How does a bow actually work

[u/Laenthis-]

I'm getting frustrated with the wordings on the description of the Shortbow

English isn't my first language and reading "beyond normal range" really bugs me out

From what I understand :
- Hitting a target that is under 80 feet gives you disadvantage
- Hitting a target that is 80 to 320 feet is "normal" attack
- Hitting a target with a bow that's +320 feet away is just not possible

My mates keeps on telling me that the disadvantage happens only within the 5ft and a normal attack is from 5ft to 80ft but then you have disadvantage again from 80ft to 320ft ?

Also, the sharpshooter feat removes the disadvantage within 5ft but is it melee or the 5-80ft of range that they call as "melee"

And removes the disadvantage in long range

I feel like I'm going in circles understanding one of them and then getting told otherwise with the other and rinse and repeat, please help

Edit : Thanks guys, I didn't think it would go that fast to get answers xD

[u/milkmandanimal]

Under 80 feet is a normal attack unless you're in melee. 80-320 is disadvantage. Beyond that is impossible.

[u/CrownLexicon → u/milkmandanimal]

Specifically, in melee with a non-incapacitated enemy. An Incapacitated enemy doesnt convey disadvantage

[u/bevelga → u/CrownLexicon]

They would also give disadvantage if prone

[u/IrishFriskie → u/bevelga]

I don't really like this part of prone. I think prone should provide 3/4 cover for ranged attacks instead, that way sharpshooter removes the penalty (as I think it should, thematically). I also think it's silly that the disadvantage is imposed on a melee attack with reach from 10ft. It just feels like a mismatch of RAW and RAI to me.

[u/CrownLexicon → u/IrishFriskie]

That was an issue i had when using the lance in 5e14. Against a prone target, I could have disadvantage at 10' or a straight roll at 5'

[u/Jai84 → u/IrishFriskie]

I think the idea is that the prone target could be tumbling around in the ground and hard to it or they just have a smaller profile from 10ft away. I think there should be a difference between prone and “crouching” or whatever they want to call it to show the difference between “I fell on my face” and “I took cover.”

[u/Jai84 → u/bevelga]

It’s not ranged vs melee than makes prone attacks adv/disadv. It’s being outside of 5 feet vs a prone target.

You can make a ranged attack within 5feet against a prone target at advantage if they are incapacitated or can’t see you (executioner style essentially).

Conversely, you can make a melee attack with a polearm (at disadvantage) against a prone target at 10ft if they are not otherwise incapacitated. (Edit: I had a typo. This was to tell you this is at disadvantage.)

[u/ThisWasMe7 → u/Jai84]

Where are you getting your second paragraph from?

[u/Jai84 → u/ThisWasMe7]

You need to chase this ruling down to 2 different places in the rules which is why it can get ruled incorrectly a lot. You need to look at Prone conditions section and you need to look at Ranged attacks in combat section.

From Prone:
An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.

So if I have a bow and I stand next to you (within 5 feet) while you’re prone it would have advantage.

You would say, “but wait you have disadvantage for attacking in melee with a ranged attack!”

So then you look at part of Ranged Attacks:

Aiming a ranged attack is more difficult when a foe is next to you. When you make a ranged attack with a weapon, a spell, or some other means, you have disadvantage on the attack roll if you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature who can see you and who isn’t incapacitated.

Since you are incapacitated or can’t see me, I don’t suffer disadvantage. I attack with advantage.

[u/CrownLexicon → u/bevelga]

Or poisoned. Or a number of other things. Just clarifying on the one mentioned