So monk wants to be able to power up their strikes (using a staff) by dropping on them from a height of 300ft (at least) adding the fall damage (30d6) to his attack.
I've already told him he wouldn't go unscathed.
So I was thinking there'd need to be a Dex save (at least) to reduce the damage. Possibly flavouring it as the swing countering the fall.
So what do you think the damage should be to the monk if he dares to try this tactic?
Edit: I think the farther away he gets the harder it should be to hit his target too. So maybe increase the AC of his target?
If a creature falls into the space of a second creature and neither of them is Tiny, the second creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be impacted by the falling creature, and any damage resulting from the fall is divided evenly between them. The impacted creature is also knocked prone, unless it is two or more sizes larger than the falling creature.
So what do you think the damage should be to the monk if he dares to try this tactic?
DEpends, if you go with the rules TexasDevin posted then the answer is in the rule. If you want to homebrew something that actually gives the monk extra damage then I'd likely say that he's to focused on the attack to be able to use the "Slow Fall" feature so it would be whatever fall damage the height would result in.
Thanks for the replies guys. It's good to know there's an actual rule. It gives me something to work off of.
As you've already pointed out, this is creative thinking and I think it should be rewarded. The situations have to be right for the monk to be able to try this, so I'm giving him some leeway. (Funnily enough the player is called Lee.)
I would say slow fall would reduce the damage dealt out also. As it's the momentum giving his attack more power. However I would say that, as he is making a carefully timed attack then the damage would be as follows.
If he fails to hit the opponent with an attack and fails to fall on them, the monk takes full damage. I will allow slow fall to reduce damage to monk.
If he just falls on the opponent then the fall damage is split between them. Slow fall will reduce damage to both.
If he manages to hit the opponent and fall on them then the opponent takes 3/4 of the damage and the monk only takes 1/4. Ruling that by striking during the dive the monk has managed to transfer half the damage it would have received to the target. On a Nat 20 I'm tempted to say the monk takes no damage at all. (Ala rule of cool).
As the height of the drop increases, the DC the target has to succeed decreases.
DC 15 for 25ft or less
DC 14 for 25ft to 50ft
DC 13 for 50ft to 75ft
DC 12 for 75ft to 100ft
DC 11 for 100ft to 125ft
DC 10 for 125ft to 150ft
DC 9 for 150ft to 175ft
DC 8 for 175ft to 200ft
DC 7 for 200ft+ (Fall damage maximum so minimum DC)
I know the lower DCs seem a little redundant, but there are probably creatures that would still fail those DCs.
Hopefully this will allow my monk to utilise his idea whilst keeping it balanced. Let me know your thoughts.
Yeah, I would say disadvantage on the save if they aren't aware of the enemy. If a body is falling towards you there's a good chance you'll notice at some point.
Yeah, I would say disadvantage on the save if they aren't aware of the enemy. If a body is falling towards you there's a good chance you'll notice at some point.
Good chance? How often do you look directly up? And remember, one can fall 500' per round.
Richard is trying to work out his rules for how he wants to play them at his table.
If a creature falls into the space of a second creature and neither of them is Tiny, the second creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be impacted by the falling creature, and any damage resulting from the fall is divided evenly between them. The impacted creature is also knocked prone, unless it is two or more sizes larger than the falling creature.
Rightly or wrongly the check specified here is dexterity, not perception, but that's RAW.
Placing at disadvantage would already be a significant concession to the caveat that you'd use.
A rate of falling is not specified for slow fall and a DM is certainly at liberty to consider whatever rate fits in with a customisation of this feature.
Thanks for the replies guys. It's good to know there's an actual rule. It gives me something to work off of.
As you've already pointed out, this is creative thinking and I think it should be rewarded. The situations have to be right for the monk to be able to try this, so I'm giving him some leeway. (Funnily enough the player is called Lee.)
I would say slow fall would reduce the damage dealt out also. As it's the momentum giving his attack more power. However I would say that, as he is making a carefully timed attack then the damage would be as follows.
If he fails to hit the opponent with an attack and fails to fall on them, the monk takes full damage. I will allow slow fall to reduce damage to monk.
If he just falls on the opponent then the fall damage is split between them. Slow fall will reduce damage to both.
If he manages to hit the opponent and fall on them then the opponent takes 3/4 of the damage and the monk only takes 1/4. Ruling that by striking during the dive the monk has managed to transfer half the damage it would have received to the target. On a Nat 20 I'm tempted to say the monk takes no damage at all. (Ala rule of cool).
As the height of the drop increases, the DC the target has to succeed decreases.
DC 15 for 25ft or less
DC 14 for 25ft to 50ft
DC 13 for 50ft to 75ft
DC 12 for 75ft to 100ft
DC 11 for 100ft to 125ft
DC 10 for 125ft to 150ft
DC 9 for 150ft to 175ft
DC 8 for 175ft to 200ft
DC 7 for 200ft+ (Fall damage maximum so minimum DC)
I know the lower DCs seem a little redundant, but there are probably creatures that would still fail those DCs.
Hopefully this will allow my monk to utilise his idea whilst keeping it balanced. Let me know your thoughts.
A simple system of full damage and half damage might be an easier option.
Searching slow fall on sageadvice.eu led me to this:
Mike Mearls@mikemearls @Volfram_name @JeremyECrawford @ChrisPerkinsDnD i house rule bonus damage equal to falling damage - just happened last week!
Good chance? How often do you look directly up? And remember, one can fall 500' per round.
I'll be honest I don't find myself in combat very often IRL. I'm aware of that, however the maximum damage RAW is 20d6 and it's 1d6 per 10ft you fall. So maximum damage is achieved at 200ft.
So monk wants to be able to power up their strikes (using a staff) by dropping on them from a height of 300ft (at least) adding the fall damage (30d6) to his attack.
I've already told him he wouldn't go unscathed.
So I was thinking there'd need to be a Dex save (at least) to reduce the damage. Possibly flavouring it as the swing countering the fall.
So what do you think the damage should be to the monk if he dares to try this tactic?
Edit: I think the farther away he gets the harder it should be to hit his target too. So maybe increase the AC of his target?
He wants to go dive-bombing in on his target from 300' above? That works really well.
One time.
Jokes aside, falling damage tops out at 20d6. And there are rules for falling onto someone, which you are not exactly describing, but you kind of are.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Also remember as it is a monk you'd reduce the fall damage before you divide it.
Yea I'd consider it as being considerably more difficult to hit the target properly. Exactly how much more I'm not sure but a lot.
DEpends, if you go with the rules TexasDevin posted then the answer is in the rule. If you want to homebrew something that actually gives the monk extra damage then I'd likely say that he's to focused on the attack to be able to use the "Slow Fall" feature so it would be whatever fall damage the height would result in.
The monk's 4th lev ability is titled slow fall indicating that it facilitates just that.
However, monks are generally a weak class and your player has shown initiative.
I wouldn't judge you if you worked in some level of extra damage for an attack when falling especially if a buff might help balance a party.
Thanks for the replies guys. It's good to know there's an actual rule. It gives me something to work off of.
As you've already pointed out, this is creative thinking and I think it should be rewarded. The situations have to be right for the monk to be able to try this, so I'm giving him some leeway. (Funnily enough the player is called Lee.)
I would say slow fall would reduce the damage dealt out also. As it's the momentum giving his attack more power. However I would say that, as he is making a carefully timed attack then the damage would be as follows.
If he fails to hit the opponent with an attack and fails to fall on them, the monk takes full damage. I will allow slow fall to reduce damage to monk.
If he just falls on the opponent then the fall damage is split between them. Slow fall will reduce damage to both.
If he manages to hit the opponent and fall on them then the opponent takes 3/4 of the damage and the monk only takes 1/4. Ruling that by striking during the dive the monk has managed to transfer half the damage it would have received to the target. On a Nat 20 I'm tempted to say the monk takes no damage at all. (Ala rule of cool).
As the height of the drop increases, the DC the target has to succeed decreases.
DC 15 for 25ft or less
DC 14 for 25ft to 50ft
DC 13 for 50ft to 75ft
DC 12 for 75ft to 100ft
DC 11 for 100ft to 125ft
DC 10 for 125ft to 150ft
DC 9 for 150ft to 175ft
DC 8 for 175ft to 200ft
DC 7 for 200ft+ (Fall damage maximum so minimum DC)
I know the lower DCs seem a little redundant, but there are probably creatures that would still fail those DCs.
Hopefully this will allow my monk to utilise his idea whilst keeping it balanced. Let me know your thoughts.
Yeah, I would say disadvantage on the save if they aren't aware of the enemy. If a body is falling towards you there's a good chance you'll notice at some point.
Considering that you are assumed to notice most everything about what's around you while in combat I don't see the issue.
Richard is trying to work out his rules for how he wants to play them at his table.
RAW:
Rightly or wrongly the check specified here is dexterity, not perception, but that's RAW.
Placing at disadvantage would already be a significant concession to the caveat that you'd use.
A rate of falling is not specified for slow fall and a DM is certainly at liberty to consider whatever rate fits in with a customisation of this feature.
A simple system of full damage and half damage might be an easier option.
Searching slow fall on sageadvice.eu led me to this:
I'll be honest I don't find myself in combat very often IRL. I'm aware of that, however the maximum damage RAW is 20d6 and it's 1d6 per 10ft you fall. So maximum damage is achieved at 200ft.
Would you say that by striking the target while falling on them would be enough to mitigate all the damage from the fall, for the monk?
From three hundred feet, he rolls at -20 with disadvantage to-hit. If he hits, they both die. If he misses, only he dies.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt