Charge + Jump Check... am I missing something? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Charge + Jump Check... am I missing something? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kevtar
06-09-05, 07:36 PM Hi all,

I am still working out my DMing um.... "skills", and I have a question about a certain scenario that happened the other day.

We are playing Lord of the Iron Fortress and are at the encounter called: "Bolts from the Blues." During the course of the battle, a Blue Dragon flew his movement, hovered, and attacked with his breath weapon. Next in the initiaitve order was my son's character, a 15th level fighter with 20+ Str and Boots of Springing and Jumping who was also under a "haste" spell at the time.

He wanted to "Charge" the dragon but the dragon was hovering 30' above the ground. So I allowed him to make the charge, roll a "Jump" check and then finish his charge with his one attack.

I thought it was a great way to attack the dragon, and all his friends were patting him on the back for the great move. Still, there's this nagging voice in my head that is telling me either I let him off easy or forgot some critical rule somewhere.

Oh, and yes the dragon got an AoO but rolled a "1." Any ideas? Was this handled correctly?

EDIT: I failed to mention that the PC was running and jumping off a ledge that was 30 above ground level. Since he succeeded in his jump check (with a roll of 40+ or some incredible number), I didn't have him sustain any damage from the fall.
elvnsword
06-09-05, 08:40 PM Well for the most part you handled the entire situation admirably. I am assuming the dragon was hovering in space out say 30 feet from the ledge your son's character leapt from. This would make the DC for such a jump a 30, so he succeded in reaching the dragon, and making the charge. Now comes the attack roll on the dragon with a +2 for charge and possibly a +1 for hieght over the dragon.
Now the thing that is probably nagging at you is what happens now, well he exceeded by over ten on the check which would allow him to travel PAST the dragon, and fall to the group in an almost runway like skid... HERE is where the rules get sticky, he just fell 30 ft, so 3d6 damage. PG 303 DMG, "If a character deliberatly jumps instead of merely slipping or falling the damage is the same but the first 1d6 is nonlethal. A DC 15 Jump and a DC 15 Tumble check allows the character to avoid any damage from teh first ten feet, and convert the second ten feet to nonlethal damage." Thus in your case, 1d6 nonlethal and 2d6 lethal damage, if he had attempted to tumble at the end to avoid damage it would have been 1d6 nonlethal, and 1d6 lethal.

Regardless in a similar situation I would have done the same as you, and negated the damage for sheer coolness factor, and the fact that he exceeded the check by such a high amount. (but that is house ruling ;) )
Kevtar
06-10-05, 05:32 PM Thanks for the reply. I'm glad it seemed "kosher." The coolness factor was what made it for me. It was like Matthew MCconaughey in Reign of Fire except "fu Xi" (My son's character) didn't end up as a tasty bit for a dragon.

Thanks!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kevtar 06-09-05, 07:36 PM	Hi all, I am still working out my DMing um.... "skills", and I have a question about a certain scenario that happened the other day. We are playing Lord of the Iron Fortress and are at the encounter called: "Bolts from the Blues." During the course of the battle, a Blue Dragon flew his movement, hovered, and attacked with his breath weapon. Next in the initiaitve order was my son's character, a 15th level fighter with 20+ Str and Boots of Springing and Jumping who was also under a "haste" spell at the time. He wanted to "Charge" the dragon but the dragon was hovering 30' above the ground. So I allowed him to make the charge, roll a "Jump" check and then finish his charge with his one attack. I thought it was a great way to attack the dragon, and all his friends were patting him on the back for the great move. Still, there's this nagging voice in my head that is telling me either I let him off easy or forgot some critical rule somewhere. Oh, and yes the dragon got an AoO but rolled a "1." Any ideas? Was this handled correctly? EDIT: I failed to mention that the PC was running and jumping off a ledge that was 30 above ground level. Since he succeeded in his jump check (with a roll of 40+ or some incredible number), I didn't have him sustain any damage from the fall.
elvnsword 06-09-05, 08:40 PM	Well for the most part you handled the entire situation admirably. I am assuming the dragon was hovering in space out say 30 feet from the ledge your son's character leapt from. This would make the DC for such a jump a 30, so he succeded in reaching the dragon, and making the charge. Now comes the attack roll on the dragon with a +2 for charge and possibly a +1 for hieght over the dragon. Now the thing that is probably nagging at you is what happens now, well he exceeded by over ten on the check which would allow him to travel PAST the dragon, and fall to the group in an almost runway like skid... HERE is where the rules get sticky, he just fell 30 ft, so 3d6 damage. PG 303 DMG, "If a character deliberatly jumps instead of merely slipping or falling the damage is the same but the first 1d6 is nonlethal. A DC 15 Jump and a DC 15 Tumble check allows the character to avoid any damage from teh first ten feet, and convert the second ten feet to nonlethal damage." Thus in your case, 1d6 nonlethal and 2d6 lethal damage, if he had attempted to tumble at the end to avoid damage it would have been 1d6 nonlethal, and 1d6 lethal. Regardless in a similar situation I would have done the same as you, and negated the damage for sheer coolness factor, and the fact that he exceeded the check by such a high amount. (but that is house ruling ;) )
Kevtar 06-10-05, 05:32 PM	Thanks for the reply. I'm glad it seemed "kosher." The coolness factor was what made it for me. It was like Matthew MCconaughey in Reign of Fire except "fu Xi" (My son's character) didn't end up as a tasty bit for a dragon. Thanks!