If a larger than normal creature is traveling with the party and it has to enter somewhere where it needs to make use of this ability, how should it be represented on the map? Would it be able to defend itself?
Would it slow down the party?
Can party members still maneuver around it?
If there's anything else to add that you think might be necessary, please let me know!
Compression: "The creature can move through an area as small as one-quarter its space without squeezing or one-eighth its space when squeezing."
Squeezing: "In some cases, you may have to squeeze into or through an area that isn’t as wide as the space you take up. You can squeeze through or into a space that is at least half as wide as your normal space. Each move into or through a narrow space counts as if it were 2 squares, and while squeezed in a narrow space, you take a –4 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to AC.
When a Large creature (which normally takes up 4 squares) squeezes into a space that’s 1 square wide, the creature’s miniature figure occupies 2 squares, centered on the line between the 2 squares. For a bigger creature, center the creature likewise in the area it squeezes into."
That's the first time I've noticed that squeezing doesn't include a reduction in movement speed. Huh.
Every square counts as two.
Ack, it's right there in your quote but I couldn't find it earlier. -___-
They're some seriously underrated rules, in my opinion. You can really invoke a sense of claustrophobia and desperation when, say, a giant trapdoor spider grabs hold of a character and drags him partway down it's cramped tunnel. Suddenly, your spell selection and weapon choice mean a lot less than the thickness of your boots.
I used to take it even further; a zwiehander is not an ideal weapon in a stalagmite forest, nor is a longbow all that wonderful in some overflowing catacombs. Originally, I wanted to reward players for practical choices (carrying a shortsword instead of a pole axe), given the rough-n'-tumble environs the average adventurer finds themselves in, but lately I've been more focused o
giving mundane characters a boost to close up some of the distance between them and the wizard-types.