A few rules questions... (during a gaming session ... !)

[Trainz]

I have a few rules that came up IMC:

1- The Earthquake spell in the PHB p. 225: does it automatically pin a creature when in an underground setting ? What can the creature do to un-pin itself ? What about a colossal creature ? Is the spell shapable i.e. your friends aren't affected even in the burst ?

2- Karmic Strike in Complete Warrior p. 102: a dude with the feat and with combat reflexes... if he is hit 3 times during the round by the same creature, does it give the dude 3 AoO against the critter ?

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

1 - Pinned beneath Rubble: Any creature pinned beneath rubble takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per minute while pinned. If a pinned character falls unconscious, he or she must make a DC 15 Constitution check or take 1d6 points of lethal damage each minute thereafter until freed or dead.

When you're pinned, you can't move. Someone else has to help you out. Can't help you with Colossal creatures, though...

2 - I'd say yes. The feat specifies that you may not take more attacks of opportunity that you could normally take in a round, but it doesn't say that you're limited to one.

AR

 

[Trainz]

Merci mon Tabarnack !

 

[Wonko the Sane]

I'd say yes. The feat specifies that you may not take more attacks of opportunity that you could normally take in a round, but it doesn't say that you're limited to one.

One would still be limited to only one AoO per opponent per round, no?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

One would still be limited to only one AoO per opponent per round, no?

Nope. One AoO per opportunity.

One opponent may present multiple opportunities, and thus draw multiple AoOs.

EDIT: This is a change from 3.0 to 3.5.

 

[Starglim]

I have a few rules that came up IMC:

1- The Earthquake spell in the PHB p. 225: does it automatically pin a creature when in an underground setting ? What can the creature do to un-pin itself ? What about a colossal creature ?

If the entire roof collapses, everything under it must be caught in the cave-in, and suffers the effects: pinned under the rubble, and 8d6 damage (Reflex save to halve the damage).

It's not clear to me if "pinned" is used as a technical term for the same condition described under Grappling. If that's the case, the creature is immobile (but not helpless) for one round, then can start making grapple or Escape Artist checks to escape the pin. The rubble has no BAB, no Strength and is a Colossal object, so it makes grapple checks at +16. Rather than going round by round, I'd get the players grapple check taking 20 and roll two grapple checks for the rubble against them for a two-minute period.

In that case a creature that is buried, but no longer pinned, stops taking nonlethal damage and can try to dig itself out by whatever means it has.

If a Colossal creature is not entirely covered by rubble, I'd allow it to free itself with any successful grapple check.

Is the spell shapable i.e. your friends aren't affected even in the burst ?

That's what the spell's stat block says. I'd apply a minimum dimension of 40 feet to the shaped area.