Gelatinous Cube vs. Swap Places

[Burr]

While Saitou's suggestion make sense to me, a pure-fluff solution is to say that cubes are very springy, so it's movements cause a brief wave of emptiness at the edges that can be moved through if the tactically-minded warlord is expecting it.

A more oozy option is to say when moving, the cube gathers its ooze from around the edges towards the new center, briefly leaving space to move around.

 

[pawsplay]

I've been wondering what a prone cube would look like.

Like a cube not moving quickly. Maybe only the bottom side is slimy?

 

[MortalPlague]

I would probably rule that you can't use that power on a cube so long as it's completely blocking the corridor. If it's in the open somewhere with room to step around it, fine, power works. You can play it as if the warlord lures the cube forward then steps around it like a matador. But in a hallway with no room to maneuver? Not going to happen.

 

[the Jester]

I've been wondering what a prone cube would look like.

Perhaps tilted up against something, so that it was on an edge rather than a side?

 

[Saeviomagy]

I have to say that saying "you can't do that because it's silly" isn't a very good argument when you're talking about a creature that is a 10' cube of soft goo. I'd probably get my player to give an explanation as to how he goes about the manuever, then allow it unless his explanation was terrible or uncool.

 

[theNater]

I've been wondering what a prone cube would look like.

Well, you knock it onto one of its other sides. It's like fighting a giant gooey d6!

 

[frankthedm]

I rule the power that would have switched them brings the cube to where the victim was and the victim into the cube. Silliness averted.

Is there anything in the rules (other than the common sense of the DM) to prevent powers with "swap places" abilities from working on gelatinous cubes? How about larger creatures in general? I could see fighting a giant or dragon in such a way that you duck underneath and wind up on the other side, but the GC example takes my suspension of disbelief to the limit.

Well, I'd assume if there is not room to fit, the ability fizzles.

 

[Oompa]

Hmm i think i would rule he needs to make an acrobatic check also so he can switch places..

 

[Plane Sailing]

I would probably rule that you can't use that power on a cube so long as it's completely blocking the corridor. If it's in the open somewhere with room to step around it, fine, power works. You can play it as if the warlord lures the cube forward then steps around it like a matador. But in a hallway with no room to maneuver? Not going to happen.

That's the approach I'd take too.

 

[Lizard]

Sounds like M:TG arguments from 1994 - How do you scare a wall to death?

I never really thought of tripping slimes before, but IIRC, there were no specific rules in 3x which said you couldn't, either. You might give the slime a +4 bonus for being "better balanced" in 3e, but that's it. Probably best to ignore logic and just let the power work as described. If you try to apply logic/common sense, you'll end up with a huge mountain of special case house rules and a lot of arguments. 4e relies heavily on players and DMs being mature, fair, responsible, and not prone to fighting over details -- arguing about how Leaf On The Wind affects G-Cubes in 4e is like arguing that a mounted knight shouldn't be able to leap over a tower in chess.