Nightgaun7
2012-12-02, 06:06 PM
Part 1: Tactical advice
Had my second session in Palanan's seagoing campaign today. I've got a homebrewed half-orc type race who's a level 5 charger type barbarian/warblade, and I've been quite content with carving my way through the various lackeys that have attacked us in the past two sessions, knocking people over, taking their ice cream, and being a general menace.
However, I've noticed two main things my half-orc needs to work on: More ways to get a charge, and more ways to hit more people. I knew a charger wasn't going to always be getting the charge in the cramped quarters we're fighting in, and that's fine - I'm just looking for any tactics I've missed that would be obvious to a more experienced player.
Here's what I have so far, if it helps:
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Knockback, Leap Attack. Palanan is graciously letting me count as huge enough for knockback. At next level I'll be getting shocktrooper.
Class Features, skill tricks, maneuvers, etc: Pounce (Not really coming into play yet since I've not got multiple attacks yet), twisted charge, extreme leap, Steel Wind Strike, Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap. Next level I think I'll be getting Wall of Blades for a tiny bit of defense. I've also got fairly good jump and tumble skills, especially since I have no Dex bonus, and Anklets of Translocation, which I thought would let me teleport to set up a charge, but this appears not to be the case.
Part 2: Shiny Stuff
For gear, I have an Aquatic greatsword with a crystal of lesser return, a pearlsteel breastplate, and anklets of translocation.
I also have a bit of gold (2750) to, potentially, retroactively spend, since I futzed up the math when I was first buying items.
I'm thinking about buying either bracers of counterstrike or a healing belt and something else. Sort of leaning towards the bracers, since I find hitting people remarkably satisfying, and it would also help out with getting in a couple more hits while surrounded. Only twice a day, though.
Another option would be an enchantment on my armor, or something +1 on my sword so that at least 1 party member can reliably hit incorporeal enemies, which apparently has been an issue.
Part 3: Rules Questions
Question 1) Can I use, for example, Steel Wind and Power Attack at the same time? I want to use power attack since it's required for knockback and my GM ruled that I could make the second attack in steel wind with the benefit of knockback. I'm not entirely clear on whether I still need to power attack to do so, or whether that's simply a house rule over-ruling the normal requirement.
Question 2) Knockback doesn't make you move with the target of your free bullrush. Can you still push him back an extra distance, either by voluntarily moving with him, or by simply hitting him really freaking hard and watching him fly back? If the latter, then that's at last one way to set up charges on occasion.
Question 3) Is it purely horizontal distance that works for leap attack? For example, in the latest session my half-orc jumped off the side of a ship and went 10 feet down onto a guy in another ship. I know it's worded that way but it seems a bit screwy, and it seems like something there might be errata for or something. (Fortunately in the actual incident I got 10 feet of horizontal distance as well)
Had my second session in Palanan's seagoing campaign today. I've got a homebrewed half-orc type race who's a level 5 charger type barbarian/warblade, and I've been quite content with carving my way through the various lackeys that have attacked us in the past two sessions, knocking people over, taking their ice cream, and being a general menace.
However, I've noticed two main things my half-orc needs to work on: More ways to get a charge, and more ways to hit more people. I knew a charger wasn't going to always be getting the charge in the cramped quarters we're fighting in, and that's fine - I'm just looking for any tactics I've missed that would be obvious to a more experienced player.
Here's what I have so far, if it helps:
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Knockback, Leap Attack. Palanan is graciously letting me count as huge enough for knockback. At next level I'll be getting shocktrooper.
Class Features, skill tricks, maneuvers, etc: Pounce (Not really coming into play yet since I've not got multiple attacks yet), twisted charge, extreme leap, Steel Wind Strike, Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap. Next level I think I'll be getting Wall of Blades for a tiny bit of defense. I've also got fairly good jump and tumble skills, especially since I have no Dex bonus, and Anklets of Translocation, which I thought would let me teleport to set up a charge, but this appears not to be the case.
Part 2: Shiny Stuff
For gear, I have an Aquatic greatsword with a crystal of lesser return, a pearlsteel breastplate, and anklets of translocation.
I also have a bit of gold (2750) to, potentially, retroactively spend, since I futzed up the math when I was first buying items.
I'm thinking about buying either bracers of counterstrike or a healing belt and something else. Sort of leaning towards the bracers, since I find hitting people remarkably satisfying, and it would also help out with getting in a couple more hits while surrounded. Only twice a day, though.
Another option would be an enchantment on my armor, or something +1 on my sword so that at least 1 party member can reliably hit incorporeal enemies, which apparently has been an issue.
Part 3: Rules Questions
Question 1) Can I use, for example, Steel Wind and Power Attack at the same time? I want to use power attack since it's required for knockback and my GM ruled that I could make the second attack in steel wind with the benefit of knockback. I'm not entirely clear on whether I still need to power attack to do so, or whether that's simply a house rule over-ruling the normal requirement.
Question 2) Knockback doesn't make you move with the target of your free bullrush. Can you still push him back an extra distance, either by voluntarily moving with him, or by simply hitting him really freaking hard and watching him fly back? If the latter, then that's at last one way to set up charges on occasion.
Question 3) Is it purely horizontal distance that works for leap attack? For example, in the latest session my half-orc jumped off the side of a ship and went 10 feet down onto a guy in another ship. I know it's worded that way but it seems a bit screwy, and it seems like something there might be errata for or something. (Fortunately in the actual incident I got 10 feet of horizontal distance as well)