Magic Missile Versus Beholder

[darnizhaan]

But the bigger question I'd have is why would you waste a spell against a beholder?

Shoot it from behind, above, or below and the anti-magic central eye can't do anything. That is what you are referring to, right?

[grodog]

FWIW, I wouldn't allow pinpoint accuracy using MM either: I'd roll the % for each missile shot, to determine where it hit, using the percentages listed in the MM.

[AxeMental]

Would you guys allow a prone person to be autokilled with a magic missile the way you can do with an arrow? (at the rate of 1 person per round). My impression is no.

[T. Foster]

Would you guys allow a prone person to be autokilled with a magic missile the way you can do with an arrow? (at the rate of 1 person per round). My impression is no.

That's not the rule: see DMG p. 70. Being prone only means you lose your Dex & shield bonus and opponents get +4 to hit. The auto-kill rule only applies to opponents who are magically held or magically sleeping by attackers who are outside of melee (if there's a melee in progress the attacker only gets double attacks, automatically hitting for max. damage). The rules aren't explicit one way or the other but I don't think it was the intent and would never allow one-per-round auto-kills with a missile weapon.

EDIT: And FWIW I wouldn't allow that +4 To Hit bonus vs. prone opponents to apply to missile weapons either. Presumably the target being prone would make it harder, not easier, to hit them with a missile. I'd tend to say that would count as at least 25% cover, maybe 50% (i.e. +2 or +4 to AC) - unless, of course, the attacker is directly overhead.

[Matthew]

Additionally, the assassination rules apply to normally bound or incapacitated characters.

[AxeMental]

Would you guys allow a prone person to be autokilled with a magic missile the way you can do with an arrow? (at the rate of 1 person per round). My impression is no.

That's not the rule: see DMG p. 70. Being prone only means you lose your Dex & shield bonus and opponents get +4 to hit. The auto-kill rule only applies to opponents who are magically held or magically sleeping by attackers who are outside of melee (if there's a melee in progress the attacker only gets double attacks, automatically hitting for max. damage). The rules aren't explicit one way or the other but I don't think it was the intent and would never allow one-per-round auto-kills with a missile weapon.

EDIT: And FWIW I wouldn't allow that +4 To Hit bonus vs. prone opponents to apply to missile weapons either. Presumably the target being prone would make it harder, not easier, to hit them with a missile. I'd tend to say that would count as at least 25% cover, maybe 50% (i.e. +2 or +4 to AC) - unless, of course, the attacker is directly overhead.

Ah right, I ment to say magically held/sleeping not prone.

Foster, thanks for the clarification of those rules. Once again looks like I was doing something wrong.