Stunning fist + dastardly finish


Rules Questions


Rogue 10/Monk 2 walks up to wizard, stuns him with Stunning Fist. Next round, wizard is killed with Dastardly Finish (APG feat), because he's still stunned until the rogue/monk finishes his first attack. Is that correct?


No. He's stunned until just before the monk's turn begins. He's not stunned at all during any part of the monk's second turn.

Edit: Quote directly from Stunning Fist itself:

PRD, Stunning Fist wrote:
A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next turn).


Are has the right of it here you need some other method of stunning besides using stunning fist on your turn.


Thanks.


Arcane Impulse wrote:
Rogue 10/Monk 2 walks up to wizard, stuns him with Stunning Fist. Next round, wizard is killed with Dastardly Finish (APG feat), because he's still stunned until the rogue/monk finishes his first attack. Is that correct?

a) Stunning fist doesn't last long enough (see above), and b) the save on that stunning fist will not be very high. Combine that with less than stellar odds to hit in the first place (wizards can have good AC with just a few defensive spells) and it's not exactly a guaranteed kill even without (a)


You would need to stun with an Attack Of Opportunity - it lasts till just before the Initiative Count on which it was triggered which should enable the Rogue/Monk to attempt the Dastardly Finish

But, as mentioned already, you would have great difficulty getting a high enough DC to generate the Stunning Effect and it becomes so circumstantial that you would struggle to find an opportunity to try the combination in any meaningful way - ie it'll only work against lower level wizards which you could probably kill in one or two blows anyway.

Sczarni

ayronc wrote:
ie it'll only work against lower level wizards which you could probably kill in one or two blows anyway.

Actually, I find the reverse to be true. It's hard to stick the Stunning Fist at low levels, but it gets easier at higher levels. Primarily because you get so many more uses - you can try each round until it sticks.

By level 10 a Martial Artist could easily have a Stunning Fist DC of 23 or 25 - this is before accounting for magic items etc.

The Wizards FORT save at level 10 is probably only going to be +6 or +7 - again before accounting for magic items etc.

If we go with +7 FORT (+3 class +3 CON mod +1 Trait) and assume DC 23 Stunning Fist (DC=10 + 5 half level +3 WIS mod +1 Pain Points +2 Ability Focus* +2 Mantis Style) the Wizard needs the d20 to turn up 16 in order to make the save. So about 75% of the time the Wizard is Stunned. Those are actually fantastic odds for the Monk.

Magic items will alter this undoubtedly. But WIS & CON are most likely going to be secondary stats for each class so unless either character is building specifically for or against this specific scenario it will probably be a wash??? Maybe? I don't know - I'm speculating at this point.

It's the duration of the Stunning Fist that hurts more in this instance... It doesn't last long enough unless you get it on an AoO as already mentioned.

*Ability Focus is found in Bestiary. It's legal for Characters to take - but not in PFS games. Talk to your GM.


Krodjin wrote:
ayronc wrote:
ie it'll only work against lower level wizards which you could probably kill in one or two blows anyway.
Actually, I find the reverse to be true. It's hard to stick the Stunning Fist at low levels, but it gets easier at higher levels. Primarily because you get so many more uses - you can try each round until it sticks.

Personally I find the fight usually ends before that happens. Nothing sadder than a wonderful trick that never works.


Hey, free rider effect that could stun an enemy is never a bad thing. Stun's awesome and you lose nothing other than uses per day. No actions, nothin'.

Sczarni

Cheapy is right - but so is Dabbler!

Standing next to 10th level Wizard with bad intentions is not always a great idea - especially if you've used this tactic with success before... The GM may prepare for it and plan accordingly. Which can be bad news for the Monk!


Aside from all that, a coup de grace is a full round action, therefore Dastardly Finish is a full round action. So, yes, you'd have to stun with an AoO, or let one of your team mates have the kill. As for the Stunning Fist DC... bump that wisdom! And you can take Mantis Style to add 2 to your DC.

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