Willingly Be Sneak Attacked

[Dog Moon]

Can you choose to let yourself be Snuck Attack? Like, CHOOSE to be flat-footed for an attack or effectively allow the person to poke you in a critical place?

How this came up:
Okay. So the Frostrager Barbarian in Frostburn has an ability where when it rages, when it is hit with cold damage, it heals its wounds for 1 damage for every 2 it would normally take. So if a caster had cast a Shocking Grasp [Energy Substitute for Cold] and dealt 5d6 damage [We'll say 20 points] the Barb would heal 10 points. What if the caster were an Arcane Trickster and had 5d6 Sneak Attack. Could the Barb decide to let the caster poke him in the spleen [a CRITICAL place] to get the benefits of Sneak Attack [since Sneak Attack on a spell is of the same element as the spell]? Thus, the Barb would be dealt 10d6 cold damage [say a roll of 40] so the Barb would heal 20 instead of the base spell for only 10.

 

[Gruns]

Well... Umm...

Why?
Are you talking about letting a friend do this too you? Or vs a random enemy? Or... Either way, I still don't get it...
In any case, I'd allow that, since it wouldn't be too hard to expose yourself. Unless of course it was to exploit some rule I can't think of right now.
But why?
Later!
Gruns

 

[Darkness]

But why?

While raging, a (3rd- or higher-level) Frostrager is not only immune to cold but also, if hit by cold damage, heals a number of hp equal to 1/2 the damage the cold effect would have done.

 

[Orm]

While I would let someone stand still and expose their throat to an attack (allowing to hit a vital point), I don´t think a raging barbarian would be so patient.

Orm

 

[Dog Moon]

Originally posted by Gruns
Why?
Are you talking about letting a friend do this too you? Or vs a random enemy? Or... Either way, I still don't get it...
In any case, I'd allow that, since it wouldn't be too hard to expose yourself. Unless of course it was to exploit some rule I can't think of right now.

An ally. Say the Barb was taking too much damage and needed more healing than just healing or there were no Clerics, or whatever circumstances you want to create. I suppose you could consider my example above to heal the barb through a frosty wizard might be considered as exploiting the rules...

As for the Barbarian, unless he's a Frenzied Berzerker, he is still aware of who his allies are and just as he won't attack them, he should assume that they are not trying to hurt him. Does the Barbarian have spellcraft? I seriously doubt it. For all he knows, until the spell takes effect, he doesn't know what the spell does. It could just as well be Bull's Strength or something. Though it might be a little bit more difficult to touch a critical spot and gain the Sneak Attack as opposed to a normal touch attack, the Barb is still allowing you to touch him for the benefits of the spell.

 

[Thanee]

Just flank him.

It's surely a bit weird, but technically... why not.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Mortis]

I would allow it to happen but in this particular case I would rule that the frostrager is immune to benefical as well as the negative effects of the cold.

Regards,
Mortis

 

[irdeggman]

Normally (if you would consider allowing someone to do potentally massive damage a normal thing) I'd say the character must make a Will or Concentration check toprevent from "flinching and thus ruining the Sneak Attack.

But since this is a raging barbarian I would not allow it. Raging IO precludes the formation of detailed plans and likewise prevents use of Int based skills as well as Concentrationand anything that involves patience or concentration.

 

[Thanee]

The biggest 'problem' is not technical, but rather conceptual.

The ability of the frostrager is surely meant to protect him in battle, not be used as a power-up. It could be viewed as an abuse of the ability (tho, that's probably a bit harsh).

Kind of reminds me of the Furies (Ghost comics) where one member (Kinetic) can absorb kinetic energy and become extremely fast that way and the others always shoot her with their assault rifles before combat to charge her up.

Bye
Thanee

 

[TheGogmagog]

Easy question, yes. Close your eyes and you are denied your dex.
You can even avert your gaze intended to avoid gaze effects, I don't recall if this denies you your dex against one target.
You might even be able to 'play statue' and be helpless, at which point the wizard could CDG you.

The questionable part comes with your exact situation. Can you rage and stand there with your eyes closed and not move. I think so, but it would be worth reading his rage ability again. As long as it's not like berzerker rage you should be fine.