[D&D 3.5 houserule] Mass Ranged Attacks

[Altair_the_Vexed]

I was trying to come up with a way of quickly dealing with mass volleys from missile weapons, such as used by archers in history. My original idea wasn't very good - see this other thread.

Here's a new idea to do the same thing. I think it's better. Let me know what you think.

Mass Ranged Attack
When groups of 10 or more attackers fire on an a small area, special rules apply.
A group firing a volley may choose to attack a space 20 ft x 10ft instead of making individual attacks. Add the number of attackers to their lowest Ranged Attack Bonus, minus any range increment, weather or similar penalty. Any characters in the targeted space with an AC equal or lower than that number must make a REF save DC 15, or be hit for the lowest base damage of the weapons being fired.

[Lapak]

Heck, I'd just remove the Ref check altogether. The point of this, I assume, is to prevent 'unhittable' targets from wandering into a shower of arrows? Most people with AC high enough to ignore the missile fire will make the save anyway, it seems to me.

I'd allow anyone using a Tower Shield to gain full cover to avoid the fire, but everyone else in the area takes a hit.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Heck, I'd just remove the Ref check altogether. The point of this, I assume, is to prevent 'unhittable' targets from wandering into a shower of arrows? Most people with AC high enough to ignore the missile fire will make the save anyway, it seems to me.

The REF save is to make sure that low armoured characters with high reflexes aren't hit by what is in effect an area effect. Losing it would speed up the game play, but I think it would detract from verisimilitude.
If you have a high enough AC, you'll be ignoring the attacks. There are likely to be people who have a low-ish AC, but high REF save - I'm thinking of Rogues and Monks and similar classes.

I'd allow anyone using a Tower Shield to gain full cover to avoid the fire, but everyone else in the area takes a hit.

I didn't think mentioning that was necessary, it's implied in the entry for the Tower Shield, where it says "....you can instead use it as total cover..."

The SRD says this about total cover:

Total Cover: If you don’t have line of effect to your target he is considered to have total cover from you. You can’t make an attack against a target that has total cover.

[Eloel]

There are rules for Volley Attacks in Complete Warrior AND an in-depth explanation and ruling in Heroes of Battle.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

There are rules for Volley Attacks in Complete Warrior AND an in-depth explanation and ruling in Heroes of Battle.

I've read them, and I don't like them. They seem way overpowered.

Besides, I run games from the SRD and houserules agreed on by the group. We don't use any splatbooks.

[Eloel]

I've read them, and I don't like them. They seem way overpowered.

Besides, I run games from the SRD and houserules agreed on by the group. We don't use any splatbooks.

1/5 arrows, with a DC15 Reflex to halve, is not exactly what I'd call 'overpowered'. Still, your game, your rules.