blargney the second
blargney the minute's son
How about sneak attack applies if you threaten (not necessarily confirm) a critical?
Fighting monsters 3 size categories bigger
- Thread starter blargney the second
- Start date
It isn't fair either for larger monsters to be able to take 10-ft steps and continue to make full attacks, while denying the fighter his ability to make a full attack.
It however, fails to elaborate just what being able to pick out a vital spot well enough entails. Nor do individual monster entries explicitly mention where their vitals are or how tall PCs have to be to reach them. So this entry is as good as not existing as all! For example, a halfling can continue to SA a tarrasque just fine because he is within reach, and nothing in its entry states that the tarrasque's vitals are beyond the halfling's reach.The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
Basically, I see no need to needlessly penalize the rogue where nothing in the rules suggests otherwise. So I would allow SA to apply as per normal, regardless of the size of the monster.
StreamOfTheSky
Adventurer
See, to me it doesn't make sense that the guy who's 50 ft tall yet only has the speed of a human should get to take longer adjustment steps than the 5 ft tall monk with speed 90.
I've considered making 5 ft step vary based on speed of the creature, but haven't implemented it yet.
blargney the second
blargney the minute's son
Iron Heroes had a 1/4 speed shift. Never tried it, but it looked kind of neat.
I guess this is really more what we've been doing. Larger creatures with higher movement rates can take relative 5' steps, but a Medium creature can usually only move 5' with a 5' step.
Jeff Wilder
First Post
If someone can reach a creature to attack normally, by definition its vitals aren't "out of reach," right? There can be exceptions, but when you're talking about denying a class its most important combat feature, looking for exceptions is ill-advised.
As for explaining the effects of attacks between differently-sized creatures, that's some of the most fun you'll get to have as a DM ...
"The cloud giant's morningstar slams into the ground beside Regdar, narrowly missing him, but nearly knocking him from his feet with the impact. Unfortunately for the giant, it doesn't realize, as it's lifting the morningstar for another blow, that Regdar is balanced precariously atop the huge weapon. It has time for its eyes to widen in shock ... and as Regdar leaps to the attack, and his vorpal blade goes snicker-snack, that shocked expression remains on the giant's face as its head thunks meatily to the earth."
As for explaining the effects of attacks between differently-sized creatures, that's some of the most fun you'll get to have as a DM ...
"The cloud giant's morningstar slams into the ground beside Regdar, narrowly missing him, but nearly knocking him from his feet with the impact. Unfortunately for the giant, it doesn't realize, as it's lifting the morningstar for another blow, that Regdar is balanced precariously atop the huge weapon. It has time for its eyes to widen in shock ... and as Regdar leaps to the attack, and his vorpal blade goes snicker-snack, that shocked expression remains on the giant's face as its head thunks meatily to the earth."
My only hold up with this method is that almost any Medium size Barbarian gets to make 10' steps at first level. Additionally, Medium monks will take huge 5' steps in not that many levels, though I suppose that could just be one of the added enticements of the class to some players who are reluctant to play monks as they are.
Not to threadjack, but I'm curious: how has this played out rules/balance-wise? I've wanted to do much the same thing, but have noticed that a few creatures that are that big would be WAY more effective with Reach + bigger "5-foot steps."
blargney the second
blargney the minute's son
For the most part it works pretty well. Occasionally it can cause headaches for the players since giants get to play keep-away with the fighters in the party, but it frequently makes the encounters with giants more giantish. To me, huge creatures need to seem HUGE. If they can only move 5' despite having stride lengths of 15' they seem more like Jabba than a Frost Giant.
