Notes on the Aether (Rae judging)

[Trouvere]

OOC: elementals aren't subject to flanking, or critical hits. What does it take for our characters to become aware that flanking is providing us with no benefit?
Regardless, with the +2 bonus for the elemental cowering factored in, Rapture hits, just.

 

[Solange]

OOC: Everyone's subject to flanking, it's still +2 to hit because they can't defend on both sides. It's crits and sneak attacks that they're immune too.

 

[Trouvere]

OOC: The elemental subtype entry specifically says "Not subject to critical hits or flanking" - it's the immunity to critical hits which also makes them immune to sneak attack, through the clause in this section: "Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks."

 

[Solange]

OOC: Realy? That's odd. Still, that's not something Rapture would know anyway, and it's normaly a good tactic.

 

[Trouvere]

OOC: yes, that's it. I don't think anyone except perhaps Tommy would know. I just wonder if/when it becomes apparent to us, since we've faced nearly a dozen of these things... although we've perhaps not managed to flank one until now.

 

[Solange]

OOC: You're likely the only one to notice when vital shots don't work. Even without flanking, it's still a sound tactic, as it prevents the elemental from disengaging from everyone easily.

 

[Trouvere]

[sblock=OOC]Yes, nothing wrong with it. But Keldar won't be tumbling into flanking position any time soon, and I'd like some IC justification for why not, besides that he's not yet good enough to risk it.
I think it should be obvious to him that he has no way to inflict precision damage on a pile of rocks or a tower of flame, even without having the chance to try (though I suppose he has had several chances... he would ordinarily have added sneak attack to his attacks on the greased earth elemental, and a couple of other times when he acted first - throwing the alchemist's fire is one that springs to mind).
I hate long strings of OOC comments! They make me sad.[/sblock]

 

[Boddynock]

OOC: Another to add to the sad string.

Just a question: you folks are adding the +2 bonus to attacks against rebuked creatures, aren't you?

Oh, and I've always assumed that elementals are immune to flanking because they're not limited to the physiological limits of eyes in the front of their "head".

 

[Trouvere]

[sblock=OOC]I have been. Incidentally, the rules are slightly odd, and really ought to be fixed. A rebuked creature "cowers as if in awe" and you gain a +2 bonus on your attack roll against it, but a cowering creature takes a -2 penalty to its AC and also loses its Dex bonus. Apparently, a rebuked creature cowers, but is not cowering. The difference between awe and fear, I suppose. But given that, apparently, a rebuked creature is not in fact cowering, I don't see anywhere a statement that it can take no actions! Obviously not RAI.[/sblock]

IC:

"Hurrah!" says Keldar, as Rapture's sword strikes home.

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

OOC: Eh...? I'm pretty sure a rebuked creature is indeed cowering and can take no actions. If not, I've been DMing this whole game incorrectly!

Rapture's sword enters the elemental's core and it dissipates in a flash of heat, along with its sword.