When The Melee Guys Win

[Rithaniel]

Alright, you are needed. You are needed to help come up with some form of 'overpowered' ability that functions in melee, which is not based around speed, and that does not necessarily kill an opponent. Whatever idea that you have, post it below. These are supposed to be ideas that almost completely break a meleer, so, come on, what is the best, most ludicrous thing you got?

[Eldan]

Okay... let's throw out a few ideas.


"You sunder every nonliving object within [ludicrous distance], even those held or worn by creatures"
-> mean, but probably not actually overpowered compared to high-level mages.

"You become immune to all effects except direct damage"
-> Is a defensive effect, so unless you also have a way to actually deal with opponents, they will ignore you


More when I get any ideas.

[Volthawk]

When you hit an enemy, they lose all beneficial special attacks and qualities, and for each one lost, they take 2 points of permanent ability drain to all attributes.

[Eldan]

You hit the enemy in the head. He permanently loses points of intelligence.

[Prime32]

Your attacks carry an Extraordinary targeted dispel magic effect which automatically succeeds, and is resolved before the attack.

Your opponent loses a random limb.

[ZeroNumerous]

You hit something so hard it penetrates anything less than or equal to a Wall of Force?

For the flyers: You're so precise with your bow that you can shoot through magical defenses?

[Xefas]

Lets see...not based on speed, and does not necessarily kill the opponent.

We can crib some stuff from Exalted.

Crack the Sky (Ex): You may activate this ability when you have an opponent grappled that weighs less than your medium load of encumbrance. You hurl the held opponent, who flies, over the span of approximately 5 minutes, 1 mile per point of strength you possess, before impacting the earth at terminal velocity and dealing appropriate damage. Every creature within your Strength score x 6 feet of the impact zone must roll a Fortitude save versus DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your strength modifier or be knocked prone.

[Eldan]

Your bow can strike targets you can not see by flying at impossible angles, even beyond the horizon. Probably still not overpowered.


Your hit the target with such force, his loved ones fall in a coma two continents away.

Or how about:

Strike a guy in melee range. Your strike hits, no matter what.

[Odd the Tall]

Strike someone in melee. You automatically hit, also make sunder attempts on your target's armour and shield and disarm attempts on any weapons they are holding.

[Mongoose87]

You can grapple a planet.

[Cespenar]

Ooh, ooh, I has some!

-One attack you make has its damage converted directly to Strength damage.

-You can block and cut through spells that are cast in 15' area around you as immediate actions.

-You can block one attack perfectly (without a roll), and counter with an attack 1,5x its damage (FFT, anyone?).

-You can shake off hostile spells and effects cast over you, which damages and stuns whoever responsible.

-For a limited amount of time, each hit you take gives you cumulative Rage boni instead of dealing damage to you.

-A Gust of Wind effect follows your each attack.

-Each time you hit and drop an enemy with a bludgeoning weapon, it explodes in a 10' circle of gore, dealing half the final strike's damage to everyone (ref save for half, etc.).

-Each time you hit a crittable enemy with a slashing weapon, that damage is recorded as bleeding damage that the target takes each round unless healed magically or succeeded in a Heal check of said damage in DC. Oh, and the bleeding is cumulative.

I can go on, you know.

[Xefas]

You can grapple a planet.

Yes.

You reach down, grab the planet, lift it up and to the side, and then bludgeon the enemy about the head with it.

[Eldan]

I think there might be differing definitions of overpowered around in this thread.

Hitting an enemy back? Dealing more damage? Exploding enemies? Honestly, in the context of high-level 3.5, those aren't overpowered.

Overpowered are things like endless solar gating, wish chaining, building a future prediction computer out of contingencied divinations or the locate city bomb (if it worked).

So, you intimidate the universe into granting you wishes.

[Volthawk]

Alright, I got one. You know what, where and when all your future fights will be.

[Eldan]

Interesting. Do you have any chance to change the fact, or is it absolute, unchanging prophecy? (You will fight your best friend three months from now).

Now, stealing from DEATH:
Your weapon can cut any of the following:
Atomic bonds, light, sounds, time, space and abstract concepts.

[Prime32]

Alright, I got one. You know what, where and when all your future fights will be.You know all of your opponent's stats, abilities, thoughts, and where they trained just by looking at them, and can use nonmagical counterspells against them.

Your attacks ignore defenses based on divine rank or salient divine abilities.

[Jane_Smith]

When you draw your weapon, you win the game. If two or more characters with this ability draw their weapons at the same time, they must duel to see who wins the game. The winner of the game gets the cheetos and the mountain dew in the fridge.

[Ilmryn]

Large size+improved trip+spiked chain+good defense against ranged.

[Xefas]

When you draw your weapon, you win the game. If two or more characters with this ability draw their weapons at the same time, they must duel to see who wins the game. The winner of the game gets the cheetos and the mountain dew in the fridge.

That might be useful in D&D (which, as far as I know, a system wasn't specified), but it's a bit lacking for Exalted as it's still blockable by Heavenly Guardian Defense. You need something more meta like.

Ability Name: You are the GM.

[DragonOfLies]

A liberal reading of Iron Heart Surge :smalltongue:

[Ouranos]

-You may now add your BAB to your saves against spells, at will
-You may now add your speed to your initiative, all non-spellcasters do this. For every 10 points you beat a spellcaster on the initative roll (total), take an extra turn before they do.

[boj0]

Probably not broken but:

Grandmaster's Parry(Ex): Whenever you are targeted by an attack that targets your AC or Reflex, you may add your attack bonus to that stat (d20 + BAB + modifiers for held weapon).

[Cespenar]

I think there might be differing definitions of overpowered around in this thread.

Hitting an enemy back? Dealing more damage? Exploding enemies? Honestly, in the context of high-level 3.5, those aren't overpowered.

Overpowered are things like endless solar gating, wish chaining, building a future prediction computer out of contingencied divinations or the locate city bomb (if it worked).

So, you intimidate the universe into granting you wishes.

I was thinking more of a playable level of awesome instead of loophole abusing cheesy wizard stuff-level.

If you want that...

-You can cut someone's age in half, effectively making them younger. :smalltongue:

-You can not only grapple the planet, but pin, immobilize and silence it.

-Your shield can block. Anything.

-You can bull rush people off or through planes.

-You can ready attack actions from more than 1 round beforehand, and can use those anytime you want. This stacks.

-When people breathe, they draw AoOs from you.

-When you unsheathe your sword, anyone who sees is affected by insanity. On a successful save, they die instead.

-You can cut something so well that it actually isn't cut at all. :smalltongue:

[Eldan]

Heh. I like those.

"Okay. In the morning, while the wizard prepares spells, I prepare 596 full attacks and 4 planar bull rushes."

[DracoDei]

What do you need this for?
I have something... but it is supposed to be a dramatic discovery for any 20th level PCs I ever get the chance to GM: "Wait... the artifact lets him do WHAT?!?", so I don't want to reveal it lightly...

[Volthawk]

You hit someone so hard, they go back in time.

[Cespenar]

Heh. I like those.

"Okay. In the morning, while the wizard prepares spells, I prepare 596 full attacks and 4 planar bull rushes."

Thanks. I have more, you know. :smalltongue:

[Xefas]

You hit someone so hard, they go back in time.

But what if you punch yourself, get sent back in time a few minutes, hide and wait for your future self to prepare to punch themselves, and then as they wind up, you leap out and grab their arm yelling "Stop hitting yourself!". However, having stopped yourself from going back in time, you're never there in the first place, so as you disappear, your arm is then released, punching yourself in the face to send you back in time again...

[Volthawk]

But what if you punch yourself, get sent back in time a few minutes, hide and wait for your future self to prepare to punch themselves, and then as they wind up, you leap out and grab their arm yelling "Stop hitting yourself!". However, having stopped yourself from going back in time, you're never there in the first place, so as you disappear, your arm is then released, punching yourself in the face to send you back in time again...

Then add another time-puncher...

[Prime32]

-You can bull rush people off or through planes."Space-time Level..."
"Burst Spinning..."
"PUUUUUNCH!!!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU92qs7A1Js)

Also provides a trick for warforged with really high ranks in Ride. :smalltongue:

[imp_fireball]

But what if you punch yourself, get sent back in time a few minutes, hide and wait for your future self to prepare to punch themselves, and then as they wind up, you leap out and grab their arm yelling "Stop hitting yourself!". However, having stopped yourself from going back in time, you're never there in the first place, so as you disappear, your arm is then released, punching yourself in the face to send you back in time again...

You create an infinite sub-universal time loop that makes you invulnerable to everything short of divine intervention.

So like, the same as a wizard creating their own sub-plane.

Just use your time copies to learn new maneuvers, etc. And then come out of the past and kill yourself in the present time, thus making you the new present-self.

[Lix Lorn]

Your weapon can cut any of the following:
Atomic bonds, light, sounds, time, space and abstract concepts.
May I sig?

[Eldan]

If you want to..
I don't think it's especially intelligent or anything. :smallconfused:

[Prime32]

Maybe if you added something random, like "dwarven biscuits"? :smalltongue:

[Lix Lorn]

I like the abstract concepts line. XD

[Prime32]

I like the abstract concepts line. XDWhat, never read Tsukihime or Kara no Kyoukai? (http://typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/Mystic_Eyes_of_Death_Perception)

[Kyuu Himura]

I think there might be differing definitions of overpowered around in this thread.

Hitting an enemy back? Dealing more damage? Exploding enemies? Honestly, in the context of high-level 3.5, those aren't overpowered.

Overpowered are things like endless solar gating, wish chaining, building a future prediction computer out of contingencied divinations or the locate city bomb (if it worked).

So, you intimidate the universe into granting you wishes.

You cut in half the solars, the wishes and the computer with a single slash that
cannot be predicted by any kind of divination, scrying or whatever-you-may-think-works-for-this. Also, you cut arcane energies in half, thus, creating a no-magic zone in a radius centered on you. This is all extraordinary.

[Jane_Smith]

Reply to - the 'knock back in time punch' idea;



My God..it's full of stars: Any time you score a natural twenty on a Time Pawnch, the victim is punched so hard they go through the whole of history before returning in that exact spot...aged appropriately.

[Cespenar]

Time for some more! :smalltongue:

-You can punch people's feats off.

-When you fall, the planet takes damage.

-You can dual wield time and space.

-You can eat artifacts and crap potions.

-When you strike someone, they die 35 minutes ago.

-You can ride yourself and use the Mounted Combat feat to negate attacks targeting you. :smalltongue:

[Eldan]

I now want to build a pair of artefact short swords named "Time" and "Space".

-When you fall, your enemy takes damage. (Why hurt the poor, defenseless planet?)

-You can use Mounted Combat to negate hits on any creature, object or concept within line of sight. (Wonderful debate: "DM? Can I see the abstract concept of death from over here?")

[Prime32]

-When you strike someone, they die 35 minutes ago.http://9gag.com/photo/7796_540.jpg

[Oslecamo]

Don't mind me, please continue while I take notes for my improved monsters thread. Melee brute monsters do need some serious love. In particular the tarrasque. I and my helpers have cooked a lot of stuff for them but more ideas are always welcome:smallbiggrin:

[Ouranos]

-The noogie. Grapple and cause enourmas confusion with a melee touch attack.

-The crotch shot. A melee touch attack if in less then heavy armor, causes unarmed damage and -6 to dexterity, wisdom, intelligence, and -12 to charisma for 1 minute per point of damage dealt. Only affects humanoids (women ARE susceptible to this too)

[Cespenar]

http://9gag.com/photo/7796_540.jpg

How dare they steal my most original idea?! :smallannoyed::smalltongue:
(Actually, I was expecting a Watchmen pun.)

Oh, and a last one before I go.

-When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty on your attack roll and add the same number to the people you kill. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus.

[bored_teen]

You sunder the planet.

You rip a hole in space-time, resulting in this. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield)

[Xefas]

http://9gag.com/photo/7796_540.jpg

Oh man, why isn't the 9th level Tiger Claw maneuver the Hokuto Hyakuretsu Ken?

[Strudel110]

Pimpslap: you may at make an extra unarmed attack against enemies that knocks them unconscious...no exceptions. you can do this once per round including other players or creatures rounds.

[Eldan]

You kill the guy retroactively, and bring everything he killed back to life.

Imagine a villain doing that to a high-level hero.

[Cespenar]

You kill the guy retroactively, and bring everything he killed back to life.

Imagine a villain doing that to a high-level hero.

That's a nice one. There's also its counterpart, "You kill the guy and erase him from the history of reality, undoing everything he ever did."

[Kobold-Bard]

You can punch so hard you break a hole in the multiverse. You can now use these holes to mimic Greater Teleport & Plane Shift.

You kick someone in the nads so hard that they an all their equipment are affected by a Disjunction effect.

You may use a jump check to launch yourself upon a spell that is either targetted at you or is an area effect that affects you. You may then make a ride check to control the spell and control it and use it on anyone you cone within 10ft/spell level of.

A successful Intimidate check allows you scare a cadter into forgetting how to cast their highest level spells for 1 round/...something or other.

I went for moderate rather than psychotic.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

You punch your target so hard they break the fourth wall, and their corpse lands on the gaming table, scattering the pizza and the dice.
You enter your Martial Stance, the effects of which state that you become the DM while you remain in the stance.
When you pass a Fortitude save, enemies around you fall unconscious at the mere sight of your toughness.

[Eldan]

Breaking the fourth wall, ey?


When you punch the BBEG and roll for damage, the DM flinches.

[Oslecamo]

Breaking the fourth wall, ey?


When you punch the BBEG and roll for damage, the DM flinches.

So you're playing Tempts Fate (http://www.goblinscomic.com/tempts-fate-8/)?:smalltongue:

[Wardog]

Feat: DID YOU JUST PUNCH OUT CTHUHLU? [EPIC]
Benefit: You punch out Cthuhlu.
Normal: Cthuhlu eats d6 players per round.

[Azuriyuu]

Hrm... Alright, here we go.

Concept Sunder: You can make a sunder attack to sunder something's reality. Their reality has a hardness of 10, and you can sunder their Fortitude, Reflex, or Will saves, their BAB, their alignment(Shifting them one alignment in any direction of your choosing for every ten points of damage), their name(Removing one letter from their name for every 3 points of damage), or their reputation(Each point of damage causes twenty NPC Commoners to hate them for no reason, including their wives. Especially their wives.).

Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting: Three times per day, Music starts playing, and for the rest of the encounter everyone has to either use unarmed attacks, monk weapons, and the only spells that can be used are Fly, Jump, and Summon Nature's Ally(Which can only be used to summon doves, which must immediately disperse to create a dramatic shot). Anyone who can't do any of these things sucks and has to sit out because they're a loser.

Falcon PAWNCH: You can make a special unarmed attack which does lethal damage. You must choose the location of this punch at the end of your round and it triggers at the start of your next round, whether there's a target or not. If there is, the attack automatically hits, automatically criticals, you get +200 to your damage roll, and the target goes back flying 1000 feet x your str mod




And here's a few which might just actually be playable, but uber:

Reflect Magic: When a spell passes through an area you threaten, attempts to trigger in an area you threaten, or tries to enter your square, you can make an attack of opportunity against the spell, using 10 + The Caster's Caster Level as it's AC. If you succeed, rather than the spell activating on it's intended target, it activates on the caster.

Schrodinger's Step: In your move action, you may choose two places to move to which can be made in the same kind of move action. You are considered to be at both places at once until you receive damage, are affected by a spell or spell-like effect, or take a standard action. You can also choose to “decide” your position at any time, even after an enemy confirms a critical and makes a damage roll, before applying the damage.

[cooperflood]

Here are a few "playable" abilities:

Perfect Counter: All actions provoke Attacks of Opportunity from you, including but not limited to Casting Defensively, Tumbling, and 5ft steps. Any opponent you hit with an Attack of Opportunity takes X4 damage and immediately ends his turn.

Perfect Strikes: Any attack made by you is a touch attack, does X4 damage and causes an opponent to be stunned for one round.

Everlasting Fortitude: You are immune to any condition that Heal can remove.

Reject of Hades: You can't die. You are immune to any effect that does hit point damage and any any effect that would cause you to die.

Inspired Leadership: As a swift action you may grant any ally you see an additional full round action.

Aura of Perfection: You radiate a 30ft aura that causes all opponents to stop and contemplate their end. The first round an opponent is within your aura he is cowered. Each round after the first he gets a Will save DC 20 + Highest Ability Modifier to end the effect. This ability even effects opponents immune to fear.

Unbounded Leap: As a swift action you may jump to any place you can see. The vertical distance traveled with this ability is 1/4 or 1/2 the horizontal distance. This movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.

[Yakk]

Cut Magic: 1/round free action. Target spell or effect within reach ceases, and has no effect.

Cut Space: Each time you make an attack and miss, roll damage. Creatures in one 90 degree cone are pulled up to 1' for every point of damage you have done as you cut into the space between you.

Slice of Error: Every time you miss a target, you gain a +10 cumulative untyped bonus to your later attack rolls against the same target.

Sever Concept: After you attack a target in melee, regardless of if you hit or miss, one concept no longer benefits the target until the start of your next turn. Valid concepts include, but are not limited to, armor, weapons, spells, movement, sanity, wishes, gravity.

[Zombieboots]

Over Zealous

Whenever any creature or object does any action within your running speed you may choose to have your character automatically run to the target (making any jump, climb, etc checks as needed) to become adjacent to the target, and may make a full turn action against him (this includes a extra swift). This movement does not provoke AoOs

This ability is counted as if you had a readied action readied against the specific target, but you need not actually ready action or know what the character is doing.

Your Zeal is so outstanding that you instinctively know when something is amiss. You need not be aware of the target to use this feat.

DC Jump 20 allows you to jump and reach an height equal to twice your movement, you may resolve this feat before you drop back down to the ground. You only take 1d6 damage from falling after the use of this feat. You make a tumble check as normal to reduce damage.

You may use this ability any number times a day.

Player Feint

You may ignore any effect you consider harmful or hindering your character. This is an exception to the rule in the DMG that says the DM has the final ruling on all decisions.

[erikun]

Common Bonuses:
Ability damage on attacks
Status effects on attacks
Full attack on a charge/after a move
TWF attacking with both weapons on an AoO
Pounce, Rend, Improved Grapple, etc.
Threatening opponents for penalities/restricted movement

High Level Bonuses:
Movement through enemy squares
Movement avoiding hazardous terrain
Shifting (not provoking AoO) 10+ feet movement
Immediate readied actions
Threatening opponents to prevent movement
Iron Heart Surge (resist all)

Epic/Godlike Bonuses:
Movement in any direction (not limited to ground)
Movement through obstacles
Full attack after movement
Attacks ignore DR, AC, miss chances, resistances
Attacks possess anti-magic/dispel
Movement with enemy movement
Move with enemy teleportation
Interplanar transportation
Perfect blindsense

Note that some of these solutions are available, although in some unusual sources: Good jump checks can bypass hazardous terrain, good tumble checks can bypass enemy AoO, and so on.

[The Anarresti]

Maybe if you added something random, like "dwarven biscuits"? :smalltongue:

Dwarven Biscuit Profiency: Prerequisities: Dwarf, BAB +20.
You are proficient in the use of Dwarven flour-based combat. By making a touch attack with a Dwarven Biscuit, you force an opponent to make a DC 50 Will save or realize how many things they'd rather eat than the Dwarven Biscuit. Failure means that the subject must rip out their own organs and eat them, a action taking one round to complete and provoking attacks of opportunity. (instant kill. by DM option, Fortitude 45 to remain alive for another round). Success means that the subject is forced to consume 1d4 of their limbs instead (determined randomly).

[Dilb]

Supernatural Vision
Anytime a supernatural ability, spell-like ability, or spell is used, you clearly see the location the effect originated from, and the target the ability or spell effects, and a line connecting the two points, and you can distinguish the origin from the destination. This is blocked by cover as normal, unless you have an enhanced vision mode, and additionally works with alternative senses equivalent to vision, such as blindsight. This does not detect currently active abilities or spells, such as invisibility, but does detect invisible creatures using abilities. An creature who triggers this ability is momentarily denied any concealment related to invisibility or darkness; e.g. a readied attack, even at range, does not suffer a 50% miss chance against an invisible opponent.

Supernatural Block
Any time a range ability targets you, whether singularly, in a group, in the space you occupy, or anything else, you may attempt to block it with a fortitude save, even if it does not normally allow a save, or allows a different save. The DC is calculated as normal (10 + 1/2 HD + relevant ability mod, or as normal for a spell), but decreases by 1 for every 10 feet between you and the person or thing activating the ability. On a successful save the ability has no effect. This can be used any number of times per round, but on your next turn you lose a move action.

Supernatural Dodge
Any time a range ability targets you, whether singularly, in a group, in the space you occupy, or anything else, you may attempt a reflex save to move up to 5 feet per level away from the targeted effect. The DC is calculated as normal (10 + 1/2 HD + relevant ability mod, or as normal for a spell), but decreases by 1 for every 10 feet between you and the person or thing activating the ability. This is an immediate action, and any ability or spell targeting you instead hits the spot where you were, even if they automatically would target you (e.g. magic missile, charm person). Spells affecting a large area (e.g. fireball) take effect as normal if the character does not move out of the area of effect, expect a reflex save, if required, is automatically failed. Spells with no effect when targeting unoccupied space do nothing. This ability is not affected by evasion or improved evasion. This can be used any number of times per round, but on your next turn you lose a move action.

[Jane_Smith]

>.> That almost seemed balanced - slightly. Screams occult-slayer prestige class/class.

[DracoDei]

Rith: You still haven't explained what you wanted this for originally.

[The_Admiral]

But what if you punch yourself, get sent back in time a few minutes, hide and wait for your future self to prepare to punch themselves, and then as they wind up, you leap out and grab their arm yelling "Stop hitting yourself!". However, having stopped yourself from going back in time, you're never there in the first place, so as you disappear, your arm is then released, punching yourself in the face to send you back in time again...

Who wants to kill the grandfather paradox?

[Eldan]

Kill the Grandfather Paradox

Benefit: No, just no. It didn't happen. You did not do that. I'm not even listening.


Rock does not Fall

Benefit: No one dies.


Dragon can't eat me

Benefit:Dragon does not eat you.

[The_Admiral]

Hey the doctor did it

[Autolykos]

Rulebook Slap

Benefit: Any arbitrary ruling made by a DM in the same room provokes an AoO.


Plot Dodge

Benefit: You can get out of the way of the plot and just do as you damn well please.

[Cespenar]

No. Effing. Way.

Benefit: Whenever in combat you or one of your allies roll a 1 or one of your enemies roll a 20 in a d20 three consecutive times, you can call shenanigans, forcing that creature to reroll his or her last roll.

[Skorj]

Trancendental Save: When you make a saving throw against a spell, that spell is permanently removed from the campaign setting.

Surprising Hurler: You do damage with any thrown object as if that object were the heaviest object you can throw. Pre-req: Quick Draw.

And, just for the chain-gated-Solars:

Trancendental Cleave: If your attack kills a summoned creature, it also kills the creature that summoned it, and all other creatures summoned by that same summoner. If the summoner was itself summoned, this effect is "contagious" to its summoner and so on.

[Eldan]

Similarly:

Soul Cleave

You kill the creature, any creature that called or summoned that creature or was called or summoned by it, and any creature that cast a currently active spell on that creature, as well as all of the creatures followers, cohorts, animal companions, familiars, thralls or clones. They can not be resurrected, except by Wish, Miracle or deities' magic.


Familicide for fighters.

[Kyuu Himura]

You punch your target so hard they break the fourth wall, and their corpse lands on the gaming table, scattering

Can I put this in my sign please??? :smallbiggrin:

[Zeful]

Debilitating Strike (Ex): When making a melee attack but before you make the attack roll you may declare the use of this ability. This attack instead deals either Strength or Dexterity damage in lieu of it's normal damage. You may make use of this ability once per encounter plus one time for each point of intelligence modifier you possess. This ability does not work against creatures without defined anatomies such as plants, oozes, constructs, and the undead.

Lasting Debilitate
Your blows rend muscles and sinew, but these wounds are hard to heal
Prerequisites:Debiliating Strike, Str 15, Int 13
Benefit: Ability damaged caused by Debilitating Strike is now Ability Burn.
Special: A fighter may select this feat as one of his fighter bonus feats.