Marksmanship Lore     Skill in the use of ranged weapons has had its place since prehistoric times, when sentient species invented the first bows and slings simply to survive. Ranged talent was equally important in Alacrian civilization - marksmen were invaluable in taming the frontiers and settling dangerous lands, and their skills spread out into many technologically-advanced weapons. For a time in the Alacrian Golden Age, marksmanship became virtually the only form of combat. Ranged weapons were so advanced, so powerful, that "crude" melee fighting became an anachronism practiced only by "savages" on the outskirts of civilization. While kinetic shields and energy shielding also existed towards the end of this period, they were a largely-irrelevant academic curiosity. Those the Alacris faced in combat - wild beasts and primitive tribes - possessed no such defenses.

    That all changed during the Draconic Wars, when armies of white acolytes from Eer'Kalla used the Alacris' own technology against them. As melee combat was rediscovered and the first melee high martial arts were founded, the once-supreme schools of marksmanship struggled to redefine themselves and find their place in this new battlefield. Over the course of the war, the initially-panicked ranged specialists were relieved to discover that their skills still had a place. Even arcanists needed to be taught how to aim a fireball, and energy shielding could reliably protect only the most-vital portions of the front. Exuro technology began to overtake magnetbows, providing a low-power but easily replenished source of energy damage - absolutely vital for whenever the closest Aterr's power ran dry. By diversifying into what is now called the Study of Technology, yesterday's marksmen became tomorrow's inventors, applying their skills to a new generation of specialized and complicated ranged weapons.

    By the end of the Draconic Wars, the Alacrian marksmen had recovered their trade and developed it into several ranged high martial arts, each of which were just as polished as those of their melee-focused comrades. Even after the Fall of the Alacris, Lur-Asko's warriors have continued to develop these arts and even create new ones.

    The maximum can be modified by certain Abilities and Attributes. Ranged insight cannot exceed its maximum at any time, even if gained mid-combat through Abilities or Attributes.

    A single expenditure of insight can be split between ranged insight and normal insight. For example, if you must spend 7 insight for a Marksmanship Ability, you can spend 4 ranged insight and 3 normal insight.

Ranged Attacks, Competency, and the Ranged Competency Ability    Rules regarding ranged attacks for all characters (even those with no tiers in Marksmanship) can be found in Combat. To summarize, all characters may make incompetent attacks with any weapon they meet the stat requirements to wield, provided they succeed on a d20 offense roll on DEX and do not attack beyond short range. The defense roll is d20 on DEX. If they are considered competent with the ranged weapon they are currently wielding, all characters may make competent attacks, which have easier offense rolls and are effective at longer range. Marksmanship Abilities involving your attacks only apply to competent ranged attacks unless otherwise stated.

    All Marksmanship Backgrounds automatically grant you the Ranged Competency Ability at your 1st tier. Be sure to check the rules for this Ability below, and select your first category of weapons to become competent with.

Range, Offense Rolls, and Critical Hits     All ranged weapons list 3 basic offense rolls for 3 ranges, in a format such as d6/d12/d20. Respectively, these refer to offense rolls for short, medium, and long range attacks. An incompetent character can only use a ranged weapon to attack enemies at short range, and only with an offense roll of d20 on DEX (regardless of what roll the weapon lists for short range).

    Critical hits never occur at long range unless you use the Long-Range Precision Ability. If a weapon lists offense rolls such as d6/d20/X, the X indicates that it can never perform attacks at long range, nor critical hits at medium range, regardless of Abilities.

    Many Marksmanship Abilities add Hindrance to your offense roll, or have separate rolls of their own in the same attack. If the offense roll or these other rolls fail by any amount, the entire attack misses.

    A Revolutionary who ceases to adhere to Post-Declarationism immediately changes into a Background of their choice, and does not need to pay LP for this change.

    Arz Tangen: A reactive +TN of 4 in any ranged offense or defense roll at short range. The insight cost is reduced by 5.
    Arz Velamen: A reactive +TN of 10 in a ranged defense roll when you are using cover and the attacker is using Clear Shot. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Post-Declarationism.
    Atru-Manis: A reactive +TN equal to your WILL in a ranged offense or defense roll against a sentient enemy you have High Noon Focus active on. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to the Dark Path.
    Steycho: A reactive +TN equal to your CON in a ranged defense roll when the attacker is using Unpredictable Shot or Expert Aiming. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Heritage Ascendancy or either Draconic philosophy.
    Plains Form: A reactive +TN equal to your INT in a ranged offense roll at long range. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Rationalism.
    Skot Murtayil: A reactive +TN equal to your WILL in a ranged defense roll in which you rolled at least 4 Hindrance. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Methodianism or Prismatic Unity.
    Skretan Form: A reactive +TN equal to your WILL in a ranged offense roll when you are using Rapid Fire Attack, or during the first round of combat when you've used Ranged Quick Draw. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Nihilism.
    Rashakhah: A reactive +TN equal to your SPD in a ranged offense roll when you are using Clear Shot at short or medium range. This art cannot be used while mounted, knocked down, flying, or using cover. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Preamblianism. If desired, you may replace up to half of the insight cost with fatigue.