Vital spot OR Can a halfling sneak attack a human?

[drnuncheon]

Clearly, you need to take Hamstring (from Song & Silence) as a feat.

Or, you could just use it as an example of the fact that the achilles tendon is apparently a legal target for sneak attacks, since with hamstring you still do sneak attack damage (albeit lessened) when you use the feat.

If you can do sneak attack damage to the ankle...and the halfling can reack the ankle...then you can do sneak attack damage to the creature.

The 'can't reach their vitals' is IMHO for things like attacking a purple worm with a punch dagger.

J

 

[Henry]

The 'can't reach their vitals' is IMHO for things like attacking a purple worm with a punch dagger.

Or a Colossal Dragon with a Longsword?

 

[Zhure]

In S&S, page 85, the diagram shows Lidda flanking on an Ogre and a Bulette.... circumstantial proof, but proof nonetheless.

 

[Orm]

Beat him with a stick.
But keep in mind that Pooka, as a halfling , won´t be able to deal much damage cause she can´t reach any vital spots as your DM is human AFAIK and quite tall...

Orm

 

[Pooka]

As for the 'you can't reach' part of his argument, let's see.. a 5 ft tall elf, say a 2 ft 4in reach with his arms roughly, and a 3 ft rapier. You could easily poke something 9ft tall. You could stab that troll in the EYES if you so wanted. Besides, if he really wants to argue it, just remind him you threaten 5 ft in all directions.. including straight up, and diagonally up/out.

Yep, that is what I found out to for my next argument with our DM ! What is a bit strange about this (when you just try to visualize it) the Halfling has the same natural reach humans have, so my halfling should be able to make even an attack towards the head of the creature when its not taller than 10 ft..
A troll is 9 feet tall isn´t he ? So that is kind of ridiculous also ...


Pooka

 

[Pbartender]

Re: Re: Vital spot OR Can a halfling sneak attack a human?

Stupid ruling all around. My son is 4, which makes him a little smaller than a standard halfling. He is more than capable of reaching a"vital spot" on an adult human. In point of fact, when he runs over to hug me, I have to guard certain areas to ensure he doesn't inadvertently head butt me in the wrong place.

I concur.

Between my 3½ year old daughter, and my almost 5 year old son, I can definitively agree that any halfling would be able to reach several different "vital spots" on a human with regards to a sneak attack. Quite often my kids flank me or catch me flat-footed, and it hurts... a lot.

 

[Pooka]

Beat him with a stick.
But keep in mind that Pooka, as a halfling , won´t be able to deal much damage cause she can´t reach any vital spots as your DM is human AFAIK and quite tall...

Hmmm, ok but Pooka can´t beat him so Heike has to do that and I´m also a medium sized human and he is "just" 1 foot taller than me ... so I think I will reach his vitals when I want to ....

But the point is I don´t want to and I just want to have fun. Even with him as DM.

I think he is the Powergamer (playing a bard and dancer without any Bard level (!!!!) but with rogue levels to get evasion and skill points) and he wants us to stop powergaming ....

I think powergaming isn´t a problem in our group ... our should I better say I thought so ...


Pooka

 

[Gez]

What is a bit strange about this (when you just try to visualize it) the Halfling has the same natural reach humans have, so my halfling should be able to make even an attack towards the head of the creature when its not taller than 10 ft..

A little jumping attack. I picture the small races, especially the nimble ones like halfling, goblins and kobolds, to be much more mobile in combat, ducking and springing constantly -- remember, characters are supposed to be constantly moving in their square during a fight.

 

[Darklone]

Even if a halfling could not reach the head of a human, I can imagine some rather deadly spots where he cut hit....

 

[drnuncheon]

In S&S, page 85, the diagram shows Lidda flanking on an Ogre and a Bulette.... circumstantial proof, but proof nonetheless.

Not really proof at all, I'm afraid. Flanking is separate from sneak attack. You can flank creatures that are immune to crits and get the +2 to hit - you just won't get sneak attack damage on them.

J