Creatures dropping down from above: how to resolve?

[Storminator]

I treat it as a charge with a free Bullrush at +4 to the attacker.

PS

 

[Saeviomagy]

Big creatures: big cats, gorillas, other large things that like to jump out of trees onto you - it's a charge, using the same rules. Apply any applicable falling damage to both the target and the attacker. If 500 lbs of angry monkey comes flying 30' down onto you, you're going to feel it. Then he'll pull your arms off and beat you with them afterwards.

Be prepared for flying characters knocking the stuffing out of your monsters then.

If there's no disadvantage to a tactic, your players will use it, and typically to better effect than your monsters ever can.

Someone leaping upon an opponent gets a +1 to hit for higher ground and a +2 to hit for charging. That's it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The attacker would also get an additional +2 for attacking from Higher Ground.

+1.

If the target is lucky enough to have reach and combat reflexes (or if he's not flat footed), he'll get an AOO on the jumper.

If the attacker is actually entering your square, you don't even need the reach...

One might even make a case for an AoO if the attacker dropped from above into an adjacent square... if one extends the AoO rules to three dimensions, he leaves a cube you threaten when he drops the last five feet...

-Hyp.

 

[Sejs]

Be prepared for flying characters knocking the stuffing out of your monsters then.

If there's no disadvantage to a tactic, your players will use it, and typically to better effect than your monsters ever can.

Hasn't been an issue so far. In part, due to the fact that the folks that seem to be flying around most often tend to be the spellcasters and they generally don't like taking damage if they can avoid it.

As for there not being any disadvantage to the tactic... you have to take the falling damage too. If you do anything to avoid or mitigate the falling damage, the target likewise benefits, as I handle it. If you make yourself not fall as hard, you don't well... fall as hard.

 

[Saeviomagy]

As for there not being any disadvantage to the tactic... you have to take the falling damage too. If you do anything to avoid or mitigate the falling damage, the target likewise benefits, as I handle it. If you make yourself not fall as hard, you don't well... fall as hard.

See, that's a little different from what you originally said. That puts a disadvantage in, and makes it a not-entirely optimal tactic.