Here’s a (IMO) fun example of “Rule of Cool” and rules interaction.
Set up: Party of four (11th level Fighter, Warlord, Barbarian, Ranger (melee)) enter a cave with a “balcony” facing a Vinespeaker Troll, Dire Bear and two Flameskulls. (Trollhaunt Warrens for those scoring at home, Bear on lower level, Troll and Flameskulls on upper.)
They had faced the trogs the “day before” (modified second encounter due to grindy design). This is important because the trogs engaged them (all melee characters and 2d6 damage boost from flanking with leader brute who waded right in to middle). That means their entire stash of javelins went unused for the party to take. The Warlord and Fighter did, the Strikers did not.
Opening round of combat: Strikers go first and run to the balcony to engage Troll (barbarian gets crit by opportunity attack getting beside the troll from climbing). Troll then steps back to burst pop immobilizes the Warlord and Fighter before they activate. Bear comes up and smack smack grab on the fighter, action point for Ursine Crush (and I rolled well). Flameskulls rise from skull pile and blind the barbarian (one hit by opportunity attack), but he saves out with utility power after taking some solid damage and becoming bloodied. Warlord drops a heal in to the fighter and launches a javelin, hitting the Flameskull that had already been hit once that’s now 15’ in the air.
Round two: Ranger unloads on troll and it goes down. Barbarian wants to jump and swing at the Flameskull since it’s only 1 square past his reach. He rolls a 31 athletics to jump and then CRIT. Because it’s a critical hit I have the Flameskull take the momentum and get pushed 4 squares, over the lower floor and adjacent to the wall.
Bear keeps squeezing (my 8-siders are HOT) as the Fighter can’t save (but hits w/ Daily that restores HP). Warlord keeps chucking javelins, not hitting this round.
Round three: Ranger goes to engage the Bear, Barbarian wants to get the bloodied Flameskull. He wants to run and use the troll’s body as a springboard, jumping with ‘reckless abandon’ at the Flameskull four squares from the edge of the ledge. He crits the athletics check, vaulting him far further than he needed and with a wall right behind the Flameskull. He rolls to hit and does, so I rule he crushes the Flameskull between himself and the wall, with both taking a little “extra” damage from the impact, and he then takes a bit from the fall, and is prone and dazed for one round.
Fighter still being crushed, Warlord pops utility ;letting allies spend second wind as a minor action and nails the remaining Flameskull with a javelin and he finally saves from Immobilization. Meanwhile, the Flameskull couldn’t hit a first-level dwarf with a reflex attack but Mage Hand to toss the Barbarian’s sword across the room.
Round four: Ranger keeps hitting Bear (as does the still unsaving fighter), the Warlord crits the apparently targeting-challenged Flameskull with javelin, Barbarian burns second wind and the bear keeps crushing the fighter.
Round five: Bear really hurting as Ranger hits it hard, Barbarian grabs sword and action point charges it. Bear continues to crush fighter. Warlord pops another heal in to Fighter and nails the Flameskull again with a javelin.
Round six: Bear almost dead, Warlord drops Flameskull, Bears gets one more crush in and Fighter gets to finish off bear and finally save. The group is excitedly talking about how great that battle was and there was (IMO) a little rules interpretation bending but nothing out of reason.
Set up: Party of four (11th level Fighter, Warlord, Barbarian, Ranger (melee)) enter a cave with a “balcony” facing a Vinespeaker Troll, Dire Bear and two Flameskulls. (Trollhaunt Warrens for those scoring at home, Bear on lower level, Troll and Flameskulls on upper.)
They had faced the trogs the “day before” (modified second encounter due to grindy design). This is important because the trogs engaged them (all melee characters and 2d6 damage boost from flanking with leader brute who waded right in to middle). That means their entire stash of javelins went unused for the party to take. The Warlord and Fighter did, the Strikers did not.
Opening round of combat: Strikers go first and run to the balcony to engage Troll (barbarian gets crit by opportunity attack getting beside the troll from climbing). Troll then steps back to burst pop immobilizes the Warlord and Fighter before they activate. Bear comes up and smack smack grab on the fighter, action point for Ursine Crush (and I rolled well). Flameskulls rise from skull pile and blind the barbarian (one hit by opportunity attack), but he saves out with utility power after taking some solid damage and becoming bloodied. Warlord drops a heal in to the fighter and launches a javelin, hitting the Flameskull that had already been hit once that’s now 15’ in the air.
Round two: Ranger unloads on troll and it goes down. Barbarian wants to jump and swing at the Flameskull since it’s only 1 square past his reach. He rolls a 31 athletics to jump and then CRIT. Because it’s a critical hit I have the Flameskull take the momentum and get pushed 4 squares, over the lower floor and adjacent to the wall.
Bear keeps squeezing (my 8-siders are HOT) as the Fighter can’t save (but hits w/ Daily that restores HP). Warlord keeps chucking javelins, not hitting this round.
Round three: Ranger goes to engage the Bear, Barbarian wants to get the bloodied Flameskull. He wants to run and use the troll’s body as a springboard, jumping with ‘reckless abandon’ at the Flameskull four squares from the edge of the ledge. He crits the athletics check, vaulting him far further than he needed and with a wall right behind the Flameskull. He rolls to hit and does, so I rule he crushes the Flameskull between himself and the wall, with both taking a little “extra” damage from the impact, and he then takes a bit from the fall, and is prone and dazed for one round.
Fighter still being crushed, Warlord pops utility ;letting allies spend second wind as a minor action and nails the remaining Flameskull with a javelin and he finally saves from Immobilization. Meanwhile, the Flameskull couldn’t hit a first-level dwarf with a reflex attack but Mage Hand to toss the Barbarian’s sword across the room.
Round four: Ranger keeps hitting Bear (as does the still unsaving fighter), the Warlord crits the apparently targeting-challenged Flameskull with javelin, Barbarian burns second wind and the bear keeps crushing the fighter.
Round five: Bear really hurting as Ranger hits it hard, Barbarian grabs sword and action point charges it. Bear continues to crush fighter. Warlord pops another heal in to Fighter and nails the Flameskull again with a javelin.
Round six: Bear almost dead, Warlord drops Flameskull, Bears gets one more crush in and Fighter gets to finish off bear and finally save. The group is excitedly talking about how great that battle was and there was (IMO) a little rules interpretation bending but nothing out of reason.
