Taking the High Ground

[Nytmare]

I know that, in at least the published adventures I've payed attention to, they occasionally suggest giving someone a +1 to attack from on top of tables and whatnot.

Would a standing rule that you just get combat advantage in melee for having stable, higher ground be too powerful?

 

[Kzach]

I think it would be too powerful, yes.

Combat advantage isn't just a +2 to hit, it's a condition which comes with numerous implications for power usage and class abilities. Characters have to work for it and it shouldn't be something that is a guarantee every round.

If you made it as simple as getting on a table, think of the ramifications of that. It opens the door to just about anything being used and justified as granting combat advantage.

Sticking to a simple +1 for height advantage is a far better and much simpler option.

 

[Flipguarder]

Wow, I actually 100% agree with everything Kzach says in a post.


HUZZAH!

 

[Nytmare]

If you made it as simple as getting on a table, think of the ramifications of that. It opens the door to just about anything being used and justified as granting combat advantage.

Well it wouldn't be any more guaranteed than any of the other things that grant CA, would it? All you need to do to prevent it is not stand next to tables. The current Combat Advantage list doesn't open the door up to "anything" being used to gain Combat Advantage. Why should this?

I know that it's not "just" a +2 to hit, but that was kinda why I wanted it out there as a standard benefit. Because it has numerous implications, that means that fighting for it is going to be important. Fighting up staircases, bull rushing each other off of tables, defending a low ridge.

 

[Kzach]

Wow, I actually 100% agree with everything Kzach says in a post.


HUZZAH!

Climate change in Hell. How inconvenient.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I don't think the concept is bad... and I like the idea of a mechanical advantage that encourages fighting for a better position, however I don't think it should be a flat 'high ground = combat advantage' rule.

I would prefer a 'advantagous terrain' rule where you can highlight spots on a battlemap and say 'if you stand here you can get CA with melee attacks.

That way you don't get fighters wanting to float into combat on Tensor's disk, Rogues carrying portable tables or asking about fighting on stilts.. but still get the encouragement to battle over key terrain features.

 

[Mesh Hong]

I think I would pretty much stick with +1 to attacks from higher ground as a standard rule. You could then adjust it dependant on the context to add flavour as required.

I think granting combat advantage might be going too far. But I suppose it would be fair, and might actually favour certain creatures, especially skirmishers and lurkers.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

How about: You gain combat advantage for basic attacks.

This means it doesn't give benefits for most powers, but it is still something useful. In that way, it turns into a "stunt" power - instead of using your action for an encounter or daily power, or even an at-will, you are limited to a simple basic attack. It creates a meaningful opportunity cost, which is probably the minimum requirement for any stunt that's relatively easy to recreate.

For more stunts:
- Standing on higher ground + succesful Hard Acrobatics check gives the benefit to your attacks. If you fail the check, you grant combat advantage instead.
- Charging an enemy and ending your move on higher ground + a succesful Moderate Athletics check gives you combat advantage. (Though that only makes a difference if you have a power to be used on a charge...)

 

[Amaroq]

You can also experiment with a couple other things, like hill / slope affecting movement, etc.

I figure hills like the civil war were fought on were "Difficult Terrain to move up, normal movement to move down".

You could also apply defensive abilities, like a -1 to hit somebody who has advantageous terrain.

However, I'd rather keep it an encounter feature than a standard always-in-place rule.

 

[eriktheguy]

Stick with +1
If a situation is very, well, situational, don't be afraid to grant CA.
Maybe for example firing a bow straight down at someone in a pit who is distracted by other enemies level with them, attacking from a stable platform on a wagon when the enemy is stomping around in the soft stinky marsh.
I general, wagons should always give players combat advantage. ALWAYS