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MERCILESS RUSH:PREREQUISITES: Improved Bull Rush, worshiper of Rovagug.
BENEFIT: When you bull rush a creature and your check exceeds the target’s CMD by 5 or more, you can choose to move through that creature instead of pushing it back a number of feet, effectively trampling the creature and dealing it a number of points of damage equal to your Strength modifier.
If you get multiple shield slams a round, each triggering a free bull rush and exceed the targets CMD by 5 each time, do you basically jot back and forth over the creature multiple times?
Example:
Basher full attacks and gets 3 attacks/round using just his shield to shield slam.
Attack 1: Basher shield slams creature, gets free bull rush, beats CMD by 5 and stomps over creature to opposite side.
Attack 2: Basher shield slams creature, gets free bull rush, beats CMD by 5 and stomps over creature back to original position.
Attack 3: Basher shield slams creature, gets free bull rush, beats CMD by 5 and stomps over creature back to opposite side.
My thoughts:
1) I believe that using Merciless Rush WOULD incur an AOO from the movement despite not being stated one way or the other by the ability.
2) I believe that you can use MR multiple times a round as long as you meet the requirements each time (a successful bull rush that exceeds targets CMD by 5). MR movement is not restricted by how much movement you've already expended or have left this turn.
Any thoughts?
I don't know how this would work mechanically, but the image in my head is hilarious. :D
So, here's the thing:
Bull Rush is supposed to be a standard action, and Merciless Rush is built with that assumption in mind. That means you get a 5-ft step or a move action.
Shield slam restricts you with the following:
You may choose to move with your target if you are able to take a 5-foot step or to spend an action to move this turn.
Now, there's the question of whether this bit from Merciless Rush supersedes that:
When you bull rush a creature and your check exceeds the target’s CMD by 5 or more, you can choose to move through that creature instead of pushing it back a number of feet, effectively trampling the creature and dealing it a number of points of damage equal to your Strength modifier.
I would argue it doesn't. Which means that if you're doing a Full Attack (to get three attacks) you only have a 5-ft step to use for movement. Because otherwise Merciless Rush is giving you up to 30ft of movement on top of your Full Attack.
I think it would work fine. The restriction on movement a bull rush has is only when you move with the target. You would still provoke for the movement though.
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@redward
You are not following with the target. You are converting the normal "target push movement" into a "merciless rush movement" which is not "following the target" movement.
Any opponents hit by your shield bash are also hit with a free bull rush attack, substituting your attack roll for the combat maneuver check (see Combat). This bull rush does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Opponents who cannot move back due to a wall or other surface are knocked prone after moving the maximum possible distance. You may choose to move with your target if you are able to take a 5-foot step or to spend an action to move this turn.
If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 5 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent's CMD you can push the target back an additional 5 feet. You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target.
Normal Shield Slam
A) Shield Bash hitsB) Shield Slam triggers
C) Bull Rush attempt
D) Bull Rush exceeds CMD
E) Push target (x) feet
F) May follow target if have available movement
Shield Slam with Merciless Rush
A) Shield Bash hits
B) Shield Slam triggers
C) Bull Rush attempt
D) Bull Rush exceeds CMD + 5
E) Convert Bull Rush to Merciless Rush
The movement restriction for Bull Rush (which is reiterated by Shield Slam) is that after a success push, you can follow them. Merciless Rush interrupts that normal flow and converts normal "target is pushed movement" into a triggered "merciless rush movement" -- the 'following movement' restriction from Shield Slam/Bull Rush does not apply as it is not following movement.
I'm guessing I'd better expect plenty of table variation of this in PFS (especially when I shield bash on an AOO, trigger a Merciless Rush and end up on the other side of the foe during their action).
Already, I forsee unusual situations such as where I am enlarged and have 10' reach, someone charges me, I get an AOO, succesfully merciless rush and end up on the other side of them and invalidate their charge attack ;)
My guess is that this part of Bull Rush
You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so.
should also apply to Merciless Rush.
That's not how it's written, but I expect it is how it's intended.
My guess is that this part of Bull Rush
You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so.should also apply to Merciless Rush.
That's not how it's written, but I expect it is how it's intended.
Agreed. And if that's the case then you would get to move once, and could not full attack, correct?
Right.