Dandu
First Post
So you are saying that if a character wants to sneak attack an enemy that can be sneak attacked, but calls it "kicking him in the shin", you would disallow the sneak attack?
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Question regarding Sneak Attack
- Thread starter Greenfield
- Start date
Sekhmet
First Post
[MENTION=85158]Dandu[/MENTION]
Put it a different way.
If a character wants to Power Attack, but fluffs it as "pulling his shield in tight and throwing light jabs", would you allow his Power Attack?
If a character said "I quietly whisper a few arcane phrases and, with a point of my finger, launch an orb of ice at the hobgoblin" when trying to cast a Fireball without Silent Spell, would you let him do it?
Yes. I would disallow the sneak attack. The fluff needs to match the action, otherwise one of the two is going to get canceled. For a player new to my game, I'd allow him to either forgo fluff or rephrase before just killing his action.
Put it a different way.
If a character wants to Power Attack, but fluffs it as "pulling his shield in tight and throwing light jabs", would you allow his Power Attack?
If a character said "I quietly whisper a few arcane phrases and, with a point of my finger, launch an orb of ice at the hobgoblin" when trying to cast a Fireball without Silent Spell, would you let him do it?
Yes. I would disallow the sneak attack. The fluff needs to match the action, otherwise one of the two is going to get canceled. For a player new to my game, I'd allow him to either forgo fluff or rephrase before just killing his action.
Dandu
First Post
Jackinthegreen
Explorer
"Vital spot" could certainly mean bones too ya know. Give something a compound fracture and it won't be happy.
And yes, shin hits are a #%&$%^
And yes, shin hits are a #%&$%^
Omegaxicor
First Post
I would ask how a kick to the shins is more painful than a knife to the stomach...having never experienced either I don't know
but if he wants to sneak attack his enemy he has to target the vital areas such as armpits and groin (talk about vital areas
), now I don't expect my players to say "I aim for the targets armpits with my shortsword" if my player says "I attempt to hit the Orc while he is distracted" then I assume he targets vital areas, If he says "I punch the guy in the foot" then I assume he is forfeiting his SA damage.
really it is up to the DM's style but ANY DM who allows their players to use Sneak Attack on any attack that avoids 'Vital Areas', is House Ruling it.
but if he wants to sneak attack his enemy he has to target the vital areas such as armpits and groin (talk about vital areas
), now I don't expect my players to say "I aim for the targets armpits with my shortsword" if my player says "I attempt to hit the Orc while he is distracted" then I assume he targets vital areas, If he says "I punch the guy in the foot" then I assume he is forfeiting his SA damage.really it is up to the DM's style but ANY DM who allows their players to use Sneak Attack on any attack that avoids 'Vital Areas', is House Ruling it.
Jimlock
Adventurer
I have SA. My enemy is flat-footed.
-Can I deliver my attack without SA if I want to?
-Yes I can. Therefore, "theoretically" a SA has to be called beforehand.
Given that this does not come up very often, IMO it is much more convenient to take SAs for granted, and when a rogue wants to NOT apply SA, he simply says so before the attack.
-Can I deliver my attack without SA if I want to?
-Yes I can. Therefore, "theoretically" a SA has to be called beforehand.
Given that this does not come up very often, IMO it is much more convenient to take SAs for granted, and when a rogue wants to NOT apply SA, he simply says so before the attack.
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Omegaxicor
First Post
IMO he does when he says "I want to attack the Lycanthrope's shins", that is him saying 'I want to make a cool looking attack despite forfeiting actual skill in damaging the enemy'
like I said, DM's style
like I said, DM's style
Mercutio01
First Post
Just a question - but if the player had said he was performing a heel stomp, would you have allowed that?
How about a kick to the inside of a knee? A punch delivered directly at the sternal notch?
I ask that as a martial artist. Each of those are vital areas for blunt impacts with defined training and moves to target. Stomp on the foot just behind the toes, and you'll crush foot bones. Kick the inside of the knee, and you could send the knee in the wrong direction, tearing an ACL or MCL. Hit right at the solar plexus, and not only could you knock the wind out, but you could break the xiphoid process, potentially tearing through the diaphragm.
But none of those are traditional vital areas, by which most people mean groin, armpits, and throat.
I could definitely buy the idea that shins are not traditional vital areas (breaking that bone is pretty hard to do), but then why were greaves invented?
How about a kick to the inside of a knee? A punch delivered directly at the sternal notch?
I ask that as a martial artist. Each of those are vital areas for blunt impacts with defined training and moves to target. Stomp on the foot just behind the toes, and you'll crush foot bones. Kick the inside of the knee, and you could send the knee in the wrong direction, tearing an ACL or MCL. Hit right at the solar plexus, and not only could you knock the wind out, but you could break the xiphoid process, potentially tearing through the diaphragm.
But none of those are traditional vital areas, by which most people mean groin, armpits, and throat.
I could definitely buy the idea that shins are not traditional vital areas (breaking that bone is pretty hard to do), but then why were greaves invented?
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