D&D Word Problem Quiz

[Larcen]

Remember in school when you had to do math word problems? Despite hating to do them with a passion there was a side of me that knew that word problems were the most practical ways to apply math to the real world. Math has a set of rules and word problems show how much you've learned to apply them to everyday situations. I was thinking of doing the same thing with the D&D rules set. After all, that is what all DMs must face constantly at the gaming table.

Here is what I propose: I will present a list of "Cinematic Situations" and you guys apply the appropriate rules to them. If you MUST go outside the 3 core books, please state your source.

NOTE: I am not looking for an answer consisting of exact numbers, that would be impossible since there is not enough information provided. Instead, describe the solution in terms of rules used, like "She makes a balance roll" or "He makes a to-hit roll". Also, you don't have to address all the examples, you can pick and chose those you know for certain.

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DM Rules Application 101
- Word Problems Quiz 1 -

#1. Evaldood wants to kill Damselin Dystress because Nytin Armur is about to burst into the hidden dungeon any second now. There is a bottomless pit 50 feet away. Evaldood wants to physically grab Damselin, drag her to the pit, and then push her in. He is obviously in a hurry and she is is obviously going to fight back. Will Nytin make it there in time?

#2. In order to impress the locals, Litefoot wants to do a backward somersault off the bar table and throw his dagger to hit the bull's eye on the dart board 20 feet away...all at the same time.

#3. Aragorn wants to do the infamous Toss The Dwarf maneuver to get his buddy Gimli unto the bridge full of orcs 8 feet away. Gimli wants to land swinging, possibly using the force of his flight behind his first attack.

#4. For effect, Shurshott wants to skewer with his thrown dagger the moneypouch sitting 20 feet away that Rich Merchant is reaching for.

#5. For effect, Shurshott wants to skewer the moneypouch that Rich Merchant is holding 20 feet away.

#6. For effect, Shurshott wants to skewer the moneypouch that Rich Merchant is playfully tossing into the air with one hand.

#7. Mac the Knife wants to convince the guard to let him pass and the player roleplays the situation excellently.

#8. Mac the Knife wants to convince the guard to let him pass and the player doesn't want to be bothered with any in-game dialog.

#9. Mac the Knife wants to get the best price at the market for "his" brand new knife, but the merchant has heard of his reputation.

#10 Ninjoe tosses 3 shurikens at Sam Urai. Sam attempts to knock them out of the air with his katana before they strike him. (Note, this same sitaution could be applied to Aragon and a thrown Uruk Hai dagger.)

I have many others, but that should be enough to get everyone's rules lawyer juices flowing. If the response is good, I'll post a few more "exercises". I am curious to see how the various DMs out there address this first set.

 

[AuraSeer]

1) Dragging opponents around is covered in the FAQ. The bad guy needs to first grapple his victim, using the normal rules. If he gets a hold, he can use an opposed Grapple check to drag her toward the pit. While dragging her, he moves as if under Heavy encumbrance, and can only Move once per round; if he's human, he can drag her 20' per round.

So assuming Evaldood wins every grapple check, it will take at least four rounds to drag the victim to the pit. (Round 1, grab her. Rounds 2 and 3, move 20' toward pit. Round 4, move remaining 10' to pit and drop victim in.)

2) The backflip is a Tumble check (DC 15).

The dagger shot is an attack roll, against AC 13 (10 -5 (Dex) +8 (Fine size)). He suffers a -4 penalty on the roll because the target is 2 range increments away, and also an optional circumstance penalty determined by the DM (because he's trying to do it in midair).

Since the character is really attempting to impress the locals, he should also make a Perform (or possibly Bluff) check. The DM should apply a circumstance penalty if he failed either above roll, or grant a circumstance bonus if he succeeded.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Okay, I will give it a try:

#1:
Grabbing would require a Grapple Check. Afterwards, you might consider the pushing/pulling as a Bull Rush. The Grapple is necessary to ensure that Damselin doesn`t simply go away on its turn.
Will he make it in time? Tough Call, it depends on the opponents Strength and Melee Abilities - and the speed of Evaldood - assuming he is a typical medium size creautre (speed 30 ft), he will need at least 3 rounds - 1 grabbing, 2 bullrushes.

#2:
He will have to make a Tumble Check (DC 20?), and then a ranged attack Roll. Give the Bull`s Eye an AC (Base DC 5 for immobile Object, +4 from size?). All at the same time would, in this case, mean within one round. If he wants it even faster, I would applay a -5 penalty to at least one of the checks, typically the attack roll.

The alternative is - he wants to impress them? Maybe an Intimidate Check. DC is the highest locale HD, +2 for every local who succeeds at a level check DC 10.

#3:
This action probably gains some automatic "cinematic bonus to all checks". Let`s give it a try. Since Aragorn does not want to move himself, this can`t be handled via a Bullrush. Let`s make it a ranged attack with an improved weapon (-4 penalty to all attack rolls). Estimate the weight of the dwarf and the resulting encumbrance. Use the encumbrance skill penalties as additional penalty to the attack roll. Dwarfes have a Range Increment of 5 feet (lowest possible). A square has an AC of 5.
If Aragorn misses, use the grenade like weapon rules.

Gimli himself should probably make a Balance Check DC 15 if Aragorn hits, DC 25 if he misses.

#4:
Ranged Attack Roll, DC 5+size modifier, probably something around +4 to +8, total 13.

#5:
Ranged Attack Roll, DC 15 + size modifier + Rich Merchants Dex Modifer (see Strike an Object, p. 135 in the Players Handbook)

#6: Same as above.

#7 + 8:
Depending on the situation, it might call for a Diplomacy Check. Assuming the Guard is at least unfriendly, the DC is approximately 25.
If it is a bluff, than the DC would be set by the opponents Sense Motive Check, who would probably get at least a +10 Bonus to it.
Roleplaying would certainly give a bonus of at least +2, unless the performance of the player is really stupid. If the performance is great, and it makes sense in the context, the bonus might be much bigger, maybe I wouldn`t bother to roll.

#9:
Diplomacy DC 15. The Merchant is unfriendly, and to succesfully trade, he should be at least be indifferent.

#10:
If he does not have the Deflect Arrows Feat, he is usually in trouble. If you consider the Deflect Arrows Feat a "Deflect Arrow Profiency", use the rules for Deflect Arrows, with a -4 penalty to the Reflex Save.
Alternately, opposed attack rolls, with a cumulativ -5 penalty for each attack roll after the first for our katanaswinging guy.

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[AuraSeer]

4) This is an attack on an unattended object. Assuming the pouch is size Diminutive, the AC is 9 (10 - 5 (Dex) + 4 (size)). The thrower gets a -4 penalty for being 2 range increments away.

5, 6) This is attacking an attended object. It gets the benefit of the merchant's Dex, and any magical deflection bonuses he has. If he has Dex 10 and no magic, the AC is 14 (10 + size). Again, the attack roll suffers a -4 penalty for range.

The DM may apply a circumstance penalty for the case where the pouch is in the air.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Auraseer, just read your post - I didn`t know this rule from the FAQ. This might be useful... The Bullrush idea seemed to be somewhat.. weak.

 

[AuraSeer]

7, 8) Depending on how the character approaches the guard, this is a Diplomacy or Bluff check, opposed by the guard's Sense Motive check. If the player RPs the interaction, the DM applies a circumstance bonus (or penalty) based on how well he does.

9) This is probably a Diplomacy check, opposed by the merchant's Sense Motive check. The merchant gets a hefty circumstance bonus to his check, since he's particularly wary in this situation.

(I say "probably" Diplomacy, because again it depends on how the character approaches the situation. He could also use Bluff or Intimidate, for instance.)

 

[AuraSeer]

10) If Sam were unarmed and had the Deflect Arrows feat, he could make a Reflex save (DC 20) to deflect one shuriken. There's probably an armed version of that feat around someplace, which would let him do the deflection with a weapon.

If Sam lacks the feat, he's out of luck.

 

[Hypersmurf]

#3. Aragorn wants to do the infamous Toss The Dwarf maneuver to get his buddy Gimli unto the bridge full of orcs 8 feet away. Gimli wants to land swinging, possibly using the force of his flight behind his first attack.

I'd consider it to be "Aid Another" on the Gimli's Jump check, and consider Gimli to be charging as far as bonuses/penalties go.

-Hyp.

 

[kreynolds]

If he has Dex 10 and no magic, the AC is 14 (10 + size). Again, the attack roll suffers a -4 penalty for range.

The AC is 19, isn't it? It's in his hand, so it gets a +5 bonus (page 135, PH). Or does your base 10 already take that into account?

 

[Steverooo]

Re: D&D Word Problem Quiz #1

#1. Evaldood wants to kill Damselin Dystress because Nytin Armur is about to burst into the hidden dungeon any second now. There is a bottomless pit 50 feet away. Evaldood wants to physically grab Damselin, drag her to the pit, and then push her in. He is obviously in a hurry and she is is obviously going to fight back. Will Nytin make it there in time?

First, since Nytin is only a second or so away (and rounds are six of'em), roll Initiative for all three parties... If Nytin wins, Evaldood is gonna hafta face TWO opponents!

If Damselin wins, she can move away before Eval can do anything. Eval can then try to follow (if he's next and Nytin's last), but he'll probably move slower, since he should be armored up to face Nytin, so Damselin will get away! (STOOPID Villian, not tying up the prisoners!) If Nytin goes after Damselin, then, again, Eval is stomped.

If Eval wins, he can make a grapple check against Damselin, but she will probably leave bloody trails on the backs of the villian's hands, with her Attack of Opportunity proviked by his unarmed strike. Ha! Take that, you cad! Thereafter, Damselin can try to run, if he missed, or attack, if he hit (assuming she moves next), or Nytin can burst through the door, and back to paragraph one...

In any case, Evaldood will have no time, with Nytin only seconds away, to drag Damselin to her doom, and will enjoy a good stompin' by the hero (and heroine!), as all dastardly villians should! Afterwards, maybe our heros will throw HIM in the pit, before riding off into the sunset!

(EDIT: By the way... Bottomless pits don't cause death, just very long trips...)