[RPG] Are there rules for attacking whilst falling

fallingpathfinder-1e

Consider a character with the ability to cast quickened Dimension Door and the Dimensional Agility feat. Such a character could use Dimension Door to appear next to an enemy and then proceed to make a full attack.

But what if the enemy in question was flying above the character? Rules for falling state that you generally cannot cast a spell while falling, but make no mention of other forms of attack.

Are there any rules for making attacks while falling? As a GM, I would argue that the character could make a single attack (or combat maneuver, such as grapple,) before falling out of range of the target, but I see no rules preventing the character from making a full attack on the flying enemy before falling back to earth.

Best Answer

There are no specific rules for edge cases like this. In Pathfinder the GM is expected to rule in a way that makes sense.

I find in cases like this, combining what's obviously realistic with a check leveraging even tangential RAW that at least nominally makes some of it under the control of the character is good.

The way I'd rule off the cuff if this was presented at a table:

  • A six second round combined with falling means no, you don't automatically get a full attack.
  • Pathfinder has a Fly skill. Most people don't have it, but there is one. Make a Fly skill check - if you hit 10 you get one attack, and you get an additional attack for every 5 points over 10.
  • This assumes it's a deliberate thing - like "jumping" instead of "falling" - if a monster did the teleport as a surprise this check would be 5 points harder.
  • You can maybe sub in Acrobatics, but again at 5 points harder on the check.

Not "no," but not "you can do anything you want just because you asked" either.

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