Game broke down over Pinning Strike

[keterys]

Pinning Smash only lasts 1 turn on a _miss_. On a hit it lasts almost forever, just like the weapon special ability.

I really don't like either, conceptually... just not a fan of powers that seem to make the game more static and boring.

 

[eriktheguy]

Yeah, and there's no excuse for making a power that immobilizes indefinitely without a save.

 

[Hjorimir]

We don't let something silly like a rule get in the way of good DMing. I wouldn't be surprised at all if one of my DMs ruled that the dragon escaped based on the description of the scenario.

Then again, I'm also not surprised when one of my DMs rules something in my favor based on the situation.

 

[Rel]

Couldn't the dragon simply Bull Rush the Fighter a square away from him so that he was no longer adjacent?

 

[Victim]

Couldn't the dragon attempt to bullrush the fighter away, and thus end the pin since the fighter would cease being adjacent? Granted, that wouldn't work without some additional power/ability against a dwarf.

 

[balard]

I'm with Cadfan. If the player can describe in game term why the dragon should stay, it stays. If not, the dragon is free to fly. I like to think the rules are the starting point, not the end point for adjudicating situations.

 

[BobTheNob]

Yeah, and there's no excuse for making a power that immobilizes indefinitely without a save.

Agreed. I would like a caveat such as "Lasts till end of next round, Sustain : Power is sustained as long as the fighter scores at least one hit with a basic melee attack or fighter power" so there is at least SOME way for creatures to break it other than teleports.

To origina OP. This power is a bit of a thorn in our side too, but my players tend to accept my decisions and if I had been in the OP position (which btw I totally agree with your decision) I would go to the trouble of just making my motives completely transparent and the players have to learn that rule interpretation ends with the DM. (Mind you, youngest in our group is 35, so we do have a maturity factor working for us...)

 

[mevers]

My personal guideline in these disputes is to ask the player to describe why the power would work the way he thinks, speaking in-game instead of by rules references. If he can't, then I go ahead and rule the way I was going to. So I would have asked, "the dragon is pinned even though you can't move? What are you doing that pins it?" And if he gave me something plausible, I'd go with it. If not, I'd say that he had pinned the dragon by fighting with it and that he can't now that he's unable to act.

I think this is the best solution. Puts the onus back on the Player. If he wants to continue the pin, he needs to work for it.

 

[Derren]

See you in a week.

Don't threadcrap, kids. We don't care for it.

~ Piratecat

 

[IceFractal]

Description is a two-edged sword though. Let's say I'm the player, and I have to explain why the dragon is still pinned. Well what if I say:
"Obviously, it's pinned because I stabbed my spear through its wing, nailing it to the ground."

Is the onus now on the DM to explain why the dragon doesn't take additional damage and penalties to flight?