Splash weapons, mounts, and large creatures

[bookrat]

My table has come up with some questions about splash weapons that we haven't been able to figure out by the rules or find on the messageboards. Now, I can always just adjudicate a house rule, but I'm curious to see if there is actually a standing for any of these. Or just what others think.

If two creatures occupy the same square(s), which do you target for a splash weapon? For example, a mount and rider: Who's AC do you target? Are both hit with the primary damage or is one hit with the primary and the other the splash? The same with two ratfolk occupying the same square. Or two tiny creatures.

If a large creature is targeted with a splash weapon and it misses, and then you roll to see which square is randomly hit, do the random squares go around the larger (or bigger) creature, or is there a greater chance that the large creature will be hit due to occupying multiple squares?

[bookrat]

Expanding/clarifying my question on large and bigger creatures, the rules state:

Quote:

You can't target a grid intersection occupied by a creature, such as a Large or larger creature; in this case, you're aiming at the creature.

With that, which squares do you assign the numbers 1-8 if you miss?

[Rhatahema]

When throwing a splash weapon at a creature, you're making a ranged touch attack, which means you pick one creature to target, even if they're sharing the same space. If the creature is large enough to occupy multiple squares, you pick one of those squares to determine the splash area. So if you miss, you would presumably determine the miss direction and distance using the square you chose to determine the splash area. Larger targets don't risk taking splash damage if they're subject to a direct hit, but it seems sensible that a creature sharing its space would (this depends on if you think a creature within the square is "within 5' of that square", which in this case I do.).

[Byakko]

It doesn't matter how many creatures are in a square - you choose one to be the primary target. If it misses, then it scatters from that creature to a nearby square. If the creature is large, pick one of its squares in conjunction with this.

You can instead choose to target a grid intersection, as long as it's not within a large (or bigger) creature. Again, if it misses it scatters (but to a nearby intersection instead of square).

A scatter to a square deals splash damage to all creatures in that square and each square adjacent to it. A scatter to an intersection deals splash damage to each of the four adjacent squares.

[bookrat]

I forgot about the ranged attack. That makes sense for only targeting a single creature and the others in the same square are only hit by the splash. That was my original thought, but I couldn't place the reason why it would be true. The ranged touch attack is that reason.

What about assigning the 1-8 for a creature that takes up more than one space?

[Rhatahema]

bookrat wrote:

I forgot about the ranged attack. That makes sense for only targeting a single creature and the others in the same square are only hit by the splash. That was my original thought, but I couldn't place the reason why it would be true. The ranged touch attack is that reason.

What about assigning the 1-8 for a creature that takes up more than one space?

I mentioned this above, but maybe it was unclear. With larger creatures, you need to pick a square to determine the splash area. Simply use that square to determine the direction and distance of a miss.

[bookrat]

Rhatahema wrote:

bookrat wrote:

I forgot about the ranged attack. That makes sense for only targeting a single creature and the others in the same square are only hit by the splash. That was my original thought, but I couldn't place the reason why it would be true. The ranged touch attack is that reason.

What about assigning the 1-8 for a creature that takes up more than one space?

I mentioned this above, but maybe it was unclear. With larger creatures, you need to pick a square to determine the splash area. Simply use that square to determine the direction and distance of a miss.

Yup. I get it now. Thank you.