What are good ways to deal with falling attacks?

[Noumenon]

Such as, "I jump straight down off the forty-foot cliff, sword point first." Would you give a regular attack roll? A charge bonus? My guy rolled a 17 so I let him add his falling damage onto the damage roll.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Hmm...I'd probably have the PC make a Jump check against the target's AC. If the PC succeeds, the foe and the PC both take the falling damage. Maybe they each take 1d6 less. That way, jumping on someone from 10 ft. up is basically a charge, from 20 ft. you each take 1d6, etc.

 

[Noumenon]

Oh, I was thinking maybe I should have "raised the stakes." Make your attack roll (or jump check), you do damage plus falling damage. Miss it, and your sword hits the ground first and takes the falling damage too.

 

[Derro]

Hmm...I'd probably have the PC make a Jump check against the target's AC. If the PC succeeds, the foe and the PC both take the falling damage. Maybe they each take 1d6 less. That way, jumping on someone from 10 ft. up is basically a charge, from 20 ft. you each take 1d6, etc.

Elegant.

I'd go with Jump vs. Reflex and probably cut the damage in half for both parties but that's just me.

Dragon Magazine, issue #306, had rules for this kind of stuff. The article is called Power Fantasy. I've gotten quite a bit of use out of these rules and they cover lots of ground from feats of mighty strength to rope and grapple use.

 

[Noumenon]

Are there any monsters whose main attack is dropping on people? I could look up the rules they use for their attacks.

 

[Derro]

Closest thing I see is from the MM dragon entry.

Crush (Ex)
This special attack allows a flying or jumping dragon of at least Huge size to land on opponents as a standard action, using its whole body to crush them. Crush attacks are effective only against opponents three or more size categories smaller than the dragon (though it can attempt normal overrun or grapple attacks against larger opponents).

A crush attack affects as many creatures as can fit under the dragon’s body. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s breath weapon) or be pinned, automatically taking bludgeoning damage during the next round unless the dragon moves off them. If the dragon chooses to maintain the pin, treat it as a normal grapple attack. Pinned opponents take damage from the crush each round if they don’t escape.

A crush attack deals the indicated damage plus 1½ times the dragon’s Strength bonus (round down).

The damage is a bit light starting at 2d8 for a huge dragon and progressing to 4d8 by colossal. The above mechanics might help for the act if not the result.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

My group uses the following rules for a falling attack.

Falling attack vs. foes on the ground: If you attack an opponent while you are falling (as a charge attack), your foe takes the same amount of falling damage as you take upon hitting the ground. You may still make a tumble check to reduce falling damage to yourself (but not to your foe), but you take a -10 penalty to this check. You may only make one Falling Attack in a round, even if you would get more than one attack as part of a charge.

Falling attack vs. aerial foes: If you attack an aerial opponent while you are falling (as a charge attack), your foe takes an additional 1d6 damage for each 10 feet you fell before the attack hit. Any effect that would reduce your falling damage (such as Feather Fall), reduces this damage by the same amount. You take a -5 penalty to the tumble check to reduce your own falling damage. You may only make one Falling Attack in a round, even if you would get more than one attack as part of a charge.

We're also trying out a feat to enhance it, but no one's taken it yet, so no play testing to know if it's balanced, overpowered, or weak. The basic rules have been used, and have proven fun without breaking anything.

Drop Cut [General, Fighter]
You can harness the power of gravity to deliver devastating attacks.
Prerequisites: BAB +3, Tumble 8 Ranks
Benefit: When delivering a falling attack from at least 20 feet up, your weapon damage is doubled.

 

[Ashtagon]

I'd say landing on soft ground (your enemy) would normally reduce the damage you take. However, no matter how you plan it, right after your sword hits your enemy, you are going to hit your sword. Additionally, the default falling damage assumes you are instinctively trying to roll with the fall or otherwise cushion your breakable bits, in an act of self-preservation. Holding a sword in a position to hit someone is at odds with such self-preservation reactions.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#Falling Objects
You can be treated as a falling object for purposes of damage done to the enemy. Almost all PC races weigh in at the 101-200 lb category, which means 1d6 per 20' you fall. (He takes 1d6 per 10' you fall if you weight 201-400 lb).

Your own falling damage is treated as 1d6 per 10' fallen, reduced by 1d6 because you are landing on a soft surface. If he is wearing heavy armour, or is otherwise pretty solid (stone golems etc), you would take standard falling damage.

To reflect the fact that you are intentionally not trying to roll with the fall at all, I would roll an additional 1d6 each time a six is rolled.

As for the weapon attack itself, I would treat it as a normal attack, not a charge. The point about a charge is that it is controlled movement, and you are able to adjust your position in mid-stride. Not enough to change target, but certainly enough to correct your aim. Falling is uncontrolled movement, which does not allow you to correct your aim at all. So, no charge bonus.

I'd also want a Tumble check (DC 15 seems to be a reasonable default) to avoid striking yourself with your own weapon. You are after all, quite literally, falling on your own sword, which is a metaphor for something I'm sure.

If you were falling on him with an intent to grapple or overrun your enemy, I might reasonably consider a +4 circumstance bonus on it.

In any case, you end your turn prone in your enemy's space. I would also allow for a free overrun attack to see if your enemy was knocked off his feet.