Being Prone

[Waite]

Hi Everyone.

Ok, so we have a new character that uses a Spiked Chain to trip foes in my campaign Please enlighten me on what a prone character can and can't do. Do they lose their Dex bonus? Is a prone character subject to Sneak Attacks? Can a tripped character attack from the ground? Can the character trip multiple times with each attack if they have multiple attacks per round?

Thanks.

 

[Iku Rex]

Ok, so we have a new character that uses a Spiked Chain to trip foes in my campaign Please enlighten me on what a prone character can and can't do. Do they lose their Dex bonus? Is a prone character subject to Sneak Attacks? Can a tripped character attack from the ground? Can the character trip multiple times with each attack if they have multiple attacks per round?

No. No. Yes. Yes. (Though the last question is strangely worded.)

As the DM you should really read the PH combat chapter. (In this case, table 8-5, 8-6 and the entry on trip are of particular interest to you.)

 

[Waite]

Thanks Iko. Why should I read when I have experts like you at my beckon call on these boards. So it seems like this is a pretty powerful combat manuever. Are there ways to thwart Trip attacks?

 

[Infiniti2000]

Obviously, the best way to thwart a trip attack is not get tripped. Keep in mind that tripping can be less than useful if you fail to trip your opponent. Your opponent then gets a free chance to trip you and if successful, you either drop your weapon (typically a really bad choice) or get tripped yourself.

Another way to thwart a trip attack is sunder the weapon that tripped you (if possible -- and it's not possible if the tripper used an unarmed attack).

There's a feat that allows you to attack while prone at no penalty, called Prone Attack. There's an epic DC on Tumble that allows you to stand up quickly. There are also some houserules on being prone, either allowing you to stand up more quickly (similar to the epic DC) or some feats that compensate for it.

 

[Liquidsabre]

IIRC prone characters are at a -4 to their AC and to their attacks.

Characters who attempt to stand from prone while threatened provoke an attack of opportunity but cannot be tripped with that AoO as they are still prone when it occurs). Unless the spiked chain wielder has combat reflexes they only get one AoO per round. Also keep in mind that creatures provide cover (soft) to others behind them. This means that characters with reach do not get an AoO from creatures that have cover (i.e. has a creature between them and their target that provoked an AoO).

A typical reaction from a creature to the whirling chain of spikes or a whipping sharp glaive tip after a trip is to defend themselves from it through the "fight defensively" or "full defense" actions (a standard action) and then attempt to stand (move action), followed by a 5-ft step either away (often if fighting alone) or towards the reach-wpn wielder (if with numerous allies). Of course, in a grand melee there's nothing wrong with simply lashing out and attacking from the ground.

 

[Waite]

Thanks for the responses.

Another question. Let's say the spiked chain wielder with Improved Disarm and Improved Trip trips a foe. Then the next round the SC wielder tries to Disarm. What bonuses would the wielder get over the prone opponent. Since Disarm is opposing attack rolls, the prone opponent would be -4 on the opposing attack roll. But would the wielder get any bonuses for the -4 to AC that the prone opponent has? What else do I need to consider?

 

[shilsen]

Thanks for the responses.

Another question. Let's say the spiked chain wielder with Improved Disarm and Improved Trip trips a foe. Then the next round the SC wielder tries to Disarm. What bonuses would the wielder get over the prone opponent. Since Disarm is opposing attack rolls, the prone opponent would be -4 on the opposing attack roll. But would the wielder get any bonuses for the -4 to AC that the prone opponent has? What else do I need to consider?

On disarm vs. a prone opponent, you benefit from the -4 penalty that the opponent takes to attack rolls. That's it.

 

[Festivus]

Do the tripped creature have Combat Expertise?

Yes - Use Combat Expertise (+5 dodge, -5 attack), Stand up from Prone (AOO), 5 foot step.
No - Use Total Defense (+4 dodge), Stand up from Prone (AOO), 5 foot step.
or if in melee range - Use Fighting Defensively (-4 attack roll, +2 dodge bonus) and attempt to sunder tripper weapon (AOO), Stand up from Prone (AOO), 5 foot step.

Regarding 5 foot step, if more than one creature present and available to attack the chain wielder, five foot step towards Spiked chain wielder, attempt to grapple or sunder as needed, trying to get into flanking position if possible.

If you are going to try and sunder, what is the Hardness/HP of a spiked chain anyhow? I am guessing 5/10 (two handed hafted weapon) or 10/10 (see hardness of a regular chain). There is another topic on this here:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=165937

 

[Iku Rex]

Do the tripped creature have Combat Expertise?

Yes - Use Combat Expertise (+5 dodge, -5 attack), Stand up from Prone (AOO), 5 foot step.

That's a total of -9 on the opposed attack roll when the SC wielder tries to disarm you. Not to mention the SC's +2 on disarm rolls, the +4 for wielding a two-handed weapon or the possibility of another +4 from Improved Disarm.