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Ok, so I'm wondering if either/both of these feats would function against a net. On the one hand, a net is a thrown/ranged weapon, so it seems like it would be deflect-able / snatch-able, but the following points makes me uncertain:
1) In the text for Deflect Arrows, it says "you may deflect it so that you take no damage from it." A net, however, does not do damage - does that disqualify it for the purposes of this feat? "Deflect" isn't a term that's officially defined by the rules, so this seems like an important ambiguity.
2) Would a net count as "unusually massive?" It's certainly not as big as a boulder or a ballista bolt (examples from the feat description), but it is definitely larger and bulkier than an arrow or even a javelin.
Relevant feat text:
Deflect Arrows
Benefit: You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat. Once per round when you would normally be hit with an attack from a ranged weapon, you may deflect it so that you take no damage from it. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. Attempting to deflect a ranged attack doesn't count as an action. Unusually massive ranged weapons (such as boulders or ballista bolts) and ranged attacks generated by natural attacks or spell effects can't be deflected.
Snatch Arrows
Benefit: When using the Deflect Arrows feat you may choose to catch the weapon instead of just deflecting it. Thrown weapons can immediately be thrown back as an attack against the original attacker (even though it isn't your turn) or kept for later use.
Isn't a net typically unfurled by the time it gets to the target... usually big enough to wrap and entangle at least half the body of a grown man?
I'm going by TV ideas of a thrown net (the gladiator movie, or mythbuster's bird catching net), so I'll freely cleave to any real-world information on this thing.
If you ask me, anything that is the size of half a man would be classified as "boulder sized" to me, at least in the throwing department.
It might not be three dimensionally the same size, but the area coming at the person would be about the size of "something too big". It's not like you can grab out a hand and just stop the whole thing (in fact I'd say it's designed to specifcally work against any tactic along those lines, wrapping around the arm and body trying to do that).
If I were a DM making an on the spot call, I'd say that the net can't be stopped by these feats.
Hmmm, as a DM I think I'd allow the net to be snatched (but not thrown back because it's now unfolded) but not deflected.
I could see catching it and wrapping it about your arm, but not knocking it out of the air.
Well, the rules do say that unfolded nets can still be used, but that doing so incurs a -4 penalty to the attack roll. I kinda imagined a monk sidestepping, grabbing the edge of the net, spinning around (and pulling/twirling the rest of the net) then tossing it back.
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Well, the rules do say that unfolded nets can still be used, but that doing so incurs a -4 penalty to the attack roll. I kinda imagined a monk sidestepping, grabbing the edge of the net, spinning around (and pulling/twirling the rest of the net) then tossing it back.
This is the image I have in my mind too. People always seem to underestimate the size of 5 ft squares, there is plenty of room to duck around and weave inside that space without actually changing squares.
Well, the rules do say that unfolded nets can still be used, but that doing so incurs a -4 penalty to the attack roll. I kinda imagined a monk sidestepping, grabbing the edge of the net, spinning around (and pulling/twirling the rest of the net) then tossing it back.Hmmm, as a DM I think I'd allow the net to be snatched (but not thrown back because it's now unfolded) but not deflected.
I could see catching it and wrapping it about your arm, but not knocking it out of the air.
I'd imagine that a sidestep would have been your dodge factor causing the attack to miss.
The problem here is that the net has already gotten past your AC. The Monk hasn't dodged it, it's coming right at him. So he is standing completely in the way and will be entirely affected by it, unless his hand can knock it out of the way.
To me, a net that unfurls to a 3-5' diameter is "boulder sized", and it's general designed (not a hard object, but rather netting that will absorb and simply wrap around anything hitting it), makes this option unable to function.
But, like I said.. it's a judgement call really.
Unusually massive ranged weapons (such as boulders or ballista bolts) and ranged attacks generated by natural
attacks or spell effects can’t be deflected.Just a point that when it refers to boulders it is because of the mass not the size. Sweeping your hand through the air to block a boulder would result in your hand being broken before your body was. A net does not have that mass.
But than again I MAY be reading more into it that it says. I would allow it, ask your GM.
For example I would see no reason why a Manticores spike could not be deflected, but the feat does not allow for that.
+1 it's the mass not the area that makes a boulder massive.
Mind you I would say this applies only to small throwing/birding/combat nets. The large cargo type nets beloved of masterminds in pulp serials would not be subject to this feat.at least that would be my call.
~will
Well, the rules do say that unfolded nets can still be used, but that doing so incurs a -4 penalty to the attack roll. I kinda imagined a monk sidestepping, grabbing the edge of the net, spinning around (and pulling/twirling the rest of the net) then tossing it back.Hmmm, as a DM I think I'd allow the net to be snatched (but not thrown back because it's now unfolded) but not deflected.
I could see catching it and wrapping it about your arm, but not knocking it out of the air.
It would be a terrible net indeed if it could be side-stepped by the time it reached its target.