Normally combat is fought up close and personal at melee distance. You can
also fight combat from a distance if you are using a missile weapon (such as a
bow or crossbow) or using ranged spells (like fireball or zap).
Typing RANGED will set you to try to initiate combat from a ranged combat
distance and certain FORMATIONS will allowed you to attack from the back of the
group.
If you are fighting someone who is ranged (you will see &0aranged&-- after their
name within the [] brackets) and do not have a missile weapon, then you can use
the ADVANCE command to advance upon your foe. Note: advance will only
close distance to the target after combat is initiated. Certain skills will
allow you to close ranged distance to initiate combat.
If you're using a missile weapon (like a bow), you'll need to wear a missile
container (like a quiver). Missile weapons dictate the speed of firing and
missile containers dictate how much damage is delivered. To REFILL a missile
container, visit the Fletcher above the Archer shop in Central Midgaard. To
wield a missile weapon you need ranks in ranged weapons.
Classes that can rank in ranged weapons:
Fighter: Fighter, Barbarian, Dreadlord, Paladin, Ranger, Valkyrie
Rogue: Rogue, Assassin, Bard, Demoniac
Priest: Druid
Mage:
Monastic: Monastic, Monk, Samurai
Races that get ranks in ranged weapons: Centaur, Elf, Half-Elf, and Halfling
Skills and spells that defeat or protect ranged: Blur, Charge, Circle,
Evade, Flying Dragon Kick, Kyudo, Quickdraw, Snapshot, Room Toss, & Tumble.
See Also: FORMATIONS, TARGET, DAMAGE, "ITEM TYPES", LASTKILLS