Multiple Damage during spell casting

[Tobold Hornblower]

An NPC Druid 11 has a flock of 1/4 HD birds for its animal companions. They're trained to fly above enemies and ready a partial charge triggered by spell casting. I run a 3.0 game and just want to make sure I get this right. It isn't very clear in the books.

If more than one type of distraction is present, make a check for each one;

Isn't getting clawed for 1 point of damage from a dive bombing Raven the same "type of distraction" as getting clawed by a 2nd Raven?

 

[Artoomis]

I know, but you merely stated that you thought it would be better to lump the damage together. Wouldn't you be consistent and do the same for massive damage?

No. Different thing completely.

 

[Artoomis]

An NPC Druid 11 has a flock of 1/4 HD birds for its animal companions. They're trained to fly above enemies and ready a partial charge triggered by spell casting. I run a 3.0 game and just want to make sure I get this right. It isn't very clear in the books.
Isn't getting clawed for 1 point of damage from a dive bombing Raven the same "type of distraction" as getting clawed by a 2nd Raven?

I personally think they should be lumped together as "one distraction," but I think I may be in the minority.

 

[IcyCool]

An NPC Druid 11 has a flock of 1/4 HD birds for its animal companions. They're trained to fly above enemies and ready a partial charge triggered by spell casting. I run a 3.0 game and just want to make sure I get this right. It isn't very clear in the books.
Isn't getting clawed for 1 point of damage from a dive bombing Raven the same "type of distraction" as getting clawed by a 2nd Raven?

Why is that flock of Ravens not attacking as a swarm?

As a druid, you get a single animal companion. I believe there might be a feat to let you have a swarm as a companion, but a swarm doesn't attack as individual creautres, it attacks as a swarm.

 

[Tobold Hornblower]

I've never seen those swarm rules. Let's just say that she loves each of her birds as an individual.

 

[IcyCool]

I've never seen those swarm rules. Let's just say that she loves each of her birds as an individual.

I suppose she could have several trained ravens, and get them to each attack the wizard one at a time. So you'll need to roll for initiative for each individual raven. And then an attack roll for each one, and a damage roll for each one. Each raven that hits and causes damage requires that the wizard make a concentration check.

Note, at some point that wizard is going to have a high enough Concentration check bonus that he'll automatically succeed on his concentration checks for a certain amount of damage.

Edit - You can find information on swarms in the SRD and the Monster Manual (complete with a swarm of ravens!). I'm not sure where the Swarm companion feat is, however.

 

[werk]

I've never seen those swarm rules. Let's just say that she loves each of her birds as an individual.

Swarm Mechanics

If a swarm, it attacks as one. If separate, I play that each damaging attack is it's own instance and gets it's own Concentration check, as per the RAW.

I can see arguments for why you would want to use the total damage for the Conc. check, but logistically, it doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Why is that flock of Ravens not attacking as a swarm?

As a druid, you get a single animal companion. I believe there might be a feat to let you have a swarm as a companion, but a swarm doesn't attack as individual creautres, it attacks as a swarm.

You missed the part about him using 3.0 rules.

 

[Infiniti2000]

No. Different thing completely.

I think that the two are very analogous, particularly in the way you are trying to view the concentration check. Certainly, this is only my opinion, but I just hope I'm giving you pause for thought because I don't like the idea of lumping the damage together for the concentration check.

 

[werk]

You missed the part about him using 3.0 rules.

What's 3.0?