Questions tagged [combat]
For questions primarily about combat, the systems used in roleplaying games to resolve conflict through violent means, often to the death of one or more characters. Combat often involves several subsystems that determine whether harm is inflicted (to-hit) and the extent of that harm (damage).
1,454
questions
8
votes
1
answer
146
views
Combat lethality
Thematically, and with the game's focus, combat in Trail of Cthulhu is supposed to be bad news for players. But if I look at the actual mechanics, I can't see the supposed lethality.
As a crude ...
- 280
6
votes
1
answer
743
views
How Is Damage Determined For Sunlight Hypersensitivity?
So, as the title states, I'm curious about how the damage is determined with sunlight Hypersensitivity. I was looking through the monster manuals of DnD 5E and I came across a total of 4 monsters that ...
8
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Is the Dragonborn's Breath Weapon from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons an attack?
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons presents an alternative version for dragonborns. One of the features that have been changed is the Breath Weapon:
Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack action on your ...
- 18.7k
1
vote
0
answers
139
views
How can you transfer items in battle? [closed]
When I say item, I mean armour, weapon, materials etc. Can you transfer items across distance without using movement or throwing them preferably without using the bonus action of the sender?
- 591
3
votes
2
answers
425
views
Can you use two weapon fighting while maintaining a grapple?
Grappling just says you must use at least one free hand to initiate a grapple. But once you have successfully grappled a target, can you then engage in two-weapon fighting against that target? Or do ...
- 7,025
2
votes
0
answers
58
views
If a special melee attack is successful, does it "hit"? [duplicate]
I have a Fighter PC, second level as of last night, who I would like to become a Battlemaster at third. One of the Maneuvers I am considering is Grappling Strike, which says:
Immediately after you ...
- 34k
-4
votes
1
answer
204
views
What is the best ranged weapon for a bard? [closed]
I am making a Aasimar College of Creation Bard and don't really like the Vicious Mockery cantrip very well. It doesn't fit well with the idea I have for it. I need ideas for a ranged weapon that isn't ...
- 129
5
votes
2
answers
440
views
Does the Enemies Abound spell force a creature to move toward a perceived enemy in order to attack them?
The Enemies Abound spell specifies (emphasis mine):
Whenever the affected creature chooses another creature as a target, it must choose the target at random from among the creatures it can see within ...
- 7,025
5
votes
2
answers
89
views
How do allied Supporting Characters (NPCs) work in Dune combat?
I'm struggling to work out what to do with allied Supporting Characters (allied NPCs) during a skirmish conflict in Dune. Some parts of the rules seem to imply the GM treats them like they would an ...
- 2,300
3
votes
1
answer
38
views
Is there an option to Move an Asset without rolling dice in Dune?
I've started running Dune and am crashing into things that the rulebook does not explain well. Please can anyone who has run Dune or run/played other Modiphius 2d20 games help?
Movement: So when a ...
- 2,300
9
votes
2
answers
446
views
Is melee attacks' reach always written?
So, a group of mine made this doubt pop up: do huge creatures have reach just because of their size?
From what I understand, a creature has reach on a melee attack only if it's written as this one (an ...
- 2,315
5
votes
2
answers
391
views
Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts for combat advantage?
My knowledge domain cleric just levelled up and got the Channel Divinity: Read Thoughs ability. Provided I use this ability during combat and the enemy fails their saving throw, would reading their ...
11
votes
2
answers
280
views
Is there a prescribed method to determine order of combat within the three phases?
My group played our first round of combat in Avatar Legends and definitely stumbled through it.
It went fairly well, but there was a confusing point when we weren't sure how to determine order of ...
- 125k
2
votes
1
answer
316
views
Can you use Second Wind outside of combat? [duplicate]
The fighter's Second Wind feature says:
You have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to ...
- 7,025
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Can you choose to not participate in combat?
The combat rules state, on page 189 PHB:
Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check to determine their place in the ...
- 64.9k
0
votes
1
answer
56
views
Does Hordemaster epic destiny perk trigger once per ally or once overall?
I want to understand exactly how Dark Sun's "Hordemaster" Level 30 feature works (Dark Sun Campaign Setting, page 100).
Horde Attack (30th level): Once per encounter, when you or an ally ...
- 155
10
votes
1
answer
1k
views
When does the target of Otto's Irresistible Dance start to dance?
The spell Otto's Irresistible Dance enchants a creature so that it
begins a comic dance in place: shuffling, tapping its feet, and capering
which has several negative effects on the creature:
A ...
- 64.9k
3
votes
1
answer
260
views
When can new monsters joining a combat act?
My question is if, during a combat, I introduce a second wave of enemies (the party is fighting 10 goblins but then a second party of 5 who were flanking/hiding joins on the second round), when can ...
- 55
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How can creatures fight in cramped spaces like on a boat?
The rowboat in the core rules is stated to weigh 100 pounds. It is further described in Ghosts of Saltmarsh to be large enough for 4 creatures (2 crew, 2 passengers), and sized 10 feet by 5 feet. This ...
- 64.9k
14
votes
5
answers
801
views
How many creatures fit on a Carpet of Flying during combat?
The Carpet of Flying comes in four sizes. To keep it simple, let's just look at the smallest carpet, which is 3 feet by 5 feet in size, can carry 200 lb., and has a fly speed of 80. It can carry twice ...
- 64.9k
10
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How can I design fun combat encounters for a party traveling down a river on a raft?
So in my adventure, it is possible that my players will travel down a river, on a raft. The river itself is haunted and they will come across enemies.
I already have ideas for some specific enemies ...
- 191
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What are the best buff spells for a 10th level party to use on a fighter for a 1v1 arena vs a dragon?
A party consisting of a 10th level fighter, wizard, druid, and cleric are in a situation where the fighter will be planeshifted into a planar arena to fight a dragon. They don't know the nature of ...
- 29k
3
votes
2
answers
190
views
Can draconic Strike be used to damage objects?
Under Monk of the Way of the Ascendant Dragon, the Draconic Strike ability says:
When you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or ...
- 7,025
17
votes
4
answers
7k
views
How to survive level 1 as a wizard?
At level 1, a wizard has a very small amount of hp compared to most classes, and lacks armour proficiencies meaning they must invest in Dexterity as well as constitution to have less AC than most ...
- 29k
8
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Is there any monster with statblock changes during an encounter?
So I've been DMing D&D 5e for quite some time. My table enjoys long, challenging encounters. However many monsters end up repeating the same actions after a few rounds. I usually circumvent this ...
- 83
7
votes
2
answers
988
views
What's the Perception DC to hear a creature dying from sneak attack?
I make a sneak attack against a lone target, with a spell or bow, killing the target in one hit.
How difficult is it for the target's allies in the next room to notice?
The Perception DC to hear the ...
- 3,209
-4
votes
3
answers
291
views
The GOD SLAP - Balancing for 5th edition
Question about balancing for 5th edition combat.
I have this idea for a new attack. I call it the God Slap. A technique unique to monks that must be learned from studying at the feet of a master. The ...
- 561
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can a monk use Stunning Strike on a creature that has already failed a save against their Stunning Strike in the previous round?
If a monk hits a creature and stuns it with Stunning Strike—thus stunning it until the end of the monk's next turn—can the monk then use another Stunning Strike on the same creature the next turn, ...
- 7,025
4
votes
4
answers
330
views
Making disengaging interesting?
Let's set the scene; this is a Pathfinder 2e game. The PCs have recovered the target package from the area, they've fixed the carriage, they've looted everything, and they are ready to escape. ...
- 1,025
3
votes
3
answers
309
views
Do siege weapons have a maximum rate of fire?
Siege weapons typically take a series of multiple actions to make an attack. Ballistae, for example, require the input of a load action, aim action, and fire action to make a single attack roll - ...
- 34k
6
votes
4
answers
861
views
False appearance and hiding mid combat
As per the title, I'm having a hard time to understand how these two abilities interact, more specifically in a case of a homebrewed monster that can blind creatures that failed a save. It goes as ...
- 600
4
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Is there any estimate of average damage output per turn for PCs by level?
For monsters, we have the guidance of how much damage they are expected to deal in a round based on their CR from the DMG on page 274. In contrast, there is no such explicit guidance for expected PC ...
- 64.9k
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can you use your action to take a bonus action? [duplicate]
During a game tonight, I had a DM state using an action to do a bonus action is allowed by RAW. I was always taught this is not the case. I understand it's the DM's table, but for my own knowledge for ...
- 423
0
votes
0
answers
74
views
How many Reactions can a player get per round? [duplicate]
There's been some discussion lately around one of my tables about Reactions. Some are of the opinion that you only get 1 Reaction per round. Others say this is not necessarily true.
According to the ...
- 9,547
7
votes
2
answers
316
views
Is there a system for determining the difficulty of a combat encounter with a monster is in Call of Cthulhu 7e?
Is there a system to determine how difficult an encounter with a monster or group of monsters is in 7th edition?
7
votes
1
answer
685
views
Countering a concentration spell while concentrating on darkness
I had a recent rules argument with a couple of fellow players during a spellcasting tournament. I'm a warlock/monk with the concentration spells silence and darkness, as well as the devil's sight ...
- 227
4
votes
1
answer
360
views
Social interactions during combat?
I wanted to know if you can use social interactions during combat? e.g. Can you frighten(status) someone by using intimidation?
- 43
-2
votes
1
answer
255
views
Can Hunter's Horde Breaker be used against the same (huge) targer?
So I know that Horde Breaker descriptions clearly says
different creature that is in within 5 feet of the original target
But I am wondering what happens if you fight a giant creature, say Tiamat, ...
18
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Is a turn considered "taken" at its start or the end? (re: Assassinate and new bugbear PC features)
Looking at the rules for the 5e Assassin subclass (and similarly for the PC Bugbear Surprise Attack feature),
Assassinate
Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop
on ...
- 183
8
votes
2
answers
327
views
Does every instance of losing your Dexterity bonus to AC count as flat-footed even if it's not explicitly said?
My swordsage just got the maneuver Hand of Death:
This maneuver functions only against flat-footed opponents. As part of
this maneuver, you make a melee touch attack against your opponent. If
this ...
- 1,159
13
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can a monk push a banshee?
Can an Open Hand Monk push/shove a Banshee using Flurry of Blows, in spite of all of the banshee's condition immunities and features (i.e.: grappled, prone, hover, incorporeal, etc.)?
- 191
9
votes
5
answers
2k
views
How to calibrate combat encounters for high level play?
The DMG contains recommendations for the XP values of encounters that are supposed to help you create engaging but survivable combat encounters (page 82).
They work pretty well for low- and mid-level ...
- 64.9k
5
votes
1
answer
514
views
How is a creature's space defined?
What exactly counts as a creature's space, given that there are a lot of effects that care about an "unoccupied space"? Are a creature's space, its controlled space, and its occupied space ...
- 64.9k
11
votes
3
answers
2k
views
In combat, does a hidden character lose half their speed?
Last session, my bard polymorphed a fellow party member into a T-Rex to fight another T-Rex. As concentration had to be kept, I made my bard take the hide action, which succeeded. My bard had no ...
- 6,843
4
votes
1
answer
209
views
Balancing a conflict resolution system favouring players picking a spread of skills and attributes in a challenge, while rewarding some over others?
Introduction
I'm hoping I can draw on the Game Designer experience of this stack to help be make a decision on a dice-based conflict resolution system I'm designing for an RPG that I've been ...
- 12.7k
12
votes
3
answers
431
views
How to run tactical combat on the Plane of Air?
My party recently got themselves accidentally transported to the Plane of Air by way of a cursed throne that once belonged to a cloud giant. While there, I intend to run at least one combat where ...
- 29k
5
votes
2
answers
476
views
Can you use your passive perception while actively doing something else? [duplicate]
Say a player with a 16 passive perception is busy talking, fighting or even picking a lock, would they be able to passively perceive someone coming behind them or walking away from them?
- 51
3
votes
1
answer
165
views
Can an attacker with Greater Grapple or Rapid Grapple make a full attack action?
This is specifically for Pathfinder 1e.
So, I haven't been able to find the exact answer I'm looking for. I'm a Druid with two ranks in Brawler (technically, it's a home brew Brawler called Beastial ...
- 91
1
vote
2
answers
647
views
Making decapitation work [closed]
Often it comes up where a PC has knocked a NPC (for this question, call them Random Grunt) down, and is threatening them, with decapitation or some similar threat of imminent mortal peril. Let's ...
- 521
31
votes
9
answers
6k
views
How to have enemies that use tactics while also making sure that the encounter is fun for all players?
I am currently running a 5e game for a party of 5 players (level 3).
I tend to make my enemies use tactics. My encounters involving a large number of low-CR enemies tend to have roles (so a tank, some ...
- 978