Do Falling Objects Automatically Hit You?

[Plane Sailing]

In the moment I ruled per the RAW because it seemed to address things suffuciently and I wanted to get the game moving and stop arguing about it. Later, I thought about making falling objects have an attack roll like with falling brick/stone/etc. traps. However, such traps have an attack roll set by the trap's crafter. How would I set the attack modifier for the above scenario and for falling objects in general?

In the trap crafting rules, the default attack bonus is +10 (you get it cheaper for less, more expensive for higher), so +10 might be a good compromise.

Mind you, maybe it ought to be +0, since there is no mind to guide/plan it?

My personal preference in this kind of situation would be to give a Reflex save because it just looks like the kind of thing that Reflex saves are built for,

Just thought - Wall of Iron gives another example of avoiding something falling, and that uses a Ref save too.

If you desire, the wall can be created vertically resting on a flat surface but not attached to the surface, so that it can be tipped over to fall on and crush creatures beneath it. The wall is 50% likely to tip in either direction if left unpushed. Creatures can push the wall in one direction rather than letting it fall randomly. A creature must make a DC 40 Strength check to push the wall over. Creatures with room to flee the falling wall may do so by making successful Reflex saves. Any Large or smaller creature that fails takes 10d6 points of damage. The wall cannot crush Huge and larger creatures.

Cheers

 

[TheGogmagog]

In the case in question, Items falling without an attacker, I like the D20 Modern Rules. That's the closest thing published for this case.

Well, since the RAW don't cover the issue, you could always do like I do: rip the info from another WotC d20 product. D20 Modern, in this case.

• A falling Tiny-sized object allows a DC 5 Reflex save for half damage. The DC increases by 5 for each size category increase of the object (DC 10 for Small, 15 for Medium, and etc.).
• If the save fails by 10 or more, and the object is at least three size categories larger than the character, the character is pinned under the fallen object. A pinned character cannot move but is not helpless.
• A pinned character can make a Strength check (DC 5 for Small objects, 10 for Medium, +10 for each size category larger than Medium) to lift the object off themself, or an Escape Artist check (DC 20) to get out from underneath. Modify the DCs for these checks as necessary based on the circumstances.

Simple, no?

 

[TheGogmagog]

If there is an attacker (ie. I fly overhead and drop this) then ranged attack roll would be the way to go. I forgot about range increments, so don't forget the -1 for every 10' (and therefore d6 of falling damage). For Large-Huge-Gargantuan items like the above mentioned 15' block I might require both. An attack roll (progressively harder depending on height) to determine what squares are affected, then the D20 Modern save (DC25 if I'm reading it right) for the targets to avoid.

3. Improvised weapon could only apply if the target is within 5 range increments.

What could have lead you to that conclusion?

 

[Atavar]

Hello Everyone,

I thought I'd update you with what I decided to go with in my campaign. The Heroes of Battle rules book has Aerial Bombardment rules on pp 67-68, and I have decided to use them. In short, it combines an attack roll with a saving throw.

In detail, the attacker makes an attack roll against AC 5 to hit a particular square on the battle grid with a falling object, taking a -4 penalty for using an improvised weapon and the usual penalties for range increments; for falling objects the range increment is 50 ft.

If the attacker misses then the the square that the object actually hits is determined with the Missing with Thrown Objects rules in the PHB.

Anyone in the square(s) hit by the object can make a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid all damage.

Damage is determined per the usual rules on p. 303 of the DMG and is based on the weight of the object and the distance fallen.

There are also rules for "dive bombing" that effect the range increment penalty and distance dropped, and there are rules for taking more penalties to the attack role if your flight maneuverability is low enough.

What the rules do NOT cover is how to handle falling objects that don't really have an attacker, which was the case in my last session. In this case I am ruling that all of the above rules apply but that the attack roll total is +10 because that is the typical attack roll for falling object traps.

Finally, I am ruling that a creature cannot "drop himself" in such an attack. The closest thing to it in my campaign is the crush special attack that dragons have.

So, what do you all think of the above?

Later,

Atavar

 

[Nail]

So, what do you all think of the above?

Sounds good!

I especially like the reasonable Ref save. It meshes well with the rest of the system and prevents abuse a la Hulking Hurler.