[D&D Adaptation Question] Swallow Whole rules and mechanics?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

Wait, so there's a feat who makes you able to do that, it's not automatic? You should've said that on your first post.

It's a special attack, not a feat. In any case, I believe it's a special case of Binding in GURPS; I don't have Powers at hand, but IIRC it's mentioned in there.

[Adelus]

Originally Posted by Anthony

It's a special attack, not a feat. In any case, I believe it's a special case of Binding in GURPS; I don't have Powers at hand, but IIRC it's mentioned in there.

That's odd; usually I see it as Constriction Attack with the Engulfing enhancement. Binding seems sort of an odd choice since its usually binds the target to an external location. Constriction Attack's writeup in Powers mentions its fitting for creatures which envelop prey, so that seems better; with Engulfing it is hands-free.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Adelus

That's odd; usually I see it as Constriction Attack with the Engulfing enhancement. Binding seems sort of an odd choice since its usually binds the target to an external location. Constriction Attack's writeup in Powers mentions its fitting for creatures which envelop prey, so that seems better; with Engulfing it is hands-free.

Oh, you're probably right. As I said, didn't have Powers at hand.

[PTTG]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

The standard formula is:
1 size category in D&D = 2SM in GURPS.

So, 2 size modifiers to swallow whole in D&D means 4 size modifiers in GURPS, If the information is correct I say, because it seems doubtful a standard human being could eat whole a baby.

Can confirm, it takes at least two separate meals.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Adelus

T
3) While silly, it is true to the rules and genre conventions that after slicing yourself out of a creatures stomach, its wound closes via "muscular action" or some other nonsense. Worth bothering with this? Probably just a setting switch, or limited niche form of regeneration/a perk level benefit.

Thanks for any responses.

Huhn? It might be true to the rules, but the genre convention is that the creature dies.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Huhn? It might be true to the rules, but the genre convention is that the creature dies.

The main reason it appears in the rules is so it's possible to slice your way out without chewing through the several hundred hit points of a purple worm. I don't believe it was possible in AD&D.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Huhn? It might be true to the rules, but the genre convention is that the creature dies.

I've only played this sort of thing under old versions of D&D, but cutting your way out tended to require doing enough damage to kill the beast anyway.

[Adelus]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Huhn? It might be true to the rules, but the genre convention is that the creature dies.

Originally Posted by Anthony

The main reason it appears in the rules is so it's possible to slice your way out without chewing through the several hundred hit points of a purple worm. I don't believe it was possible in AD&D.

Originally Posted by johndallman

I've only played this sort of thing under old versions of D&D, but cutting your way out tended to require doing enough damage to kill the beast anyway.

I'm referring to the 3.X rules, where it seems usually that you have to do much less damage than the creature's full HP to get out.

For instance, a Tarrasque has 858 HP, but you only need to deal 50 damage to escape its stomach. Considering that its relatively easy at those levels to get protection against the relatively minor crushing and acid damage, the much lower AC of the Tarrasque from the inside, and not having to deal with its attacks and its special protective scales, one strategy is to simply let yourself get eaten and kill it easily from the inside.

As another example, a T-Rex listed on the d20srd has 180 HP, and only 25 damage is needed from the inside to escape.

[Adelus]

Minor update.

Been experimenting a bit trying to figure out how to model how much bigger something has to be to swallow something else (instead of going right along with the D&D size categories). I'm hovering around a difference of around 6 to 8 SMs, before getting into modifiers like Born Biter, Stretching, etc.

Though now I've had some more ideas;

1) At what point is something so big that it doesn't make sense to charge it for Constricting Attack (Engulfing)? At about 6-8 or so SMs of difference, assuming that's raw size and not effective from stretching (a dragon or giant, as compared to a "small" giant toad or man-eater plant), its at the point that they could probably just grapple/bite and realistically swallow without the need for a special ability.

1.5) Maybe it might be more prudent to make a house ruled maneuver/technique off of grappling for this?

2) Depending on the size difference, how would it be modeled for an attempted swallow taking more than one turn? What modifier on Constricting Attack would fit?

Also, I'm debating whether cutting oneself out would require enough damage to qualify as a Major Wound, or just a particular fraction of HP.

[gilbertocarlos]

SM-6 would be a large apple or banana, doubt a human being could fit one in the mouth.
SM-7 is a small to standard apple/banana, It may fit in the mouth, but It will be very hard and painful.
SM-8 is what I lean towards, the size of a lime, most people could fit one in the mouth.