Escape DCs

the Jester · Jun 30, 2011

Is there an official word on how Escape DCs are set now? It's an element of monster creation that seems to have received "stealth errata" unless I have missed something.

Thanks!

Shroomy · Jun 30, 2011

I believe its normally a moderate DC for its level, though many grabby monsters have a built in bonus so the DC falls somewhere between the moderate and high DC for its level.

Ferghis · Jun 30, 2011

To escape a grab, you roll either an acrobatics against the monster's fortitude or an athletics against the monster's reflex, IIRC.

EDIT: Other way around: Acrobatics vs Reflex and Athletics vs Fort.

Obryn · Jun 30, 2011

Ferghis said:
To escape a grab, you roll either an acrobatics against the monster's fortitude or an athletics against the monster's reflex, IIRC.

That's the general rule, but WotC's been moving towards using Easy, Moderate, or Hard DCs of the monster's level, since those are already balanced properly for skill checks.

Checks against Defenses are kinda brokey.

-O

Ferghis · Jul 1, 2011

Obryn said:
That's the general rule, but WotC's been moving towards using Easy, Moderate, or Hard DCs of the monster's level, since those are already balanced properly for skill checks.

Wow. I think that would be terrible for brawler fighters, who boost their Fort specifically to avoid escapes.

Obryn said:
Checks against Defenses are kinda brokey.

Really? I hadn't noticed it in gameplay. Was some kind of number analysis done about this?

Spatula · Jul 1, 2011

Ferghis said:
Wow. I think that would be terrible for brawler fighters, who boost their Fort specifically to avoid escapes.

It's a feature of newer monsters, not a change to how the normal grab rules work.

Ferghis said:
Really? I hadn't noticed it in gameplay. Was some kind of number analysis done about this?

It's the same problem as attack bonuses or Fort/Reflex/Will defenses not scaling as well as monster attacks & defenses do. Consider that a level 30 monster should have a Fort/Reflex of around 42. Your average level 30 wizard will have an escape bonus of +16, making the check impossible.

Ferghis · Jul 1, 2011

Spatula said:
It's the same problem as attack bonuses or Fort/Reflex/Will defenses not scaling as well as monster attacks & defenses do. Consider that a level 30 monster should have a Fort/Reflex of around 42. Your average level 30 wizard will have an escape bonus of +16, making the check impossible.

Ah, I see. Still, I'm kinda okay with that, given the number of forced movement, daze, and stun powers available at that level.

Obryn · Jul 1, 2011

Ferghis said:
Really? I hadn't noticed it in gameplay. Was some kind of number analysis done about this?

Well, it's the general progression of skill bonuses as opposed to every other bonus.

The general skill DCs have been calculated specifically against skill bonuses.

-O

S'mon · Jul 1, 2011

Spatula said:
Consider that a level 30 monster should have a Fort/Reflex of around 42. Your average level 30 wizard will have an escape bonus of +16, making the check impossible.

Seems reasonable to me. :devil:

OnlineDM · Jul 1, 2011

I'm glad someone has asked about this. I've been a little confused when I've seen newer monsters that have attacks that read, "... and the target is grabbed (escape DC 15)," and the like. I understand how it works, but I don't remember seeing anything written by WotC that explains, "Hey guys, we're changing the way escaping from grabs works with certain newer monsters." I understand that it's monster-specific, but it's still a change that I would expect to be mentioned (maybe it has been and I just missed it).

[MENTION=40483]Ferghis[/MENTION]: And since this is just specific to certain monsters, it won't affect PCs. If you grab something the DC for an Athletics escape is your Fortitude and the DC for Acrobatics is your Reflex.

Escape DCs

the Jester

Legend

Shroomy

Adventurer

Ferghis

First Post

Obryn

Hero

Ferghis

First Post

Spatula

Explorer

Ferghis

First Post

Obryn

Hero

S'mon

Legend

OnlineDM

Adventurer

Similar Threads