Tagged Questions
8
votes
2answers
176 views
What happens to aquatic creatures when they're pulled onto land?
A dire piranha swarm, for obvious reasons, has only a swim speed and no other available movement modes.
The warden in our party, while standing next to a lake, used Warden's Lure, which pulled all ...
10
votes
5answers
258 views
Awarding XP for combat encounters in Dnd 4e
I am a very inexperienced DM. I have here what must be an obvious question, but I can't seem to find any solid clarification.
How is XP rewarded after a combat encounter? Is the total monsters' XP ...
3
votes
1answer
115 views
How exactly does lighting affect combat?
I understand that there are different types of lighting (dim, bright, complete darkness), but I haven't been able to find anywhere in the DMH or PHB that specifically describes how these different ...
9
votes
4answers
310 views
Making epic combat interesting and challenging but not complicated
I'm running up on the tail end of a year-and-a-half 4e campaign, and epic levels are exhausting to GM. Everyone has more weird powers than you can shake a dragon at, and that includes the NPCs ...
12
votes
3answers
684 views
What is the significance of a Basic Attack vs. any other sort of attack?
On the one hand, this is a pretty newb question: I’m not familiar with 4e and do not actually know what a Basic Attack is. That sort of question, however, I could answer by simply opening the ...
7
votes
2answers
158 views
Does the Monk's Flurry of Blows trigger mark retribution?
Scenario:
Monk is marked by Fighter.
Monk attacks Fighter.
Monk uses Flurry of Blows on a different creature.
Does the Fighter get to use Combat Challenge to attack the Monk?
UPDATE: I found this ...
6
votes
4answers
252 views
Creating rules for jumping or climbing onto monsters?
Partly inspired by this thread's discussion about creative role-playing and one answer there referring to stunts, I wanted to adapt a similar concept to the fairly rules-strict D&D 4th Edition.
...
4
votes
1answer
114 views
Does the Executioner Assassin apply dexterity to its melee basic attacks?
I am trying to figure out if the Executioner assassin (Heroes of Shadow) applies its dexterity to its melee basic attacks. The Attack Finesse Class feature says: You can use Dexterity instead of ...
13
votes
2answers
459 views
Does making an opportunity attack with a ranged weapon provoke an opportunity attack?
If I make an opportunity attack with a ranged weapon (e.g., a crossbow) against an adjacent enemy, does it provoke an opportunity attack as well?
2
votes
2answers
225 views
Are magic missiles (generically) affected by the wind?
Are ranged attacks by spells affected by the wind? In the amended 4E rules for Magic Missile, the spell always hits, so I suppose we can take the answer for that spell to be that no, the cover and ...
14
votes
4answers
329 views
When to use scarce resources in combat?
How does one choose when to use scarce resources (e.g. powers you can only use once per day or encounter) in combat? I am particularly concerned with D&D, but I believe the concept carries over ...
5
votes
2answers
185 views
Does my secondary attack use up my standard action for my turn?
Visions of Avarice
Daily - Arcane, Illusion, Implement, Zone Standard Action
Area burst 5 within 10 squares
Effect: The burst creates a
zone in its origin square. The zone lasts ...
5
votes
1answer
126 views
Does undirected damage require line of sight/effect?
Certain powers cause damage without specifying any conditions about how that damage is dealt. Consider, for example, the following Barbarian Rage Daily Powers:
Earthquake Dragon's Rage
Effect: ...
8
votes
2answers
327 views
Combat Challenge vs Opportunity Attack - which happens first?
If a fighter has marked an enemy, and the enemy does a ranged attack against someone other than the fighter, I believe the fighter can attack using Combat Challenge as the enemy is making an attack ...
6
votes
2answers
255 views
What is the total net bonus when attacking an unconscious creature?
I've been thinking about unconsciousness and performing a a coup de grâce lately. It came up in our game this past week and I want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly.
Unconscious reads:
...
9
votes
2answers
167 views
What do characters know about the battlefield?
The PCs generally know where all enemies are and vice versa (except those who are Hidden). They also know the effects of all zones and other buffs that are in effect. This is part of the "all the ...
15
votes
1answer
193 views
Can a creature immune to Immobilized walk away from a creature grabbing it?
Grabbed:
While a creature is grabbed, it is immobilized. Maintaining this condition on the creature occupies whatever appendage, object, or effect the grabber used to initiate the grab. This ...
19
votes
2answers
678 views
How do I use minions effectively?
I'm a newbie DM. It seems that minions in an encounter benefit the PCs more than they benefit me:
The Barbarian can kill them for free THP and a Swift Charge (I thought they were supposed to slow ...
11
votes
1answer
333 views
Do players get full XP from encounter if enemies break and run?
First, I don't know of any specific morale rules for NPC's/monsters, but I would say based on modern army tactics, a unit has lost its effectiveness at 33% losses, and at 50% its a rout. So if the ...
10
votes
9answers
570 views
How to make combat deadlier?
I was thinking of reducing all hit points by 1/2 (pc, npc and monster) to make combat deadlier and less Hp crunching. Is this a good approach or is there a better way to do this or would it be better ...
4
votes
1answer
280 views
What is the the damage die of a punch or kick?
Probably an easy question but I could not find the answer for it anywhere.
Our group have the Heroes of Fallen X books, the Dungeon Master Kit and the Monster Vault and although the DMK says that you ...
5
votes
1answer
363 views
What is added on to secondary attacks with implement powers?
Background: The Wild Magic Sorcerer in my group often uses his at-will power Chaos Bolt. On a hit with an even numbered roll, he gets to make a secondary attack against a creature within 5 squares of ...
4
votes
2answers
374 views
Is that superior or partial cover?
Take the following diagram:
. E .
X X .
X X .
X X .
X X .
. A .
Considering the Attacker has line of effect (like an arrow slit) to the Enemy. According to RC pg 219 on determining cover, lines ...
7
votes
1answer
220 views
Is it still valid to zig-zag an opponent through a wall for multiple hits?
An old D&D 4e trick is to use forced movement to zig-zag your opponent through a wall effect multiple times for multiple hits. As I understand it, the Wall of Fire power specifically has been ...
13
votes
4answers
325 views
Readying an action before combat
Suppose the party suspects that combat is imminent, and some of the PCs ready actions (attack nearest hostile creature, attack first thing that moves). Then combat erupts. Some of the PCs are ...
13
votes
2answers
637 views
Is there a penalty for holding a two handed weapon in offhand while throwing a weapon?
I have a fighter (warforged weaponmaster, level 6). He wields a Mordenkrad (2-handed hammer, brutal 1). He has a "Dwarven Thrower" Throwing Hammer (1-handed throwing weapon) sheathed at his belt.
...
1
vote
0answers
142 views
Does a forced movement from an OA stop a movement action in progress? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Does movement continue after an Opportunity Attack?
I am in the process of creating a Druid, and an interesting opportunity came up.
I a creature moves away from me to ...
15
votes
5answers
2k views
How can I create an introductory D&D encounter intended for teaching the rules?
For my next D&D campaign, I want to introduce the players to the ruleset by having them play through a sample combat encounter. All of them have prior RPG experience, but they haven't played any ...
3
votes
2answers
307 views
What's the impact of a monster being immune to Unconscious?
Some monsters have immunity to being Unconscious. Since monsters die when they hit 0 HP (barring a PC deliberately inflicting nonlethal damage), what's the impact of this? Do they fight on when ...
12
votes
4answers
736 views
How to kill yourself in 4e?
Warning: spoiler about P2: King of the Trollhaunt Warrens. The following explains why I want rules on killing yourself, but isn't critical to the question (with the edit), so don't read it if you will ...
10
votes
2answers
684 views
Flanking and swarms in 4e
Can swarms be flanked by two PCs? What if the swarm is occupying the same square as a PC?
Does a PC grant combat advantage to a swarm if a regular mob is adjacent in a flank? Does it matter if the ...
12
votes
3answers
330 views
Non-combat objective: Delay larger enemy force
I'm re-writing the "Battle of Albridge" encounters from The DM-kit's Reavers of Harkenwold. As supplied they are mostly just a rehash of earlier fight-to-the-death skirmishes on re-used maps. Instead ...
14
votes
3answers
319 views
How do you keep players involved between their turns?
I've been running D&D Encounters for the last several seasons. One of the areas I would like to improve is keeping players involved and interacting with the scene when it's not their turn. When ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
What type of action is sheathing a weapon and equipping another?
I have seen both the "What action type is switching two items between hands" question and the Master at arms feat referenced within.
My question is: Suppose I have an elven cleric with both a mace ...
5
votes
3answers
309 views
Does a creature lose invisibility after being hit?
Duergar Scouts can turn invisible as a standard action until the end of their next turn or until they hit or miss with an attack. One of the PCs guessed where the monster might be and attacked the ...
7
votes
5answers
493 views
What is, or should be, the average time length of combat in each tier in real time?
As per title, what is or should be the average time length in real time of one combat encounter in each tier of a DnD 4E game? I've noticed between heroic and paragon tier combat length starts to ...
13
votes
5answers
564 views
How does disarming a monster affect its statistics?
The disarm maneuver has almost totally disappeared from D&D 4th edition. However, at least one Fighter power - Exorcism of Steel - allows it.
Exorcism of Steel - Fighter Attack 17
You make a ...
12
votes
2answers
262 views
Does going prone stack with having cover?
Suppose I'm playing a ranged character. I am standing with an ally between me and my enemies, which grants "+2 defenses" for cover. I decide to further go prone. Do I now have a "+4 defenses", 2 ...
7
votes
3answers
282 views
What are some “ideal” marching formations?
It often happens that your party is approaching an area in which you just know combat will soon ensue. Or, when a combat encounter presents itself, you may be given an opportunity to arbitrarily ...
17
votes
6answers
1k views
In D&D 4th Edition, how numerically close should party member levels be? What happens if they aren't?
I've read a lot here (and in the official books) about balanced parties in Dungeons and Dragon's 4th edition. Parties should contain at least one each of four specific roles, a distribution of skills ...
12
votes
2answers
323 views
How do you know if two monsters can move at the same time in DnD4e?
Can monsters in Dungeons and Dragons 4.0 share turns?
In the first encounter of the Dungeons and Dragons 4e Redbox it states that you should make one initiative roll for the two goblins and one for ...
12
votes
4answers
6k views
How can Rogues maintain combat advantage?
I get that if you are hidden from an opponent, you gain combat advantage against them.
I get that if you make a point of it, and you're not getting surprised by the opposition, you should be able to ...
15
votes
4answers
458 views
How can I make combat more challenging without making it too frustrating?
My fellow DMs and I have come across a problem. It feels like the party has been doing a good job of dispatching our monsters with relative ease. We are not upset about this part, our party has done ...
18
votes
11answers
2k views
What is a good combat tracker for D&D 4th Edition?
As my players go up levels there are more and more variables in combat. I need help. What solutions exist out there and what makes them good?
18
votes
2answers
739 views
Can an unconscious character use a healing surge?
Can an unconscious character use an action (like second wind or a healing power) to spend a healing surge?
Can an unconscious character spend a healing surge due to some external effect?
17
votes
4answers
687 views
How can acrobatics be used to move through an enemy occupied square?
According to the AcrobaticsDDI skill you can use an Acrobatic Stunt to "somersault over an opponent", amongst other things . It gives a base DC of 15, and "the DM sets the DC based on the complexity ...
10
votes
3answers
512 views
Close burst from a large creature — one square origin or all of them
If a large or larger creature uses a close burst, does the burst have to emanate from a single square of the large creature's space, or does it act as if the creature is the source (all squares)?
The ...
5
votes
2answers
295 views
Combat Skill Challenges
I've seen a combat run as a skill challenge before, and it worked quite well. I'm wondering, though, if anyone has made more formal rules for a combat skill challenge, beyond "pick main skills and set ...
15
votes
5answers
293 views
How do you alter the difficulty of a challenge/fight in the middle of it?
I've run a bunch of times with players that took very diverse characters. I made them use their own rolls (which often ended up giving them awesome stats for some reason).
Eventually I had to ...
9
votes
3answers
314 views
Reducing Damage as an Interrupt
A friend of mine's assassin just got Sunspray Heritage which includes an encounter power- when hit by a radiant or fire damage, the triggering damage is reduced to 0. When he's in Shade form he's ...
