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

[Doppleganger]

For some "cinematic" games where a PC is fighting from atop an enormous corpse (perhaps those with an exoskeleton, or rigor mortis), you might even consider granting a +1 melee bonus for higher ground if he passes muster on any Balance checks.

 

[Geoff Watson]

The 3.0 playtest rules had stuff about corpses providing cover and the like.
The rules were taken out due to being too morbid.

Geoff.

 

[Izerath]

Izerath's House Rule

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.

This one isn't in the PHB - it's my house rule, so thanks for the compliment!

Technically speaking, for 3.5 at least, p147 and 148 under Opponent and Ending your Movement, it states that you can pass through a helpless opponents square without penalty and you can end your turn in a hlepless defender's square. Obviously, a corpse is helpless! For simplicity, this rule is usually fine, and makes managing combat easier. I just couldn't live with the convenience factor as the main reason for the rule, so I made one up to cover the situation.

As far as how I keep track of corpses on the board, I usually remove the fig and place an X in the square. Recently, I picked up a cheap skull and crossbones stamp, which I now use to mark a corpse on the grid - with water soluble ink of course!

What do I do if more than one corpse ends up in the same square you ask? Simple - it is now officially an obstacle and the square cannot be occupied but can be passed through using the standard obstacle costs for movement.

Just try this at home at your own risk. Have two buddies or siblings lie on top of one another then try to just walk over them. It ain't easy. Then try and imagine a guy hacking at you with a sword trying to to kill you and walk over them. I don't think you'll be moving so nimbly.....

There are plenty of other "realism" options if you want to go into it - terrain costs increase for that square (1 to 2) for moving through etc. all of which are on pg 148 in the PH. You can leverage those if you want something different.

Oh and someone mentioned corpses for cover - had that happen too - I just used 1/2 cover under 3.0 rules, assuming they picked it up to use as a shield or something. Doesn't happen often, but it has happened.

Coincidently I was disappointed when they changed the cover rules in 3.5. I was pleased with the 3.0 rules as they were. They were intuitive, logical and easy to judge. I don't really understand why they changed them. Oh well - that sounds like another thread to me!

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

As far as how I keep track of corpses on the board, I usually remove the fig and place an X in the square. Recently, I picked up a cheap skull and crossbones stamp, which I now use to mark a corpse on the grid - with water soluble ink of course!

What do I do if more than one corpse ends up in the same square you ask? Simple - it is now officially an obstacle and the square cannot be occupied but can be passed through using the standard obstacle costs for movement.

Glad to se you did think things all the way through. While adding realism, it also adds more extra work than I want to get into. I guess Shilsen's corpse gnomes inhabit my world as well - thanks for training them so well for me Shilsen!

 

[Izerath]

Glad to se you did think things all the way through. While adding realism, it also adds more extra work than I want to get into. I guess Shilsen's corpse gnomes inhabit my world as well - thanks for training them so well for me Shilsen!

If you want realism without the work, make your players do it!

Seriously! They usually enjoy the participation anyway!

My players just remove the dead fig. Even better, I give them a marker to put down the X. They know the house rule and apply it before I even say anything. The only thing I ever have to do is draw the rooms, and I even have a player trained to do that based on my consistent descriptions, so long as he shows up that session.

Trained players are a wonderful thing!

 

[shilsen]

Glad to se you did think things all the way through. While adding realism, it also adds more extra work than I want to get into. I guess Shilsen's corpse gnomes inhabit my world as well - thanks for training them so well for me Shilsen!

No problem - it's amazing what you can train them to do with a couple of corpses for motivation! Though, as Izerath says, trained players are even better. Coincidentally, corpses work on them too - esp. their own