In combat, can your PCs fight from atop a corpse?

[jaults]

IMC, our evil, evil DM (Hi, Scott!) had us fighting a druid and his dire bear companion. The bear bit it in the first two rounds of combat. Unfortunately, the bear was in a just-wide-enough-for-the-bear corridor, with the druid behind him. The DM had us roll (low - DC 10) Balance checks to move at normal speed over the bear's corpse. That was all fine and good for the rogue and the monk, but for my character, a cleric in full plate and a 12 Dex, things were ugly...

Jason

 

[I'm A Banana]

There actually are rules to cover this.

Opponent: You can't move through a square occupied by the opponent unless the opponent is helpless (dead, unconscious, paralyzed, bound, or the like). You can move through a square occupied by a helpless opponent without penalty. (The DM may rule that some creatures, such as an enormous dragon, present an obstacle even when helpless. In such cases, each square you move through counts as 2 squares.)
Ending Your Movement: You can't end your movement in the same square as another creature unless it is helpless.

So there ya go. Of course, if your DM does something different, stick with 'em.

 

[reveal]

There actually are rules to cover this.


So there ya go. Of course, if your DM does something different, stick with 'em.

Well, I know you can move through a helpless opponent's square but can you occupy the square with a helpless opponent in it?

 

[I'm A Banana]

It's in the "ending your movement" entry. Since you can stop there, you can fight from there normally.

 

[reveal]

Fighting from a square which contains a corpse or object (no bigger than medium-size) is allowed and uses the following rule:

Any character taking a Standard action in an object-occupied square takes a -2 AC penalty while he remains in the square.

This rule represents the limited mobility in the square with an object or corpse (including tables, chairs etc.).

A Balance check can be attempted when the character wants to avoid the AC penalty. To do so, the character must use a move equivalent action to attempt a Balance check DC 15. If successful, the AC penalty is waived until the character's next action. Failure simply results in the penalty applying as normal.

This is helpful for characters who want to remain over a corpse or fallen comrade, essentially "protecting" them from coup de grace attacks, etc., or to simulate the cinematic "fight around the table" scenes where characters use furnishings to aid in their defense.

The balance check needs to be made each round for the AC penalty to be avoided, so a Balance check and standard action results in the character's actions being expended for the round.

This is a really, really good rule that will help me out a lot!

Is this listed in the PHB somewhere? I can't find it.

 

[I'm A Banana]

If it ain't in the PHB, it should be. Stylin'. I like it.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

So how do you keep track of where the bodies are? Do you remove the mini and mark that the square has a body in it? What if there is more than one body? Do the penalties stack? Is there a limit to how many bodies can be piled up before you cannot fight from a square?

We just can't be bothered. Yes, its unrealistic, but our battles can take a long time without the extra complication of marking corpse locations, calculating adjusted ACs for the bodies and making balance checks. We just get the mini off the map and the square is considered clear.

 

[Wycen]

Would I be hijacking the thread if I asked, "how does a halfling fight from the back, head, body or any other piece of the anatomy of another larger opponent?" I am sure a bunch of grappling should be involved, but she has these damn boots of striding and has developed a tactic of using her thighs to clamp on to an opponent while she smacks him with her sword. I don't put too much thought or effort into this since I'm not the DM, so neither should anyone else. :\

 

[shilsen]

The amazing invisible corpse gnomes instantly make corpses disappear from our battlemat as they collapse. Having been very well-trained, they also return the corpses when the PCs need to loot them. Very helpful guys, those gnomes!

 

[clark411]

I've always considered corpses to be uneven terrain (you know, the stuff that doubles yer movement and causes various penalties). Mechanically speaking, the act of burial is simply a matter of re-evening that terrain in case of future combat.