A Possibly Brilliant Strategy?

[Pinotage]

Do we know for certain that being marked means you can't take AoO without taking the damage? I can definitely see the skeleton being allowed to smack the warlock out of the way so he can concentrate on getting to the fighter.

Pinotage

 

[Larrin]

I think whether a skeleton would persist in the OA-ing is a style choice. With and int of 3 and probably a low wisdom, a living character would probably stop after the first bout of divine punishment, but depending on how you do your skeletons, they might gladly take 13 damage to chance dealing you some because A) they're dead and they don't care if they die even more B)they hate the living that much C) they were commanded by their creator "Killall humans" and will do so at every opurtunity, their own well being ignored. D) the DM feels their stats imply they would. I've never really gotten a real "I care about my own well being" vibe from skeleton warrior. Plus they seem geared toward OA's so that implies that they might be strongly 'programed' to take them even at the cost of their own safety.

But a different DM could just as correctly gauge that the skeleton focuses solely on the paladin. its a style choice.

 

[Unlogic]

I personally would just make the skeleton roll an insight check, probably vs DC 10, to see if it realizes that the PCs are trying to bait it. And if it succeeds, have it not take the bait after its bloodied.

 

[Stormtalon]

I'd allow it, despite the 3 int of the skeleton; animated undead like skeletons and zombies, imo, simply lack any concept of self-preservation or survival instinct. While it's theoretically smart enough to know that taking the shot at the warlock is not in its best interests, its purpose as an expendable killing machine means all it thinks about is hitting stuff. The entire idea of "it hurts me when I do this, so maybe I shouldn't do this," is simply not in their mindset.

 

[LostSoul]

That seems a little... risky.

The skeletal warrior has a +12 vs. her 15 AC on Opp Attacks, and does 1d8+1d6+2 damage. That's about a third of her total HP that she's risking.

 

[ebenmckay]

That seems a little... risky.

The skeletal warrior has a +12 vs. her 15 AC on Opp Attacks, and does 1d8+1d6+2 damage. That's about a third of her total HP that she's risking.

Like I said, gutsy player.

Also, the Divine Challenge knocks that attack bonus back down by 2, so it was +10 vs 15 AC. And I never rolled 2s and 3s so many times on a d20.

 

[Stalker0]

The only problem I see with this is the 13 damage. The pregen paladin's mark only does 8, which is enough!!

I think you could run the skeleton either way. In general, I don't think skeletons place any value on their existence, so they are okay with suicidal orders. But an ooze for example, which is really dumb, still would quickly learn that certain actions are bad.

Now if golems are still mindless, it should be willing to attack your warlock everytime.

As for the undead and charms argument, it makes perfect sense to me that undead are vulnerable to charms. Consider that in dnd you are dealing with completely alien mindsets (aberrations for example). I mean, an undead's mind is likely not that far out there. In fact, in some ways an undead mind could be easier to influence. Their mostly instinctual (at least the base level ones are). You know, kill kill kill. Think about having to use magic to subvert all the complexities and intricacies of a mind flayer's mind?

 

[RigaMortus2]

To be honest - as others have said - since the skeleton knows exactly what's been done to it by the paladin marking it, I'd say that it can act sensibly in combat.

It's not like "Ow, it hurts when I do that!" is a particularly brain-taxing exercise.

Then you have to ask yourselves, "Do skeletons feel pain?".

 

[LostSoul]

Like I said, gutsy player.

Very!

I guess the question is, what's more fun for your group? Playing the monster in the most tactically-challenging manner possible, or nerfing it based on its character?

 

[Family]

Dr. Foreman: "Bone pain is the worst pain."

That said without a brain or grey matter in its spinal column the sensation would have a hard time being interpreted. Unless the same will that drives it also recognizes it.

That being said my opinion would be:

Only when its girlfriend breaks up with it via scry messaging. (Or a after reading one of my posts).