[DF Monsters 4: Dragons] Targeting breath attacks

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Gnomasz

Without 360 Vision, it cannot face it's own hexes.

What? Where does this notion come from?

I don't have 360 Vision but I can "face" my own hexes whatever that means to you. As well it can certainly 'look down' and breathe it's area cloud under itself to 'billow' out around itself.

By rules as intended, I'm lost. I understood Kromm's forum quote as "you really can't get the +4, target the creature you want to attack", but the wording in Monsters 4 seems not to care.

Then either just accept that Dragons play by their own rules, or to give them the effect that this ruling is looking for, give them an additional +4 to their skill.

Question is: is it an overall interpretation, or "it's DF and those are dragons" interpretation.

Having dug into the Kromm quote... I have no idea. I'm guessing Kromm either had a senior moment and forgot his own ruling on it, or since the exact wording isn't "aims at the ground" but "aims at the hex" he's ruling that aiming at a whole hex is different... or more likely he decided to alter the the rules* to give cone breath weapon dragons a bit more punch.


* And pray he doesn't alter them further. /hisssss-pah, hisssss-pah

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

What? Where does this notion come from?

B389 probably, though weirdly enough defending from weird angles is in part controlled by double-jointed (see B390-391). I would probably allow a double-jointed multi-hex creature to turn only its head without moving its body (this is generally not as useful as the standard rules for how this works, which is that the dragon takes a step and a facing change, and his entire body whips around).

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Anthony

B389 probably, though weirdly enough defending from weird angles is in part controlled by double-jointed (see B390-391). I would probably allow a double-jointed multi-hex creature to turn only its head without moving its body (this is generally not as useful as the standard rules for how this works, which is that the dragon takes a step and a facing change, and his entire body whips around).

Which, depending on how the dragon is described, sure. If it's built like an elephant or a rhino... but even horses can look behind themselves without needing to turn their bodies.

And I certainly would not describe a horse's neck as "serpentine". And a 'cat-like' dragon? I might not even charge it Move points to spin in place as a part of an attack.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

And I certainly would not describe a horse's neck as "serpentine". And a 'cat-like' dragon? I might not even charge it Move points to spin in place as a part of an attack.

A horse's neck might not be as flexible as a snake, but they can turn their heads around to groom some of their body and backs with their teeth, so they're pretty flexible. Fortunately they generally can't bend tightly enough to bite their riders (so instead they scrape them off using low-hanging branches...).

[Gnomasz]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

What? Where does this notion come from?

Well, I worded it poorly (influenced by the description of Thrice in DFM4). It cannot attack into it's back hexes, if it abides by ranged weapon rules (p. B389). "If", being quite an important aspect.