Crossbow expert and reaction

[MThurston]

Can you fire your crossbow as a reaction if someone enters and leaves your 5ft combat zone? Or is that only of you have a melee weapon?

[Man_Over_Game]

Here's an RPG Stack Exchange question that's very relevant: Can I make a melee attack with a ranged weapon? (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/119297/can-i-make-a-melee-attack-with-a-ranged-weapon)

Additionally, here's some Sage Advice and official notes on the topic:


If you use a weapon in a way contrary to its design (melee attack w/ a ranged weapon), see "Improvised Weapons" (PH, 147). DM's call. [...] If you turn the page, you'll see the standard thing to do with a ranged weapon being used as a melee weapon.


[...] you use your reaction to make one melee attack against the provoking creature.

The best you could do is use your Crossbow as an improvised weapon, which you could do with any ranged weapon, regardless if you have the Crossbow Expert feat or not. But it really wouldn't change much if your DM decided to allow it. I might allow it, since melee range is not the optimal range for a crossbowman to begin with, and few badguys would move away from a crossbowman they have locked down in melee range, but it'd be a houserule in any scenario.

This gives me an idea for a feat designed around using ranged weapons in medium range combat, like it says that you no longer impose disadvantage when attacking an enemy within 5 feet with a ranged weapon, you may use ranged attacks for your Attack of Opportunity, and enemies that move anywhere within 10 feet of you grant you an Attack of Opportunity if you're holding a ranged weapon. Oh, and you get proficiency on simple and martial ranged/throwing weapons. Call it "Skirmisher". That'd be pretty damn cool.

[Greywander]

I mean, can't you just punch them? You need two hands to shoot, but you can hold the crossbow in one hand. Or just kick them, if that bothers you.

It's a matter of 1 + STR mod with your proficiency bonus on the attack roll versus 1d4 + STR mod without your proficiency bonus (unless Tavern Brawler, in which case both do 1d4 + STR mod and both add proficiency bonus).

[MeeposFire]

I mean, can't you just punch them? You need two hands to shoot, but you can hold the crossbow in one hand. Or just kick them, if that bothers you.

It's a matter of 1 + STR mod with your proficiency bonus on the attack roll versus 1d4 + STR mod without your proficiency bonus (unless Tavern Brawler, in which case both do 1d4 + STR mod and both add proficiency bonus).

I am always surprised that more people do not remember that unarmed attacks when not a monk is a thing. Yes 1+str mod is weak but it does exist.

I kind of get it if you were used to 3e since in that version unless you spent a feat you did not get to force attacks of opportunity if you were unarmed but that is not the case anymore.