New Combat Action: Cling (Updated, v 1.1)

[Hjorimir]

I tend to shy away from the Fan Creations and House Rules forum (because, honestly, I don’t agree with 99% of what people are doing). That being said, this idea is golden, cmbarona!

I do think it needs some work still. My quick contribution list is:

1. Initiating a cling would provoke an opportunity attack and if that attack hits, the cling would fail. (I’m afraid it would become too easy to just have everybody hop on a dragon’s back and I think that this would encourage the characters to sneak up on the target in order to avoid the opportunity attack…plays to my sensibilities.)
2. When a creature being clung to could attempt to shake everybody off as a full-round action, which would be like an area attack, possibly sending everybody flinging across the battlefield (fun!).
3. I’d have modifiers for clinging with only 1 hand.
4. Once a character has successfully climbed his way to the very top of the creature, I’d then allow an Acrobatics check to stand there and use both hands to attack (but not at first).

 

[cmbarona]

Thanks for the encouragement. Again, that's something I hadn't considered, but it would be entirely within reason for certain circumstances. I'm curious how things would balance out if I did allow Acrobatics. For the sake of simplicity, I would be inclined to make its use all or nothing, similar to the Escape mechanic.

 

[silverwhisper]

this is a really nifty idea, and it's something that i would love to incorporate in my own games.

question, though: you specify that the clinging party can only make unarmed attacks. this doesn't strike me as consistent with the way this type of activity is periodically depicted--i'm thinking specifically of the scene in FOTR, when merry and pippin are both on the troll and stabbing it with daggers. what about using weapons possessing the off-hand keyword?

 

[cmbarona]

Not quite. I simply remind people that they can make unarmed attacks if they happen to be empty-handed, which they need to be in order to climb once they've established a cling. Once they are done moving, they still need to keep one hand holding on, but can draw a weapon with a minor action (if they don't have Quick Draw).

 

[silverwhisper]

ah, beg pardon. :>