Combat Adjudicating question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Combat Adjudicating question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FishTyrant
02-24-05, 02:09 AM Hello folks! Had a question concerning a particular ruling on a combat situation.

Three stirges attached to a PC.
PC drops onto the ground to roll around (like putting out a fire) to damage all stirges in one round.

How should this be ruled?

At the spur of the moment to maintain game pace, I allowed her an attack on each one with a -4 to hit and 1d6 damage.

Any ideas for future situations? Thanks!
grizzt
02-24-05, 02:21 AM Thats a good question,, it should have been mentioned in the core rules or moster manual.
spasheridan
02-24-05, 02:32 AM by RAW this isn't an option. The only way to deal damage is with an attack or an effect that causes damage.

That aside, it seems like a fine idea. Stirge are either a nuisance or they're deadly.. there's not much in between with them. an option like that to roll em off at least keeps the PC alive. Remember that being prone has AC consequences as well.
tarkin
02-24-05, 11:40 AM By the RAW, that is an option.

It is called "grapple attempt to break a pin".

Yes, grappling is not described in exactly that way. So what? They also don't describe how to use a sword.

But what you are describing is nothing more than an attempt to use grapple to remove something on your back.

Note, as the creature is already grappling (that is what it does when it attaches and starts to suck blood), your attempt is just a break pin attempt - you don't have to do the touch attack, etc.

A DM might or might not give a circumstance bonus to you for creatively describing HOW you are grappling.
Finarin Panjoro
02-24-05, 12:34 PM I second Tarkin's interpretation of the rules. That would be an excellent description of an attempt to escape all three of their grapples (escaping multiple grapplers is the only thing you can do to all grapplers with a single grapple check). I'd probably award a +1 bonus to the grapple check for the good description.
Zherog
02-24-05, 12:55 PM Yep - I also agree with Tarkin. The grapple rules seem to handle this situation quite well.
Vahenir
02-24-05, 01:00 PM Tarkin is quite correct - at least, that's how I'd rule it.
FishTyrant
02-24-05, 06:38 PM Thanks Tarkin and the rest of you! Funny how the rules escape your grasp in the heat of combat! That is how I will handle it from now on. Multiple grapplers.. GREAT! :D
Halberkill
02-28-05, 11:30 PM Also something of note, according to the DMG, only 2 "tiny sized" stirges can be in the same space and attach to one "medium sized" creature.

I also have been having a pain dealing with stirge combat.

For example, how do you make it so a stirge can't attack you but you can attack it. By the rules if you are squeezing a monster can't enter your space, and therefore the stirge would never be able to attack you because it has a reach of 0.

Not to mention the PHB and DMG saying 2 different, opposite things about whether a tiny creature can take AoO's and have flanking.

Halber

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FishTyrant 02-24-05, 02:09 AM	Hello folks! Had a question concerning a particular ruling on a combat situation. Three stirges attached to a PC. PC drops onto the ground to roll around (like putting out a fire) to damage all stirges in one round. How should this be ruled? At the spur of the moment to maintain game pace, I allowed her an attack on each one with a -4 to hit and 1d6 damage. Any ideas for future situations? Thanks!
grizzt 02-24-05, 02:21 AM	Thats a good question,, it should have been mentioned in the core rules or moster manual.
spasheridan 02-24-05, 02:32 AM	by RAW this isn't an option. The only way to deal damage is with an attack or an effect that causes damage. That aside, it seems like a fine idea. Stirge are either a nuisance or they're deadly.. there's not much in between with them. an option like that to roll em off at least keeps the PC alive. Remember that being prone has AC consequences as well.
tarkin 02-24-05, 11:40 AM	By the RAW, that is an option. It is called "grapple attempt to break a pin". Yes, grappling is not described in exactly that way. So what? They also don't describe how to use a sword. But what you are describing is nothing more than an attempt to use grapple to remove something on your back. Note, as the creature is already grappling (that is what it does when it attaches and starts to suck blood), your attempt is just a break pin attempt - you don't have to do the touch attack, etc. A DM might or might not give a circumstance bonus to you for creatively describing HOW you are grappling.
Finarin Panjoro 02-24-05, 12:34 PM	I second Tarkin's interpretation of the rules. That would be an excellent description of an attempt to escape all three of their grapples (escaping multiple grapplers is the only thing you can do to all grapplers with a single grapple check). I'd probably award a +1 bonus to the grapple check for the good description.
Zherog 02-24-05, 12:55 PM	Yep - I also agree with Tarkin. The grapple rules seem to handle this situation quite well.
Vahenir 02-24-05, 01:00 PM	Tarkin is quite correct - at least, that's how I'd rule it.
FishTyrant 02-24-05, 06:38 PM	Thanks Tarkin and the rest of you! Funny how the rules escape your grasp in the heat of combat! That is how I will handle it from now on. Multiple grapplers.. GREAT! :D
Halberkill 02-28-05, 11:30 PM	Also something of note, according to the DMG, only 2 "tiny sized" stirges can be in the same space and attach to one "medium sized" creature. I also have been having a pain dealing with stirge combat. For example, how do you make it so a stirge can't attack you but you can attack it. By the rules if you are squeezing a monster can't enter your space, and therefore the stirge would never be able to attack you because it has a reach of 0. Not to mention the PHB and DMG saying 2 different, opposite things about whether a tiny creature can take AoO's and have flanking. Halber