Little Known Rules of D&D

[cmrscorpio]

Not a little known rule, but a question on them.

Do multiple sources that all cause you to be treated as one size category larger or allow you to use things one size larger stack? 'Cause I know a guy who has a high-epic level Monk, and every feat he took, apparently, was designed to make his Unarmed Strike treated as one size category larger, so he does the unarmed damage of a colossal creature.

Well, what feats did this person use in order to do this?

Improved Natural Attack does not state that it can be taken multiple times. Monkey Grip specifically states that its benefits work for melee weapons only, which means that it won't work on a monk's fists. What other feats might this monk have taken to achieve this prowess?

 

[Aleolus]

The guy doesn't remember, but he's convinced that they all stack. I'll have to ask on the Gleemax forum what the official rules are.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

New one I just discovered today: You can only use ONE natural weapon in a grapple! Neither me nor any of my friends EVER played it like that. For reference, first check out the Rake description in the back of the MM, then CAREFULLY read the wording of the grapple rules in the PHB for attacking in a grapple. ^_^

Note, rake is an explicit exception to this. You get any rake attacks you have in addition to the one natural weapon.

Now, this is a real kick in the shorts for creatures w/ lots of natural weapons (like one player in my group, a grapple monkey w/ like 6 natural attacks). With a manufactured light weapon, you can at least use your iterative attack BAB for a "full-attack." Natural weapons, however, explicitly state they never can gain iterative attacks.

 

[eamon]

New one I just discovered today: You can only use ONE natural weapon in a grapple! Neither me nor any of my friends EVER played it like that. For reference, first check out the Rake description in the back of the MM, then CAREFULLY read the wording of the grapple rules in the PHB for attacking in a grapple. ^_^

Note, rake is an explicit exception to this. You get any rake attacks you have in addition to the one natural weapon.

Now, this is a real kick in the shorts for creatures w/ lots of natural weapons (like one player in my group, a grapple monkey w/ like 6 natural attacks). With a manufactured light weapon, you can at least use your iterative attack BAB for a "full-attack." Natural weapons, however, explicitly state they never can gain iterative attacks.

...but grapple also explicitly states that "If you get multiple attacks, you can attempt to start a grapple multiple times (at successively lower base attack bonuses)" - without saying that those multiple attack must stem from normal iterative attacks.

There's been a bunch of revisions surrounding grapple. I'm not even sure which one is "officially" current, but the latest "Rules of the Game" version is playable anyhow, and that version allows one grapple check per +5 of base attack bonus, irrespective of natural, manufactured or whatnot status, and only allows one natural weapon to attack (I believe). It's a mess, that's for sure.

 

[eamon]

The guy doesn't remember, but he's convinced that they all stack. I'll have to ask on the Gleemax forum what the official rules are.

He doesn't remember what feats he took?

 

[Sonofapreacherman]

"Most ranged weapons can't be used while the attacker is prone, but you can use a crossbow or shuriken while prone at no penalty."

I knew about the crossbow, but the shuriken was a surprise to me. Page 151 of the Player's Handbook, third footnote.

 

[robberbaron]

He doesn't remember what feats he took?

He probably just made them up 'cos I can't remember a string of feats like that.

 

[AnonymousOne]

He probably just made them up 'cos I can't remember a string of feats like that.

Munchkining FTL...

Face it the poor Monk is just screwed.

 

[Hypersmurf]

... that version allows one grapple check per +5 of base attack bonus, irrespective of natural, manufactured or whatnot status, and only allows one natural weapon to attack (I believe).

Sure. But if you're using the 'Attack with a light weapon' option, you can only attack with one... and if it's a natural weapon, you can only attack with it once.

Let's say you're a bear with a +11 BAB who began his turn in a grapple. You have three iterative 'attacks' from your +11 BAB. You could use 'damage your opponent' three times, or you could use pin once and damage twice, or some other combination. You can use 'attack with light weapon' to bite or claw... but not both, since you may not attack with two weapons while grappling. And you may not bite twice, since natural weapons never receive multiple attacks from a high BAB. So you can 'attack with light weapon' once to bite, then 'damage your opponent' twice for non-lethal unarmed strike damage.

-Hyp.

 

[Nail]

He probably just made them up......

That would be my guess. Telling tall tales is part of fantasy gaming, isn't it?