Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Sorxores Sep 08, 2014 5:46:22	A lot of class can prone ennemies:   Barbarian wolf path shield master feat fighter battle master trip maneuver Monk Open hand technique / Fist of unbroken air / water whip   Item like Ball bearing Spells etc...   and yes proning a creature is a great bonus for all melee class giving them advantage, cutting there speed by half etc...   But in a group you probalby have some ranged player (archers type (fighter, ranger, rogue) and spell caster using spell like eldritch blast (warlock) or scorching ray (wizard, sorcerer) and for them droping the creature prone will give disadvantage to those player. Most of them do not have the survivibility to go in melee and if they try to shoot an arrow or cast a ranged attack spell in melee they have disadvantage for being in melee.   So on one hand, it is completely legit and a very effective strategy to have a character build around bringing the opponent prone. On the other hand the range players won't like that strategy and will become disruptive to them.   In a encounter with multiple target, the melee who like to prone can target a different creature then the range player. But if you are fighting a single target fight and even if the BBEG got some little minion, can you really say to the range: just kill the littl eminion and let the melee fight the BBEG? Once teh wizard cast fireball and killed all the little minion, can you tell the melee to stop using his strategy so the range can do something as well?   Yes range could ready action to attack when the target get back up, but then a fighter/ranger who can have multiple attack are limited to just one attack, the sorcerer can no longer quicken a cantrip to cast with his scorching ray.   If we could DELAY a turn, the range could delay their action to after the ennemy so he can go back up, or the fighter cold delay to after the range player to prone the creature after the range player attack and technically the ennemy should get back on his feet before the range attack again,  but delaying an turn is no longer a valid option.   So using the AL rules, how do you solve this problem? do you forbid melee to prone ennemies when the range have no other "fun" option or do you tell the range player to clear the minion and let the melee kill the main target? how do you deal with this type of situation?
#2 bawylie Sep 08, 2014 8:06:11	You let the players work it out among themselves.    If you're the DM, your job is to create obstacles, not solve them.
#3 OrwellianHaggis Sep 08, 2014 8:56:44	As a player I'd try to negate the disadvantage from the target being prone by gaining advantage e.g. by hiding. That's if I wanted to deal damage. If I was more interested in completing the mission (assuming the mission wasn't to kill the target, but instead take something from it) I'd use the fact that the melee character is keeping the target busy to move around the combat and complete the mission.
#4 Sorxores Sep 08, 2014 9:19:11	bawylie wrote:
#5 Regin_Vargtass Sep 08, 2014 9:39:26	The halfling and sorcerer should both address the issue with the fighter, in character. Disruptive players are disruptive when they deliberately sabotage the game. What you describe is, in my opinion, not close to such behaviour.  On the issue of a potential houseeruled delay mechanic: I would guess there are reasons why there isn't one. One reason could be so that there is not always perfect opportunities for everyone in every combat situation. Tactict can also be a trade-off between different approaches. Now, the situation you describe could lead to true disruptive behaviour, but that would require a player to become offensive, threatening or violent in real life as a reaction to the in character conflict between the adventurers. But in such a case, a houserule would not have saved the situation.   - Vargtass
#6 iserith Sep 08, 2014 10:34:57	bawylie wrote:
#7 Sorxores Sep 08, 2014 12:09:22	iserith wrote:
#8 iserith Sep 08, 2014 12:35:38	Sorxores wrote:
#9 OrwellianHaggis Sep 08, 2014 14:02:23	Coming at this from the angle of the fighter, I'd be willing to change tactics if I was making others unhappy. How about knocking the target prone with one attack, dropping weapons, and grappling (with advantage) to lift the target so ranged attacks can be made at maximum efficiency?   Coming at this from the angle of DM, I'd suggest not trying to stop someone using their class features, and instead try to encourage ways of using them in ways more beneficial to the rest of the party.