Move action

[HighTemplar]

It has come to my attention that there can be many ways to interpret the regular move action.

I am wondering what are your thoughts on what should happen in these situations, tell me if I'm right or how you think the RAW rules are:

1)in plain sight: a caracter sees everything on the "battlefield" hence he moves normally from where he starts to where he ends, describing his paths and counting his squares.

2) in corridors: If a corner is coming up, and a character's turn is up, can he move to a square he does not have line of sight to: This would mean when moving, a character moves one square, then moves another, then moves another and you would have to tell the player every new obvious thing he sees from every new square he steps into.

Either he can or can't and he would have to finish his move action to a square he can see and reach, then use another move action to go where he can now see.

3)Opportunity attacks: If an opportunity attack is drawn from a character moving, do you allow a player a different movement, also, if a character is fighting an unknown monster for the first time, and that monster has threathening reach, would you make them discover it with an unexpected opportunity attack, or you would tell them the dangers of passing there ?

continued: If an opportunity action pushes or slides a character, this should cancel the character's original move action, yes / no and why ?
I am refering particularly to the power Whicked Flames (warden lvl 23) being either half useful or useless.

I know some opportunity powers mention preventing or ending the movement but the way I see it, if your "movement" even tho it didn't start yet (interrupted by opportunity attack) is affected you shouldn't be allowed further movement.

This makes powerful foes out of threatening reach people who can push back 1 square as opportunity attacks.

Thanks for your thoughts/homerules and references.

HT

 

[sigfile]

I'm not sure what you're asking in #1 and #2.

#3 - Every DM is going to do this differently. As far as I'm concerned, threatening reach is obvious, and characters should be aware that the creature lashings its tentacles at every little bit of motion 10' out is going to be trouble.

#4 - movement doesn't stop unless something says movement stops. A push is just a push unless some part of the power says otherwise.

Wicked Flames is... probably the dumbest power out there. You can't take any actions while you're Removed From Play (and you have neither line of sight nor line of effect to anything), so the fact that the attack triggers as an Opportunity Action while you're RFP means it'll never see use.

 

[HighTemplar]

So what yo're saying is: someone would walk normally during combat, walk 3 squares,get hit by a trap pushing him 10 squares, then you would let him walk his 3 last move squares wherever he wants to from his pushed position...

I know I wouldn't do that, but are there any rules on this ?

 

[Riastlin]

So what yo're saying is: someone would walk normally during combat, walk 3 squares,get hit by a trap pushing him 10 squares, then you would let him walk his 3 last move squares wherever he wants to from his pushed position...

I know I wouldn't do that, but are there any rules on this ?

Not sure that its written explicitly in the rules anywhere, but it can certainly be inferred. In the fighter class description for instance, it specifically states that when the fighter hits with an OA triggered by movement, the movement is stopped. If OA's always stopped movement, there'd be no need for this inclusion.

Now, one exception to this rule could be if the trap you mentioned also "knocked prone" or slowed the target. If knocked prone, I would rule that this stops the movement (or at the very least require the character to crawl if he wants to continue his movement). Otherwise, standing is a separate move action. Likewise, "slowed" reduces a creature's speed to 2. If he had already moved 3, then he would need to spend another move action to move from where the trap lands him.

 

[Mengu]

So what yo're saying is: someone would walk normally during combat, walk 3 squares,get hit by a trap pushing him 10 squares, then you would let him walk his 3 last move squares wherever he wants to from his pushed position...

I know I wouldn't do that, but are there any rules on this ?

Unless the trap says "the creature's move ends" or causes a condition that stops movement, yes, the creature can continue to move. For instance if a trap or an opportunity action immobilizes you, knocks you prone or causes you to fall, your movement ends. But if a trap shoves you 10 squares in a direction in the middle of your move (or even teleports you), odd as it may be, you can continue moving.

For what it's worth, if I intend a trap to halt movement, I put specific wording to ensure that. And since I make all my traps, it's kind of a moot point. If you think the trap you're using that pushes 10 squares should halt movement, make it so.

 

[HighTemplar]

Not sure that its written explicitly in the rules anywhere, but it can certainly be inferred. In the fighter class description for instance, it specifically states that when the fighter hits with an OA triggered by movement, the movement is stopped. If OA's always stopped movement, there'd be no need for this inclusion.

Yes but you're forgetting that AO that force movements are seldom.

The move action is one action and refers to a path (in my mind)
Should this path become broken, the action is aborted.

It's not like you have 6 minimove action that you have to take consecutively, that each allow you to move 1 square. Or am I the only one thinking this way ?

 

[Grabuto138]

Yes but you're forgetting that AO that force movements are seldom.

The move action is one action and refers to a path (in my mind)
Should this path become broken, the action is aborted.

It's not like you have 6 minimove action that you have to take consecutively, that each allow you to move 1 square. Or am I the only one thinking this way ?

I get the impression you are asking, essentially, "does a player have to irrevocably declare every scare of his movement when he declares a move action?"

I don't see any reason why this would be so in the general rules. You move a number of squares equal to your speed. If the conditions change (the hallway was a dead-end, a trap drops a porcullis, the player notices an attractive new enemy half-way through his move, etc.) there is no reason I can see that he cannot change his mind and move a different direction.

Rules aside this would be a pretty static and frustrating way to play, I think.

I don't think he is forgeting that AOs that force movement are seldon. I suspect that he (and I) don't think the frequency is necessarily relevant.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I would tend to treat it as 5 or 6 or more minimoves. Otherwise how do you move around a corner? And if there is an obvious pit around the corner, do you force your player to move into the pit and fall?

I think for play purposes it is better to treat it as minimoves, though I do see a trap pushing someone ten squares and then them continuing the move odd,

But then again 4E is really weak on that point, ie how other movement effects normal movement, especially for falling and jumping.

 

[sigfile]

It's not like you have 6 minimove action that you have to take consecutively, that each allow you to move 1 square.

You do, actually. As a move action, walking allows you to move a number of squares equal to your speed. You don't have to pick a final destination.

 

[chitzk0i]

As far as threatening reach goes, the DM's guide advises that you describe to the players the feature of the monster that is giving it threatening reach.