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I was DMing a quest where the player was in a library getting attacked by 8 gnolls. He was at low health and outnumbered so he ran, but first knocked over a bookcase on 3 of the gnolls.

In the future, should I make an attack roll to hit each creature or one for all creatures, since it's one book case?

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    \$\begingroup\$ You don't seem to be describing anyone actually making an attack. Could you clarify exactly what is happening here? \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 15:53
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    \$\begingroup\$ @ThomasMarkov the way I read it, OP had the bookcase make an attack roll against the gnolls. \$\endgroup\$
    – Ben R.
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 15:58
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    \$\begingroup\$ What did you rule in the moment? How did it work out? Having tried it one way are you inclined to try the other? \$\endgroup\$
    – linksassin ♦
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 23:27

1 Answer 1

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A more standard approach might have been to get each gnoll to make a dexterity saving throw, which represents them having to take some action to avoid being crushed by the bookcase.

In this case, you would roll each gnoll's saving throw separately, as they all have their own agency.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ What do you mean by "more standard"? Is this approach "standardized" some where such that it can be called "standard"? \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 16:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ @ThomasMarkov It’s a common way to say ‘common’. They don’t mean literal standardisation. \$\endgroup\$
    – Cubic
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 16:27
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    \$\begingroup\$ This is probably the correct way to handle this, however this answer could be improved by quoting rules on attacks or environmental hazards. \$\endgroup\$
    – Andrendire
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 16:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Andrendire I concur; For refrence Ben, they can be found respectively in the Basic Rules or Player's Handbook in chapter 9, and the Dungeon Master's Guide in chapter 5 \$\endgroup\$
    – David Coffron
    Commented Nov 9, 2020 at 17:05

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