Quick question: Aside from using "Threading the Needle," which has a fairly significant recharge rating, what sort of penalty is there for firing a range weapon into a melee in which another PC is engaged?

Thanks.

We don't add penalities, but if you miss and roll a Chaos Star then you hit a friend.

I increase the challenge by 1D and use the same chaos star hits a friend caveat. Though I do allow a player to spend a maneuver to offset that potential - consider the maneuver to be firing at just the right moment.

We add misfortune dice, the number depending on the how difficult the shot is considered to be.

Banes can lead to a random combatant (not the target) taking a stress as the arrow shoots close by, and a chaos star means the same if the shot hits or that it hit someone else on a miss.

You could also advance the party track to reflect the added stress (on a chaos star or bane). At least if firing in Reckless stance (similar to how reckless wizards are treated).

So what about using actions intended for firing into melee, like Threading the Needle? Would you still use the "chaos star=> hit a friend" rule?

P.S.

I like the idea of moving the party stress meter with firing into melee. My players' party work too harmoniously for my liking

When it comes down to it a GM can do what they want with the bane and chaos star effects.

Personally, if the player missed with a chaos star then - yes, I would have them hitting a random combatant (I find archers powerful enough as it is with out letting them pick off engaged enemies with impunity!).

Dhobbry said:

No, for Threading the needle I wouldn't apply any friendly fire or stress rules. Applying such rules to that action kind of defeats the purpose with the action in the first place. As a player, I would be quite annoyed if I had spent an advance to get that card and then still getting the (GM imposed) negative modifiers. But that's up to you as GM, just make it clear to players who might plan to get the card in advance.

gruntl said:

I would add Misfortune Dice and this.