Can a snake be tripped? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can a snake be tripped? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kratch
11-20-06, 07:40 PM There is nothing in the rules i can find that says snakes (oozes and other non-legged things) can't be tripped. If you think of trip in the litteral term (taking ones legs out from under them), then it makes no sence. But if you just consider trip as a manuver to position a foe so they are unable to properly attack, defend or move (the overall effects of being prone, if not the litteral meaning), then it simply becomes hard to imagine rather then not making any sence at all.

The problem came up the other night when my allied rangers constrictor animal companion got attcked by a worg and the worgs special trip attack came up. We really didn't know what to do (we applied the trip/prone penalties) and decided i'd check the boards for any official rulings.

Is there anywhere that says things have immunity to trip in 3.5 rules?
Vegepygmy
11-20-06, 07:50 PM Just (common sense and) the FAQ:

Being tripped makes you prone. Who can be tripped? Beholders? Gelatinous cubes? What effect does tripping have on these creatures? Can a prone character be tripped again? What about flying and swimming creatures? Many creatures have neither legs nor any relationship to the ground or gravity. How does tripping affect them?

Anything using limbs for locomotion can be tripped. Things that don’t need limbs for locomotion can’t be tripped. You can’t trip a snake, a beholder, or a gelatinous cube. You won’t find this in the rules, but then it really doesn’t need to be in there—the rules can leave some things to the DM’s common sense.

A creature flying with wings can be “tripped,” in which case the creature stalls (see Tactical Aerial Movement on page 20 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide). You can’t make an incorporeal creature fall down. You also can’t trip a prone creature.

Creatures can’t be tripped when they’re swimming (the water holds them up). Likewise, a burrowing creature is driving its body through a fairly solid medium that serves to hold it up.
bruiserdeck
11-20-06, 07:56 PM yea...

... I dont mean to be insulting but commonsence applies. there are times when the DM just says X happens and it does because that is what makes sencse. you dont have to have a rule for every posibility.
Nezkrul
11-20-06, 08:01 PM but did you guys know that in Everquest, snakes are frequently caught "kicking" players and "parrying" and "blocking" melee attacks made against them by players? :D
fatal error
11-20-06, 08:04 PM but did you guys know that in Everquest, snakes are frequently caught "kicking" players and "parrying" and "blocking" melee attacks made against them by players? :D

Fangs long as swords, those foul serpents have! And booted tails to boot!
Silverthumb128
11-20-06, 08:25 PM Just flip it on its back, I guess?
UnrelentingHoror
11-20-06, 08:29 PM Just flip it on its back, I guess?

damn right I've freakin done that to garden snakes before, the time it takes them to get situated again would be the equivalent of a humanoid getting up from prone in my opinion(well a trained combatant anyways and ind D&D thats what were talking about)
bruiserdeck
11-20-06, 08:54 PM that may be the result of a grapple... but not a trip.
Reversefigure4
11-20-06, 08:58 PM Just flip it on its back, I guess?

That's what I'd rule. When you trip something, you throw it off-balance (commonly by sweeping it's legs out from under it). If it doesn't have legs, you might flip it or tilt it, or shove it over on it's back.
Whisper_Swiftblade
11-20-06, 09:04 PM I have seen snakes bight people while on their backs before, so how prone they are may depend on the snake.

in any case tripping a snake is easy, you do it the exact same way you would trip a basket ball.:)
Kratch
11-20-06, 10:29 PM That's what I'd rule. When you trip something, you throw it off-balance (commonly by sweeping it's legs out from under it). If it doesn't have legs, you might flip it or tilt it, or shove it over on it's back.

This is what our DM ruled. It may not have been tripped as per tradditional means/definition, but it was throuwn off balance enough that it could not attack optimally (it attacked from prone and attempted to grapple). But our DM asked me to ask the boards for an official ruleing, i'll point out the FAQ to him..
NthDegree256
11-20-06, 11:46 PM I have seen snakes bight people while on their backs before, so how prone they are may depend on the snake.
Hey, by the rules, you can make melee attacks while prone. You just suffer a -4 penalty, if I recall correctly. There's nothing stopping that "prone" snake from snapping away...
Silverthumb128
11-21-06, 02:23 AM that may be the result of a grapple... but not a trip.

Given that Grapple doesn't force the opponent into prone position, I'd say no, its not a Grapple any more than it is a Sunder, or Bull Rush. Not even a pin, because you don't become prone, you become immobile. Flipping a snake on its back=prone. Trip.
Nezkrul
11-21-06, 03:41 AM lol hijacking threads with a funny comment is fun :D
Silverthumb128
11-21-06, 03:43 AM lol hijacking threads with a funny comment is fun :D

Why you be trippin, fool?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kratch 11-20-06, 07:40 PM	There is nothing in the rules i can find that says snakes (oozes and other non-legged things) can't be tripped. If you think of trip in the litteral term (taking ones legs out from under them), then it makes no sence. But if you just consider trip as a manuver to position a foe so they are unable to properly attack, defend or move (the overall effects of being prone, if not the litteral meaning), then it simply becomes hard to imagine rather then not making any sence at all. The problem came up the other night when my allied rangers constrictor animal companion got attcked by a worg and the worgs special trip attack came up. We really didn't know what to do (we applied the trip/prone penalties) and decided i'd check the boards for any official rulings. Is there anywhere that says things have immunity to trip in 3.5 rules?
Vegepygmy 11-20-06, 07:50 PM	Just (common sense and) the FAQ: Being tripped makes you prone. Who can be tripped? Beholders? Gelatinous cubes? What effect does tripping have on these creatures? Can a prone character be tripped again? What about flying and swimming creatures? Many creatures have neither legs nor any relationship to the ground or gravity. How does tripping affect them? Anything using limbs for locomotion can be tripped. Things that don’t need limbs for locomotion can’t be tripped. You can’t trip a snake, a beholder, or a gelatinous cube. You won’t find this in the rules, but then it really doesn’t need to be in there—the rules can leave some things to the DM’s common sense. A creature flying with wings can be “tripped,” in which case the creature stalls (see Tactical Aerial Movement on page 20 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide). You can’t make an incorporeal creature fall down. You also can’t trip a prone creature. Creatures can’t be tripped when they’re swimming (the water holds them up). Likewise, a burrowing creature is driving its body through a fairly solid medium that serves to hold it up.
bruiserdeck 11-20-06, 07:56 PM	yea... ... I dont mean to be insulting but commonsence applies. there are times when the DM just says X happens and it does because that is what makes sencse. you dont have to have a rule for every posibility.
Nezkrul 11-20-06, 08:01 PM	but did you guys know that in Everquest, snakes are frequently caught "kicking" players and "parrying" and "blocking" melee attacks made against them by players? :D
fatal error 11-20-06, 08:04 PM	but did you guys know that in Everquest, snakes are frequently caught "kicking" players and "parrying" and "blocking" melee attacks made against them by players? :D Fangs long as swords, those foul serpents have! And booted tails to boot!
Silverthumb128 11-20-06, 08:25 PM	Just flip it on its back, I guess?
UnrelentingHoror 11-20-06, 08:29 PM	Just flip it on its back, I guess? damn right I've freakin done that to garden snakes before, the time it takes them to get situated again would be the equivalent of a humanoid getting up from prone in my opinion(well a trained combatant anyways and ind D&D thats what were talking about)
bruiserdeck 11-20-06, 08:54 PM	that may be the result of a grapple... but not a trip.
Reversefigure4 11-20-06, 08:58 PM	Just flip it on its back, I guess? That's what I'd rule. When you trip something, you throw it off-balance (commonly by sweeping it's legs out from under it). If it doesn't have legs, you might flip it or tilt it, or shove it over on it's back.
Whisper_Swiftblade 11-20-06, 09:04 PM	I have seen snakes bight people while on their backs before, so how prone they are may depend on the snake. in any case tripping a snake is easy, you do it the exact same way you would trip a basket ball.:)
Kratch 11-20-06, 10:29 PM	That's what I'd rule. When you trip something, you throw it off-balance (commonly by sweeping it's legs out from under it). If it doesn't have legs, you might flip it or tilt it, or shove it over on it's back. This is what our DM ruled. It may not have been tripped as per tradditional means/definition, but it was throuwn off balance enough that it could not attack optimally (it attacked from prone and attempted to grapple). But our DM asked me to ask the boards for an official ruleing, i'll point out the FAQ to him..
NthDegree256 11-20-06, 11:46 PM	I have seen snakes bight people while on their backs before, so how prone they are may depend on the snake. Hey, by the rules, you can make melee attacks while prone. You just suffer a -4 penalty, if I recall correctly. There's nothing stopping that "prone" snake from snapping away...
Silverthumb128 11-21-06, 02:23 AM	that may be the result of a grapple... but not a trip. Given that Grapple doesn't force the opponent into prone position, I'd say no, its not a Grapple any more than it is a Sunder, or Bull Rush. Not even a pin, because you don't become prone, you become immobile. Flipping a snake on its back=prone. Trip.
Nezkrul 11-21-06, 03:41 AM	lol hijacking threads with a funny comment is fun :D
Silverthumb128 11-21-06, 03:43 AM	lol hijacking threads with a funny comment is fun :D Why you be trippin, fool?