Would you allow this?

[kreynolds]

Would you allow this?

No. I ruled that you have to use Whirlwind Attack in a circle, clockwise or counter-clockwise, and you must cleave in that order. I did this specifically to prevent this move, which is also known as "bucket-o-snails".

 

[kreynolds]

I study hung gar

You're kidding!? I study starv ving! What a coincidence!

So what you're doing when you make a Whirlwind attack is just attacking fiercely in many directions at once, for most warriors.

The illustration in the ELH would suggest otherwise.

 

[Thanee]

Would you allow this?

Well, since it is illegal - see KarinsDad's reply - no, but if it were, I'd of course allow it... however, through a really rare coincidence an oversized piano would crash down right in the moment, the fighter starts whirling (before he can do his first attack), slaying him instantly (no save). You know, such coincidences happen from time to time.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Stalker0]

I use the house rule that when you cleave you must cleave into the next closest enemy. Basically you'd wind up cleaving a lot of the swarm (which is illegal anyway as been proven, but anyway) and then hitting the guy. None of that I cleave (nope not you, no I don't want to hit you, um no forget you, ah... you!!).

 

[Plane Sailing]

I use the house rule that a cleave comes after the completion of the entire whirlwind attack, and if you dropped *any* of your targets in that process.

I might change for the version stalker0 uses though.

n.b. I believe earlier in the 3e playtest process Whirlwind attack was originally known as "heroic fray". Presumably they dropped that after representation from woollen factories or something.

Cheers

 

[Thanee]

About WWA and Cleave, I'd simply use the house rule, that a Cleave ends the WWA.

Bye
Thanee

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I only let my PCs cleave an individual opponent once in a round. So if they were to hit a bug, and then Cleave through to hit the guy in the swarm, that's fine, since they hit him once.

And it had better be a real bug swarm, since, as KD pointed out, you can't effectively fight the swarm with weapons.

Typical AC of a bug: +8 size bonus, +x Dex bonus. Dex will be as high as I want it to be.

 

[shurai]

Comparing real fighting skills and table fighting mechanics is always a mistake IMO.

In a true fight, one cut is more than enough to end a fight. It never lasts 6 seconds. In a fantasy medieval game, a hero can take quite a beating before getting really in real danger. Not really a good comparison IMO.

LARPG fights on the other hand gives a little more accurate source of comparison (but still). And these fights are really slow.

There's a difference between a fight where the first (and last) blow makes the survivor and a fight where the last (among many) blows makes the victor.

Yes, but remember that most melees "in real life" happened between low-level warriors, aristocrats, and commoners. If you've only got 4 hit points, suddenly one hit does end the fight. When we see two fifth-level fighters going at it, we're watching two of the best swordsmen we'll ever meet, so the fight may take longer.

But you're right, D&D is definitely unrealistic in this regard, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to push it in the right direction. Simulating historical combat is more interesting to me than a bunch of geeks just making stuff up after watching some dumb hollywood King Arthur film could ever be.

-S

 

[jgbrowning]

sure

sure i'd allow it.

i'd then have the fighter have a heart attack and die.


joe b.

 

[Xarlen]

Not to draw the wrath of Kreynolds (TM) but, with some weapons, you do not 'slice through' the subject. Take for example, a mace. If you WWA with a mace, you're not splattering everybody around you. And it's not exactly like Curly with a stepladder.