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Special Attack Query

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Scipio	Special Attack Query	Lead	[-]
Posts: 511 (06/02/05 09:30:09) Ancient Dragon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None None of my players should read further than this line. So my party is involved in a tournament in a nearby kingdom. They have an item that two spies desparately want to get. One of them is an assassin. The party cleric is going to fight in the gladiator match. The fights are not to the death, and it is expressly forbidden to kill the other fighter. So basically it is a more dangerous than average sparring match. One possible plan that I am working on involves the assassin getting into the tournament and fighting the cleric. The cleric would know that this guy is an opponent (obviously), but he would not know that the guy is actually trying to kill him. The other spy would tell the rest of the party watching that if they do not surrender the item, then the cleric will die. Could the assassin still attempt a death attack? The entry on death attack states, While studying the victim, the assassin can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. What do you all think? Am I bending the rules too much in my favor? Thanks. Over on the mountain, Thunder magic spoke, Let the people know my wisdom, Fill the land with smoke.
Mannahnin	Re: Special Attack Query	#1	[-]
Posts: 774 (06/02/05 10:54:38) Ancient Dragon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tough call. This line: "the target does not detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy would seem to indicate that it's nullified as long as the target knows you're there; whether or not he knows you're an assassin. If you read "detected" to mean "recognized as an assassin", it might work. "At the center of the Universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything that we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings, that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service. - Fred Rogers (a.k.a., "Mister Rogers") 1928-2003 I would have to say that if you were in a debate with me you would know it and it wouldn't have taken four pages for you to lose it. -SPQR Anarchy, 2005
Kaigetsu	Re: Special Attack Query	#2	[-]
Posts: 8 (06/02/05 12:16:38) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hmmmmmm..... maybe the cleric should make a sense motive check, and if he fails then the assasin can make the attack because the cleric did not recognize the attack. Hmmmmmmmmmmm..... I'd have to agree with Mannahnin it's a tough call
Scipio	Re: Special Attack Query	#3	[-]
Posts: 511 (06/02/05 12:38:46) Ancient Dragon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Yeah, it is a tough call. You want to be fair to the player, but it seems like the assassin could do this. The sense motive check is a really good idea. The assassin would be carefully studying the player as they spar, and that might seem a bit off to an experienced warrior. The other option is the old "black lotus" standby. Then it wouldn't matter too much if the death attack would work. 3d6 Con damage will gentle someone up real quick. Over on the mountain, Thunder magic spoke, Let the people know my wisdom, Fill the land with smoke.
Bahamut44	Re: Special Attack Query	#4	[-]
Posts: 3139 (06/03/05 08:51:13) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I say you're bending the rules in your favor...if not just snapping them outright. It seems clear to me that it's an "either...or" (exclusive or) that either: 1.) The target can know the guy is an assassin, but just doesn't know he's there (or doesn't know where he is). Basically, you can't defend against what you can't see coming. Archer hides in the shadows, watches someone, then puts an arrow through their throat. 2.) The target doesn't know the guy is an assassin, doesn't know the assassin intends to kill him. Jester is hanging out with the king one night, just the two of them. The jester walks up to the king, whips out his dagger, and slits his throat. It seems clear that there are basically two prerequisites for the death attack to work: (1.) the assassin studies his target and finds a weak point and (2.) the target doesn't see it coming. -Zach AIM: AmeNoRyuu MSN: toupsz@hotmail.com ICQ: 210181200
adam renaldo	Re: Special Attack Query	#5	[-]
Posts: 18 (06/03/05 09:10:59) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Have the assassin hit the cleric with a strong paralysis or sleep poision. He then draws his +1 unholy bane against (insert cleric's race here) dagger. He threatens to coup de grace the cleric unless the party hands over the item. Once he gets the item, he drinks a potion of invisibility and is gone.
Duo	Re: Special Attack Query	#6	[-]
Posts: 732 (06/03/05 11:33:04) Dragon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I think your missing the obvious flaw here. No self respecting assasin is going to be caught dead in a closed ring with a cleric who wants to attack him where there is nowhere to hide. My advice. Snipe him from the croud with like 3 arrows coated with the most deadly poison you can find. Even better if he is within 30 ft at the time so your sneek attack damage kicks in. Even better if he can cast the 4th level assasin spell "Sniper's Guile" which alows you to sneak attack and death attack from 60ft away. Even BETTER if he is badly wounded.. or even out cold at the time, due to fighing in the area. Why put your neck on the line when you can have Mr. Joe gladiator sofen up your target for you? The assasin's plan of couse is to eliminate the party members one by one untill he can ambush the final one and claime his prize. The Cleric may survive this... in fact you may want to tone this down a bit so he has a better chance of surival, but even if he fails, the assasin invariably casts invisiblity directly after, and escapes into the paniced croud. (and of couse, switches disguises) The idea is that now the party is paranoid that they may become the target of the assasin's attack at any moment, and if your REALY good your players will be genuinely woried and paranoid that they may die at any second. Naturaly, the players will proby try to hunt down this assasin, and thats another whole adventure in itself. ------- "Yar, Must be Exploding Tuesday!" - Bikke
Scipio	Re: Special Attack Query	#7	[-]
Posts: 511 (06/03/05 13:01:19) Ancient Dragon Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	*Quote:* No self respecting assasin is going to be caught dead in a closed ring with a cleric who wants to attack him where there is nowhere to hide. Well the plan was that the assassin's companion was going to give the party a choice, while the match got underway. They could either surrender the sword or let their friend die in the combat arena. It isn't over yet, but it is shaping up to be a nice encounter. The companion began talking about the black lotus flower and its many uses. The party's danger sense went through the roof. He presented them with the choice given above. They would have none of that. One of them immediately called for a stop to the fight. The rest announced their intentions to attack. That is where the session ended. The six person party is around 11th level. The companion is a Rakshasa Sorcerer 3. The assassin is a Naztharune Assassin 1. It should be a tough battle. Over on the mountain, Thunder magic spoke, Let the people know my wisdom, Fill the land with smoke.

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