Jumping Onto Larger Enemies

[ender_wiggin]

Are there explicit rules for jumping onto larger creatures? I would imagine it would work sort of like a grab except for larger creatures only.

Before I wrote up a house rule I wanted to make sure that it didn't already exist somewhere in the annals of 4E, as I don't have all the rulebooks.

 

[babinro]

As far as I know, there are no official rules.

Personally, I treat it as an initial grab check. Then any damage dealt to you while on the creature requires an acrobatics check whose DC is equal to the damage to stay atop the creature. The monster itself can follow standard grab rules in order to shrug you off.

 

[Mort_Q]

You may want to check out the Giantslayer paragon path, just for ideas.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I'll mention the Chart on page 42 of DMG 1. This sort of impromptu, cinematic, off-the-cuff action is exactly why that chart exists.

Good luck, and keep up the awesome.


Edit: The Giantslayer does have some cool mechanics that you can get inspired by. Great link, Mort_Q.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Page 42. I'd run it using skill checks. A PC could jump on with Athletics or Acrobatics using some kind of crazy maneuver. Its probably going to be difficult checks to get on and stay on. I'd grant some attack bonuses, CA maybe would work good, for attacking the beast while riding it. The grab rules will work fine as a starting point but I'd raise the risk/reward ratio a bit from a vanilla grab to make it more dramatic.

 

[Turtlejay]

Like, how much larger? Grabbing onto a bull to stop it charging. . .problematic, but a Hurcules could do it.

Putting your shoulder into a Fire Giant and tossing him down. . .impossible without magic, I'd say.

Pinning Galacticus to the ground and giving him a wet willy? Epic and you only get one shot.

Jumping on to much, much larger sized enemies, like *city* sized, could be handled with the enemy being the battlemat, and his medium sized allies converging to stop you. Otherwise known as regular combat.

All of these ideas sound pretty awesome.

Jay

 

[Infiniti2000]

Why am I getting a picture of a jockey in L4D2?

 

[ender_wiggin]

Some great ideas. Thanks.

Page 42 is amazing, but I'm looking for something a little more concrete. As far as what size the enemy is, I mostly envision animals Horse to Dragon sized, which is a pretty big distribution but not including things like a 3000 foot turtle.

I would like these rules to be a platform on which the character can then use his normal powers. A lot of times, my group will forego trying "high-risk/reward" tactics because their powers are more mechanically predictable.

But at this point I should start a new thread in the house rules forum.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

On the basis of the Giant Slayer's Ride the Giant Down utility power, I might rule it something like this:

Jumping On Larger Enemy
Action: Standard
Range: Melee 1
Target: One creature larger than you
Attack: Strength vs Reflex
Hit: You grab the target and you move into the target’s space, provoking opportunity attacks as normal. Until the grab ends, the target grants combat advantage to your allies and takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls. In addition, you grant combat advantage to other enemies and take a -2 penalty to attack rolls. When the target moves, you move with it, staying in the same portion of the target’s space.

When you sustain the grab, you may move 1 square in the target's space, provoking opportunity attacks as normal.

 

[fba827]

if you're "on level" (hieght wise) with the creature I'd say it's just a grab, regardless of size, you're just grabbing on to it's shin or what not.

Alternatively, use your move action (prior to the grab) to do a vertical jump (see Athletics skill) to get some height and then do a grab as the standard action to get the arm or back. For the unexpectedness of grabbing higher i'd give a slight bonus to the grab check (after all, for passing the athletics check first, there should be some benefit; failure would have them land prone on any square adjacent to the target).

If the PC is already higher than the target creature (say on a rooftop trying to grab on to a giant walking on the street next to him) I'd treat it as a charge (ie. you're falling that extra distance; failure means you're prone adjacent to the target)...

and being on the creature should provide you some benefit (either in the force of defense from that creature's attacks, or benefit to injure it, else, why bother).


i'm sure there are some combinations i'm not accounting for , but that seems simple enough for a framework...