Otterscrubber
First Post
Is this allowed by the rules and if so how? Seems like it should be something that is within the realm of possibility but the rules don't seem to agree with me. Anyone out there who can show me otherwise?
Can a monk dimension door to a flying creature and hold on?
- Thread starter Otterscrubber
- Start date
jgsugden
Legend
The rules can not cover every possible situation.
This one, however, is covered by the D-door spell. The spell states that after casting this spell, you can not take any further actions that round. The monk ability (abundant step) says nothing that negates this clause. The monk could D-door to the location of a flying creature, but he could not hold on.
A DM may allow the monk to land on a large enough creature without needing to hold on, but otherwise the monk will appear on the creature and then take a dive. Even if the DM rules that holding on is a free action, the monk can take no actions, so he can not grab on.
This one, however, is covered by the D-door spell. The spell states that after casting this spell, you can not take any further actions that round. The monk ability (abundant step) says nothing that negates this clause. The monk could D-door to the location of a flying creature, but he could not hold on.
A DM may allow the monk to land on a large enough creature without needing to hold on, but otherwise the monk will appear on the creature and then take a dive. Even if the DM rules that holding on is a free action, the monk can take no actions, so he can not grab on.
Probably not, depending on how you interpret the ride skill.
The problem is that after using dimension door "you can't take any other actions until your next turn" (phb pg 221). Abundant step functions exactly like the dimension door spell (phb pg 42). Therefore, a monk cannot take an action after using the abundant step ability.
The easy case is a hostile flier. In order to grab it, you'd have to make a grapple attempt. That would require a touch attack and the grapple itself, both of which are actions. You can't take actions after using dimension door, therefore, you can't make a touch attack or grapple a hostile flier.
For a friendly flier, you need to turn to the ride skill. A kindly DM may treat this as an instance of staying in the saddle (phb pg 80). This allows you to stay in the saddle to avoid your mount doing something unexpected and is not an action. The logic here would be that since dimension door allows you to "arrive exactly at the desired spot" that spot could very well be the saddle.
An alternative view would be that the act of getting in the saddle qualifies as mounting the flying animal. The fast mount ability under the ride skill requires a free action. The DM might allow a fast mount action to be taken in conjuncture with the dimension door so that the action occurs prior to the movement (or in conjuncture with the movement since that is how mounting normally occurs). The kindly DM who lets you use fast mount with dimension door should probably increase the DC for the manuever considering the circumstances.A less generous DM might rule that the mounting roll is made after the movement has occurred, since the check is attempting to determine if you stay in the saddle or not. If that's the case, you wouldn't be able to make a fast mount check since doing so is a free action and dimension door prohibits you from taking any action (even free actions) upon arriving.
The problem is that after using dimension door "you can't take any other actions until your next turn" (phb pg 221). Abundant step functions exactly like the dimension door spell (phb pg 42). Therefore, a monk cannot take an action after using the abundant step ability.
The easy case is a hostile flier. In order to grab it, you'd have to make a grapple attempt. That would require a touch attack and the grapple itself, both of which are actions. You can't take actions after using dimension door, therefore, you can't make a touch attack or grapple a hostile flier.
For a friendly flier, you need to turn to the ride skill. A kindly DM may treat this as an instance of staying in the saddle (phb pg 80). This allows you to stay in the saddle to avoid your mount doing something unexpected and is not an action. The logic here would be that since dimension door allows you to "arrive exactly at the desired spot" that spot could very well be the saddle.
An alternative view would be that the act of getting in the saddle qualifies as mounting the flying animal. The fast mount ability under the ride skill requires a free action. The DM might allow a fast mount action to be taken in conjuncture with the dimension door so that the action occurs prior to the movement (or in conjuncture with the movement since that is how mounting normally occurs). The kindly DM who lets you use fast mount with dimension door should probably increase the DC for the manuever considering the circumstances.A less generous DM might rule that the mounting roll is made after the movement has occurred, since the check is attempting to determine if you stay in the saddle or not. If that's the case, you wouldn't be able to make a fast mount check since doing so is a free action and dimension door prohibits you from taking any action (even free actions) upon arriving.
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MarauderX
Explorer
By the rules, actually, as the dimension door is instantaneous and the character actually wouldn't fall until her turn. In which case, it's a new round and although the flying critter has probably moved, the character could have been lucky enough to anticipate where it would go, and be above it. Only then would she be able to make a grapple check (perhaps with a charge bonus due to falling speed) to hold on.
I like the idea of trying new things like this so I would probably allow the character to DD up to a flying creature and make a grapple check with some penalties to hold on. But again, what I would do belongs in the house rules...
I like the idea of trying new things like this so I would probably allow the character to DD up to a flying creature and make a grapple check with some penalties to hold on. But again, what I would do belongs in the house rules...
