Hi,
I'm looking at giant worms creatures that have some retaliation damage when they get hit. The one I used was a Delver and the ability:
Corrosive Slime (Ex)
The delver’s skin is covered in an acidic slime that it uses to dissolve stone and defend against enemies. The slime deals 2d6 acid damage to flesh, 4d8 damage to metal, or 8d10 to stone or crystal. If the delver hits with a natural attack or grapple, it automatically adds its slime damage, and the slime continues to deal 2d6 damage per round for the next 2 rounds. Armor or clothing worn by a creature grappled by a delver takes the same amount of acid damage unless the wearer succeeds on a DC 22 Reflex saving throw. A quart or more of water can wash away the slime. Any weapon that strikes the delver takes slime damage, as does a creature grappling or attacking the delver with natural weapons (both Reflex half DC 22). The saves are Constitution-based.
Since no where in the ability it is mentioned that the "weapon strike" must be a succesful attack and that the creature is basically just a mass of natural armor, "misses" are more like "you hit, but the skin is too tough", I'm thinking the corrosion always apply on melee attacks. Am I wrong?
But then I looked at a similar worm. The Death Worm:
Venomous Skin (Ex)
A death worm’s skin secretes a noxious, waxy substance. This venomous sheen poisons any creature that touches a death worm, either by making a successful attack with an unarmed strike or natural weapon or with a touch attack. A creature that grapples a death worm is also exposed to the creature’s venomous skin.
It's basically the same creature with tons of natural armor, meaning it's technically impossible that the creature "dodges" an attack and will take the hit with no damage, but somehow, if the hit is unsuccesful and deals no damage, the skin is suddenly not venomous?
I know there are some creature that are immobile and only rely on armor for protection. If they have similar abilities, I'd like to be sure how misses work on them
It annoys me! No matter how I look at it, you are right!
Even creatures with the Brain Cylinder template(immobile and can't defend themselves) would be able to "dodge" your attacks even though all of it's AC is from the armored glass casing...
So, coating a creature like that in an ability that deals damage on "any weapon that strikes" would somehow be able to dodge the attack...
