Shadow of the Colossus style grapple

[AverageCitizen]

It seems like you could get a pretty good SotC style clinging system using a slightly modified grapple system from 5e Basic. Mind you, in play this would be highly cinematic, so it's probably not good for all games.

Use the same rules for starting/breaking the grab, but make it so that instead of not being able to grapple a target two sizes larger than you, you can do so, but instead of your target moving with you, you move with your target. Since you are two sizes smaller, the target would get it's full move.

Seems like it would be a cool way to fight dragons and whatnot.

 

[GMMichael]

"Hmm. These adventurers sure are pesky. One of them has even managed to disappear," thinks Big Dragon. Big D. checks under his left rear foot. "Nope, not there." So he checks under his right rear foot, while tiny little adventurers cast fireballs at him. "Eh, not there either. Wait, why is my leg itching?" Big D. casually glances down, as a foolish dwarf charges him from behind, just to get smashed by his tail, and finds the missing adventurer, clinging to the back of his leg. "Oh. Now THAT's embarrassing. I'll have to cleanse that," he thinks. He tries breathing fire on the adventurer, but the angle is bad and he just warms his leg. He tries flicking the adventurer off with his tail, but his tail is really poor at reaching his hindquarters. "Hmm, I suppose I'll ponder this for a minute," thinks Big D. who sits down to think, squashing the clinging adventurer.

Clinging to dragons is a much worse idea than clinging to colossi. But you're right, epic-size bad guys are cool. I recommend treating oversize enemies as terrain, actually, with a series of encounters between the latching-on point and the enemy's weakspot. Survive all the encounters, and the weak spot is the reward.

 

[AverageCitizen]

Clinging to dragons is a much worse idea than clinging to colossi. But you're right, epic-size bad guys are cool. I recommend treating oversize enemies as terrain, actually, with a series of encounters between the latching-on point and the enemy's weakspot. Survive all the encounters, and the weak spot is the reward.

That is a cool idea. But I think you're thinking

when I'm thinking

 

[GMMichael]

Noted.

Well, practically speaking, climbing up a dragon is going to require weapon sheathing, climbing with two hands unless you're fighting a rock gym dragon, and then finding something that one hand can cling to while the other hand draws the weapon and attempts to make effective attacks while being flung about.

Dramatically speaking, and you can go to Dragon's Dogma for inspiration, sure, use grapple rules for being able to latch on. If you're holding on anywhere other than the creature's back, you're probably subject to some pretty mean grappling attacks. If you somehow get on its back, then you've earned your victory. Think: Princess Bride.

 

[GMMichael]

As long as you're thinking about big monsters, AC, any suggestions on how I should run a massive-spider fight?

 

[AverageCitizen]

As long as you're thinking about big monsters, AC, any suggestions on how I should run a massive-spider fight?

How massive are we talking?

 

[GMMichael]

Oh, you know. 10 feet high (when crouched), and 30 feet long, fang to spinner.

 

[AverageCitizen]

Well, it can move through their space without penalty. Keep that in mind. Other than that here are some brainstormed thought for special mechanisms in this fight.

I might house rule that getting under it somehow would give them advantage on attacks, which could be done by setting actions for if it tries to pass over them. I also might let them occupy the same space if they can get past its legs. (This would mean the spider isn't crouched. Maybe if someone is under him they get advantage, but the spider can make a special multi attack to try and tie them up? Spiders kind of have to be above their prey to do that cause the spinaret is in the back). Also, with a spider that big, it seems like you gotta let the players cut its legs off. Its just begging for it.

 

[Tonguez]

Personally I'd run the spiders head and body as the monster and the legs as seperate hazards (treat like a piercer) perhaps ruling that only four are hazards at any one time as the other four are for stability. The players can destroy the legs and thus immobilise the spider or they can fight the spider proper while dodging the legs.

yes to allowing players sharing the space underneath it and getting a bonus to attack the belly, and yes to the spider being able to use a snare attack

 

[GMMichael]

Well, it can move through their space without penalty. . .

I might house rule that getting under it somehow would give them advantage on attacks, which could be done by setting actions for if it tries to pass over them. I also might let them occupy the same space if they can get past its legs. (This would mean the spider isn't crouched. . .

Also, with a spider that big, it seems like you gotta let the players cut its legs off. Its just begging for it.

Noted, although I'm not running 5E so spaces aren't an issue.

Getting under the spider would be cool, although that seems like a great place to get attacked by all of a spider's natural weapons.

I'm picturing the front two legs as primary weapons, along with fangs and the spinaret. Chopping legs off would be cool - that could possibly happen as spider-health drops.

Personally I'd run the spiders head and body as the monster and the legs as seperate hazards (treat like a piercer) perhaps ruling that only four are hazards at any one time as the other four are for stability. The players can destroy the legs and thus immobilise the spider or they can fight the spider proper while dodging the legs.

yes to allowing players sharing the space underneath it and getting a bonus to attack the belly, and yes to the spider being able to use a snare attack

I was going to run the monster as two creatures at first (occupying two different positions), but my game has a reach-like mechanic, so I decided to utilize that instead. Simpler, and still gets the size-point across.

As it stands, the creature isn't terribly overwhelming for the PCs, so there's not much need to include a weakspot (i.e. the belly). But my game has a defense-reducing magic spell, so that will be standing in for the snare attack - which is also a good idea.