What is a slam attack?

[Salbazier]

Q 405

Related to above, is Warforged's Slam attack is 'occupied' when I use a 2-handed weapon?


A405

that depends what a slam really is imo
if its a bitchslap, then yes
if its a bodycheck, then no

So, what is a slam?

[Sir Swindle89]

I generally think of it as a punch, or a blunt hit with one of the creaturees limbs

[Vladislav]

Slam

The creature batters opponents with an appendage, dealing bludgeoning damage.
Definitely doesn't sound like a body check.

[Sir Swindle89]

Definitely doesn't sound like a body check.

could be for very very loose deffinitions of "appendage"

[Antonok]

Slap or Slam:
The creature batters opponents with an appendage, dealing bludgeoning damage. (SRD definition)


Think of it (roughtly) as a human backhanding someone, or a dragon hitting you with its tail.

[Spiryt]

Slap or Slam:

Think of it (roughtly) as a human backhanding someone, or a dragon hitting you with its tail.

Or punching, kicking, kneeing....

Generally it seems that it's any attack of creature that doesn't involve claws, horns, or any kind of 'specialized' appendage.

[Orzel]

A slam (duh duh duh, duh duh duh, Let the boys be boys!) Is a hit with one of the character's limbs. It's something us humaniods (except for prime Vince Carter) forgot how to do withoout hurting ourselves or leaving us open.

If the character lacks limbs then I say it's a bodycheck. No a limbed construct.

[WinceRind]

I always thought that slam is a more mechanical version of Unarmed Attack.

A monk might do something fancy to hit you, but a stone golem will just swing the nearest appendage with brute force.

Also, you have to consider that Oozes generally do Slam attacks. And they don't have appendages... And pseudopods are not always mentioned.

So it could just be throwing your entire body against something.

Ooze examples: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ooze.htm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ooze.htm)

[Flickerdart]

On some creatures, such as Incarnum Zombies, the slam is explicitly stated as being mutually exclusive with its other weapons - you either slam or claw/sword/whatever, but not both. If the Warforged doesn't have this sort of language in its slam, then it goes to follow that it can combine it with a two-handed attack.

[Salbazier]

Well, the root question is actually whether or not I can slam while holding something like a greatsword. I think I'll stick to the more sensible use of rules (I can't) but what do you think about it?

And thanks for your contributions. :smallsmile:

EDIT: ow, ninja. Hmm, yes that make sense, thanks.

[Vladislav]

Well, the root question is actually whether or not I can slam while holding something like a greatsword.Sure you can, the slam can also be a kick. Your leg is an "appendage", right?

Also, just remembered Xena, Warrior Princess with her stab-slash-kick routine and went into nostalgia overload.

[Sir Swindle89]

Sure you can, the slam can also be a kick. Your leg is an "appendage", right?

Or a headbutt for that matter

[Glyphic]

http://thebestten.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/jordan-87-dunk.jpg?w=338&h=425

SLAM ATTACK! :smallwink:

[mangosta71]

I'm getting horrifying visions of someone creating a character that fights with pelvic thrusts...

[Greenish]

I'm getting horrifying visions of someone creating a character that fights with pelvic thrusts...That's not an appen- :smalleek:

[Hanuman]

For slam attacks it's helpful to think of your shoulders, your arm and your torso as 1 piece, like pieces of metal fused together, and your legs welded to the ground, and a big servo motor connecting your torso to your legs.

Now imagine activating that motor, your whole upper body turns and you just swipe with your arm and BIFF, clothesline or whatever. That'd be a slam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulrp870s7Qw
Watch, initiative rolled, man goes first, moves 30' costume next moves 30', trip attempt, success, costume then unleashes a full attack of slams.

[Darrin]

So, what is a slam?

A slam is a natural weapon that doesn't use any particular type of appendage or body part. Since it's a natural weapon, you can't use iterative attacks with it and can only attack with it once per round. Depending on how you got the slam attack, you may be able to use it as a secondary attack (something in the stat block should say whether the slam can be used as a secondary attack). If there's no mention in the description, check the Full Attack entry, and see if the natural attack is listed with a -5 penalty.

By RAW, a primary natural attack doesn't automatically become a secondary attack if you attack with something else. The Warforged entry in ECS and in MMIII doesn't mention the slam as a secondary attack, so it looks like you can't use it that way. However, most DMs will let you use most natural attacks it as a secondary attacks anyway, since the natural weapon rules are difficult to track down and adjudicate.

If you've got a natural weapon that is busy doing something else, such as a claw attacking with a manufactured weapon, then you can't use that natural attack as either a primary or secondary attack. The particular question you posted wants to know if both of a warforged's hands are occupied, does he still get his slam attack?

By RAW: As a secondary attack, no. The warforged's slam isn't availabe as a secondary attack. As a primary attack, yes, but he could not attack with any manufactured/iterative attacks that round.

By my ruling: yes, even as a secondary attack. I'm not going to punish players because WotC is lazy and inconsistent with natural attacks.

The specific question you brought up, though, is asking if a warforged's arms are both occupied, does he still get his slam attack? Assuming there's a slam attack available as a secondary attack by RAW (or DM benevolence), then yes, this should probably be allowed. While the description of a slam attack in the Monster Manual/SRD mentions "appendage", a warforged has legs that can kick/knee, and those still count as appendages. There's no rule that says a slam has to be done with an arm. Even creatures without any appendages whatsoever (gelatinous cubes, for example) still get slam attacks.

(Note: The FAQ has a different interpretation. The FAQ is not RAW, and in this case is not correct, either, as it frequently is. Most of the FAQ editors/contributors have no idea how unarmed strikes or natural attacks are supposed to work by the rules.)

[Salbazier]

Wow, detailed answer! :smallbiggrin: Thank you very much