Prone

[Mathew_Freeman]

This came up last night in our 4e game and I just wanted to see what the combined brains of ENWorld could tell me.

Originally Posted by A. Player

One question we mused over last night was the exact impact of being prone.
1. Did you still exert a controlling infulence on the square you occupy when you are prone (i.e can people walk through you to get to the other side - not allowed at all when upright)?

2. Do they get to initiate opportunity attacks to adjacent targets as normal?

3. If they can be walked through do they get an opp attack then or just difficult terain?

4. Can you attack at all while prone?

My answers are as follows, but I'd appreciate any rules quotes that anyone can give me.

1) No, but you can walk through someone who is prone and it counts as difficult terrain.

2) No. When you're prone you can't make Opportunity Attacks.

3) The prone person doesn't get an opportunity attack if someone moves through their square.

4) You can attack whilst prone, but you take a -2 penalty to do so for melee weapons.

Can anyone back me up on these rules, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Thanks!

[DracoSuave]

Here's what prone gives you:

You grant combat advantage to enemies making melee attacks against you.
You get a +2 bonus to all defenses against ranged attacks from nonadjacent enemies.
You're lying on the ground.
You take a -2 penalty to attack rolls.
You can drop prone as a minor action.

So, using this framework:

1) You have a weapon and are fully able to move. Walking over someone with a sword who can hack at your hamstrings, or grab your leg and slice it off is certainly NOT merely difficult terrain. You occupy a space, and certainly will such movement not be allowed.

2) Can you see the guy? Is he adjacent? Then you can use opportunity attacks.

3) Did the enemy just leave an adjacent square? Then by all means he can use opportunity attacks. Hell, would you just lay there stupidly while someone who was trying to kill you walked over you? Or, would you do something like try to stab up at him?

This is moot tho, because he can't enter your square without grappling. See above.

4) You can attack, but you get a -2 to attack with -all- attacks. Weapon/implement. Melee/close/area/ranged. It doesn't matter. -2 to attack to attack rolls is non-discriminatory.

[Blizzardb]

Here is my take on these:
1. You can't walk through a square with a prone enemy, unless he is helpless or 2 sizes different from you (PHB 183, "Occupied squares")
2. You can make attacks of opportunity as normal while prone (edit: with the -2 penalty, of course)
3. You can make attacks of opportunity as normal while prone
4. I agree (edit: the -2 applies to all attacks, not just melee ones)

[Ibixat]

Originally Posted by Blizzardb

Here is my take on these:
1. You can't walk through a square with a prone enemy, unless he is helpless or 2 sizes different from you (PHB 183, "Occupied squares")
2. You can make attacks of opportunity as normal while prone (edit: with the -2 penalty, of course)
3. You can make attacks of opportunity as normal while prone
4. I agree (edit: the -2 applies to all attacks, not just melee ones)

One last bit on this too, allies can walk through your square as normal but they can also occupy the same square as you while you are prone, if you stand up while an ally occupies your square you shift 1 square as part of the stand up action as well, if no valid destinations exist you are stuck prone. (clarified the shifting only if ally in your square)