Come and Get it. An explanation ?

[Aloïsius]

House rule:

When you want to do something - make a skill check, use a power, a basic attack, whatever - you have to describe what you're doing and how it works "in world". If the DM thinks your description is beyond stupid, then you can't do it.

However, if you don't have a power that describes what you're trying to do, but your description makes sense "in world", you'll get to roll for it. Page 42 is our guide to resolving your action.​

Basically shifting responsibility from explaining this stuff from the DM to the player, and keeping the focus on "in world" stuff.

I think I will use this slightly modified house rule.

 

[Runestar]

That rule doesn't make sense. 4e powers appear to be designed based primarily on game balance, and less so from a "logical" POV. It does not seem right to penalize players if they cannot explain how a power might work, because the bottom line appears to be rules take precedence over everything else. Even the FAQ seems to agree with this stance, with its "you can trip an ooze" ruling.

For instance, I don't care how a dire wolf might be able to trip a tarrasque. All I know is that it can (on a natural 20, at any rate), and I don't see how or why I should have to settle for anything less, regardless of whether I can (or care to) justify this feat.

That is also a reason why I don't award ad-hoc bonuses for "good roleplaying", but I digress.

 

[LostSoul]

That rule doesn't make sense.

I think it makes sense if what you want out of your game is to get into that immersive, "I'm a guy in a fantasy world" vibe. Especially if that's more important than having combat-balanced characters.

I originally wrote it with "any player can veto" because there's a possibility that you might just play to the DM - what the DM likes, what he thinks is cool, etc. - instead of getting into the group vibe. "The DM vetos" is probably better at enforcing one specific setting-vision.

 

[Pbartender]

Goblins: *running away*
Fighter: "Come and Get it - or i'll kill you and your family *taunt* *taunt*
Goblins: Darn it, he's following us and we'll lead him right to our homes... better try and get him or slow him down first....

Fighter: <runs at the goblins> Come and get it, bitches!
Goblins: <look back> (think: He's off balance, we can get a free shot in and maybe hamstring him so he can't chase us down.) Yarrgh!
Fighter: <chops them up>

Or:
Goblins: <look back> (think: By the hairy balls of Orcus, this guy is going to catch us! Better cut him down now that he's away from his friends) Yarrgh!
Fighter: <chops them up>

I mean, WHY would, let say, three fleeing creatures suddenly stop, reverse their course and move so that they can be eviscerated ?

Or...

Goblins: *running away*
Fighter: "Come and Get it... RAAAR!"
Goblins: "Holy ! He's gonna kill us all!" <Goblins goggle over their shoulders in unreasoning fear at the sword swinging madman while trying to run, and consequently stumble over their own feet in their haste to escape the homicidal maniac.>
Fighter: <Easily catches up to them, and chops them up.>

 

[Keenath]

House rule:

When you want to do something - make a skill check, use a power, a basic attack, whatever - you have to describe what you're doing and how it works "in world". If someone thinks your description is beyond stupid, then you can't do it.​

The problem with that sort of rule is that it unfairly punishes "martial" characters. I mean, a magic user can always blame magic for any effect, so he's effectively immune to this rule.​

 

[LostSoul]

O RLY? Please explain how Colour Spray dazes/damages an ooze.

That's not really the point, though; you wouldn't put that rule in if combat balance in all situations was your main priority.

 

[The Little Raven]

Fighter: <Easily catches up to them, and chops them up.>

If the fighter runs, as was originally claimed, then it wouldn't be easy for him to chop them up with a -5 penalty to attack.

 

[Pbartender]

If the fighter runs, as was originally claimed, then it wouldn't be easy for him to chop them up with a -5 penalty to attack.

You want to be pedantic?

First, I didn't say he easily chops them up, I said he easily catches up to them... By dint of their retreat being "slowed down" by the Come and Get It power.

The fighter is at least 7th level. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that he has a Strength score of 19 (of course, he put a +1 into it at 4th level), and the player had enough powergaming sense to choose Heavy Blades for his Weapon Talent. That gives +3 Class, +4 Str and +3 proficiency (by choosing most any sword) for a base total of +10 to hit. The fighter was running, that's a -5 to hit, but the Goblins were running away as well so he has combat advantage against him for a +2 bonus to hit. Overall, he has a +7 to hit them, not counting any magic weapon he might be swinging (probably a +1 or +2 at this point).

Give him one more level, and he gets an extra +1 for level, and likely another +1 for boosting his strength... +9 altogether.

Seeing as the typical goblin has an AC of 16 or 17, at worst the fighter's got a better than even chance of hitting them... That may not count as "easily", per se, but that's not too tough to hit.

 

[Gort]

Can anyone come up with a way this power would work on an ooze?

 

[Pbartender]

Can anyone come up with a way this power would work on an ooze?

Yes.

Think of a matador with his red cape against a bull... For creatures of animal intelligence or lower, the fighter is simply getting its attention by any means necessary -- waving, shouting, jumping, etc. -- to make himself a more obviously tempting target. When the creature gets close enough, he sidesteps a bit and attacks it.

It's a common enough tactic against wild animals in the movies, and bull fighting rings...