Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lostime May 04, 2015 15:37:52	Can the great weapon master feat be used on weapons other than 2 handed weapons. and if so would it proc off of the surprise round crit of an assassin s assassinate.
#2 Tempest_Stormwind May 04, 2015 15:47:19	lostime wrote:
#3 lostime626 May 04, 2015 16:13:45	Ok, with that said will the bonus attack be a crit as well? it is on a surprise round, and if so would that attack also proc great weapon master feat?
#4 RulesJD May 04, 2015 16:32:58	Yes. No, because you only get 1 Bonus Action, and that would have been used by the first bullet of GWM feat when it granted you the Bonus Action attack in the first place.  You don't get to have an infinite number of bonus attacks from GWM.
#5 transcendantviewer May 04, 2015 17:56:43	Which is a massive improvement from what "Great Cleave" used to do. Great Cleave turned the Barbarian into a walking apocalypse to weaker foes. Literally, an army slayer. Three Barbarians all built as chump-squishers could kill dozens of foes in a single turn. It was horrifying and, as fun as it was to see the Fighter/Barbarian wade into combat shouting "GREAT CLEAVE! GREAT CLEAVE! GREAT CLEAVE!" I'm glad it's been removed.
#6 lostime626 May 04, 2015 20:34:10	Ok, with that said will the bonus attack be a crit as well? it is on a surprise round, and if so would that attack also proc great weapon master feat?
(Reply to #6) Coredump00	lostime626 wrote:
#8 ArialBlack May 05, 2015 9:13:36	If you attack from hiding, you get certain bonuses. If you get two attacks, the second attack is not from hiding because the first attack revealed your presence.   I would rule that the first attack against a surprised opponent means that the fact that you're trying to stab him again should not come as a surprise!
#9 jaelis May 05, 2015 9:17:31	ArialBlack wrote:
(Reply to #9) ArialBlack	jaelis wrote:
#11 jaelis May 05, 2015 11:19:16	ArialBlack wrote:
(Reply to #11) ArialBlack	jaelis wrote:
#13 reddaemon May 05, 2015 13:46:04	ArialBlack wrote:
#14 ArialBlack May 07, 2015 8:13:45	If that 'old woman' was really an assassin in disguise (making the relevant checks versus Perception/Insight of the target), then that rolling pin attack would be a surprise attack and would be a critical hit (if it hit). Being in combat already does not make you immune to being surprised.   It's not the way combat usually goes, I grant you, but if this is the situation then this is how the rules adjudicate this situation. The target, skill checks depending, can certainly be surprised by an attack from an unperceieved assassin, even if they have been in combat for several rounds already.
#15 jaelis May 07, 2015 8:18:38	ArialBlack wrote:
(Reply to #15) ArialBlack	jaelis wrote:
#17 jaelis May 07, 2015 8:34:13	Sure and if you do that well you'll get advantage and sneak attack. Those are substantial benefits.   You want an autocrit? I think you need more than just the typical distraction of combat and stealth.
#18 ArialBlack May 07, 2015 9:05:59	What about the other way around? What if the victim was approaching a place where combat was already happpening?   The assassin and his party stealthily engage some orcs as the victim approaches. The victim fails all his checks to perceive the combat, and walks up to the hidden assassin.   Should the assassin be denied his surprise auto crit, on the simple grounds that this is not the assassin's first combat round?
#19 jaelis May 07, 2015 9:22:07	It is hard to think of a situation where there could be an ongoing combat in which every participant was hiding all the time. You reveal your position when you make any attack.   But sure, let's imagine permanently invisible, bloodless flying creatures are fighting in the area of a silence spell. One of the combatants is an assassin who wants to attack an unsuspecting character passing by. Me, I'd say if they took a round to line up their shot, and didn't get attacked during that round, I'd let it work. But I wouldn't call it playing by the book.
#20 reddaemon May 07, 2015 9:28:15	ArialBlack wrote:
#21 Coredump00 May 07, 2015 9:38:33	Surprise represents someone not even being aware that combat is happening.  Once you are in combat, you are on alert, paying more attention to your surroundings, much more leary about others in the area.  That is why the rules do not allow for Surprise after the first round.  it is also why if you detect one enemy, the others can't surprise you, since that one enemy puts you 'on alert'.   During combat hidden and/or advantage is what represents someone that you were less aware of or unexpectedly attacks you.  They may or may not apply depending on the details.
(Reply to #20) ArialBlack	reddaemon wrote:
#23 reddaemon May 07, 2015 10:09:48	ArialBlack wrote:
(Reply to #22) Danny_Montanny	ArialBlack wrote:
#25 Undrhil May 07, 2015 20:48:52	I remember there was an ability or something that would make the target be surprised for a round.  I don't remember if it was a monster power or something on a player, though.