Question about Dragonkin Defender's "None Shall Pass" ability

Pozeltum · Mar 24, 2009

Hello there. I'm VERY new to 4E so please forgive me if this question is just plain silly.

Power in question:
None Shall Pass (standard; recharge ⚄ ⚅) ✦ Weapon
Requires longsword; +13 vs. AC; 2d8 + 3 damage, and the
target is immobilized and takes a –2 penalty to all defenses
(save ends both).

The question: In game terms, how does the power immobilize a character? Is it considered to be a "Hold Person" or similar spell placed upon the character? Maybe the kobold slices through specific spots on its target and/or targets armor which renders the target immobilized. Say catching a piece of lose chain mail and pinning its opponent to a wooden door (I doubt this would be the case, just throwing out quick ideas) I take it that the kobold can continue attacking others with the same sword while his initial foe is sitting there immobilized, making it possible for a single kobold, say vs 2 opponents, to immobilize them (if they have some bad saving throws) and then taking a couple quick chops to murder his helpless opponents.

Could someone please explain how the power is supposed to work in game, and, if you are a DM, add in how you add in the "flare" so to speak on how you play it out in game.

Any response would be greatly appreciated.

4E, lots to learn!

NMcCoy · Mar 24, 2009

The immobilized condition only prevents movement; characters take no penalty to defenses (normally - this condition in particular imposes a -2 to defenses as well), still get their full complement of actions, and can attack as normal. The targets are far from helpless.

Flavor-wise, you could describe it however you like, but you should make the mechanical situation clear - players should know that their characters are "Immobilized (save ends)".

Pozeltum · Mar 24, 2009

Thanks NMcCoy,

I know understand what the Kobolds ability does. My question now is how does the kobold do this ability. If you are going by the "Book" so to say. Is it a magic based attacked, or did the Kobold hit you so hard that your knees buckled and you droped to one knee and the more saving throws you account for the time you need to recover from such a powerful hit. I usually mix in my own flavor when I DM'd earlier editions of D, but I always want to know what the "if you went straight by the book" rule is before I add/alter anyting. Hope you see where I am coming from.

Thanks again bud.

Oompa · Mar 24, 2009

D&D 4th edition will have some strange powers..

How a kobold makes a player immobilized is totally up to you..

- The player could be intimidated and is to afraid to move away..
- The kobold attacks so fierce the player can't move from his spot..

Just look where the fight takes place and give it your own twirl..

Pozeltum · Mar 24, 2009

Perfect. That is what I usually do but like I said I like to know what the official rule, if any, is. Let say if was magic based officially then I would allow some sort of anti-magic spell/power to negate it without the need of a saving throw of the intimidated player. Being physical, I will lean on having the effect end if the kobold is slain by another source if the affected person is a hardened warrior. If it was say a peasant or the cute blonde your are saving from the stench filled kobold lair, then she would probably be intimidated until he saving throw is passed which means she has finally come to her sences. We will see where it goes.

Thanks folks!

sfedi · Mar 24, 2009

Also take a look at the keywords of the power, that will give you a clue as well.

Some have the Fear keyword. This one´s not. So I guess it is a weapon thing.

Just like a Fighter would get someoen immobilized, see Dance of Steel and other powers.

DracoSuave · Mar 24, 2009

It could also be a hard blow to the head that temporarily makes the target too groggy and dizzy to move and attack effectively. That wouldn't end by killing the kobold, just like having your kids go to school doesn't necessarily end the headache they gave you screaming and running around during breakfast.

Regicide · Mar 24, 2009

DracoSuave said:
It could also be a hard blow to the head that temporarily makes the target too groggy and dizzy to move and attack effectively.

It doesn't penalize attack.

I don't describe 4E combat. As soon as you do your players can punch holes in your description and get out of it. "Oh, he's dizzy, well the cleric fixes that/he's a warforged they can't be made dizzy/it's..." or whatever. In 4E combat, stuff just happens. Oozes can be tripped, dying people can be cured by a peppy speech by the warlord... even when they're deaf etc. It just happens.

Lord Ernie · Mar 24, 2009

Bah. Of course you can visualize it. As long as you make it very clear to your players that what you're telilng them in fluff terms is unrelated to what you're saying in rules terms (it's called "poetic license"), tell them whatever you want. In combat more than anywhere else, it's the rules that describe what they're capable of doing, and in 4E, a Warforged can be made dizzy just fine (just knock 'em on the head hard enough), and sure, your cleric can fix him up. Make a heal check and see if you can give him a save.

Rules can be dressed in flavour, not the other way around.

Piratecat · Mar 24, 2009

I might play as the monster smacks the PCs on the funny bone hard enough to make their entire leg go dead for a moment. They don't fall over, but they aren't going anywhere until feeling returns.