Nobody answered this but you get a new save attempt every round under Hold *. (Hold Monster is just a more powerful Hold Person; it’s higher level so higher base save DC and it works on any living creature, as opposed to just humanoids).
Thanks for the reply!
Looking back at that comic, I am thinking Durkon passed his first save, and was never actually held. There is a difference in pose for Durkon between panels 4 and 6 that the other characters don’t have.
It’s kind of funny that fantasy dwarves have the best skills for making intricate and beautiful jewelry and similar things, which require a great deal of hand/eye coordination and dexterity (including finger dexterity, while they have pudgy dwarf fingers), but for everything else, they’re supposed to be these clumsy brutes.
Well, no abstracted system is perfect, including D&D. But I see that particular example as a “racial perk” in the same way Elves are resistant to sleep spells or humans have more skill points.
I can’t think of any games or fantasy novels offhand that suggest that dwarves are supposed to be clumsy. I don’t believe there’s any source material for it either.
See, this is what happens when your game system fails to distinguish Agility from Dexterity.
It’s weird. In 2nd edition, Dwarfs didn’t have penalties to dexterity, but did have a lower max dexterity (17 instead of 18). So, unless you rolled a natural 18, you didn’t see a penalty.
3rd Edition had a few sub races, one of which had a penalty to dexterity instead of charisma.
So, all in all, I find most view dwarfs as not so much clumsy, but not able to reach perk dexterity of Humans, let along Halflings or Elves.
I’m thinking of things like the Lord of the Rings movies with Gimli (who is just more meathanded/slower/clumsier than even the human characters).
Gimli was still able to run a supermarathon with his elf and human buddies all the way to Fanghorn.
So, you basically took one dwarf and assumed that all dwarfs are just like him. Not to put to fine a point on it, but that’s Fantasy Racism right there! I bet you think all Elves are awesome archers because of Legolas too!
Anyway, counterpoint -
I think the fact that most dwarves have Dexterity as a dump stat (since Dwarven thieves or rangers are hard to find) contributes to that perception.
Iconic Characters of Pathfinder - note the Dwarf Ranger in the front with a crossbow.
Well, I doubt it’s a DEX ranger. Probably a Dwarf relying on a high BAB to get hits even with average DEX. After all, that’s an option with rangers.
Could also be Pathfinder playing with “uncommon” stereotypes. You know, like good-aligned drows. ;)
If you were gonna play a tinkering thief you might as well play a gnome. Dwarven thieves just didn’t work.
Pathfinder Drow are Chaotic Evil, as it should be. When it comes to stereotypes, Pathfinder doesn’t really deviate all that much (except when it comes to gnomes). It’s not like Eberron or Dark Sun.
As for Harsk, the Iconic Ranger, according to this entry, he pretty much is your Crossbow Guy, with a ton of feats to help. Sure, he doesn’t get a bonus to Dexterity, but he also doesn’t have any penalties to it either.
http://www.pathfindercommunity.net/iconic-characters/harsk---iconic-ranger/harsk-iconic-ranger-12
Oh boy, someone doesn’t like Drizzt! (I know it isn’t Pathfinder, BTW) ;)
Harsk has 22 DEX. Holy…!!!
And his description begins with “Harsk is an uncommon dwarf.” Well, of course. ;)
You mean the one who is about to accidentally blow the halflings head off?
Didn’t he ever take a crossbow safety course?
Sure ‘accidentally’…
That is including a +4 Dexterity bonus from Belt.
:Level 1 - Starting Dexterity of 16.
http://www.pathfindercommunity.net/iconic-characters/harsk---iconic-ranger/harsk-iconic-ranger-1