whirlwind attack

[Korin Tempest]

this may be a silly question, please bear with me:
When you perform whirlwind attack, do you make one attack roll against all opponents within 5', or do you make an attack roll against each opponent within 5'?

 

[Tiberius]

I interperet the feat to mean that you make one attack roll and it applies to everyone you want to hit within 5'. I don't have a firm textual basis for this, however.

-Tiberius

 

[Zenon]

See the wording in the SRD:

Whirlwind Attack [General]
Prerequisites: Int 13+, Expertise, Dex 13+, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4 or higher, Spring Attack.
Benefit: When the character performs the full attack action, he or she can give up all regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at the full base attack bonus against each opponent within 5 feet.

"instead make one melee attack at the full base bonus against each opponent" to me implies that you would make one roll per opponents.

It would work either way though. Nothing wrong with making one roll and comparing it to all their AC's to see who you hit.

 

[kreynolds]

this may be a silly question, please bear with me:
When you perform whirlwind attack, do you make one attack roll against all opponents within 5', or do you make an attack roll against each opponent within 5'?

It's the latter.

 

[Korin Tempest]

thanks for the info

 

[AGGEMAM]

I know the text is a bit confusing but just remove the 'at the full base attack bonus' and it becomes much clearer that it is indeed an attack roll against each opponent.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

If it were only one attack against all, True Strike would be really devastating.

 

[Piratecat]

If it were only one attack against all, True Strike would be really devastating.

I can see it now:

"Okay, guys, I only get one shot at this, so I need all of you to line up. No, I said line up! Are you in a line, Larry? No, I don't think so. Okay, since I only make one attack roll and there are eight people around me, I'm going to use this 40' long spear to shish kabob each of you in one sweeping, fluid motion. Bob, scootch a little closer to Nancy, will you? Thanks. All right, ready? Deep breath, everyone!"

--STAB--

 

[Hypersmurf]

"Okay, guys, I only get one shot at this, so I need all of you to line up."

Of course, the "Cleave says same bonus" crowd will argue that you can do exactly that with True Strike and Great Cleave.

But they're idiots

-Hyp.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Hmmm ... this provokes a nasty thought; someone give me a check and see if this is lgal, and if so what the down side is:

Fighter with Whirlwind attack and Improved trip, using a Halberd:

Since you can substitute a trip attack for a melee attack, he makes Trip attacks against every opponent within 5' (a touch attack) for the Whirlwind attack. He then follows up (against each one he dropped) with a melee attack due to Improved trip, but at a +4 since the opponent is prone -- and his party mates can then gang up on the suddenly prone opponents.

Seems like a good way to handle a bunch of heavily armored folks, since the trip attack ignores armor, and the prone attack grants a bonus -- the real downside being the Trip attempt itself, which is just a strength check, and possibly more prone to failure.

Thoughts?