Wounding - Trip Attacks

[Uruush]

"Wounding - A wounding weapon deals 1 point of Constitution damage from blood loss when it hits a creature." - DMG p226.

Is a Trip Attack, (say with a Dire Flail or some other tripping weapon), considered to be a "hit" in this context?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I would say no. Normally hits that deal no damage due to DR, etc don't activate magical effects like wounding. Hits that deal no damage because they aren't normal attacks wouldn't activate the wounding effect either.

Of course, the follow up with Improved Trip would. . . .

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Exactly what Elder-Basilisk said. Guess that's why he's an elder.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I agree with E-B.

Now that you mention it Wounding and Tripping/Improved Tripping have some nice synergies. For most parties, typical NPCs/Monsters do not live long enough to gain a net benefit from a Wounding weapon. But if you methodically use Trip to slow the pace of combat down, plus other feats/tactics, e.g. Spring Attack, the equation changes radically.

A themed party using wounding and defensive tactics could have fun with this. Improved Trip, Hold the Line, Spring Attack, Hamstring, Kiai Shout, Ranged Pin, etc. The real problem would be going up against a Big Boss that cannot be tripped, has great reach, and/or excellent ranged attacks. I think the countertactic is that the spellcasters should use walls/fogs to shape & slow the combat.

 

[Hypersmurf]

For most parties, typical NPCs/Monsters do not live long enough to gain a net benefit from a Wounding weapon.

That's true of 3E Wounding, but 3.5 Wounding's Con damage takes place immediately.

If you drop a 20HD monster's Con modifier by 1, it effectively takes 20 points of damage. If you hit it 6 times and drop its Con modifier by 3, it loses 60 hit points.

Right then and there.

-Hyp.

 

[robberbaron]

According to the SRD, an Trip is a substitute for a Melee attack.

My slant on this would be that if your action had no chance of doing damage then you don't touch the opponent with the weapon.
No touch, no wound.