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View Full Version : System remake: Combat styles overview (PEACH)



Yitzi
2012-12-11, 02:48 PM
Well, I'm ready to put up the first substantial part of my system remake (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258194): Combat Styles (or at least the overview; the actual styles won't be available for a while). These are meant as a replacement for combat feats and most combat-centric class features, and serve as a sort of hybrid between feat chains, scaling feats, and ToB stances. The actual entry is in the next post.

Yitzi
2012-12-11, 02:49 PM
Combat Styles Overview:
Not all characters fight their enemies in the same way. Some might prefer to face a single enemy one-on-one and parry every blow, while others might prefer to destroy their enemies with brute force. Yet others might stand and shoot arrows at the enemy with high precision. Among mounted warriors, some might prefer to use their mounts' bulk to trample and push the enemy or add force to their blows, while others might prefer to make the most of their maneuverability and speed. All these, and more, are possible, and the different approaches are expressed as different combat styles.
A character gains combat styles from his class: A warrior, rogue, or monk (as well as some rangers) gains one combat style at first level, while a fighter gains a combat style at first level and an additional combat style every three levels. Even if a character has more than one combat style, in general only one can be used at a time, though exceptions exist (and are noted in those cases).
Most combat styles have a listed selection of "favored weapons". A character can only use the combat style in question when using one of the favored weapons. Countering a combat style (described below) does not require any particular weapon to be wielded.
Each combat style provides certain bonuses (abilities or advantages). Each such bonus has a minimum combat skill, listed after the ability. Some abilities or advantages also require that the style be the character's favored style (granted by the fighter's Favored Style ability).
A character can switch between combat styles as a move action. Alternatively, a character can stop using a combat style as a free action, and a character who has not used any combat style for a full round can begin using a combat style as a free action.

Countering Combat Styles:
Most combat styles are substantially less effective against opponents who know the same style. Any character may attempt to determine what combat style an opponent is using, and counter it.
To identify the style, the character must (as a free action) make an intelligence check DC 10, -1 for every five rounds the opponent has used the style in this encounter. On success, a character who knows the style identifies it. A character who does not himself know the style cannot identify it, but on a check result of 15 or higher is aware that it is a style he doesn't know. On failure, the character may try again as often as desired, but only once per round. Once a style has been identified, it remains identified for the duration of the encounter, and the character gets a +10 bonus on checks to identify the same opponent using the same style in the future. A character who has successfully identified a style can identify it for allies as well.
Once a character has identified a style that they know, they can attempt to counter it. (Humans with the Adaptive Fighter ability can attempt to counter a style that they have not identified or do not know.) To attempt to counter a style, a character must make an intelligence check DC 10 (or 15 for a character that has not identified the style or does not know it.) On success, the opponent's combat skill is reduced, for purposes of determining the bonuses granted by that style, by the countering character's combat skill. This reduction only applies to attacks made by or against the countering character; attacks by the countered character against a third individual are unaffected. Countering lasts for the duration of the encounter, and if a character fails to counter he cannot try again for the duration of the encounter.
Certain bonuses, and a few styles, cannot be countered; this is noted in the description.

A list of all styles will be linked here once it is written.