly fluff called shots even though it isn't mechanically happening. And battlemaster dice usage just screams "add a flavorful description" to me.

In my brand new campaign I am DMing, I have a kobold valor bard using a hand crossbow that he is flavoring as dual wielding hand crossbows (even though we all know that doesn't work mechanically and he is just using one).

[Unoriginal]

"Jim the Wise ponders who to attack, carefuly aim, take a deep breath, and release the arrow, which goes bolting toward the hobgoblin commander" is pretty different from "Jim the Jester look around with a glint of amusement in his eyes, enjoying the look of fear on his enemies' faces when he point his bow toward one, then the other, then a third, never shooting, before locking his eyes on the standard-bearer's, winking, and letting his arrow fly toward the hobgoblin commander without even looking at him directly, to the consternation of the standard-bearer", even if the end result is the same.

[The Jack]

Melee fighters > spellcasters if you know what you're doing.

I don't think anything like "careful consideration" or "I point to a bunch of dudes to scare them before I fire" really works in turn based combat. It's not really something that'd be fun to describe more than once. Short prayers are good, leading the target (especially in melee combat) always sounds cool. Consider how your multiattack plays with things.

Your most important thing is movement. You don't lose any of it with your actions, so you can always "line up the perfect shot" or leap out from cover in some exciting way.

[Corpsecandle717]

Ever done any archery? There's perhaps some inspiration in doing it if you haven't. Don't just go once, go a couple times with the intent to improve, Can't guarantee it'll help, but it may be enlightening.

[Randomthom]

I've found this in the past too. It's a shame as I love archery but narratively it isn't very exciting.

You can do a few things to enhance it, describe your body position (kneeling, standing) and/or your breathing before you loose an arrow. If you're moving, perhaps describe it as shooting on the move (even if mechanically you're moving, then shooting then moving again). You could even say that you shoulder-roll up into a kneeling position, loose the arrow then break into a run.

Ultimately though, you can only do most of these a few times before you're repeating yourself. If you're playing an archer then give him personality, especially in-combat. Cocky works well, he can shout out insults and threats across the battlefield. Also, look for things other than just enemies to shoot, anything hanging from the ceiling by a breakable chain/rope is fair game for some battlefield amusement.

I'd also recommend spending money on alchemists fire & tanglefoot bags and/or special magical arrows (perhaps ask your GM if he could furnish you with something to spruce up your bow-play).

[MaxWilson]

When it comes to combat description (to me at least), it seems that the one that is most limited is the archer. Magic users are free game and you truly are limited only by your imagination. Melee fighters are more limited in this regard by comparison, but there are still many nuances that could be addressed, especially since you are in the thick of things when your enemy is right up next to you. However for the archer, I can never really move past "I shoot him," since in my mind the archer is constricted to the basic movement of knocking, pulling the arrow back, and then shooting. There are only so many things I could think to add to this...

Because of this, I would love to hear some suggestions on how to spice up combat descriptions when playing an archer!

Give the archer more interesting terrain to play in, especially 3D terrain. Trees, cliffs, ditches, mounds. Accessing parts of the terrain probably requires a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check not to fall off. Sniper will want to choose a spot that gives him good visibility and overwatch capability, ideally has enough cover that he can remain hidden and have partial cover against enemy fire, and is difficult for others to access. Build maps that include hiding places with some or all of those characteristics.

Half the fun of being a sniper is setting up a good hide beforehand from which to provide your covering fire. Snipers ideally have their fun before combat, and then combat is (for them) relatively straightforward.

P.S. In a straight-up fight, if there are archers on the opposing team, you may want to lie prone between turns to impose disadvantage on enemy shots, then roll to your knees (mechanically "standing" in 5E terms) to loose a few shots (holding all your arrows in your hand at once, Lars Anderson-style (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk)) before rolling back down to avoid enemy fire.

[Vogie]

This kinda falls into that "should all fighters have Superiority dice?" argument, albeit tangentially.

You can get a feel of "called shots" using the Martial Adept feat -

Specifically, choosing from the:

Trip attack
Pushing attack
Precision attack
Rally
Menacing attack
Goading attack
Distracting Strike
Disarming attack
Evasive Footwork
maneuvers are not only available to archers (as they don't require melee weapon attacks, but rather simple Weapon attacks), but also really make sense for an archer to have.

Things like Maneuvering Attack, Commanding Strike, and any of the ones requiring melee on you (or an enemy being within 5 feet of you) could also technically work but IMHO should be avoided and left to Battlemasters or melee characters.

When I make my next campaign, I may give martial characters 2 preselected maneuvers for free, perhaps with a d4 superiority die (instead of the feat's d6, or an actual BM's d8s). Have them select from

A "Marksman" pack would be Trip attack and Disarming strike
A "Sniper" pack would be Menacing Attack and Precision Attack
A "Brawler" pack would include Pushing Attack and Goading Attack
A "Support" pack would include Rally & Distracting Strike
Et cetera, et cetera

[GlenSmash!]

May I recommend Bernard Cornwells Grail Quest Series. His descriptions of what English Archers did and faced are quite thrilling. It may help, or may not.

If you want some more fun descriptive languages you can always describe some Movie Legolas stuff. Fire into you opponent without looking, stab him with an arrow then shoot it. Shoot two arrows at once. Sure it's mechanically just 1d8+Dex damage, but that's no reason not to have fun with it.

[Mad Max]

I know this has been said before, but definitely give your character a fighting style that reflects their personality. A stoic archer, lining up shots efficiently and a laughing, jovial and cocky archer, who takes trick shots are two very different fighters with the same mechanics.

Maybe reflect your ability scores in these attacks?
- A high strength character might knock villains off their feet with their shots, or shoot clean through armor and shields.
- A high dexterity character might just overwhelm villains with pure volume of arrows.
- A high intelligence character might target vitals, like the femoral artery, or gaps in the enemies armor.
- A high wisdom character might lead their targets, waiting patiently for the right moment to strike.
- A high charisma character might make their shots into a performance, taunting their enemies or performing acrobatics as they fight.

And I can't repeat it enough, use your environment! Flavor your attacks based on your surroundings.
You could shoot a hobgoblin or shoot down the chandelier above his head, crushing him, for example.

I hope that helps!

[XIX]

“Thames draws his oak arrow, the steel arrowhead gleaming dully in the failing light. The bowstring creaks as he draws it fully back to his ear, pausing a moment while taking aim”

Roll to hit...

“The arrow leaps from the bow, Whistling through the air and with a thump, embeds itself deep in his left shoulder, a gout of blood spatters across the ground as he grunts with the impact!”

Or—-
“As Thames takes expert aim, Orc 15 over there hurls a knife at his face, he ducks out of the way and attempts to fire his shot anyway, but the arrow goes just wide of the mark and embeds itself in a tree next to Orc 6’s head! The orc squeals and looks stunned and stares briefly at the arrow before rejoining the combat.”

(There was no actual knife attack, it was flavor to explain how an expert marksman flubbed an easy shot. Also the distraction was for effect and has no in game practical effect)

I also like to make near misses actually hit armor and glance off, or stick in the armor but not penetrate for damage, etc

[Vogie]

Maybe reflect your ability scores in these attacks?
- A high strength character might knock villains off their feet with their shots, or shoot clean through armor and shields.
- A high dexterity character might just overwhelm villains with pure volume of arrows.
- A high intelligence character might target vitals, like the femoral artery, or gaps in the enemies armor.
- A high wisdom character might lead their targets, waiting patiently for the right moment to strike.
- A high charisma character might make their shots into a performance, taunting their enemies or performing acrobatics as they fight.


This is brilliant. To be fair, all non-hexblade-multiclassed dedicated archers will likely have a high dexterity score. But the rest is gold.

I played a game once where the DM had a sort of "conservation of ninjitsu" rule, where the AC of targets would actually decrease if they were pouring in en masse - for example, when attacking a column of soldiers, and the AC is 17 on that soldier in the front, but your roll to hit of 16 would still hit one of the soldiers behind them, just not the intended target.

[TheUser]

That is a problem not just in D&D. Archer characters in movies/shows always have moments where they do CQC just to spice things up, when they have no reason to be that close to the enemy.

Not having mechanics for called shots also contributes to this. Narratively, there is not much to archery. You shoot the target, and it either hit or misses.

Battlemaster Archers have a great time with the called shots; disarming, tripping, pushing. It's unfortunate that using precise shot is lopsided for damage output with sharpshooter that it makes the others less optimal to use.