Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Rule Clarifications

I found a few interesting rules Q&A threads recently and thought I'd share some interesting rules I found. Some I knew but appreciate the reminder, and some I had no idea. Number 56 is probably most interesting and 58 might intrigue Bear since he just discovered he has a power with a Melee reach 2 (thought whether or not it can be used when he charges is another question entirely.

#1 - (PHB 266) The number of times that you can use any daily power granted by any magic item is limited by the PC level. You CAN use more than one magic item daily power per day at Heroic Tier. The catch? You have to reach a milestone first.

#3 - (PHB 59) Powers with a hit that also have an effect still get the benefit of their effect even if the power misses. As the DM I didn't give some of my players the benefit from their attacks.

#7 - (PHB 287-288) Charge is a standard action, so you can still take a move action in the same round. However, using a charge ends your turn, so you can only move before you charge.

#12 - (PHB 295) When you subject to a healing effect that requires you to spend a healing surge and you have none left, you are restored to 1 hit point, if you were dying.

#19 - (PHB 295) When you reduce a monster to 0 hp you get to choose if you either knock it unconscious or kill it. (i.e. instead of nonlethal damage).

#25 - (PHB 285) You do not need to hold a weapon in order to obtain combat advantage through a flank. You can be armed or unarmed.

#29 - (PHB 285) You can flank, and even gain combat advantage for attacks, with a ranged weapon (or any attack). You still need to be adjacent to the target (so usually making the ranged or area attack would provoke), but still useful to know if there is something you really, really need CA for with a ranged or area attack.

#33 - (PHB 294) Temporary hit points don't stack.

#34 - (PHB 268) You can only use an Immediate Interrupt or Reaction once per Round, not both.

#39 - (PHB 290) You don't move into your opponent's square when you grab. Even if you're a stirge. In fact, I don't think you ever share a square with an opponent any more for any reason. Gelatinous Cube and Shambling Mound is one exception to this.

#56 - (PHB 295) You can only fail 3 Death Saving Throws TOTAL between short (or extended) rests. So if you go down, fail 2, get back up, go down again, and fail 1, you are D-E-D, dead.

#58 - (PHB 287)(Number your rules, demmit) With a reach weapon, you can make a charge attack and do NOT have to end the move adjacent to the charged enemy. "You must move at least 2 squares from your starting position, and must move directly to the nearest square FROM WHICH YOU CAN ATTACK YOUR ENEMY. You can't charge if the nearest square is occupied. Moving over difficult terrain costs extra squares of movement as normal."

How does Intimidation work? Ask your DM. The most common interpretation is that during combat you can force a bloodied target to surrender (i.e. no longer participate in the current battle), or an unbloodied opponent to take some other action. Either way they will likely have a +10 modifier to their will for being hostile. Discussed here.

Can you Teleportation from the prone position to an upright position? Teleportation does not remove the prone condition. However your DM might allow you to teleport into the air above the ground in order to use acrobatics to land on your feet. Discussed here.

What path must you take when charging? Ask your DM. The rules merely say "directly". Although in 3.5 "directly" meant "straight line" in regard to charging, no similar context is mentioned in 4e. Some DM’s using a variation of the 'pull' rules, others trace line of effect, etc. Discussed here.


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