Jumping on a monster's back

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

It'd be kinda stupid, though: what is it gonna grapple with? The big hairs on its back? And how is it gonna grapple a fly that size?

Ever watch animals taking dust baths to get rid of flies?

I'd recommend rolling over, personally.

 

[Rkhet]

That wouldn't be much grappling, though. And the fly has quite a bit more hitpoints and protections than your average fly. It'd take more than a few rolls to kill it.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

That wouldn't be much grappling, though. And the fly has quite a bit more hitpoints and protections than your average fly. It'd take more than a few rolls to kill it.

Right - but the spider's going to be doing quite a bit of damage each time this happens, and since you're grappling, you're going to be having trouble casting spells.

 

[Rkhet]

By the mechanics, certainly. But I have no idea how it's going to do that to something the size of a fly.

 

[Rkhet]

Being a fly means you can move out of the way before you are crushed beneath its weight, should it decide to roll over. And you can (or should be able to) stay close enough that it can't attack you.

Taking mud-baths deters insects because they find the layer of mud uninteresting (not being edible). But to a wizard interested in touch-attacks, it's just armor that he doesn't have to worry about.

 

[monboesen]

But that does not really show the problems of mounting a giant beast to kill it.

It shows the problems of Shapechange, a spell that needs to be removed from the game.

Furthermore its a bit like saying "I stab him in the heart, so he is dead right" D&D does not provide such detail, if it did your wizard fly would likely not have more than 1 hp anyway. And how would a brain the size of a grain of sand allow him to cast spells or even really think. And so on and on and on........

 

[Rkhet]

But that does not really show the problems of mounting a giant beast to kill it.

It shows the problems of Shapechange, a spell that needs to be removed from the game.

Furthermore its a bit like saying "I stab him in the heart, so he is dead right" D&D does not provide such detail, if it did your wizard fly would likely not have more than 1 hp anyway. And how would a brain the size of a grain of sand allow him to cast spells or even really think. And so on and on and on........

...That's what CDG is for, actually. As for the brain-size-of-sand, it's *magic*.

 

[monboesen]

Well. Then thats a legitimate answer for the fly vs. spider thing too. It is a magical creature that somehow has the ability to attack a small fly on its back wit pinpoint precision in order to grable and crush it

 

[Silveras]

I believe the Giantbane tactical feat in Complete Warrior has rules for something like this. I think it's called Climb Aboard.

Yup, so it does.

The creature must be 2 or more sizes larger than you.
Move next to it, then next round make a DC 10 Climb check to get aboard.
Creature suffers -4 penalty to hit you because of the awkward position.
If it moves, you go with it.
It can make a Grapple check opposed by your Climb to shake you off.

That's it.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Well. Then thats a legitimate answer for the fly vs. spider thing too. It is a magical creature that somehow has the ability to attack a small fly on its back wit pinpoint precision in order to grable and crush it

I agree. It's rather disingenuous to use magic to make yourself a fly, then try and use realism to prove why the spider would be unable to attack you.