I had to make a ruling yesterday. A kobold threw a bottle of alchemist's fire at a monk. He wanted to Deflect Missiles. It was a mini paradox for me with RAW, because the Kobold is supposed to makes a ranged weapon attack, and on a hit it breaks and does 1d4 fire damage. The monk's Deflect Missile can be used to catch the item if he rolls 1d10 to reduce the damage to 0, which he did. But then... does the alchemist's fire even break? Same with acid vial.
Since it was ambiguous I had him roll a dexterity check to see if he would catch it or it would break anyway (still doing no damage). I am leaning toward just letting him catch it next time.
It's a side case that sort of circumvents the damage reduction, since it doesn't do any unless it breaks, but I'd say just let them catch it, they get to be cool, and it's not an encounter breaker, the kobolds can learn to target the other party members pretty quick.
If they are fast and nimble enough to snag an arrow from the air, catching a vial lobbed at them should be trivial.
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DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
I would say in that case the damage is rolled to see what would happen just so the Monk has a DC to roll against, but if the Monk rolls well enough to catch it then it did not break.
I would say in that case the damage is rolled to see what would happen just so the Monk has a DC to roll against, but if the Monk rolls well enough to catch it then it did not break.
I’d actually rule this differently - the item itself does no damage, so the Deflect would work automatically. Only after it successfully hits (for essentially 0 damage), does the after-effect take place.
Same reason why you wouldn’t roll double damage on Alchemist’s Fire with a critical hit... right?
If the Monk successfully reduced the damage to zero, then the flask didn't break; they just caught it. No paradoxes here.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
I wonder if this changes depending on how you picture the monk catching the object. I've always viewed it as a fluid motion, leaning out of the way to grab the object mid air but continue to spin and redirect the hit somewhere else. But I know some people picture it more like a baseball player catching a ball in a glove, or like in the movies when someone catches and stops a fist before it hits their face. How you picture the catch might influence how you rule the results.
I wonder if this changes depending on how you picture the monk catching the object. I've always viewed it as a fluid motion, leaning out of the way to grab the object mid air but continue to spin and redirect the hit somewhere else. But I know some people picture it more like a baseball player catching a ball in a glove, or like in the movies when someone catches and stops a fist before it hits their face. How you picture the catch might influence how you rule the results.
I'd say it's actually the opposite. The results of your role determine the narrative framework. A successful catch can be described in any manner that ends with the unbroken item in the Monk's hand. An unsuccessful catch can be described in any manner that ends with the item being broken, regardless of where/how that happens.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Well, alchemist fire doesn't do immediate damage, and it's only 1d4.
If a monk can't roll better than 4 on a 1d10 + Dex mod + monk level... I don't think they are really a monk.
This is actually why Alchemist's Fire is so confusing to me. If a monk catches it, he can use it as a monk weapon, which uses a special rule. So if the monk catches it, spends a ki to throw it and hits with it, does the fire damage suddenly scale to 1d6!?
However, I think I have a different interpretation. It might actually do immediate damage!
'This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an action, you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames."
Improvised weapons do do 1d4 damage on a hit, which needs to be reduced to be able to catch it! On a hit only afterward on the subsequent turns does it begin doing its fire damage.
The catch precludes the hit. If the Monk can beat a 4, they automatically catch it. If they spend a Ki to throw it it would do Martial Arts damage on a hit, and then do the normal burning damage after the hit. It’s just that simple.
I had to make a ruling yesterday. A kobold threw a bottle of alchemist's fire at a monk. He wanted to Deflect Missiles. It was a mini paradox for me with RAW, because the Kobold is supposed to makes a ranged weapon attack, and on a hit it breaks and does 1d4 fire damage. The monk's Deflect Missile can be used to catch the item if he rolls 1d10 to reduce the damage to 0, which he did. But then... does the alchemist's fire even break? Same with acid vial.
Since it was ambiguous I had him roll a dexterity check to see if he would catch it or it would break anyway (still doing no damage). I am leaning toward just letting him catch it next time.
It's a side case that sort of circumvents the damage reduction, since it doesn't do any unless it breaks, but I'd say just let them catch it, they get to be cool, and it's not an encounter breaker, the kobolds can learn to target the other party members pretty quick.
If they are fast and nimble enough to snag an arrow from the air, catching a vial lobbed at them should be trivial.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
I would say in that case the damage is rolled to see what would happen just so the Monk has a DC to roll against, but if the Monk rolls well enough to catch it then it did not break.
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I’d actually rule this differently - the item itself does no damage, so the Deflect would work automatically. Only after it successfully hits (for essentially 0 damage), does the after-effect take place.
Same reason why you wouldn’t roll double damage on Alchemist’s Fire with a critical hit... right?
Well, alchemist fire doesn't do immediate damage, and it's only 1d4.
If a monk can't roll better than 4 on a 1d10 + Dex mod + monk level... I don't think they are really a monk.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Well, a level 1 monk with a 13 Dex and my poopy dice luck....
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If it's a monk with only 13 DEX, I stand by my original statement! :D
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
They can be Strength builds, you do know that. Right?
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Yes, fine, sorry to belittle your monk that's terrible at catching things.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
If the Monk successfully reduced the damage to zero, then the flask didn't break; they just caught it. No paradoxes here.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
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InsiderI wonder if this changes depending on how you picture the monk catching the object. I've always viewed it as a fluid motion, leaning out of the way to grab the object mid air but continue to spin and redirect the hit somewhere else. But I know some people picture it more like a baseball player catching a ball in a glove, or like in the movies when someone catches and stops a fist before it hits their face. How you picture the catch might influence how you rule the results.
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Or the two-hands clapping catch!
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I'd say it's actually the opposite. The results of your role determine the narrative framework. A successful catch can be described in any manner that ends with the unbroken item in the Monk's hand. An unsuccessful catch can be described in any manner that ends with the item being broken, regardless of where/how that happens.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
This is actually why Alchemist's Fire is so confusing to me. If a monk catches it, he can use it as a monk weapon, which uses a special rule. So if the monk catches it, spends a ki to throw it and hits with it, does the fire damage suddenly scale to 1d6!?
However, I think I have a different interpretation. It might actually do immediate damage!
'This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an action, you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames."
Improvised weapons do do 1d4 damage on a hit, which needs to be reduced to be able to catch it! On a hit only afterward on the subsequent turns does it begin doing its fire damage.
The catch precludes the hit. If the Monk can beat a 4, they automatically catch it. If they spend a Ki to throw it it would do Martial Arts damage on a hit, and then do the normal burning damage after the hit. It’s just that simple.
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