3
\$\begingroup\$

In my current campaign, I play a seventh level (6 without LA) Half Giant Psychic Warrior. Another party member is a seventh level Raptoran Ranger.

My Half-Giant has a strength of 27. Would it be possible for me to become large/huge by using Psionic Expand, and then throw the Raptoran in the air to allow her to glide? If so, how would we go about this?

Alternatively, would it be possibly for her to sit on my shoulders and then simply jump off when I become large/huge (16/32 ft)? Again, how should we handle this in terms of rules?

\$\endgroup\$
1

1 Answer 1

1
\$\begingroup\$

Jump

A High Jump without a 20 ft. running start:

All Jump DCs given here assume that you get a running start, which requires that you move at least 20 feet in a straight line before attempting the jump. If you do not get a running start, the DC for the jump is doubled.

A high jump is a vertical leap made to reach a ledge high above or to grasp something overhead. The DC is equal to 4 times the distance to be cleared.

So she could make a Jump check, and divide the result by 8 to obtain the number of feet above your height that she managed to get to. It will probably not be very phenomenal, unless she has a very high Jump skill.

You may argue being able to help her (Aid Another action) but that's only a +2 to her roll (or 0.25 ft.).

It might be more helpful if YOU were jumping first, your ally would probably need some Balance check as she is precariously perched on your shoulders, of course, but she could then jump from your high point. Given your Strength, and if you were taking a running start, you could probably clear a couple more feet (although... the rules for Jump are made for Medium character, it would be logical to double the number of feet cleared each time you double in size, but that would be a House Rule).

You then apply the gliding rules.


Throw

As far as I know there is no innate ability to throw upward, the rules for throwing weapons require aiming at something.

Interestingly, Races of Stone, p. 139 has the Fling Ally feat: pick up the ally with a Move Action and throw with a Standard Action, but all the feat does is giving a range increment and avoid the Attack penalty for using an "improvised weapon", the character still has to aim for a square, and the penalty for missing is not too adapted to the situation.

If you miss the target (whether aiming at a creature or a grid intersection), roll 1d8. This determines the misdirection of the throw, with 1 being straight back at you and 2 through 8 counting clockwise around the grid intersection or target creature. Then, count a number of squares in the indicated direction equal to the range increment of the throw.

A character with Fling Ally and Improved Rock Hurling throwing another character 2 size less than her (or more) throw the smaller character with a 40 ft. increment (and 5 range increment) so up to 200 ft. upward if you wish, and if missing (by 5*5ft.), you may "only" throw 175 ft. upward if you decide to apply the miss vertically, or otherwise always reach the target height if you apply the miss horizontally.


All in all, I am afraid that this is not helping much. You might want to invest in perch for your flying pet friend?

\$\endgroup\$
7
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Note that "squares" are actually 3D cubes, and there are squares up in the air that may be aimed at. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 8, 2016 at 16:25
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie: yes... but this is where throwing breaks down; in theory you just take a penalty for each range increment (so -10 for 5 range increments) however missing when throwing an ally up is not exactly catastrophic so a Huge character with Fling Ally and the Rock Hurling capacity could throw a Medium character 200 ft. upward with basically no penalty... seems weird no? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 8, 2016 at 16:30
  • \$\begingroup\$ I'm just pointing to a factual error in the post that may result in downvotes. Whether and how you fix it, and how you address any weird issues that it results in, is up to you as the person with their name on the answer. :) \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 8, 2016 at 16:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie: Ah! Good point. I've specified why I think that aiming at square (given the mechanics of thrown weapons) seems poorly adapted to throwing characters "just to gain some height" (where accuracy matters little). \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 8, 2016 at 16:56
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't think throwing upwards is the same as throwing sideways. After all the jumping rules aren't the same either. \$\endgroup\$
    – JFBM
    Commented Jan 8, 2016 at 18:54

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .