On the topic of Tome of Battle...

[Ryumaru]

So, for anyone who's seen my previous thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134832), I have an upcoming solo game. And considering how much I've read up on stuff, it seems that if I'm not allowed a Cleric/Wizard combo which is what I'm aiming for potentially, it'd fall to a Ranger/Scout/Wizard combo with Swift Hunter.

But seeing all these things got me wondering, and I finally started reading some of Tome of Battle (a lot which went -right- over my head, like how Crusader's manuevers work). While it generally looks pretty fun, and I'd be able to play a martial character without having to resort to 'I'll use a greatsword and Leap Attack + Power Attack + x + x', or 'just dual-wield and go Rogue'... one of the things I noticed through my skim was there is a lot for the melee character.

That said, I was wondering. Are there any manuevers which work for ranged, too? And are they playable? I'd most likely be going Warblade or Swordsage, and would be wanting to split myself between melee and ranged, and on the other side of my gestalt, either Cleric or Wizard.

[Eloel]

Look at Bloodstorm Blade PrC. It's the most 'ranged' thing in ToB. It gets you to throw Greatswords on your enemies.

[Ryumaru]

Eh. Nothing along the lines of ritualized and kung fu archery, then? :/

[Grumman]

That said, I was wondering. Are there any manuevers which work for ranged, too? And are they playable? I'd most likely be going Warblade or Swordsage, and would be wanting to split myself between melee and ranged, and on the other side of my gestalt, either Cleric or Wizard.

Apart from a few Diamond Mind (extra Full Attacks) and Tiger Claw (extra attacks in a full attack) maneuvers and the Bloodstorm Blade throwing PrC, ToB isn't very good for ranged characters. If you're going to do this, go into Warblade / Bloodstorm Blade and focus on the Diamond Mind, Iron Heart and Tiger Claw schools.

[Eloel]

Fax Celestis has a great Archery discipline, although homebrew, that you might be able to use (it's balanced).

Nothing RAW afaik though

[Eldariel]

Few individual maneuvers work with range and do it really well; Dancing Mongoose & Raging Mongoose from Tiger Claw and Time Stands Still from Diamond Mind are incredible with range. But yeah, it's a melee book.

That said, look at the various homebrewed Falling Star (or similar) disciplines to expand it to ranged combat. You aren't the only one to think they shoulda included some ranged tricks there

[The Dark Fiddler]

(a lot which went -right- over my head, like how Crusader's manuevers work).

Basically a deck of cards. Readied Maneuvers = deck. Granted Maneuvers = your hand. Draw a card every turn. No more deck to draw from? Reshuffle.

[Break]

If homebrew's okay with you, aside from Fax's Falling Star Discipline, True Arrow here should fit well enough.

[sonofzeal]

We houserule that, barring logical impossibility at the discretion of the DM, anything that works for Melee can work for Ranged. This includes Power Attack, Improved Disarm, and most maneuvers. It hasn't caused a problem so far.

[JKTrickster]

We houserule that, barring logical impossibility at the discretion of the DM, anything that works for Melee can work for Ranged. This includes Power Attack, Improved Disarm, and most maneuvers. It hasn't caused a problem so far.

How does Power Attack work at all with ranged combat? Using a bow is simply pulling the string back; you can't add any more strength to that than is built into the bow....

[deuxhero]

Aim for better armored/less likely to hit parts that will hurt more?

[Eldariel]

How does Power Attack work at all with ranged combat? Using a bow is simply pulling the string back; you can't add any more strength to that than is built into the bow....

I suppose you can overpull the bow; given it's probably magical, it can most likely take it. Hopefully your arrows are long enough though.