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Brauron
2009-07-19, 07:15 PM
Quick DMing question -- how would you handle combat (this is 3.5 edition, if that makes a difference) taking place in a room that's cluttered with furniture?

I've got an encounter planned for my PCs which will take place in the main room of a small guardhouse.

The room is 20 feet by 20 feet. There's a 10 foot by 5 foot table near the middle of the room, on which are mugs, dice, playing cards, etc. Around the table are four chairs (2 on each long side; on the map I drew on graph paper, I essentially gave each chair a square, while noting that it does not fill the square and can easily be kicked out of the way). Against one of the walls is a 5 foot by 2 foot weapons rack.

How would you handle combat in this space? I'm thinking the table could be flipped up and used for a cover bonus, but I worry that the chairs might become a logistical nightmare; if a player is in the same square as a chair, would you give them a slight cover bonus? A slight penalty for trying to fight around the chair?

I'm also, I should note, more than willing to let them use the chairs as improvised weapons.

Flickerdart
2009-07-19, 07:18 PM
Chairs are there to serve as Animate Object fodder for the enemies, perhaps?

ZeroNumerous
2009-07-19, 07:20 PM
Difficult Terrain. Everyone has +2 AC/Ref Saves from Cover.

Brauron
2009-07-19, 07:34 PM
Difficult Terrain. Everyone has +2 AC/Ref Saves from Cover.

Ah, thank you. That'll make those low-level grunt guards last a little longer.

jmbrown
2009-07-19, 07:36 PM
The table will block off movement. Since it's a waist high object for medium creatures, they can use a hop up action to jump on it for a height bonus to attack rolls. If someone flips the chair for cover, then it's effectively no longer a blocking object and the square it's in should be considered difficult terrain.

The chairs work both ways. The square's they're in count as difficult terrain but they can be hopped up for that extra edge to attack. However, chairs are harder to balance on then tables so you'll need a balance check to remain on them. Pretty much no one will be able to take a 5' step here so combat will depend on finding a tactically safe position and going to town.