Comments and questions on 3.5 from a Newbie

[MichaelH]

Where is this rule? I know I've read it somewhere (so does one of my players), but whenever it comes up we can't find it.

It's in footnote 3 in the chart on page 151 in the PHB.

 

[sniffles]

I can't seem to find these random target rules...can you provide a page reference?

I'd like to see a reference too if you get a chance, Patryn (or whomever is looking it up). I know my group rules that if you have Precise Shot, you no longer have any risk of hitting anyone other than whom you intended to hit. I do recall random target rules from 2e, though.

[edit] Whoops! I see Michael was looking it up as I typed. Thanks, Michael!!

 

[monboesen]

I'd like to see a reference too if you get a chance

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm#favorableandUnfavorableConditions

Look at footnote 3, second table: defender grabbling, attacker not.

# Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant you strike. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC

 

[BobROE]

Thanks to both of you, it's come up alot recently (comes with having an archer in the party), and I knew I'd read it somewhere.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

To respond to both of the above at the same time, it's in the table of defender's AC modifiers for various situations in the Combat chapter.

To quote:

Grappling (but attacker is not) +01 +0 1, 3

1 The defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC.
...
3 Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant you strike. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC.

You can find more here: http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/CombatII.rtf

EDIT: Drat. Completely beaten to the punch on that one.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

How did Lidda sneak attack Narrin in your second combat, Michael? (anyone else who can answer that, could you? Michael's example is at the end of last page.)

As far as I could tell, Narrin had no negation of his Dexterity. He had just Charged, but that didn't make a difference.

Note also that both Claire and Narrin were killed. Because Claire is dead, nobody among the survivors here knows where her disabled friends are. Lidda heard her mention the healer, and might find him, but Claire's party will all die now.
Unless Jozan resurrects Claire, and she will come back, despite being an elf, because her friends are all depending on her.

Also, Narrin had a squire. This squire will eventually find Narrin's body, remains, or where he is buried. And this squire will find Narrin's ranger friends (besides the now dead Grom) and they will begin tracking down those who killed Narrin.
The fact that Jozan, Mialee, and Tordek had nothing to do with the mess, won't make any difference. The squire (3rd level ranger) and his friends, will attempt to kill them all.

Grom had a wolf companion. It will track down those who killed Narrin on it's own. If Narrin's Squire can control it, it will accompany him.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

What could have happened:

Narrin saw Claire in the clearing.
Lidda saw Claire in the clearing and saw Narrin.
Narrin sneaked down to the clearing. Claire did not see him, Lidda did.
The dire bear approached. It heard noise from the clearing. Lidda saw it before Claire and Narrin, and called down to warn them.

Narrin and Claire put aside their differences briefly, because dire bears are dangerous (lol)
Both ran out of the clearing, and threw themselves down together in the underbrush and hid (strength in numbers) on the other side of the clearing from the Mysterious Voice that had warned them.

The dire bear wandered into the clearing. It sniffed around. It growled. But it did not see anyone, so it ... continued on it's way.
Narrin and Claire stayed down, waiting for the bear to be well away.
Lidda remained hidden.

Grom came sneaking through. Lidda saw him, but Claire and Narrin did not. Fortunately, Grom did not see Claire. He did not see anyone. He continued on after the bear.

Long minutes later, Claire and Narrin returned to the glade. Lidda was not there now (they looked for her, but found nothing.) Lidda was up at Narrin's hideout, scouting the place out. The squire there did not see or hear her.

Claire agreed with Narrin that it's too dangerous here, and accompanied Narrin to his hideout, where the squire was ready with refreshments.
Lidda, having done her job, returned to her companions. Lidda spotted the nest of Damaran vipers as she returned, so her friends will not blunder into them.

Nobody fought anyone. It all ended peaceably.

 

[MichaelH]

How did Lidda sneak attack Narrin in your second combat, Michael? (anyone else who can answer that, could you? Michael's example is at the end of last page.)

As far as I could tell, Narrin had no negation of his Dexterity. He had just Charged, but that didn't make a difference.

Lidda's first attack was a sneak attack because Narrin had ran the 120 feet in round 1 to be next to her. Running denies Narrin his dex to AC until his turn in round 2. Her sneak attack in round 2 was because she was flanking Narrin with Hennett who threatened Narrin with his shortspear.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

I read flanking, thinking that was what rule you were using.
I can't find where it says flanking negates dexterity. I tried, too.

 

[MichaelH]

Nobody fought anyone. It all ended peaceably.

It could have happened that way. But that is not as fun as mauling people with a dire bear and frying them with maximized lightning bolts.