Throwing characters, AoO and other unusual manuevers

[reapersaurus]

On second thought, I don't think they should get normal AoO's against the halfling in this maneuver.

It's not like they have Reach and he's running up to them - they would NOT be prepared, or expecting the halfling to be thrown over their heads, and even if they could get their weapon over their head in time (an atypical striking position), they wouldn't get much mustard behind the strike.

Heck, I can see how a Bluff check could nullify an AoO in this situation. Fake like the halfling's gonna charge or something, then fly 'im over their heads.

The defenders should NOT get a free strike automatically with this non-standard of move.
Plus, give the players some benefit for doing something other than standard hacking away.

I hate how non-standard maneuvers are so sub-standard (typically) in D&D (Improved Trip an exception).

 

[Hypersmurf]

On second thought, I don't think they should get normal AoO's against the halfling in this maneuver.

Except that you get an AoO if someone is suddenly and unexpectedly Bull-Rushed past you, or if someone unexpectedly demonstrates that they are actually running a Fly spell and flies over your head, or whatever.

-Hyp.

 

[FoxWander]

I think the halfling would still draw AoO. But I'd also say that if the enemy fighters actually took them, they'd be sufficiently splitting thier attention that the PCs they're fighting on the ground would get a flanking bonus against them. True, the halfling is technically not on the opposite side, but it'd be close enough to count.

The Hun brings up a good point, the halfling probably doesn't have enough manueverability to use a tumble check to avoid AoO. But he does have extra momentum from the cleric, so I think I'd add the clerics STR bonus to his AC during the throw, or at least count it as a "favorable circumstance" and add +2.

Something else I thought of- if the cleric hits with the halfling, and the halfling succeeds at a grapple check to latch on, can it also count as a bull rush, or actually a trip attack since one of the goals of the manuever was to knock the caster over to keep him out of the fight? I'd see it as a trip attack using the cleric's strength and the halfling's size penalty with maybe a bonus due to the successful grapple since the halfling is manuevering to hook the caster and use the momentum of the throw to bring him down. That sounds pretty fair to me.

So the whole thing would be-
1. Ranged touch attack by the cleric using BAB+ Dex bonus -4 for non-prof. and +2 "synergy" bonus from halfling, since he can manuever to help "hit".
2. AoOs from enemies but +2 or +4 to halflings AC due to extra momentum and halfling gets full AC (including dex) because he can still wiggle to avoid blows.
3. AoO against halfling gives friendly combatants +2 flank bonus
4. Halfling gets Tumble check, DC 15, to treat "fall" damage as 10' less
5. Assuming successful "hit" initially, normal Grapple check between halfling and target, but halfling uses Dex instead of Str since that seems more appropriate for his part of this than Str.
6. If grapple is successful, then Trip attack effectively from throwing cleric but with halfling size penalty and +2 synergy bonus from grapple. If grapple is unsuccessful then a Bull Rush attack instead because taking a thrown halfling in the chest, whether he manages to grab on or not, should at least knock someone back. Neither of these would draw an AoO by themselves because the halfling already drew one from the Grapple and since this is still part of that (kinda- it's just resolving the clerics side of it now) then it's only one AoO.

Wow, that's alot of work for a spur of the moment wild idea. Is there a system that handles things like this easier?

And thanks Silveras! I remember that Dragon article now that you mention it. Unfortunately I both, didn't pay too much attention to it at the time and didn't bring that issue with me over to Korea when I got stationed here. I can get my wife to mail it to me though. It's too bad fun tricks like this aren't in the core books to begin with though. For all the things the books do cover, at least SOME of the wild stunts you know PCs are going to try and pull should be in the core rules.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The Hun brings up a good point, the halfling probably doesn't have enough manueverability to use a tumble check to avoid AoO.[/b]

Tumble can only be used as part of "normal movement" anyway... I don't think I'd normally calls "being chucked by a cleric" as "normal"

So the whole thing would be-
1. Ranged touch attack by the cleric using BAB+ Dex bonus -4 for non-prof*. and +2 "synergy" bonus from halfling, since he can manuever to help "hit".

*unless he has Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Halfling.

I think ogres have Weapon Familiarity with Halflings in 3.5, so they can treat them as Martial Weapons.

-Hyp.

 

[reapersaurus]

I think ogres have Weapon Familiarity with Halflings in 3.5, so they can treat them as Martial Weapons.

I'll never get tired of those jokes.