Can you snap a neck? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can you snap a neck? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Bozlewa
10-14-04, 07:31 PM I am building a Monk/Battle Sorcerer with an emphases on grappling. The point buy is large so I was hoping to make a very strong character and I was wondering if it was possible to break the neck of your opponent. If so how would you do it?
Sucineri
10-14-04, 07:56 PM If a target creature is bound, paralysed, sleeping, unconscious, or at your mercy (pinned on their stomach after a grapple?) then you can make a coup de grace on the target. If your damage does NOT kill them in this attack, then they have to make a fort save vs DC10+damage dealt or die.

So as a monk/sorceror you can cast a spell to paralyse or put to sleep a target, then go for an unarmed attack which you can say is an attempt to snap it's neck. :)
trapspringer
10-14-04, 08:01 PM Here be the skinny. No.

If you eventually take all 5 levels of reaping mauler, from the CW, then yes.

The closest you could get before level 10 is to subdue your opponent with succesive unarmed damge, the CDG him.

Also, pinned is not helpless.
Sucineri
10-14-04, 08:17 PM Well..the PHB said "at your mercy" which made me think of sitting on someone's back with their hands tied behind them. :D

If you can tie someone up (bound) then you can do it. So put lots of ranks in "Use Rope", and start fights by trying to wrestle em and hogtie em.

Use your unarmed damage as subdual until they are 1 point over remaining hp (you need subdual damage to be more than remaining hp) to knock them out (unconscious) then try for a neck snap.

As a sorceror try to affect the target with sleep/paralyse affects and then snap it. :)
Thorak
10-14-04, 10:50 PM Three ways already mentioned come to mind;

Coup de Grace, which requires them to be vulnerable

Reaping Mauler

And doing enough damage while grappling to reduce their HP to negative. At which point, flavor the killing blow how you like.
Dark1ord
10-14-04, 11:18 PM at your mercy (pinned on their stomach after a grapple?)I actually read through the grapple section, and it seems that having someone pinned isn't enough for a coup de grace. the section states what you can and cannot do.

binding the critter up would do it though - or maybe you could have someone else do a coup de grace for you?...
allenchan
10-15-04, 12:08 AM Reaping Mauler PrC, anyone?
Phrennzy
10-15-04, 01:12 AM Be careful what you ask for - next thing you know, the hill giants are realizing how easily head's pop off of the smaller races when you squeeze em.
darkwave
10-15-04, 01:42 AM You make that sound like a bad idea for a DM to use... :D
The Vorpal Tribble
10-15-04, 03:37 AM Thats one big problem I have... players get tough, ok, fine...

Except you can't even kill yourself for being so tough. You can stand still and let someone slit your throat and you'd live! Blows right through an eye should be an instant kill and cracking someone's neck should be possible.
Your strength check to their opposed constitution is how I would do it, maybe also adding their strength check to resist the neck being moved.

And yes, hill giants should be able to squeeze and you go pop!

I wouldn't mind that player-wise or DM-wise as I do both with the same enthusiasm.

---

In fact, my campaign is the only one I know of where it actually makes sense for players before they even reach epic to have a hundred hit points. It takes place completely within the world of dreams where your mind continues to be expanded and strengthed and learning how to change the realm for your benefit. That, in its own way is plausible... however, to have the hit points of a walking mountain by level 20 and still be human... *holds his head*. I guess I can understand it happening in a magic world, as you infuse yourself with its essence in a way. But low magic/no magic worlds... uh uh.

Ermmm... I forget, what started my post? :rolleyes:
Lord_Naerik
10-15-04, 06:06 AM In a bad Steven Segal movie? Sure.

As if there were any other kind...
Mirtek
10-15-04, 07:04 AM Except you can't even kill yourself for being so tough. You can stand still and let someone slit your throat and you'd live! Blows right through an eye should be an instant kill and cracking someone's neck should be possible. And all of these are CdGs and would certainly kill almost everyone, except they roll a "20" on their save (and that would be the lucky few to survive unspeakable things in real life, which happens from time to time)
Naeron
10-15-04, 07:38 AM CDG is not possible because the Grapple rules specifically state that when you are pinned you are not helpless.

SRD
"If You’re Pinned by an Opponent
When an opponent has pinned you, you are held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round. "
Sucineri
10-15-04, 09:28 AM The pinning =/= helpless thing was solved by the first reply after mine. I looked at coup de grace and being at someone's mercy sounded like a pin, and it's not.

Why do people have to repeat stuff over and over again? Do they just not read the post?
Mr.Waesel
10-15-04, 09:36 AM Hey Sucineri, pinned isn't helpless! You are just immobile for one round!

:D
Mjollnir88
10-17-04, 04:02 AM It's easy enough to break the human neck IRL. It only takes a few pounds of pressure and the right technique. I'm not sure how you'd write the rules to allow it, but the action itself is neither complicated or difficult.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bozlewa 10-14-04, 07:31 PM	I am building a Monk/Battle Sorcerer with an emphases on grappling. The point buy is large so I was hoping to make a very strong character and I was wondering if it was possible to break the neck of your opponent. If so how would you do it?
Sucineri 10-14-04, 07:56 PM	If a target creature is bound, paralysed, sleeping, unconscious, or at your mercy (pinned on their stomach after a grapple?) then you can make a coup de grace on the target. If your damage does NOT kill them in this attack, then they have to make a fort save vs DC10+damage dealt or die. So as a monk/sorceror you can cast a spell to paralyse or put to sleep a target, then go for an unarmed attack which you can say is an attempt to snap it's neck. :)
trapspringer 10-14-04, 08:01 PM	Here be the skinny. No. If you eventually take all 5 levels of reaping mauler, from the CW, then yes. The closest you could get before level 10 is to subdue your opponent with succesive unarmed damge, the CDG him. Also, pinned is not helpless.
Sucineri 10-14-04, 08:17 PM	Well..the PHB said "at your mercy" which made me think of sitting on someone's back with their hands tied behind them. :D If you can tie someone up (bound) then you can do it. So put lots of ranks in "Use Rope", and start fights by trying to wrestle em and hogtie em. Use your unarmed damage as subdual until they are 1 point over remaining hp (you need subdual damage to be more than remaining hp) to knock them out (unconscious) then try for a neck snap. As a sorceror try to affect the target with sleep/paralyse affects and then snap it. :)
Thorak 10-14-04, 10:50 PM	Three ways already mentioned come to mind; Coup de Grace, which requires them to be vulnerable Reaping Mauler And doing enough damage while grappling to reduce their HP to negative. At which point, flavor the killing blow how you like.
Dark1ord 10-14-04, 11:18 PM	at your mercy (pinned on their stomach after a grapple?)I actually read through the grapple section, and it seems that having someone pinned isn't enough for a coup de grace. the section states what you can and cannot do. binding the critter up would do it though - or maybe you could have someone else do a coup de grace for you?...
allenchan 10-15-04, 12:08 AM	Reaping Mauler PrC, anyone?
Phrennzy 10-15-04, 01:12 AM	Be careful what you ask for - next thing you know, the hill giants are realizing how easily head's pop off of the smaller races when you squeeze em.
darkwave 10-15-04, 01:42 AM	You make that sound like a bad idea for a DM to use... :D
The Vorpal Tribble 10-15-04, 03:37 AM	Thats one big problem I have... players get tough, ok, fine... Except you can't even kill yourself for being so tough. You can stand still and let someone slit your throat and you'd live! Blows right through an eye should be an instant kill and cracking someone's neck should be possible. Your strength check to their opposed constitution is how I would do it, maybe also adding their strength check to resist the neck being moved. And yes, hill giants should be able to squeeze and you go pop! I wouldn't mind that player-wise or DM-wise as I do both with the same enthusiasm. --- In fact, my campaign is the only one I know of where it actually makes sense for players before they even reach epic to have a hundred hit points. It takes place completely within the world of dreams where your mind continues to be expanded and strengthed and learning how to change the realm for your benefit. That, in its own way is plausible... however, to have the hit points of a walking mountain by level 20 and still be human... holds his head. I guess I can understand it happening in a magic world, as you infuse yourself with its essence in a way. But low magic/no magic worlds... uh uh. Ermmm... I forget, what started my post? :rolleyes:
Lord_Naerik 10-15-04, 06:06 AM	In a bad Steven Segal movie? Sure. As if there were any other kind...
Mirtek 10-15-04, 07:04 AM	Except you can't even kill yourself for being so tough. You can stand still and let someone slit your throat and you'd live! Blows right through an eye should be an instant kill and cracking someone's neck should be possible. And all of these are CdGs and would certainly kill almost everyone, except they roll a "20" on their save (and that would be the lucky few to survive unspeakable things in real life, which happens from time to time)
Naeron 10-15-04, 07:38 AM	CDG is not possible because the Grapple rules specifically state that when you are pinned you are not helpless. SRD "If You’re Pinned by an Opponent When an opponent has pinned you, you are held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round. "
Sucineri 10-15-04, 09:28 AM	The pinning =/= helpless thing was solved by the first reply after mine. I looked at coup de grace and being at someone's mercy sounded like a pin, and it's not. Why do people have to repeat stuff over and over again? Do they just not read the post?
Mr.Waesel 10-15-04, 09:36 AM	Hey Sucineri, pinned isn't helpless! You are just immobile for one round! :D
Mjollnir88 10-17-04, 04:02 AM	It's easy enough to break the human neck IRL. It only takes a few pounds of pressure and the right technique. I'm not sure how you'd write the rules to allow it, but the action itself is neither complicated or difficult.