Bull rush from burrow... would it knock someone into the air?


Rules Questions


So let's say you've got a burrow speed and you get under your enemy. Could you bull rush it from underneath and knock it straight up, or into an upward diagonal? It would be a real cheese build but it sounds so fun to basically only rely on falling damage to wound enemies.


Yes, this should work by RAW since you direct the victim of the Bull Rush in any direction. Also have someone standing by with the 2nd level arcane spell that makes someone take extra damage from falling plus threatens Staggered.


I mean its okay not super cheesy since your only dealing 1d6 for every 10 you beat their CMD


Then they fall on your head?


Lemartes wrote:
Then they fall on your head?

I would assume they would be choosing to remain in their square in the ground if knocking someone directly upwards.


Yes, they would, and since it's reasonably countered by 6th-8th level, it's by no means cheesy.


And the target would end up prone, which is nice.


Avoron wrote:
And the target would end up prone, which is nice.

Well they can make an acrobatics check to negate that and reduce the damage so not everything will.


Talonhawke wrote:
Avoron wrote:
And the target would end up prone, which is nice.
Well they can make an acrobatics check to negate that and reduce the damage so not everything will.

Nope, that's only for when you intentionally jump down.

Acrobatics wrote:
When you deliberately fall any distance, even as a result of a missed jump, a DC 15 Acrobatics skill check allows you to ignore the first 10 feet fallen


Avoron wrote:
Talonhawke wrote:
Avoron wrote:
And the target would end up prone, which is nice.
Well they can make an acrobatics check to negate that and reduce the damage so not everything will.

Nope, that's only for when you intentionally jump down.

Acrobatics wrote:
When you deliberately fall any distance, even as a result of a missed jump, a DC 15 Acrobatics skill check allows you to ignore the first 10 feet fallen

Exactly! Now correct me if these don't stack but if you take the feats improved bull rush, merciless rush and a level in Siegebreaker you can add twice your strength +2 to any bull rush that succeeds by more than 5 as well. (it might be 3 times your strength damage? I'm not really clear on siege breaker's wording)

So, so long as you succeed by 5 and you're burrowing on hard ground, or earth gliding in stone, and they dont have 4 class levels in monk (slow fall) you get twice your strength damage plus a little extra for falling and the siegebreaker bonus damage and you knock someone prone. That's not a bad deal for a single combat maneuver. If you succeed by 10 and you aren't directly underneath (5 feet adjacent to the target, but still underground) you can still push them 5 feet in a direction and get the damage, prone and the benefits of a normal bull rush, albeit they only moved 5 feet. Placed well that could be deadly if you say, knocked them prone in between a bunch of your allies.

It's also super funny to me which is the main thing compelling me to try this.


This would work great with summoned earth elementals, since they come ready made with earth glide and Improved Bull Rush. But it would be even better with an earth elemental Improved Familiar. Imagine an eldritch guardian fighter with Greater Bull Rush, Paired Opportunists, and Vicious Stomp. The fighter can move adjacent to an enemy, then the elemental can bull rush them into the air, provoking an attack of opportunity from each of them with a +4 bonus. Then they land, take falling damage, and fall prone, provoking another two attacks of opportunity at +8. Then the fighter can just bull rush them along the ground, causing them to provoke all over again. Bonus points for Shield Slam and/or Spiked Destroyer for even more attacks and damage.


That is amazing. It's a shame it takes till level 7 (if you are a human) to really come online though.


You can get it going by 5-6 if you grab Improved Unarmed Strike with a perfectionist shavtoosh.

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