Can large burrowing creatures be partially exposed?


Rules Questions


I was hypothesizing an underground fight between my party and a purple worm and a player started trying to gauge how tall the cavern would need to be to keep away from it using fly.
I pointed out that the worm in question has a burrow speed and as such could logically burrow it's way up the wall, hang from the ceiling and strike from there.
My player argued that the beast would have to make a climb check to avoid falling, I rebutted that in my scenario it would only expose 10 feet of it's 20 foot space from the ceiling meaning it would still technically be burrowed and he claimed hat the creature has to be completely out of the ceiling or wall to make an attack.
I assumes that they could because I can't imagine a sea serpent sitting ON TOP of water to fight the crew of a ship and would have so much of it's mass above the water to fight.
My player claims that a creature has to be in a type of terrain in it's entirety, no half ways.

So in short; can large or larger creatures with a burrow/swim speed be half in one terrain half out?

And while I'm on the subject, what happens if a large creature is half on solid ground and half over a pit?


It has 15ft reach. It can easily be in the cieling and attack something 15ft below it. Plus, if it's you're scenario, just tell him thus us how you'll run it to keep things interesting.


Quote:
My player claims that a creature has to be in a type of terrain in it's entirety, no half ways.

Ask your player to cite this.


Tell your player you are the DM and even if it is the case normally, it isn't in your game.

But, I don't see anything in the rules that support his position. In fact, if you look at the rules for water, there are rules for partial immersion in water.

Bog/Marsh/Swamp Terrain wrote:
The water in a deep bog provides cover for Medium or larger creatures. Smaller creatures gain improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves). Medium or larger creatures can crouch as a move action to gain this improved cover. Creatures with this improved cover take a –10 penalty on attacks against creatures that aren't underwater.

It seems to me a creature that is sticking out of a hole in the ground should also have cover.


blahpers wrote:
Quote:
My player claims that a creature has to be in a type of terrain in it's entirety, no half ways.
Ask your player to cite this.

I did and he gave where he thought he'd read it, but I couldn't find anything so I assumed he'd made a mistake; It wouldn't be the first time we've done this in our group.

Samasboy1 wrote:

Tell your player you are the DM and even if it is the case normally, it isn't in your game.

But, I don't see anything in the rules that support his position. In fact, if you look at the rules for water, there are rules for partial immersion in water.

Bog/Marsh/Swamp Terrain wrote:
The water in a deep bog provides cover for Medium or larger creatures. Smaller creatures gain improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves). Medium or larger creatures can crouch as a move action to gain this improved cover. Creatures with this improved cover take a –10 penalty on attacks against creatures that aren't underwater.
It seems to me a creature that is sticking out of a hole in the ground should also have cover.

It never occurred to me that it would get cover like that.

Should I feel ashamed at my lack of killer GM instinct?


What? Having 50% of your body in the ground didn't make you think about giving him a cover bonus?!

For shame! I debit your DM account one phony baloney dollar for lack of considering ways to further screw with your players.

All in jest, of course.


Another question in the same vein, shouldn't a creature with a burrow speed be able to make charge attacks from underneath their target?

Additionally, if the player continues complaining, employ Gelatinous Cube Monks. Silly Purple Worms will then be begged for.


I had this exact situation last week with a pair of worms who were hidding in their holes +4 stealth due to cover. A player tried fireballing them +4 cover, while a dwarf was in the hole in the way +4 cover. Another player moved to the hole and tried to fire a crossbow through the dwarf fighter +4 cover into melee +4 AC. Notably the player ended up grappled (-2 everything) in confined conditions (-2 everything).

I know exactly how it is, lol.

I also was penalizing them for throwing their light stone to far past the whole, dim conditions 20% concealment and in the hole it was completely dark full concealment. The human rogue ran out screaming at 3 hit points and the dwarf ran in. It was great fun.

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