Paralysis, Initiative and You

[Zogg]

Okayssss I got a question, but I think it would be more fun if I presented it in a story form. Here goes...

There is a half-ogre fighter named Grumpy, mm-kay. He is travelling with his friend Doo-Daa the cleric and suddenly they are besieged by 5 ghouls and 1 ghast. Doo-Daa is about 30 ft. behind Grumpy (the undead seem intent on taking down Grumpy) and everyone rolls initiative.

Order:

19: Ghouls & ghasts
16: Grumpy (this is you)
14: Doo-Daa the cleric.

Round one:

-Ghouls & ghasts attack Grumpy. He takes some damage.
-Grumpy attacks, kills a ghoul.
-Doo-Daa turns undead, a couple of the ghouls flee.

Round two:
-Ghast hits Grumpy, who fails his fort save. He is paralyzed!
-Grumpy does not get to go, still paralyzed.
-Doo-Daa pull out a scroll of remove paralysis, freeing Grumpy from his paralyzed state.

**QUESTION** Does Grumpy have to wait until round three to take his next action (since he was paralyzed in round two) or can he readjust his initiative (delay an action) to, say, 12 so that he can attack now? I would think that once you are freed from paralysis you are free to take an immediate action (assuming you missed your turn because of paralysis) but I'm not sure.

Thoughts?

 

[AGGEMAM]

You missed your turn. It's now the ghasts turn in round 3.

 

[Lord Thurham]

The initiative order does not change

 

[James McMurray]

While paralyzed, you can still take mental actions. I would think that delaying would be a mental action. Of course, you'll probably have to pick yourself and your weapon up off the floor.

 

[Zogg]

While paralyzed, you can still take mental actions. I would think that delaying would be a mental action. Of course, you'll probably have to pick yourself and your weapon up off the floor.

This is exactly my thinking. I mean, why can't the player playing Grumpy just tell the DM "even though I'm paralyzed and missing turns, I'm readying an action to beat the living hell out of these undead once I become free."

Furthermore, the reason I'm bringing this up is because this exact scenario took place in our last session. I was the cleric in question...poor Grumpy was paralyzed AGAIN right after I freed him. I was out of remove paralysis spells and scrolls, and the undead coup de grace'd him at their next opportunity. Sucks, huh?

 

[TuDogz]

We let the character have their action (though now I think I would only allow a standard action, as in a suprise round).

Our thinking is that Grumpy knows that Doo-Daa is no fool no matter how stoopid his name is. He knows Doo-Daa is going to release him. He can hear Doo-Daa reading the scroll, casting the spell, acivating the wand, or whatever. He is, in fact, doing everything he can to make his muscles go since he knows he is about to be CDG'd. His life is on the line. His initiative is effectively held.

This is probably a house rule but we didn't see an official rule and the character that was paralyzed was a thief acrobat and had kip up as a free action.

To say that the character is frozen in the initiative cycle seems a poor solution particularily in larger combats.

 

[coyote6]

I wouldn't allow a character to Ready an action, but I might let them Delay. If the player asks.

 

[TuDogz]

I think it is important to remember that when you make rules that are more likely to result in a creature dying that the creature most likely to die will be the PC's. They suffer the negative effects of any ruling far more frequently than any given opponent.

In addition, Ghouls and Ghasts are particularily vicious when they are clumped in initiatives. By the rules none of the undead actually go on the same initiative. But from highest to lowest dex and then by random roll. When clumped as a group, the first can paralyze and one of the others follow-up with a CDG before any character can react. If there were actually two of you versus 6 of them you were dead anyway.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I vote for delaying. If you ready an action to do something as soon as you are free to move, technically what readying gets you is an action right before the effect takes place - ie freely moving. Which is wierd. Also, delaying allows you to take a full action when you want, which will probably be after you can move again, so it is better to delay than to ready anyway in this circumstance.

 

[Madfox]

If I remember correctly, the RAW in 3.5 clearly state that the character has lost his turn for that round - I think it is described at the healing chapter, but I might be mistaken. I don't have the books with me so I cannot give you a quote. Now in case of a hold person I am inclined to allow a delay action, since obviously you are aware of your surroundings. On any other type of paralysis I would not be so generous. In any event it would seriously reduce the consequences of paralysis...