What is a slam attack? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What is a slam attack? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dravda
11-05-07, 11:13 PM The name pretty much says it all, but I'll paraphrase: what does a slam attack look like? What does it represent? Is it a punch? Body check? I need to know so I can narrate better for my players.

-Count Dravda
AlanBruce
11-05-07, 11:22 PM I see it as a very powerful punch that deals lethal damage or a lightning quick judo chop or slap that tosses the PCs around in pain.

With creatures without hands but slam attacks (like oozes), the slam could be seen as a tentacle slap made of its own oozing self.
Narthon
11-05-07, 11:45 PM A slam is any natural attack that does lethal damage and isn't a claw, bite, tail slap, wing buffet, gore, or uses special rules.
CryoSilver
11-05-07, 11:55 PM It's what it sounds like: the creature bashing you with some appendage. Could be a fist, foot, tentacle; anything that won't cut or pierce.
Eater_Of_Souls
11-06-07, 12:03 AM Slam is an unarmed attack with any random body part.
Main difference to unarmed attack is that slam doesn't provoke AAO.
Guardian1
11-06-07, 12:07 AM Just like the previous posters have said, a slam attack can be a punch, a backhand, a kick. As long as its an unarmed attack, deals lethal damage, and is covered by normal combat rules, it's a slam.
PhaedrusXY
11-06-07, 12:10 AM Can a warforged use his slam attack as a secondary attack even if he's already attacked with a 2-handed weapon? I think the answer is yes, but I'm not 100% sure.
Tedronai
11-06-07, 12:48 AM Can a warforged use his slam attack as a secondary attack even if he's already attacked with a 2-handed weapon? I think the answer is yes, but I'm not 100% sure.

As far as I am aware, there is no official ruling on what appendage a Warforged's Slam attack is delivered with. As such, technically, the warforged could deliver that attack even after attacking with a two-handed weapon. Don't be surprised, however, to have those at your gaming table object to the scenario, as all depictions of a Warforged making a Slam attack (again, as far as I am aware) depict the attack as some variant of a punch.
Marcus Majarra
11-06-07, 02:21 PM Slams are natural weapons a creature uses when it batters opponents with an appendage, as per MM312. As a general rule, these appendages tend to be forelimbs of some kind (in other words, these are limbs the creature doesn't use to remain standing). For this reason, I rule that warforged wielding a two-handed weapon (or, basically, any warforged with both of its arms occupied) cannot use its slam.
Empirate
11-07-07, 10:07 AM One important thing to note: Slams are NOT like unarmed attacks in that they DO NOT allow iterative attacks due to high base attack bonuses. Keep that in mind.
goawayugh
11-08-07, 10:26 AM The name pretty much says it all, but I'll paraphrase: what does a slam attack look like? What does it represent? Is it a punch? Body check? I need to know so I can narrate better for my players.

-Count Dravda
I'm assuming you're looking for a visual representation of a slam attack, not a rules representation.

A slam attack can be anything that you mentioned. It is basically just a very hard slam form some part of the creatures 'body'. You could describe it as a very hard punch, a hip check, a headbutt, a tentacle slap, an ooze bulging out part of itself very fast and hitting you, etc...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dravda 11-05-07, 11:13 PM	The name pretty much says it all, but I'll paraphrase: what does a slam attack look like? What does it represent? Is it a punch? Body check? I need to know so I can narrate better for my players. -Count Dravda
AlanBruce 11-05-07, 11:22 PM	I see it as a very powerful punch that deals lethal damage or a lightning quick judo chop or slap that tosses the PCs around in pain. With creatures without hands but slam attacks (like oozes), the slam could be seen as a tentacle slap made of its own oozing self.
Narthon 11-05-07, 11:45 PM	A slam is any natural attack that does lethal damage and isn't a claw, bite, tail slap, wing buffet, gore, or uses special rules.
CryoSilver 11-05-07, 11:55 PM	It's what it sounds like: the creature bashing you with some appendage. Could be a fist, foot, tentacle; anything that won't cut or pierce.
Eater_Of_Souls 11-06-07, 12:03 AM	Slam is an unarmed attack with any random body part. Main difference to unarmed attack is that slam doesn't provoke AAO.
Guardian1 11-06-07, 12:07 AM	Just like the previous posters have said, a slam attack can be a punch, a backhand, a kick. As long as its an unarmed attack, deals lethal damage, and is covered by normal combat rules, it's a slam.
PhaedrusXY 11-06-07, 12:10 AM	Can a warforged use his slam attack as a secondary attack even if he's already attacked with a 2-handed weapon? I think the answer is yes, but I'm not 100% sure.
Tedronai 11-06-07, 12:48 AM	Can a warforged use his slam attack as a secondary attack even if he's already attacked with a 2-handed weapon? I think the answer is yes, but I'm not 100% sure. As far as I am aware, there is no official ruling on what appendage a Warforged's Slam attack is delivered with. As such, technically, the warforged could deliver that attack even after attacking with a two-handed weapon. Don't be surprised, however, to have those at your gaming table object to the scenario, as all depictions of a Warforged making a Slam attack (again, as far as I am aware) depict the attack as some variant of a punch.
Marcus Majarra 11-06-07, 02:21 PM	Slams are natural weapons a creature uses when it batters opponents with an appendage, as per MM312. As a general rule, these appendages tend to be forelimbs of some kind (in other words, these are limbs the creature doesn't use to remain standing). For this reason, I rule that warforged wielding a two-handed weapon (or, basically, any warforged with both of its arms occupied) cannot use its slam.
Empirate 11-07-07, 10:07 AM	One important thing to note: Slams are NOT like unarmed attacks in that they DO NOT allow iterative attacks due to high base attack bonuses. Keep that in mind.
goawayugh 11-08-07, 10:26 AM	The name pretty much says it all, but I'll paraphrase: what does a slam attack look like? What does it represent? Is it a punch? Body check? I need to know so I can narrate better for my players. -Count Dravda I'm assuming you're looking for a visual representation of a slam attack, not a rules representation. A slam attack can be anything that you mentioned. It is basically just a very hard slam form some part of the creatures 'body'. You could describe it as a very hard punch, a hip check, a headbutt, a tentacle slap, an ooze bulging out part of itself very fast and hitting you, etc...