HELP! Kinda BADD question

[Darklone]

Ok. Assume we got something big (a dragon) with reach 20ft. And a puny player paladin or fightertype (not so big) with no reach and flying cast on him, granted by some magical gimmicks or whatever.

Now the fighter flies charging (fanatic idiot) at full speed 15 ft above the ground. As soon as he enters the dragons reach and moves on which results in an AoO, the dragon TRIPS him.

How would you rule? The fighter lying in the air on his back (essentially flying on) or being fly swatted on the ground (plus falling damage)?

Or would you handle it totally different?

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

A similar situation is if the AoO from iniating a grapple is used to trip....

 

[AGGEMAM]

Well, instead of been prone - let him spin out of control. Basically that is the same thing for a flying creature.

Edit: The trip would also break the forward momentum of the character, so he stays in the grid (3D square) he was tripped in.

 

[EOL]

Okay, call me an arbitrary DM with a fondness for Dragons, but I would have him stop in that square and drop the 15 feet (taking damage from the fall) As if the dragon took one paw and swatted him down.

 

[AGGEMAM]

Okay, call me an arbitrary DM with a fondness for Dragons, but I would have him stop in that square and drop the 15 feet (taking damage from the fall) As if the dragon took one paw and swatted him down.

But the Fly spell says you fall gently to the ground even when dispelled.

Anyway, it's a Trip, treat it as a Trip.

 

[Darklone]

Hmmm

But the Fly spell says you fall gently to the ground even when dispelled.

Anyway, it's a Trip, treat it as a Trip.

Hey, I liked that idea with the fly swatter!

I don't think the Fly spell would allow you to gently fall down if something pushs or pulls you down (troll grappling a fighter and jumping down the cliff. Troll regenerates, fighter dead).

 

[CRGreathouse]

Well, instead of been prone - let him spin out of control. Basically that is the same thing for a flying creature.

Edit: The trip would also break the forward momentum of the character, so he stays in the grid (3D square) he was tripped in.

I like this. Short, simple, and makes the mechanics work as intended.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The Trip will simply stop his forward motion.

EOL, you are an arbitrary DM with a fondness for dragons.

Don't make up new mechanics for this situation unless you want to write up a new Feat to support it. You are begging for players to start looking for highly creative rules rapes if the you lead by example.

"Gee, since my flail is a weapon and I must be hitting my opponent legs, obviously I get to roll damage when I Trip. Just like the dragon."

 

[Macbrea]

Not exactly sure that tripping a charging individual would do any good, while they were flying.


Falling prone normally means you have to spend a move equivalent action to stand and therefor your prevented from really finishing a charge.

Trip says you fall prone in the square your in if you are tripped. Nowhere does that state that it stops your movement. Basicly, a flying person can fly if they are standing or if they are prone. Why would it make a difference which orientation they where in? All the dragon would accomplish would be reducing the chance of the Knight hitting him. He is doing himself far more a favor if he either grapples his target, disarming or bull rushes him. Plain damage would seem to have a better effect then tripping the target that is flying.


The feat that has been written up that you want to use for the dragon though is Large-and-in-charge, which allows the dragon to stop his opponent 15ft out from him with the AoO. This means the dragon can fly by charge the opponent next round and keep stopping the knight for many rounds after that.