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DoomHat
2012-05-27, 12:25 AM
What is Doomhat’s Chewy D&D?
I think there shouldn’t be a dividing wall between Fluff and Crunch.
When ‘Fluff’ has no real effect on Crunch, it’s utterly meaningless. (I hate that)
When ‘Crunch’ fails to serve, live up to, or even have Fluff, that’s recreational math. (Terrible!)
I want to play some D&D 3rd/Pathfinder, but I want more ‘Chewy’ mechanics. I want Fluff and Crunch that flow together until one is nearly indistinguishable from the other.

I’d like you to help me come up with some. Here are the ground rules;

1. It’s not about what the player CAN do, it’s about what they Will do.
Strange abilities and tasty skill bonuses are not an End but a Means of rewarding players for interesting Roleplay. In other words, it’s not about just throwing fireballs. It’s about hating someone or thing so much that you’re willing to wad a reeking lump of sulfur and bat poop between your palms in order to make them explode.

2. Write Good rules for Good Players.
I don’t care what Twinky McPowergame might do with these rules, he’s not even invited. If anything these rules might help ease them into the concept of Roleplaying in the first place. RPG’s are a social game driven by collaboration and imagination, making the spirit of a rule clear is all that matters. We fear no lawyers here.

3. A Plug-in, not a Patch.
We’re not trying to ‘fix’ the game, or reinvent the wheel. Part of the fun of this project is to make D&D a more narrative focused game without removing a single word from the Player’s Guide.

Links to related Threads

[Doomhat’s Chewy D&D Mechanics]: Introduction and some General Feats
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13269195#post13269195)
Making Failure Fun (skill checks) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235790)



-The Fighter-


There are more ‘Fighter Fixes’ on this board then there are stars in the sky, and after taking a good hard look at the laundry list of restrictions imposed on each combat maneuver and the quality of the Combat Feats as presented in the Core book, it’s painfully clear to me why.

I’m going to have to bend Rule #1 on this one a little because standard combat (and by extension the Fighter) is so boring that providing an expanded array of abilities alone should help make it a more evocative experience.

--
I’m giving the Core Fighter three new class features at level one.
The idea is to tear down a few unnecessary walls that stand between the Fighter and Being Good at Fighting.

Improved Combat Expertise:
You gain Combat Expertise and Power Attack along with their benefits even if you do not meet their prerequisites.
In addition, if Fighter is your Favored Class, you do not provoke an attack of opportunity when preforming any Combat Maneuver. When a Feat would normally cause you to ignore attacks of opportunity when preforming a specific maneuver, that maneuver will instead always provoke attacks of opportunity from you, unless the target also possesses this class feature.

Training Montage:
Each time a fighter would be entitled to learn a new Bonus Combat Feat they must earn it through intensive training. This training typically requires up to three hours of uninterrupted physical and metal conditioning, the exact nature of which must correspond with the Feat being cultivated, and is typically done under the instruction of a teacher or from lessons drawn from a Technique Manual readily at hand.
Time and scenery permitting, a Fighter may undergo this training again at any time to replace an existing Bonus Combat Feat with different one.

To qualify as a teacher for this training you must possess this class feature, the Combat Feat being imparted, and your Fighter level must be equal to or higher than your student. Writing a Technique Manual requires only basic literacy and current possession of the feat you are describing.
Countless legends surround hundreds of Technique Manuals, containing secret feats both strange and powerful. Countless friends have turned rivals pursing the favor of a grandmaster who will pass his most potent secrets only to one student.

[Note: Naturally the Training Montage must be described in game in order to qualify. Other players can make suggestions as to the nature of the exercises involved. As usual the DM has final say].

Grasp the Fundamentals:
If a fighter does not meet the Prerequisite for a Combat Feat they may still acquire it, but receive no benefit from it until the Prerequisite is met. Many tales have been told of Fighters who can be rendered helpless without their Belt of Giant Strength, those who excel at combat in supernatural flight, those who routinely augment their minds with potions, and etcetera.


-Combat Feats-

I need you guys help with these a lot. There are two main problems here
1. I'm not a numbers sorta guy, so I don't know which of these things is worthless or ungodly potent. I'm not overly worried about balance, my main priority is fun, but still I'd like everything to be more or less as viable a choice as anything else.

2. I've thrown in some prerequisite for existing Combat Feats out of the Core. This is a problem because I feel most of the feats in the core are bland-tastic and I don't like the idea of forcing players to waste levels picking up lameness in the hopes of one day getting something fun. Any solutions?


Pouncing Tiger
Sometimes known as 'Falling Star' for obvious reasons
Prerequisite: Skill Focus (acrobatics), Can’t be under the effects of Feather Fall or Magical Flight
Benefit: As a standard action you may harness the full force of your momentum into a devastating melee attack. The attack must be made in midair and the amount of bonus damage is based on the distance you’ve traveled (without touching the ground) before impacting the target, +1d6 per 10ft.
This is typically achieved with a long jump and counts as a Charge action.


Bolting Hare
The spectral afterimage left behind by this high-speed feat has earned it the nickname, 'Phantom Step'
Prerequisite: Dex 17, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Improved Lightning Reflexes
Benefit: You must Ready a Move Action to use this feat. If you would be successfully hit with an attack before your next turn, you may use your readied move action to make an Acrobatics (Jump) check. The jump counts as having a running start and does not provoke attacks of opportunity, but the DC is increased by +8.
If the check succeeds, you land in a different location before the attack can resolve, thus negating its effects upon you. If the attack was an AoE you must land in an unaffected area for this feat to be useful.

Soaring Rooster
It's said that this 'Light Foot' feat is so popular on the eastern continent that they teach it as part of the basic curriculum in their schools of battle.
Prerequisite: Fly 1 Rank
Benefit: The total distance you can cover with a jump is no longer limited by you base move speed and you may halve the DC for all high jumps.
You may also use the Fly skill to control a fall. The DC is 5 for every 5ft of horizontal movement you wish add to 5ft of vertical decent.
Additionally, when rolling Acrobatics to soften an intentional fall, you may ignore an additional 10ft of damage for every +10 you add to the default DC 15.

Coiling Serpent
There are ways that you can bend a man such that he'll wish you'd simply broken him
Prerequisite: Improved Grapple, Skill Focus: Escape artist
Benefit: When you successfully maintain a grapple, in place of the Damage option, you may choose to describe a brutal submission hold. If the DM finds your description convincing, your victim becomes Fatigued. If already Fatigued they instead become Exhausted, and if already Exhausted they must make a Fort save against your CMD or black out).

Spiraling Dragon
Its said the original inventor of this 'Heaven Piecing Drill' was famous for his unshakable moral.
Prerequisite: Improved Trip, Greater Trip, BAB +6
Benefit: If you succeeded on a DC 10 Acrobatics check as an immediate reaction to falling prone, you may use a full round action on your turn to stand up from prone and perform a trip maneuver simultaneously. Doing so provokes no attacks of opportunity and you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC if the trip succeeds.

Dashing Boar
(Improved Charge)
Prerequisite: Power Attack, Run
Benefit: If you succeeded on a DC 10 Acrobatics check as an immediate reaction to falling prone, you may perform a Charge starting from a prone position. If you do so you may also make the charge in spite of difficult terrain or obstacles in your path, so long as your movement ends adjacent to your target.
Your mad low to the ground scramble requires extreme commitment that yields an additional -2 AC penalty (total of -4 AC) and an additional +2 bonus the attack or bull rush (total of +4).

Trampling Horse
Prerequisite: Run, Improved Overrun, Greater Overrun
Benefit: Opponents that you successfully overrun provoke attacks of opportunity regardless of whether or not they were knocked prone.
When you take a Run action, you may attempt to Overrun all opponents in your path. Failing to overrun any of them in this way stops your movement as usual but will also knock you prone.

Baying Hound
Benefit: So long as you are screaming with enthusiasm over the den of battle, when you use the Aid Another action you can provide an additional +2 to your ally’s attack roll or AC for every +5 you add to the default AC 10.

Lying Rat
Prerequisite: Improved Feint, Dodge, Mobility
Benefit: When an opponent attempts to make an Attack of Opportunity against you for an action you used a Move Action to perform, may make a Bluff check against them as an immediate action. If you succeed, IT WAS ALL A TRICK! Cancel the original action, denying them their Attack of Opportunity. Make an Attack of Opportunity against them instead.
If you fail the Bluff check, you must still cancel your action, your opponent still gets their Attack of Opportunity, but now they get a +2 bonus to accuracy and damage for your temerity.

Crashing Ram
Prerequisite: ???
Benefit: When you successfully Bull Rush a target you automatically deal your unarmed damage to them with +1d6 bonus damage for every 5ft they couldn’t move any further then they might have due to a solid object blocking their path. They must also make a Fort save against your CDM or fall prone.
You may make Bull Rush attempts against creatures that are two size categories larger then you, provided you are targeting an individual leg. However, instead of pushing them you simply knock them prone and deal 1d6 damage for every size category they possess above medium.

Capering Monkey
The feat of Eight Drunken Immortals is an ancient favorite that's seen little decline in popularity over the centuries
Prerequisite: Dodge, Perform (Dance) 4 ranks or be at least mildly intoxicated.
Benefit: +1 dodge bonus to AC and reflex save for each 10 feet you move this turn, so long as you can describe your deranged tottering procession to the DM’s satisfaction.

Interposing Ox
A must have for guardsmen of every stripe and creed
Prerequisite: Strike Back
Benefit: As a free action at the beginning of your turn you may loudly proclaim something (other than yourself) off limits, such as, “None shall harm the Princes”, “This Bridge is closed to trolls”, or “You will not leave this room”.
So long as you remain true to that purpose you may make Attacks of Opportunity while using Total Defense. Additionally if you ready a move action to intercept and block the forward progress of any creature attempting to defy your proclamation you may add your Total Defense bonus to your CMD. If any creature attempts and fails to Bull Rush or Overrun you while in Total Defense you may knock them prone.

Contemplating The Way
Prerequisite: Good Alignment, Pacifist
Benefit: As a free action you may descend into a serene meditative trance. You delay your actions this round and are considered flat footed as you become one with the world. When you choose to act, you may interrupt any other action as though you’d Readied actions for that purpose. If you attack an opponent before they have a chance to roll, the DC of their roll increases by the amount of damage you deal.

If you interrupt a the casting of a spell in this way the Concentration check DC is 10 + Double Damage Dealt + Spell level.

Flawless Crane Stance
Prerequisite: Combat reflexes
Benefit: As a Full Round action you may adopt the legendarily invincible Flawless Crane Stance. Unfortunately the stance has a number of crippling flaws. Moving any distance willingly or otherwise, including a five foots step, breaks the stance. While in the stance you are considered flatfooted and your CMD suffers a -4 penalty do to the fact that you are balancing on one leg. You can’t turn around either, so you can’t make attacks of opportunity against any opponent who is behind you. Lastly, it requires a Full Round action every round to maintain.

The benefits are as follows; you gain an additional number of Attacks of Opportunity per round equal to your Wis Mod. Entering your threat range provokes an Attack of Opportunity from you. Performing a basic attack in your threat range provokes an Attack of Opportunity from you. And you may use your Attacks of Opportunity to attempt to deflect arrows and other ranged attack ammunition before they hit you (make an attack roll with a DC equal to the result of the ranged attack roll targeting you).
You are Invincible! …so long as no one thinks to kick you in the shin or maybe just stroll up behind you and give a good firm shove…

Draw-strike
Prerequisite: Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (Sword)
Benefit: You can draw you sword in the same instant that you attack with it. When you do so, all attacks you make for that round gain bonus damage equal to the amount by which their attack roll exceeds the target’s AC.
Sheathing you blade after using this technique requires a Move action.

Crush Your Enemies
Prerequisite: Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, You must be scared by the loss of everything that was ever important to you.
Benefit: Whenever you make a successful melee attack you may choose to also automatically succeed at a simultaneous Sunder combat maneuver.

See Them Driven Before You:
Prerequisite: Crush Your Enemies. You must have been chosen by fate to wield a Legendary weapon suited to a warrior king and remain worthy of its power.
Benefit: Whenever you succeed with a Sunder maneuver you also automatically succeed at a Bull Rush that sends the target an additional 10 feet away from you. If the target collides with anything on this path it, and the creature or object in the away, takes 1d6+your Str mod damage.

Hear the Lamentations of the Women
Prerequisite: You must know the answer to the Riddle of Steel
Benefit: Any creature affected by your use of See Them Driven Before You, including any that they collided into as a result, must make a will save versus your attack roll or become Panicked.

I've got some more I'm flushing out, but this should be enough for now, and I'm thinking about drawing up some pictures to literally illustrate some of these in action.

Midwoka
2012-05-27, 12:59 AM
I haven't read the Combat Feats yet, but I reaaaally like Grasp The Fundamentals and the part about Fighters not provoking attacks of opportunity with their maneuvers. Both very cool.


One thing: you want "et cetera", not "and excreta". Trust me!

DoomHat
2012-05-27, 11:27 AM
I haven't read the Combat Feats yet, but I reaaaally like Grasp The Fundamentals and the part about Fighters not provoking attacks of opportunity with their maneuvers. Both very cool.

Okay, but I guess you don't think much of Training Montage?



One thing: you want "et cetera", not "and excreta". Trust me!

Ah, embarrassing! But Fixed! Thank you.

Kinda sad this is all the response I've gotten so far though. I'll get to work on drawing (or maybe just finding) some images to help pretty the thread up.
Maybe breaking up the Wall o' Text a little will help get people interested...:smalltongue:

Midwoka
2012-05-27, 07:32 PM
Okay, but I guess you don't think much of Training Montage?

No, I don't. I think it would be great if it provided a bonus for the feats, like removing one feat from the prerequisites, or lowering a BAB/save/skill prerequisite by 1 or 2, or if it was only used for replacing feats rather than learning them in the first place. That way, the Fighter trades in time that they could've used earning extra money (since down-time is normally when the Craft/Profession/Perform checks come out) to squeeze even more out of their combat feats. As it is now, it makes the Fighter feel unable to adapt and learn on her own; someone who's supposed to be clever in the art of battle should be able to intuit the better footing and ideal form that leads to Improved Bullrush and its associated feats.



Kinda sad this is all the response I've gotten so far though. I'll get to work on drawing (or maybe just finding) some images to help pretty the thread up.
Maybe breaking up the Wall o' Text a little will help get people interested...:smalltongue:

I don't think the lack of pictures is the problem. I think you're missing your own point of there being "more ‘Fighter Fixes’ on this board then there are stars in the sky". No matter how shiny and pretty Sirius and Bellatrix get, I'd say people here are just tired of Fighter fixes. Honestly? If you want more feedback on Fighter stuff, I think you'll need to trick people into reading it - probably by lumping it in a thread with your other "Chewy D&D" material.

DoomHat
2012-05-27, 10:00 PM
No, I don't. I think it would be great if it provided a bonus for the feats, like removing one feat from the prerequisites, or lowering a BAB/save/skill prerequisite by 1 or 2, or if it was only used for replacing feats rather than learning them in the first place. That way, the Fighter trades in time that they could've used earning extra money (since down-time is normally when the Craft/Profession/Perform checks come out) to squeeze even more out of their combat feats. As it is now, it makes the Fighter feel unable to adapt and learn on her own; someone who's supposed to be clever in the art of battle should be able to intuit the better footing and ideal form that leads to Improved Bullrush and its associated feats.


Three hours doesn't strike me as a huge investment of in-game time.
Besides that, I wanted to give combat feats the same weight of importance and interest that spells receive while freeing Fighters from he burden of being stuck with builds that either turn out to be less then fun or just won't be useful to an upcoming adventure.
I guess I could make a distinction between Basic and Advanced feats? Basic being learn-able automatically, and advanced requiring actual interaction with the setting/storytelling to gain access to?



I don't think the lack of pictures is the problem. I think you're missing your own point of there being "more ‘Fighter Fixes’ on this board then there are stars in the sky". No matter how shiny and pretty Sirius and Bellatrix get, I'd say people here are just tired of Fighter fixes. Honestly? If you want more feedback on Fighter stuff, I think you'll need to trick people into reading it - probably by lumping it in a thread with your other "Chewy D&D" material.

Thought it'd be enough having that be the whole first half of the title...
come to think of it this whole endeavor might be a waste of time. I can only imagine the level of enthusiasm I can expect the 'fiddling with how spells work' post will receive.
Though I guess people haven't really done a whole hell of a lot to rogues, whom I was also planning to mess with.

I guess I could start over from scratch and frame it all as supplemental material for a homebrew setting...?

Xechon
2012-05-29, 12:02 PM
These are good, I must say. However, quite a few of these feats (I haven't read them all yet, I'll get around to it) should apply to everyone, always. Of course you sunder the opponent's armor when you attack him. Of course you should be able to restrain an opponent in a grapple.

But these are good ideas. I do suggest, as this is a plug-in and not a patch, try adding some of the ones that all should be able to do into the main rules instead of adding them as feats, keep the supernatural ones as feats (naruto-style jump-dodges, for example), and make them all physical stat-dependent, so you are not boosting the casters too.

DoomHat
2012-05-30, 04:40 AM
These are good, I must say. However, quite a few of these feats (I haven't read them all yet, I'll get around to it) should apply to everyone, always. Of course you sunder the opponent's armor when you attack him. Of course you should be able to restrain an opponent in a grapple.

Basically this would amount to making the basic benefits of the Improved and Greater combat maneuver feats (Bull Rush, Grapple, Trip, etc.) standard qualities of those maneuvers.

Which may be a worthy consideration.


But these are good ideas. I do suggest, as this is a plug-in and not a patch, try adding some of the ones that all should be able to do into the main rules instead of adding them as feats, keep the supernatural ones as feats (naruto-style jump-dodges, for example), and make them all physical stat-dependent, so you are not boosting the casters too.

Hmmm. The typical means of barring casters from taking the mundane dude's stuff is a high BAB prerequisite.
Maybe instead of supplying these things as combat feats I could just package them as class features...

Though it seems to me that some of the appeal in the fighter is being generic, but so generic you're hyper versatile and can specialize in any number of things most other classes can only dabble in...
...if that makes any sense, I'm not sure, it's very early in the morning...