Crouching house-rule. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Crouching house-rule. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shy_Guy
08-07-05, 10:40 PM During battle, my fellow PC's and I often "drop to the floor" to prone position as a way of protecting ourself's from ranged weapon fire (+4 to AC against ranged weapons). This proves to be a highly effective method of avoiding multiple arrows especially when your attackers are far off and you're behind a bush/rock and have a crossbow equipped and ready. The problem is, the move action that you have to take to get back up. So, i was thinking of suggesting a crouching house-rule to my DM. Something sorta' like this:

Crouching is a free action (just like dropping to prone position). When a character crouches, he/she falls to one knee and gains a +2 AC bonus against ranged weapon fire and a -2 AC penalty against melee attacks. Characters take -2 on melee attacks when in crouching position. Returning to upright position is also a free action.

If you get the main idea of what im getting at and have a better way of doing it, please let me know before I go and suggest it to my DM. Or, just tell me how much of a fool I am for trying to add something like this and why it would not work in combat b/c of balancing issues, complexity issues, ect...

Thanks
Immoral Sniper
08-07-05, 11:01 PM This already exists, look at the Combat Modifiers table and use the "Kneeling or sitting" modifiers, which happen to be +/- 2...

Returning to upright should be a MEA, unless the character succeeds at a Tumble check (ala the "Kip up" entry that allows you stand up from prone as a Free Action)
masterofmayhem
08-07-05, 11:03 PM Well . . . according the PHB, kneeling or sitting already does exactly what you describe. There is no exact definition for kneeling, but it seems that, according to "Table: Armor Class Modifiers," (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/combatModifiers.html) kneeling is the same as sitting.

The rules for getting up from sitting are that it is a free action if you are sitting at about waist-height, and a move action if you are sitting below waist height. Those are, I believe, the only rules there are on the subject. Or, rather, those are the only rules I have seen on the subject.

I don't know whether getting up from kneeling would be considered a move or free action, and it is not stated in the rules, so you should ask your DM.

Personally, I would rule it as a free action. It's neither imbalancing nor illogical to be able to get up from kneeling quickly, and even without letting your guard down (i.e., provoking an AoO).
Shy_Guy
08-07-05, 11:38 PM Thanks alot guys.
ClementWillowbreaker
08-08-05, 03:20 PM To prevent everyone from standing up, full attacking, and then kneeling down, which is kinda cheap, you might want to limit the kneeling/rising free action to once a round. If they want to do it twice, make them use a move action. Its within the DM's discretion to determine how many free actions you can perform in a round.

I use the same limit for other subtle movements, like changing weapon grips to free up a hand to cast with and such.
jaelis
08-08-05, 04:41 PM I'd say, make it a move action to stand from a crouch without provoking an AoO, or a free action to do it with provoking an AoO. Just off the top of my head :)
masterofmayhem
08-08-05, 04:50 PM To prevent everyone from standing up, full attacking, and then kneeling down, which is kinda cheap, you might want to limit the kneeling/rising free action to once a round. If they want to do it twice, make them use a move action.
The reason that isn't much of a problem is because kneeling gives you -2 AC against melee attacks . . . So while you might be partially protected from your opponent's ranged attackers, your opponent himself is going to slap you around.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shy_Guy 08-07-05, 10:40 PM	During battle, my fellow PC's and I often "drop to the floor" to prone position as a way of protecting ourself's from ranged weapon fire (+4 to AC against ranged weapons). This proves to be a highly effective method of avoiding multiple arrows especially when your attackers are far off and you're behind a bush/rock and have a crossbow equipped and ready. The problem is, the move action that you have to take to get back up. So, i was thinking of suggesting a crouching house-rule to my DM. Something sorta' like this: Crouching is a free action (just like dropping to prone position). When a character crouches, he/she falls to one knee and gains a +2 AC bonus against ranged weapon fire and a -2 AC penalty against melee attacks. Characters take -2 on melee attacks when in crouching position. Returning to upright position is also a free action. If you get the main idea of what im getting at and have a better way of doing it, please let me know before I go and suggest it to my DM. Or, just tell me how much of a fool I am for trying to add something like this and why it would not work in combat b/c of balancing issues, complexity issues, ect... Thanks
Immoral Sniper 08-07-05, 11:01 PM	This already exists, look at the Combat Modifiers table and use the "Kneeling or sitting" modifiers, which happen to be +/- 2... Returning to upright should be a MEA, unless the character succeeds at a Tumble check (ala the "Kip up" entry that allows you stand up from prone as a Free Action)
masterofmayhem 08-07-05, 11:03 PM	Well . . . according the PHB, kneeling or sitting already does exactly what you describe. There is no exact definition for kneeling, but it seems that, according to "Table: Armor Class Modifiers," (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/combatModifiers.html) kneeling is the same as sitting. The rules for getting up from sitting are that it is a free action if you are sitting at about waist-height, and a move action if you are sitting below waist height. Those are, I believe, the only rules there are on the subject. Or, rather, those are the only rules I have seen on the subject. I don't know whether getting up from kneeling would be considered a move or free action, and it is not stated in the rules, so you should ask your DM. Personally, I would rule it as a free action. It's neither imbalancing nor illogical to be able to get up from kneeling quickly, and even without letting your guard down (i.e., provoking an AoO).
Shy_Guy 08-07-05, 11:38 PM	Thanks alot guys.
ClementWillowbreaker 08-08-05, 03:20 PM	To prevent everyone from standing up, full attacking, and then kneeling down, which is kinda cheap, you might want to limit the kneeling/rising free action to once a round. If they want to do it twice, make them use a move action. Its within the DM's discretion to determine how many free actions you can perform in a round. I use the same limit for other subtle movements, like changing weapon grips to free up a hand to cast with and such.
jaelis 08-08-05, 04:41 PM	I'd say, make it a move action to stand from a crouch without provoking an AoO, or a free action to do it with provoking an AoO. Just off the top of my head :)
masterofmayhem 08-08-05, 04:50 PM	To prevent everyone from standing up, full attacking, and then kneeling down, which is kinda cheap, you might want to limit the kneeling/rising free action to once a round. If they want to do it twice, make them use a move action. The reason that isn't much of a problem is because kneeling gives you -2 AC against melee attacks . . . So while you might be partially protected from your opponent's ranged attackers, your opponent himself is going to slap you around.