I am curios about this. As some DMs make you guess if you are threatened.
I alert the PCs they are aware the monster threatens once they enter it's threat range.
I was unable to find any rulings on this does anyone else have what the ruling is?
In most cases, I'd say it's pretty obvious, and if nothing else, I feel the player should be informed of it except in cases where you simply cannot see the opponent.
According to PF, the 'threat zone' idea comes from the fact that creatures are continually moving around in their space, and throwing feints, jabs, and such in their threatened zone. With that in mind, it would be obvious when you move into a creature's threat zone, as he would start swinging at you narratively (if not in terms of actual mechanics).
Only by visual inspection. That is, you can see the creature and its arms (natural or manufactured). There can still be some surprises, like if you'd never seen a froghemouth you don't know that it has a reach tongue, or you don't know that your opponent can activate his LUNGE feat during his turn.
Only by visual inspection. That is, you can see the creature and its arms (natural or manufactured). There can still be some surprises, like if you'd never seen a froghemouth you don't know that it has a reach tongue, or you don't know that your opponent can activate his LUNGE feat during his turn.
Though Lunge technically doesn't increase your threatened area, just your range while attacking on your turn.
My point was simply that you can't "see" feats until they're used.
Reach, in most cases, is not a feat, however.
Long and Tall creatures generally have certain reaches so normally yes. If the creature has an abnormally long reach then I can see you not knowing.
An example was a 3.5 undead large monster whose claws could extend to 20 feet, and a the Frogomoth mentioned above.
Long and Tall creatures generally have certain reaches so normally yes. If the creature has an abnormally long reach then I can see you not knowing.
An example was a 3.5 undead large monster whose claws could extend to 20 feet, and a the Frogomoth mentioned above.
Yeah, the Boneclaw. Probably not RAW, but I ran it as either threatening 10' or 20', but you knew which one it was at the time from how it was moving.
I am curios about this. As some DMs make you guess if you are threatened.
I alert the PCs they are aware the monster threatens once they enter it's threat range.
I was unable to find any rulings on this does anyone else have what the ruling is?
I'm not sure what you're referring to. If you're talking about reach, then no... in my games it's up to the players to Grow a Clue and recognize that Large and larger monsters likely have reach and to act accordingly.
If the players are clever enough to make sure they tactically set up flanking and funnel bad guys into threatened squares, they're clever enough to remember "oh, yeah, giants with longspears probably threaten out about 50ft... I should maybe cast defensively".
That said, I am generous in other ways. If a player of a caster doesn't say "I cast defensively", I'll usually give them a moment before resolving things. "Anything else?" I do that with most actions and most classes, to give a player a "is that your final answer" moment. It is common enough that it doesn't usually tip them off "oh, crap, he's warning me I'm threatened", but it makes the player take one last moment to double-check they've said all of the things they thought.
I therefore don't have much for a problem with "oh, I meant I was going to Power Attack this round" or "oh, I meant to rage first" or "oh, I didn't say I'm activating my robe of being awesome and winning this encounter?"
Really, do you remind players they're about to move their PC into a flanked position?
I am curios about this. As some DMs make you guess if you are threatened.
I alert the PCs they are aware the monster threatens once they enter it's threat range.
I was unable to find any rulings on this does anyone else have what the ruling is?
I'm not sure what you're referring to. If you're talking about reach, then no... in my games it's up to the players to Grow a Clue and recognize that Large and larger monsters likely have reach and to act accordingly.
If the players are clever enough to make sure they tactically set up flanking and funnel bad guys into threatened squares, they're clever enough to remember "oh, yeah, giants with longspears probably threaten out about 50ft... I should maybe cast defensively".
That said, I am generous in other ways. If a player of a caster doesn't say "I cast defensively", I'll usually give them a moment before resolving things. "Anything else?" I do that with most actions and most classes, to give a player a "is that your final answer" moment. It is common enough that it doesn't usually tip them off "oh, crap, he's warning me I'm threatened", but it makes the player take one last moment to double-check they've said all of the things they thought.
I therefore don't have much for a problem with "oh, I meant I was going to Power Attack this round" or "oh, I meant to rage first" or "oh, I didn't say I'm activating my robe of being awesome and winning this encounter?"
Really, do you remind players they're about to move their PC into a flanked position?
That is not the same thing. The characters in the gameworld can see the actual monster. The players, if they could see the monster's through the PC's eyes would most likely not have to ask.
Now once a monster's reach is established I don't remind them to cast defensively either.
Common sense is a good guide for this question.
Youre in a creaures threat zone if it:
1) Looks at you either continuously or at short intervals, to check and recheck your position and activity.
2) Shifts its body in preperation of dodging or blocking your attacks.
3) Aligns its weapon to strike at you in the near future.
A creature might try to hide this information, but this is only truly possible before or early in a battle, this might be acheived by a bluff check or by not carryign any obvious weapons ("HEADBUT!").
Some critters are just too unusual or unique for it to be obvious or visible at all if you are in its threat zone. These creatures include:
1) Several abberations, many of whom possess unique senses, freely moving eyestalks or other, stranger abilities.
2) Insects and bugs whose multiple or compound eyes can see in several directions at once. Seemingly ignoring you without ever letting you get out of their sight.
3) Magical or other omnidirectional senses that are not immediately apparent.
4) Creatures whose behavior or physique makes them function strangely, such as Golems or Elementals.
The list goes on, but you get the picture.
Back in 3.5 there was a shapechanging class in the complete warrior (the Warshaper) that had a "surprise reach" class ability. I always read that as you knew when you were threatened and could see if a monsters usual attacks had reach or not.