I hate reach and attacks of opportunity (old thread)

[Gez]

Phase spiders or similar creatures can close on him in the Ethereal, safe from AoOs, and phase in once they're in range to attack.

Invisible creatures can approach safely -- how can you make an attack of opportunity when you can't see if there's an opportunity ?

Cover. Any kind of cover gives full immunity against AoOs. Walls, pillars, menhirs, tower shields, other creatures... Anything can give cover.

 

[Al]

Well, first off, his EL is going to be such that he's scarcely more effective than a regular fighter, and perhaps even less so that a well-built one. The reach dilemma is more often a characteristic of the notorious spiked-chain wielder than large creatures.

I'd just reiterate all of the points made here, but add that the minimum level he must be (11th) means that spells are beginning to get serious. Will-save targeting spells, such as Hold Monster, Confusion and Greater Command are all decent choices to hit him with. Alternately, reach weapons, tumble, spring attack, ranged weapons and a whole host of abilities can circumvent AoOs.

 

[Thanee]

Command: drop (Clr 1). Will save or drop weapon.

Couldn't that also be understood as dropping oneself to the floor?

I suppose the main problem here is, that the party is not 11th+ level, right?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Psion]

Archer enemies are also an option. (Wonder why people who complain about reach rarely use this all to simple solution, or so it seems.)

That said, I think it was a mistake to make large creatures take up 4 squares. The area that its reach covers is immense.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

As Thanne asked - what is the level of the other party members? The Minotaur-Half Dragon shouldn't be all that impressive against the opponenets 10th+ level characters should be facing. Also his initative can't be that great (does improved init stack?) so any opponent who goes before him should rapidly close the distance between them and engage the mino before he has a chance to act (thus he is flat footed and cannot make attacks of opportunity). It's how I make my spiked chain wielding Half-Orc monk goe crazy. Also what is his armour class like? Unless he is having tailor made armour crafted (assuming the blacksmith doesn't run in terror from him or charging 10 times the price) he should have any beyond some leather, imo.

 

[WayneLigon]

I have grown to hate letting him play a Large creature. ... hate the way this game is so tactically arranged. I do not like the AoO rules at all...just my opinion....

I think perhaps you did not think out all the implications involved in letting a player take this race. One of my favorite parts of 3E is that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander; if the monsters get certain special abilities because of size and whatnot, then when a PC gets to the point of being able to Enlarge himself (or whatever) then things work just the same for him as they do for the creatures.

Have your NPC's use the same tactics your PC's probably do when dealing with Large creatures. Have them make tumble checks to get within his reach, or stand off and deal with him via missle fire.

 

[Voodoo]

More Ideas...

1) Potions of Invisibility, which goes away after the first attack so doesn't alter the encounter that much.

2) Burrowing creatures

3) Using one guard to approach on Total Defence, or better still a tower shield, then the second guard can move up saftly behind him.

4) Obscuring Mist

Though if you never let the character get his AoO he will notice really quickly and no doubt feel he is being picked on.

 

[ivocaliban]

My advice is to swarm the bugger with Whisper Gnome Rogue/Nightsong Enforcers! Mwahahaha!

 

[MerakSpielman]

Hordes of mooks. Even with combat reflexes, he only gets a limited number of AoOs. And if he wastes them on 5hp underlings, then the REAL enemy can act with impunity.

Just wait 'till he figures out he should stock up on Enlarge Person potions.

And then wait till he takes the Exotic Weapon: Spiked Chain feat, and gets himself a nice, expensive magical one.

 

[Jack of Shadows]

I'm surprised,

No one else mentioned this. Draw the fight into 5' corridors. Large creatures have to squeeze to fight in those confined quarters. Simple fact is that the Half-Drag Minotaur should be less of a problem then an equivalent Lvl Fighter with a Spiked Chain. Fewer HD, Fewer Feats, easier to hit, less equipment (Large stuff costs lots) and less mobile.

Jack