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<blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 2775749" data-attributes="member: 18280">A Thought ExperimentBob the 3rd level rogue is angry at Olaf, the 20th level fighter.&nbsp; Olaf has now semi-retired and owns a sheep ranch.&nbsp; Bob hires a 5th level fighter to challenge Olaf to a non-lethal duel.&nbsp; He then drinks a polymorph potion and disguises himself as one of the sheep.&nbsp; We'll call the 5th level fighter Lemmony Joe.DM:&nbsp; As you are tending your sheep, Lemmony Joe arrives.&nbsp; He is brandishing his sword and challenges you to a duel.&nbsp; Just a duel to first blood, of course.&nbsp; Lemmony Joe isn't suicidal.Olaf's Player:&nbsp; Sure!&nbsp; I turn to face Lemmony Joe and draw my sword.&nbsp; Even without my armor on, my magic ring of protection, high initiative, and dodge bonus should make this easy enough.DM:&nbsp; Don't forget that Lemmony Joe has a flanking bonus because there is a sheep behind you.Olaf's Player:&nbsp; Sheep don't give flanking bonuses, do they.DM:&nbsp; Well, because it has natural attacks and is large enough, it technically threatens your space, and Lemmony Joe is always hanging around here, so it could be considered friendly to him..... (The DM knows that the sheep, really Bob the Rogue, is friendly to Lemmony Joe, and really is intent on making a sneak attack if he gets the opportunity.)Olaf's Player:&nbsp; Can I just step away from the sheep?DM:&nbsp; It seems determined to follow you.Olaf's Player:&nbsp; Look, I don't need to pay any attention to the sheep, okay?&nbsp; If I just ignore it, the flanking bonus goes away, right?DM:&nbsp; Well, yeah, I suppose.&nbsp; But you'd have to totally ignore it.&nbsp; You'd be unable to react to it in any way.&nbsp; Are you sure that's what you want to do?Olaf's Player:&nbsp; It's not like the sheep is going to attack me.&nbsp; Yeah, I ignore it.DM:&nbsp; In that case, the sheep delivers a coup-de-grace.&nbsp; Olaf's Player:&nbsp; WTF?!?!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Raven Crowking, post: 2775749, member: 18280"] [b]A Thought Experiment[/b] Bob the 3rd level rogue is angry at Olaf, the 20th level fighter. Olaf has now semi-retired and owns a sheep ranch. Bob hires a 5th level fighter to challenge Olaf to a non-lethal duel. He then drinks a polymorph potion and disguises himself as one of the sheep. We'll call the 5th level fighter Lemmony Joe. DM: As you are tending your sheep, Lemmony Joe arrives. He is brandishing his sword and challenges you to a duel. Just a duel to first blood, of course. Lemmony Joe isn't suicidal. Olaf's Player: Sure! I turn to face Lemmony Joe and draw my sword. Even without my armor on, my magic ring of protection, high initiative, and dodge bonus should make this easy enough. DM: Don't forget that Lemmony Joe has a flanking bonus because there is a sheep behind you. Olaf's Player: Sheep don't give flanking bonuses, do they. DM: Well, because it has natural attacks and is large enough, it technically threatens your space, and Lemmony Joe is always hanging around here, so it could be considered friendly to him..... (The DM knows that the sheep, really Bob the Rogue, is friendly to Lemmony Joe, and really is intent on making a sneak attack if he gets the opportunity.) Olaf's Player: Can I just step away from the sheep? DM: It seems determined to follow you. Olaf's Player: Look, I don't need to pay any attention to the sheep, okay? If I just ignore it, the flanking bonus goes away, right? DM: Well, yeah, I suppose. But you'd have to [I]totally[/I] ignore it. You'd be unable to react to it in any way. Are you sure that's what you want to do? Olaf's Player: It's not like the sheep is going to attack me. Yeah, I ignore it. DM: In that case, the sheep delivers a coup-de-grace. Olaf's Player: WTF?!?! [/QUOTE]

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