Pushing/pulling allies?

[UltimaGabe]

Are there any rules on moving allies, outside of using a power that grants a move, shift, push, pull, or slide? In our game last night we had an encounter where one PC was in the way of a trap, and another PC wanted to use an action of his to move the other. I didn't know what to do, so I made a judgment on the spot (I let one PC use a standard action to move himself and another at half his speed... I don't know what I was thinking) that I would not like to continue. Are there any specific rules for moving an ally? If not, what are some common house rules? Or should I just tell the PCs from now on "Sorry, it doesn't work"?

 

[the Jester]

Well, there's moving a grabbed target. Also, bull rush, if you want to push it into one action.

Since both of those assume an unwilling target, I'd prolly give the pc a substantial bonus on his/her "attack" roll.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Well, there's moving a grabbed target. Also, bull rush, if you want to push it into one action.

Since both of those assume an unwilling target, I'd prolly give the pc a substantial bonus on his/her "attack" roll.

Those only allow one square of movement, correct? In the case of a willing target, I'd simply allow it without a roll- but should the movement be the same, or more?

 

[nightwyrm]

Those only allow one square of movement, correct? In the case of a willing target, I'd simply allow it without a roll- but should the movement be the same, or more?

I would treat it as a case of trying to carry/drag an object. In which case, the character doing the dragging would need to take into account his carrying capacity. Most likely he would be slowed.

If you want to make a rulling quickly without looking up encumbrance etc. just rule that the character can do it without any rolls, but he's slowed.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Since there doesn't seem to be any RAW aside from Bull Rush or moving a grabbed target (and it's not the same as moving an object, as an object isn't moving- a living target is moving, maybe making it more difficult, maybe making it less difficult)- so I've come up with this, and I'm going to try it:

As a standard action, a PC may slide an adjacent ally one square (no roll required). If they wish, they may also move into the vacated square as part of the same action (except this is a move, not a shift, so it may provoke).

Therefore, it's better than not being able to do anything, but it has its risks as well. It's also easier than bull rushing an enemy (as an ally won't be resisting)- but not as good as a power that lets you move an ally.

How does that sound?

 

[Dungeon Masta]

I would say a bull rush and similar movement effects work without a roll, as long as the other player agrees to the movement. Also, I would say that the pushing player attracts OAs but the pushed player doesn't.

 

[Alex319]

Since there doesn't seem to be any RAW aside from Bull Rush or moving a grabbed target (and it's not the same as moving an object, as an object isn't moving- a living target is moving, maybe making it more difficult, maybe making it less difficult)- so I've come up with this, and I'm going to try it:

As a standard action, a PC may slide an adjacent ally one square (no roll required). If they wish, they may also move into the vacated square as part of the same action (except this is a move, not a shift, so it may provoke).

Therefore, it's better than not being able to do anything, but it has its risks as well. It's also easier than bull rushing an enemy (as an ally won't be resisting)- but not as good as a power that lets you move an ally.

How does that sound?

A standard action to get your ally an auto-escape from a grab? Interesting...

 

[sev]

A standard action to get your ally an auto-escape from a grab? Interesting...

I'm pretty sure that the RAW regarding moving a grabbed target is if *you* have the target grabbed, *you* can move it. In the passage you quoted, UltimaGabe mentioned the "move a grabbed target" as an example of something in the rules that does *not* qualify as appropriate for this question.

For the rules-lawyerly, it seems that UltimaGabe's rule would need the caveat, "as long as the target would be able to move into that square on its turn," so it does not become the aforementioned auto-escape. Or "as long as nothing else is preventing that movement," so you could drag an unconscious or stunned ally?

In my game, we've ruled that you can spend a standard action to drag an unresisting ally half your speed. We've been inconsistent about what that means regarding the ally's movement; sometimes we subtract the dragged movement from their movement when their turn comes up, sometimes not.

 

[UltimaGabe]

A standard action to get your ally an auto-escape from a grab? Interesting...

Ooh, I hadn't even thought of that. I'll definitely include the caveat that it does not allow you to move someone who is grabbed.