Questions after a playtest

[Stalker0]

So after my party's first playtest, I've got lots of questions:

1) Cause fear: It makes the enemy move its speed +2. Can the enemy then just charge back? Is that all the enemy does? Does the enemy move on its turn or the casters?

2) Do objects like pillars block burst effects?

3) What can a grabbed person do? Can they attack the person grabbing them? With ranged weapons? Would the grabber get an OA after the person using a ranged attack?

4) When does recharging happen. If a dragon uses its breath weapon, when do I roll the recharge die (at the end of that turn, at the beginning of next turn, or the end of next turn?)

5) When is the first death save rolled, when the person goes unconscious, or the next round?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Let's see if I can answer these (my opinion, not sure I'm 100% correct.)

1) Cause fear: It makes the enemy move its speed +2. Can the enemy then just charge back? Is that all the enemy does? Does the enemy move on its turn or the casters?

The enemy instantly moves it's speed +2 on the casters turn (this is a move, so it provokes OA's. On it's turn it CAN move back.

2) Do objects like pillars block burst effects?

Yes. AFAIK it works similar to line-of-sight. (Or is that movement?) At any rate, it "pays" extra squares to get around corners. (IE no 1-1-1 diagonals around pillars)

3) What can a grabbed person do? Can they attack the person grabbing them? With ranged weapons? Would the grabber get an OA after the person using a ranged attack?

The grabbed person is immobilized (speed = 0) he can do anything other than move. OAs provoke normally, so a ranged attack would provoke.

4) When does recharging happen. If a dragon uses its breath weapon, when do I roll the recharge die (at the end of that turn, at the beginning of next turn, or the end of next turn?)

I think it's the beginning of the turn in which you'd like to try to use it. If you fail, you can't use it that turn. Try something else.

5) When is the first death save rolled, when the person goes unconscious, or the next round?

The next round.

Hope that helps!

Fitz

 

[Iron Sky]

Huh, that grabbing thing brings about an interesting point: if a creature with reach grabs someone and that person makes a ranged attack, they don't provoke(unless the attacking creature has threatening reach). So, the creature is holding onto the person, but can't do an OoA against them...

 

[FadedC]

Morale of the story....don't grab a creature 10 feet away unless you have threatening reach. I'm imagining an octopus with a tentacle around somebodies ankle from 10 feet away...the person can't get away from the octopus but it can still shoot it with his bow.

 

[VannATLC]

AFAIK, all *monsters* with *natural* reach have threatening reach.

Its only reach weapons that are not 'threatening'

Which is relatively valid.

If you are extending your defenses past your immediate square, to attack somebody 2 squares away, you should, really, generate an OA for all the people surrounding you.

 

[Stalker0]

AFAIK, all *monsters* with *natural* reach have threatening reach.

Its only reach weapons that are not 'threatening'

From what we've seen so far, that's not true. Some monsters specially mention, "threatening reach", while others do not.

 

[catsclaw]

So, the creature is holding onto the person, but can't do an OoA against them...

If you imagine grabbing someone at 10' reach is slightly awkward and you have to stretch to do it, it's not hard to imagine you can't very easily hit them with your off hand when they let their guard down.

Creatures with threatening reach are clearly more skilled in making those sorts of attacks which is why they threaten (either through size, or arm length, or speed) so it makes sense they would be able to swipe at you with their off hand when you try and shoot your bow.

 

[keterys]

I think the Boneclaw is the only creature with threatening reach that I remember reading, though I'd not be surprised if one or more of the DDM minis has it and I forgot.

I believe grabbed doesn't let you use both hands, only one - slight chance I got that from Pathfinder since I did read those rules recently, but I think it's more likely from the 'special attacks' sheet from DDXP (which makes me wonder if that's one that ever made it online. Don't believe I have a copy). If it was just immobilized they'd have just said immobilized I suspect.