Rules for throwing sand in eyes?

[Rafael Ceurdepyr]

Anybody know of rules for blinding an opponent by throwing sand, dirt, etc. in his/her/its eyes in the midst of combat?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

There are none that I'm aware of.

If I were to house rule something in the middle of a game, I'd go with something like:

1. Move action, provoking an AoO, to grab the sand (as picking up anything in combat).
2. Ranged touch attack, max range = reach, also provoking an AoO, to toss the sand (as any ranged attack in combat).
3. If the target's hit, he needs to make a ... Fortitude save, DC 10-15 or so.
4. A succssful hit and failed save partially blinds your opponent - attackers get a +2 on attacks against him, until your opponent takes a full-round action to clear his eyes (move action if he's got water handy).

 

[werk]

Why not make him blinded?

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#blinded

 

[Rafael Ceurdepyr]

There are none that I'm aware of.

If I were to house rule something in the middle of a game, I'd go with something like:

1. Move action, provoking an AoO, to grab the sand (as picking up anything in combat).
2. Ranged touch attack, max range = reach, also provoking an AoO, to toss the sand (as any ranged attack in combat).
3. If the target's hit, he needs to make a ... Fortitude save, DC 10-15 or so.
4. A succssful hit and failed save partially blinds your opponent - attackers get a +2 on attacks against him, until your opponent takes a full-round action to clear his eyes (move action if he's got water handy).

Thanks, I think this is the direction we're looking for.

 

[Rafael Ceurdepyr]

Why not make him blinded?

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#blinded

Right, that's the effect I'm going for with the sand. This is for a rogue in a low-magic world.

 

[domino]

I'd suggest a reflex save rather than a fort save. At first, at least.

The reflex save to shut his eyes, and turn his head, so he doesn't get it in his eyes. Maybe a fort save to blink the stuff out, next round.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Why not make him blinded?

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#blinded

Sand in the eyes doesn't strike me as completely blinded. It's more blurred vision than completely blinded.

Also, because blind is very, very powerful when it's unlimited times per day. I'm therefore more comfortable making up a house rule which may be underpowered at first blush, and then increasing its power through playtesting, than starting out overpowered and trying to work my way beack down.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

The Book of Iron Might has rules for this sort of thing. It's got a system by which you can devise manoeuvres that adversely affect your opponents, an example of which is the old sand-in-the-eyes trick.

 

[CM]

There are a couple of feats in Sandstorm for this very tactic.

The basic feat lets you fling sand as a supplment to an attack action, but you must move at least 10' that round. The save is Fortitude, DC is Wisdom-based.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I'd suggest a reflex save rather than a fort save. At first, at least.

The reflex save to shut his eyes, and turn his head, so he doesn't get it in his eyes. Maybe a fort save to blink the stuff out, next round.

I included the "Reflex save" part in the initial touch attack.

The Fortitude save represents your ability to ignore the sand in your eyes, something tough guys should be able to do.

The real issue that comes up with such abilities is its applicability outside normal parameters.

My house rule guess doesn't handle characters wearing helmets, goggles of minute seeing, burrowing creatures, and other non-bareheaded humanoid situations very well. Accordingly, I'd be careful when allowing such abilities into play.