Coup de Grace Question with Ectplasmic Cocoon

[Jhyarelle]

Ectoplasmic Cocoon
Metacreativity
Level: Shaper 3
Display: Auditory and material
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./ level)
Target: One Medium or smaller creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 5

You draw writhing strands of ectoplasm from the Astral Plane that wrap up the subject like a mummy. The subject can still breathe but is otherwise helpless, unable to see outside the cocoon, speak, or take any physical actions. The subject’s nostrils are clear (air passes through the cocoon normally). The subject can execute purely mental actions (such as manifesting powers or casting spells with no verbal, somatic, or material components).

Cutting or damaging the cocoon can free a victim. The cocoon has hardness 8 and 20 hit points. Teleportation and other forms of travel provide a means of escape, but the cocoon extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel. An ectoplasmic cocoon can’t be affected by dispel psionics, but it can be dismissed with dismiss ectoplasm, or otherwise destroyed by extreme measures or items.

The creature within the cocoon is visible only as a vague shape (substantial enough to interrupt line of sight) and cannot be directly harmed or interacted with unless the cocoon is destroyed. The cocooned creature can be moved normally (the weight of the cocoon is negligible).
A creature that is cocooned while aloft begins to fall immediately, and a creature that is cocooned while swimming or underwater may drown.

Can I coup de grace a cocooned victim if I take the full round action and cover the victim's nasal air way or shove a dagger or crossbow bolt up the victims nasal cavity? Please assume cocooned victim is a humanoid.

 

[Dandu]

If you try to suffocate him you'll probably incur the rules for holding one's breath. Shoving a pointy object up his nostril seems more likely to do him damage, though depending on the size of the cocoon's opening, you might just end up cutting his nose.

 

[frankthedm]

I'd say this takes precedence.

The creature within the cocoon is visible only as a vague shape (substantial enough to interrupt line of sight) and cannot be directly harmed or interacted with unless the cocoon is destroyed.

No stabbing, no CDG, no targeting.

 

[bobhayes]

No. Not only what Frank said about the explicit "no harm to the subject" text, but also you're assuming that there's a clear spot/path at the nostrils. It doesn't say that; rather, it says that the cocoon passes air so the subject can breath.

The only thing that I might waver on as your DM is if you have a melee attack to which hardness 8/20 hit points is a trivial barrier, I might not make you break that into a separate action but rather let you fold it into the coup de grace full-round action. If your regular melee hit does 40 points of damage...fine, you can ignore the cocoon.

Covering someone's nostrils will be highly ineffective in a D&D context, by the way. The typical humanoid can easily hold their breath/do without air for 60 seconds. You going to stand there for 10 rounds doing nothing but snot-block?

 

[Sekhmet]

The only thing that I might waver on as your DM is if you have a melee attack to which hardness 8/20 hit points is a trivial barrier, I might not make you break that into a separate action but rather let you fold it into the coup de grace full-round action.

Can't CDG an object. The cocoon is an object.
Cannot CDG through it.