Monk using jump to get around shield

[Lord Pendragon]

Since it doesn't, I think the monk's got a case, that by moving to attack from an unprotected direction (above), he doesn't have to attack through the shield.

I'd rule the reverse. Shield blocks attacks from one direction in 3.0, regardless of angle of attack. A flying foe shooting arrows down at the mage will still be blocked by the Shield, so long as the line of attack intersects the line of the Shield the mage chose on his turn. Shield isn't limited to a 5'x5' square in front of the mage. It's a plane.

 

[Jdvn1]

The issue then becomes, how do you adjudicate someone jumping as part of an attack? Do you make the PC make a Jump check? (Standing high jump, I'd guess.) Technically, then, the attack would fall in the middle of a move, since Jump is part of a move action.

(Note that I'm in favor of creative thinking by the players, and this definitely qualifies, but I'd make him do it right.)

Yeah, that's about how I'd do it. But the attack would be placed at the end of the move since he's probably kicking on the way down.

 

[Jdvn1]

I try to make my default answer be "yes," although I sometimes forget that in the heat of combat: if a player wants to try something weird, and I'm not sure whether the rules allow it, I say, "Sure, why not?"

So in this case, I woulda said, "Sure, why not?"

Well, it just doesn't make sense to me that he'd get around the shield this way. I like creative thinking in my players, but this seems like a stretch. I might give him +2 for a charge-like attack or for being on 'higher ground'.

 

[dcollins]

Under 3.0 rules (luike my group still plays with) I'd rule "no". The monk still has to pass through the plane of the shield to make his jumping attack. (More generally, as long as the wizard can see the attack coming, it's coming through where the shield is protecting.)

 

[Pielorinho]

Well, it just doesn't make sense to me that he'd get around the shield this way. I like creative thinking in my players, but this seems like a stretch. I might give him +2 for a charge-like attack or for being on 'higher ground'.

Fair enough--this is an area beyond the rules, I think.

I'd rule the reverse. Shield blocks attacks from one direction in 3.0, regardless of angle of attack. A flying foe shooting arrows down at the mage will still be blocked by the Shield, so long as the line of attack intersects the line of the Shield the mage chose on his turn. Shield isn't limited to a 5'x5' square in front of the mage. It's a plane.

So how would you rule it if the monk is attacking from directly above the wizard? That's how I was imagining it; if the monk was just hopping up and down and attacking from the hopzenith, then I'd agree with you.

Daniel

 

[kenobi65]

So how would you rule it if the monk is attacking from directly above the wizard? That's how I was imagining it; if the monk was just hopping up and down and attacking from the hopzenith, then I'd agree with you.

Given that the wizard in question was already standing in a corner, that might be difficult. For the monk to be able to attack from "directly above" the wizard, I'd rule that he'd need to be able to land in a square directly opposite from the square he leapt from...and, with his opponent in a corner, that's not possible.

 

[Jdvn1]

Given that the wizard in question was already standing in a corner, that might be difficult. For the monk to be able to attack from "directly above" the wizard, I'd rule that he'd need to be able to land in a square directly opposite from the square he leapt from...and, with his opponent in a corner, that's not possible.

... And if the Wizard wasn't in a corner?

 

[kenobi65]

... And if the Wizard wasn't in a corner?

At that point, I'm still not sure I'd allow it, unless said monk had Spring Attack...because you'd be placing an attack in the middle of what is essentially a 10' move: the square that the wizard is in (well, technically, the square *above* the square that the wizard is in), and the square you're landing in.

And, gads, what kind of Jump DC is it to do a standing high jump that's that high?

 

[Pielorinho]

Simple: he just runs up the wall over the wizard's head. He's a monk!

Daniel

 

[Jdvn1]

Well, if you're running up the wall, that seems more like a Spring Attack moment.