Oh, for crying out loud. Wear an iron gauntlet (or be good at hitting) and hit it in the back of or on the top of the head when it coils and its hood starts to expand. Sending it face down into the dirt. But apparently there are no circumstances ever when you would allow a punch to knock a snake prone...
And have you ever played 4e or any Indy game with narrative rather than simulationist mechanics? In Wushu you gain a bonus to dodge if you dodge through a hail of bullets rather than just stay put.
i am the one crying out loud
now you want to include and iron gauntlet and a block....sure, whatever.
let me turn this into a game-time scenario the way everyone seems to be arguing it.
player: I punch the snake
dm: ...uh....ok....why?
player: I want to knock it prone
dm: I'm gonna say that a punch can't knock a snake prone
player: but it says so on my sheet
dm: can you come up with any way possible?
player: I pick it up and throw it down.
dm: well, first then, roll to see if you grab it
player: no, I said punch it
dm: then if you hit the snake will not be prone
player: I lift it up with end of my sword
dm: that's a different attack too, I won't give you sword damage
player: I said I punch the snake???? are you stupid????
dm: I'm sorry but your punch will NOT affect the snake in that way
player: what if I put on an iron gauntlet and hit the snake when it raises up
dm: so you ready an action?
player : are you deaf??? I said I punch the snake
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like I said before
bat-crap