ACKS II Judge's Rulings

This thread is for use by Autarch to record rulings made in actual play.

Revised Rulebook

Manacles
Manacles impose the manacled condition. A manacled creature cannot undertake any movement or combat actions that would require it to separate its hands (if manacled together) or move its manacled hand from the point to which it is secured (if manacled to an object).

Missile Attacks
[Existing Rule: Missile attacks at enemy targets engaged with allied targets are not permitted at all due to the risk of friendly fire, unless the attacker has Precise Shooting proficiency.]

For purposes of missile attack eligibility, an enemy target of huge, gigantic, or colossal size is not considered engaged by allied targets of smaller size if the attacker can trace line of sight to the enemy target without the line crossing within 5’ of any allied targets.

EXAMPLE: A giant black worm is a colossal creature that is 100’ long and 10’ in diameter (20 squares x 2 squares on the battlemap). Hyglak has engaged the creature at its front (maw). Castinus is 10’ behind Hyglak with his crossbow. Andravus is 150’ away from Hyglak, on the far side of the giant black worm, 50’ from its tail. Castinus cannot attack the worm without Precise Shooting because his line of sight to the worm crosses within 5’ of Hyglak. However, Andravus can shoot the worm in the tail.

Maximum Visibility Distance
If a creature or group of creatures encounters a stationary prone humanoid or group of humanoids, the maximum visibility distance to the humanoids is reduced to 25% (divided by four).
If a creature or group of creatures encounters crawling or crouched creatures, or prone creature(s) that aren’t humanoid(s), the maximum visibility distance to the crawling, crouched or prone creature(s) is reduced to 50% (divided by two).

These rulings do not apply if the spotting creature(s) are on a higher elevation than the prone, crouched, or crawling creatures.

EXAMPLE: Andravus is lying prone atop a crest in the Madoan Hills. A band of 20 kobolds is low-crawling across the valley before him. It is night time under a full moon. Consulting RR p. 273, the Judge determines that Andravus can see the gang of kobolds at 900’ and that the kobolds can see Andravus at 300’. However, since Andravus is prone, the distance at which the kobolds can see him is reduced to 25% of its base – just 75’. The kobolds are crawling, but since Andravus is above them on a hill, the distance at which they are visible to him is not reduced.

Drowning
A creature capable of breathing water (naturally or magically) cannot be affected by the drowning condition. Yes, one of my players asked me this.

Judges Journal

Encounters at Sea - Nautical Encounters
Nautical encounters do not occur if the party is anchored/beached or are following a known or previously-charted route.

Dynamic Nautical Encounters (Optional): Some nautical encounters can occur when following a known or previously-charted route. When the Sea Encounter by Territory Classification table results in a nautical encounter, roll 1d12 on the appropriate Nautical Encounter sub-table to determine the nature of the encounter. If the encounter indicates that you should mark down the encounter on the campaign map, the encounter does not occur.

EXAMPLE: While sailing on the trade route between Zidium and Emprisos, the Shrike has a beneficial nautical encounter. The Judge rolls 1d12 on the Beneficial Nautical Encounters table. if the roll were a 1 “Castaway” the encounter would occur. A castaway could appear even on a well-traveled route. If the roll were an 8 “Navigational Sign” the encounter would not occur. A navigational sign would not suddenly appear on a previously-traveled route.

Monstrous Manual

Elementals, Water
If a creature struck by a water elemental fails its Paralysis save and begins drowning, the drowning condition caused by a water elemental continues until the water elemental is destroyed or dispelled or until the creature becomes capable of breathing water.

Skittering Maw
If a large herd animal is slain and injected with 85 stone of wine, and then that animal animated as a zombie, and then the zombified animal is then eaten by a skittering maw, and the skittering maw is then given 1 turn to digest the wine-laden zombified herd animal, then the skittering maw is queasy.