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Akal Saris
2010-03-25, 04:31 PM
Quick question: is a petrified creature helpless, and does it grant CA to its attacker? It does't list that in the qualities, but then again, the creature is also a statue.

Thanks!

Hzurr
2010-03-25, 04:48 PM
I'd rule that you grant both CA and are considered helpless. Helpless occurs when you are completely unable to defend yourself from any type of attack (which is why it typically only happens when you're unconscious), and since you can't speak, move, or react in any way to what's going on around you, I'd say being petrified qualifies. You do still have resist 20 to all damage if someone attacks you, though.

On a side note, why do you ask? Do the medusas plan on coup-de-gracing creatures they've turned to stone?

jseah
2010-03-25, 05:15 PM
If you turn them to stone, don't they become items? Albeit a rather large one.

Kurald Galain
2010-03-25, 05:59 PM
If you turn them to stone, don't they become items? Albeit a rather large one.

No, they become creatures with the "petrified" condition - which, by RAW at least, neither counts as "helpless", nor grants "combat advantage".

DSCrankshaw
2010-03-25, 06:34 PM
No, they become creatures with the "petrified" condition - which, by RAW at least, neither counts as "helpless", nor grants "combat advantage".

True enough. Although I suppose you could argue that the advantages granted by helpless and combat advantage (higher to hit, higher damage, coup de grace) are negated by the fact that the target's a statue.

Akal Saris
2010-03-25, 07:53 PM
I'd rule that you grant both CA and are considered helpless. Helpless occurs when you are completely unable to defend yourself from any type of attack (which is why it typically only happens when you're unconscious), and since you can't speak, move, or react in any way to what's going on around you, I'd say being petrified qualifies. You do still have resist 20 to all damage if someone attacks you, though.

On a side note, why do you ask? Do the medusas plan on coup-de-gracing creatures they've turned to stone?

My 9th level daily power vestige as a Vestige lock, the Onyx Queen, does a 3 square blast that petrifies opponents (Save ends). Even with dmg resist 20, it's worth it to coup de grace petrified opponents for auto-criticals (70-20=50 dmg per round, after all). But if they're not actually helpless, then it's better to attack another opponent or delay until they come out of it.

Strikertouch
2010-05-17, 05:40 AM
No, they become creatures with the "petrified" condition - which, by RAW at least, neither counts as "helpless", nor grants "combat advantage".

Petrified


You are unconscious.
You gain resist 20 to all damage.
You don't age.


Unconscious


You’re helpless.
You take a -5 penalty to all defenses.
You can’t take actions.
You fall prone, if possible.
You can’t flank an enemy.
You are unaware of your surroundings.


Helpless


You grant combat advantage.
You can be the target of a coup de grace.
Note: Usually you’re helpless because you’re unconscious.


Coup De Grace


Helpless Target: You can deliver a coup de grace against a helpless enemy adjacent to you. Use any attack power you could normally use against the enemy, including a basic attack.
Hit: You score a critical hit.
Slaying the Target Outright: If you deal damage greater than or equal to the target’s bloodied value, the target dies.


When we go by RAW from the D&D Compendium, the "Petrified" condition counts as "Helpless" and as "Granting Combat Advantage" to any attacker. So the attaker gains +2 to the attack roll and the petrified creature has a -5 to all defenses (effectively being a +7 to the attack roll before other modifiers are added in as well). The petrified creature still retains Resist 20 to all damage but even so... It's really not that much of a setback for the attacker because every hit crits for max damage due to "Coup De Grace."

BobTheDog
2010-05-17, 12:26 PM
To clarify what Strikertouch, this was changed in the latest errata/update to make it clear that petrified creatures are unconscious and subject to all that jazz.

holywhippet
2010-05-17, 04:49 PM
The petrified creature still retains Resist 20 to all damage but even so... It's really not that much of a setback for the attacker because every hit crits for max damage due to "Coup De Grace."

Assuming you have a power remaining that can do that much damage. If you are down to at will powers you might not be able to get past that 20 points of damage reduction.