Free RPG day Ebberon Black Ooze escape

[Regicide]

Now, if it's a cloud of darkness or whatever, and it is accepted that it can be forced to move, why would the engulfee be forced to move with it?

Even a rollercoaster can't get the last thing I engulfed out of me! Usually. Those upside down twisty ones do have a chance.

 

[Meeble]

The bottom line is, no one can really make a fair judgment on the DM's call without a stat block. For all we know, the creature could be statted like a Feymire Crocodile or other creatures that swallow a target (and dont allow any option for escape other than killing the creature in question.)

 

[Nail]

The bottom line is, no one can really make a fair judgment on the DM's call without a stat block. For all we know, the creature could be statted like a Feymire Crocodile or other creatures that swallow a target (and dont allow any option for escape other than killing the creature in question.)

A Feymire Croc is a 10th level creature! Given that the PCs were 2nd level, I think it's safe to assume 10th level creatures (and their powers) are out-of-bounds. Swallowing is out.

Look over the Gelatinous Cube. The "Black Cloud" we're discussing is pretty clearly a re-skinned 'Cube.

 

[fnwc]

A creature like that sounds like a poor choice for any level adventure. And Keith Baker wrote this adventure??

Well, I imagine that the writer expected that the DM would rule per the grab rules in the PHB; if he decides that a push, pull or slide won't free a character, than this will naturally make the monster that much more difficult.

 

[Blizzardb]

Your DM completely screwed this one up. He owes you a bevarage of your choice.

No he didn't. He never claimed he was following the RaW, he made a ruling on the spot. And even by the RaW one may argue that the Gelatinous Cube has the ability to move with the engulfed target (although this is a pretty shaky position, I know).

And most importantly - the battle was fun! This means he didn't screw up.

 

[keterys]

I'd not be surprised if it wasn't a reskinned gelatinous cube and was in fact an actual Living Spell.

Somebody must have gotten the adventure to verify - fwiw, if the creature _restrains_ then forced movement (like a bard's slide) would not bring you out. I imagine you'd remember if it restrained, since that gives -2 to attacks and you give combat advantage...

Otherwise, if it 'grabbed' and didn't have something special, yeah, the DM called it wrong. If I used Divine Call on my invoker to pull an ally three squares with a word of divine power... oh yeah I'd expect it to pull him out of a gelatinous cube all right.

Now, the pushing Gelatinous Cube thing is actually a somewhat different issue. The grabbed target is 'in its space' and it moves normally with creatures engulfed within it - I wouldn't call out a DM for ruling as such, even if I'd default to the way that favored the characters being able to rescue their companions.

 

[Wycen]

I don't grok 4E stat blocks, but grabbed a copy of Khyber's Harvest for the tile that I can use.

The monster is a level 6 elite brute with 168 hit points. It lists Resist insubstantial, whatever that means.

I don't know if it is supposed to be a living spell, but it is described as living darkness (L).

Hope that helps.

 

[Meeble]

I don't grok 4E stat blocks, but grabbed a copy of Khyber's Harvest for the tile that I can use.

The monster is a level 6 elite brute with 168 hit points. It lists Resist insubstantial, whatever that means.

I don't know if it is supposed to be a living spell, but it is described as living darkness (L).

Hope that helps.

Is its "engulf" (or whatever it may be called) attack listed as a grab? That would give us much more to go on.

I do agree with Keterys however in that I also would not find it too out of line for a DM to rule that pushing a GC wouldn't automatically free its engulfed target.

 

[teachamath]

Yes the effect is a grab power during the engulf.

 

[Nail]

No he didn't. He never claimed he was following the RaW, he made a ruling on the spot. And even by the RaW one may argue that the Gelatinous Cube has the ability to move with the engulfed target (although this is a pretty shaky position, I know).

And most importantly - the battle was fun! This means he didn't screw up.

You might want to re-read the OP before you post something like this.

Not only was the DM supposed to be using RAW ("Free RPG Day"), but the poster is posting here because the battle was NOT fun.