Ye Olde Inn

After firing any "Missile" weapon (crossbow, Bow, Sling, Spear, dagger), should there be a penalty on the usefulness/effectiveness of the Melee weapon you draw?

I play that you may switch weapons (including the shield which isn't strictly a weapon) as part of your attack action only without penalty, and I've found no need to discriminate amongst the weapons involved, are one or two handed, missile or hand-to-hand.

I find simple is best and if you introduce a penalty for switching from missile to hand-to-hand, what about hand-to-hand to missile, or missile-missile, or hand-to-hand to hand-to-hand, does the penalty vary if the switched to or the switched from weapon required both hands to use and/or is used in combination with the shield, are thrown weapons missile or hand-to-hand... too much complexity "cost" for too little gameplay "benefit" for my style of play.

Bareheaded Warrior wrote:what about hand-to-hand to missile,

I would have just said Switching any weapons but still think some ppl may have a bigger problem with missiles specifically given their power.

Years ago on this site lots of ppl said it was an "action" to switch weapons & that they instead used the "Minus -1d6" to movement so that the player could still attack this round when it was their turn.
Ppl calling it an "action" & then saying they can also Attack in the same round caused me confusion.

To be clear I'm not saying that switching/selecting your weapon is NOT an action, I consider it to be part of your attack action in much the same way that versions that consider "disarm" as an action would presumably include selecting the tool kit as part of that "disarm" action, so I am disarming that trap with my tool kit would be an action, I'm attacking with the crossbow would be an action, I'm attacking with my battle axe would be an action.

Bareheaded Warrior wrote: as part of your attack action only without penalty,

I miss understood you here.

Bareheaded Warrior wrote: in much the same way that versions that consider "disarm" as an action would presumably include selecting the tool kit as part of that "disarm" action, so I am disarming that trap with my tool kit would be an action,

Good point actually.