Ignoring An Opponent?

[billd91]

I'd be kind of mystified about any rule, house or optional from a 3rd party source, that allows you to ignore a flanking opponent without using a concentration check of some sort. Seems to me that the concentration skill would be ideal for determining whether someone is capable of focusing their concentration enough to ignore a flanker. The DC could be 10+HD of the ignored creature... or something like that.

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

(5) Be considered a helpless defender against that opponent.

I'd really just go with this. It's more than just not watching somebody, it's completely not reacting to them. This leaves the bar of people you'd want to completely ignore very high but not unattainable.

I really think otherwise you're being very harsh to rogues and the like.

 

[Storm Raven]

The house rule is designed to avoid this kind of situation. The dragon should have the option to devote its entire attention to the main threat, leaving the insignificant annoyance until later. Let the stupid poodle gnaw on a scaly ankle as much as it wants; the dragon won't even notice.

Sure, he has the ability to do that, just squash the poodle and turn your full attention to the rogues. It's not like the poodle will last against even one of the dragon's many attacks.

 

[AuraSeer]

The point is that this is the Rules forum, which is for discussion of the rules. You want to take this to the House Rules forum, that's fine, but a discussion of house rules doesn't belong here.

Wow, 36 posts and you've already been promoted to Moderator? That was fast. Your post-fu must be very strong.

If you want to be pedantic about it, a critique of what belongs in this forum doesn't belong in this forum. Posts about posting are supposed to go in Meta. However, you brought up in this thread because it's related to the topic under discussion-- just like mine.

 

[elrobey]

No need to get all prickly. I said "Respectfully".

As far as number of posts, I think quality is a far, far better measure than quantity. But that's just me. YMMV.

 

[Woundweaver]

(5) Be considered a helpless defender against that opponent.

I wouldn't consider the person helpless. You are still dodging around, even if not in response to that opponent. You aren't considered helpless when an invisible, silent moving character attacks you (which is a worst situation since you don't even know someone is around.). So I wouldn't considered someone helpless if they are ignoring a flanker. Other than that your other points look good.

 

[Storm Raven]

I wouldn't consider the person helpless. You are still dodging around, even if not in response to that opponent. You aren't considered helpless when an invisible, silent moving character attacks you (which is a worst situation since you don't even know someone is around.). So I wouldn't considered someone helpless if they are ignoring a flanker. Other than that your other points look good.

Except you aren't actively ignoring a person who is invisible and silent. You may not know they are there, but you are not actively focusing your concentration elsewhere and purposefully ignoring their existence.

The guidellines I came up with are punitive. That is purposeful. If you still want to ignore your opponent you can, but the price will be stiff.

 

[Jdvn1]

I'd rule that if you wanted to completely ignore a flanking opponent, then you would:

(1) Not threaten that opponent; and
(2) Be subject to an AoO from that opponent each round; and
(3) Lose any Dexterity, dodge, or insight bonuses to AC; and
(4) Treat your opponent as invisible, granting him all the benefits and inflicting upon you all the attendant drawbacks; and
(5) Be considered a helpless defender against that opponent.

Do you still want to ignore your attacker?

Don't forget the opponent more than likely taking the opportunity to CDG you every round.

But, maybe the discussion should go here: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=145918

 

[Storm Raven]

Don't forget the opponent more than likely taking the opportunity to CDG you every round.

Well, given that you are considered a helpless opponent with respect to that attacker, I'd say almost certainly. That was the intended implication of my hypothetical ruling. I've never had a character ask me to do this, they tend to work with the system, not against it. But if they did, that's how I'd rule.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

Going back to my thoughts on the nature of 'hit points', I overlooked the threat of taking even a single point of damage. This single point of damage is enough to trigger the CDG rules in the right condition, i.e. helplessness. Would someone seriously "ignore" someone who can cdg them?

What is the definition of "ignore"? At worst the character could conceivably not react to an enemy that carefully slips a blade through the unarmoured armpit into their heart. Or is this undefined condition just paying less than full attention, in which case they still must pay some attention to not trip over them & thus it can be argued that they are flanked.