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View Full Version : (3.5) New special actions, need criticism and suggestions.



Eslin
2013-05-06, 02:52 AM
As the title says, looking for ideas for more and notes on balance.

Behind the curtain
The idea behind this is to give melee and ranged characters a lot more options - their class and feats will still matter (though most aren't usable at the same time as maneuvers - I love tome of battle, but the other classes need help more). They're based on what weapons you're wielding to try to give weapons some differentiation in what they do - take a heavy axe for chewing through heavy defenses or multiple foes, whereas a sword would give you better 1v1 capability.

In general, I'm aiming for the special actions for shields and one handed weapons to be a little better than for two handed weapons, since two handers are usually seen as the superior option. A lot are also meant to shore up some of the traditional weaknesses of melee, like lack of non damage options and difficulty moving and attacking. They're supposed to be useful and tactically based - doing a full attack will always give the most damage, but these will make combat more interesting.

With that in mind, I'm only human, so please point out if they're too weak, not tactically interesting, too strong or any other problems - and if you have any ideas for special actions by all means post them and I'll add them to the list, community input would be greatly appreciated.

Mechanics
These are special actions like bull rush and disarm, and may be used at will by any character who meets the prerequisites - a character must be proficient with a relevant item to use the special actions associated with it.
[W] means your weapon's base damage - 1d8 for a medium longsword, 1d6 for a medium shortbow etc.
All attacks are at your highest base attack bonus unless otherwise stated - a full round attack still has iterative penalties
Unarmed attack means unarmed strike or gauntlet
Unless otherwise specified their benefits can only be used by the specified weapon - if you perform bludgeon while wielding a club and a shortsword, only the club gains extra non lethal damage.

Aim
Usable with: Any bow, any crossbow.
As a full round action, attack the target once - you add your dexterity bonus to the shot's damage once per attack you would have made if you had full attacked and ignore up to 5 range increments worth of attack penalties.

All or nothing
Usable with: Any two handed weapon
As a full round action, perform two full attacks. You are now exhausted and sickened for one minute, even if you would otherwise be unable to be affected by these conditions. If you use this action again while still under the effects of the first you are nauseated for ten minutes, even if you would otherwise be unable to be affected by these conditions. These penalties cannot be removed by any means.

Bludgeon
Usable with: Unarmed attack, club, greatclub, nunchaku, any hammer
As a standard action, perform an attack. For every attack you would have gotten if you had full attacked, deal an additional [W] as nonlethal damage.

Brawler
Special: Requires the improved unarmed strike feat.
Usable with: Unarmed attack, one handed weapon.
As a full round action, perform a full attack. Until the start of your next turn (or, if you successfully grapple the foe, until the grapple ends) you are considered to have a secondary natural weapon with damage equal to your unarmed strike, called a brawling attack.
Attacks with your brawling attack have the improved grab (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#improvedGrab) special ability, though unlike the normal improved grab you can grapple a creature of any size and only take a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) if you choose to use improved grab's secondary grapple mode. Your brawling attack can be used in addition to a one handed weapon or your regular unarmed attack.

Combat appraisal
Useable with: Any piercing weapon
As a standard action, take stock of an individual within 30' you have already attacked and roll an appraise check. For the rest of the encounter, ignore points of armour or natural armour (if they have both, choose one to reduce. The other can be reduced by using this ability again) equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Opponent gains a +3 dodge bonus against you due to your faulty assessment.
6-15: -1
16-25: -2
26-35: -3
36-45: -4
46+: -5

Confusing throw
Usable with: Any melee weapon with a range increment
As a full round action, move up to half your speed and throw a weapon at a target in range - this target is considered flat footed against the attack.
If your BAB is 6 or more, you can throw up to two weapons which must be wielded in seperate hands. If your BAB is 11 or more this attack is a standard action, and if your base attack bonus is 16 or more both weapons can be thrown at the same target.


Crane Stance
Usable with: Any reach weapon that is not a spiked chain
As a standard action, nominate any number of targets within reach. These targets get a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against you, but attacks against them do not count towards your limit of attacks of opportunity you can make. Additionally, if you make a successful attack of opportunity against that target they must make a fortitude save equal to the damage you dealt or be unable to move beyond the square they were in when they provoked that attack.

Crossbow trap
Usable with: Any crossbow
As a standard action, ready a standard attack against a square of your choosing. If a foe steps into that square and the attack hits it does x2 damage, increasing the multiplier by one for every extra attack you would have gotten had you made a full attack.

Decipher magical weakness
Usable with: Unarmed strike, dwarven waraxe, bastard sword, whip.
Special: You must be wielding a magical weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and make a decipher script check - if the attack hits, choose a magic item belonging to the target of the attack and attempt to dispel it using your decipher script check -10 as your caster level for the attempt. If you succeed, both the weapon used and the item targeted are suppressed for 1d4 rounds.

Duel
Usable with: Any sword
As a standard action, perform a single attack against one foe. For the rest of the encounter or until that foe is incapacitated you may only direct attacks against that foe and can not flank him, but any time the foe attacks you may make an attack roll back - if yours exceeds his, the attack is nullified. For every time you do this you take a -2 penalty to AC until the start of your next turn, making you more vulnerable to other enemies and to attacks that get through your guard.

This action has no effect unless there is at least one other foe nearby who intends you harm and has a CR of at least the target's CR-3.

Execution
Usable with: Any crossbow, any dagger, scythe, falchion
As a standard action, perform a Coup de Grace.

Flurry
Usable with: Unarmed strike, any special monk weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and any extra attacks your flurry of blows would give you if you'd performed a full attack, with the appropriate penalties (if any).

Focus defense
Special: Must be within reach of more than one foe that is intent on harming you or your allies
Usable with: Any shield
As a free action, pick a foe you can clearly identify. The bonuses to AC your shield grants you are doubled against that foe until the start of your next turn, but removed against any other foe.

This action has no effect unless there is at least one other foe nearby who intends you harm and has a CR of at least the target's CR-3.

Great cleavage
Usable with: Scythe, any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - any attack may target two adjacent squares within your reach simultaneously, but you do not apply your strength bonus to damage. The power attack feat cannot be used in conjunction with this action, but feats and abilities such as cleave can, treating each foe as the target of a seperate attack. This attack can damage swarms, but in order to do so both squares targeted must contain that swarm - if both do, make only one attack roll and one damage roll.

Harvest
Usable with: Scythe, sickle.
As a standard action, pick a number of opponents within reach and perform an attack against each of them. You are treated as nonproficient with scythes and sickles for a number of rounds equal to the number of foes who took no damage from these attacks.

Hew
Usable with: Any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - your attacks ignore the target's damage reduction, but afterwards until the end of your next turn the target is considered to have bonus AC equal to their damage reduction against you.

Hybrid style
Usable with: Any ranged weapon, any melee weapon
Attack as a standard or full round action - at the end of the action you sheathe your weapon and cannot draw a weapon of that same type (melee or ranged) until the end of your next turn. If you attacked with a melee weapon your ranged attacks deal extra damage equal to your str mod next until the end of your next turn and if you attacked with a ranged weapon your melee attacks deal extra damage equal to your dex mod until the end of your next turn.

If your attacks are performed with a thrown weapon you may ignore the sheathing and drawing requirements, but you cannot make any attacks of the same kind (melee or ranged) until the end of your next turn.


Iaijutsu focus
Usable with: Any one handed sword or light weapon
Special: Must not have a weapon drawn
As a standard action you draw your weapon and attempt to strike your opponent before he can react. You and your foe both make a reflex save - whoever has the higher save result is treated as having just attacked and threatened a critical hit with a critical modifier of x3, unless the weapon has a critical modifier better than that. Anyone with quick draw gains a +4 bonus on the reflex check, and if the reflex test result in a draw parties attack at the same time.

Memorise style
Usable with: Any monk special weapon, unarmed attack, any crossbow
As part of a full attack or standard attack against a single, take a -2 penalty to all attacks and provoke an attack of opportunity from your foe for doing so. If the opponent makes an attack of opportunity, roll an autohypnosis check - if it is higher than your foe's attack roll then for the rest of the encounter you may make an attack of opportunity against him whenever that opponent makes one of his own. If the opponent does not make an attack of opportunity in response to this maneuver he is dazed until the end of his next turn.

Multiple missile massacre
Usable with: Any light throwing weapon.
As a full round action, make a sleight of hand check and throw one throwing weapon per target at a number of targets equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Attack yourself, no other targets
6-10: One target
11-16: Two targets
17-23: Three targets
24-31: Four targets
32-40: Five targets
41+: All targets within range

Pummel
Usable with: Any blunt weapon, light or heavy shield.
Special: Must be wielding both a shield and blunt weapon (two shields is acceptable)
Attack with your weapon as a standard or full round action - every time you deal damage with your blunt weapon you may slam the target with your shield, attacking at the same attack bonus as your weapon and dealing damage equal to your strength modifier and reducing their fortitude save by 1 until the start of your next turn every time you hit.

Quick feint
Usable with: Any light weapon, rapier
Special: Must be dual-wielding melee weapons
As a standard action, make a feint check and then perform a single attack with both weapons. If the feint check is successful, your opponent is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for the lowest of your attack rolls. If your BAB is 6+ your opponent is denied his bonus for one of your attacks (your choice) and if your BAB is 11+ he is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for both attacks.

Relentless march
Usable with: Any shield
As a standard action, move up to your speed - immediately and until the beginning of your next turn, you gain a bonus to ability checks, skill checks or saves to resist movement impairing or compulsion effects equal to the AC bonus your shield grants you.

Salvo
Usable with: Any ranged weapon with a reload time longer than a free action.
As a full round action, make a full attack - every time you damage a target, you may reload your weapon as a free action. If you miss an attack you must spend a full round action to reload your weapon again (a standard action if you have the rapid reload feat).

Sheathe and shock
Special: Must start this maneuver with a one handed weapon in one hand and nothing in the other hand
Usable with: Any one handed weapon
As a move action, sheathe your weapon and move up to half your speed. Until the end of your next turn, you are treated as having the improved grapple, improved bull rush, improved trip, improved disarm and improved overrun feats. If you already have one of those feats, the bonus that feat gives you increases to +8.

Shield rush
Usable with: Heavy shield, extreme shield, tower shield
As a move action, perform a bull rush with a bonus on your strength check equal to your shield's AC value. You lose your shield's shield bonus to AC until the start of your next unless you have the improved shield bash feat.

Shorten grip
Usable with: Any reach weapon
As a move action, shorten your reach - you now threaten squares adjacent to you but your weapon no longer counts as a reach weapon until you take another move action to return to your original stance

Skewer
Usable with: Any spear, lance
As a full round action (or as part of a charge if you are mounted), make an attack - if your weapon deals damage the spear is stuck in the target, causing the target to bleed for damage equal to your strength modifier x1 (increase the multiple by 1 for every extra attack you would have made if you'd made a full attack) every round unless it is pulled out as a full round action which causes the same damage as the weapon did going in. A successful heal check made as part of the act (DC equal to the original attack's damage) allows the weapon to be pulled out with no damage.

Skyfire
Usable with: Any bow, sling
Attack as a standard or full round action - your missiles ignore the effects of any weather effect and deal bonus damage equal to your dex mod, but afterwards you may not fire at any target that is in contact with the ground until the end of your next turn.

Skullsplitter
Usable with: Heavy mace, morningstar, any flail, any pick, warhammer, gnome hooked hammer.
As a full round action, perform a single attack - your opponent makes a fortitude save against (1/2 HD+str mod) and if he passes the attack is negated. If the attack is not negated, deal your strength modifier as damage to the target's intelligence. If your BAB is 6 or higher you may perform this as part of a charge and if your BAB is 11 or higher you may perform this is as a standard action.

Weaken
Usable with: Sap, whip or bola.
As part of a full attack or standard attack you can decide to convert all nonlethal damage to a strength penalty at a rate of -1 to strength per 10 nonlethal damage done over the course of that action. This penalty lasts for one minute.

The Mentalist
2013-05-06, 05:34 AM
Going through these item by item



Aim
Usable with: Any bow, any crossbow.
As a full round action, attack the target once - you add your dexterity bonus to the shot's damage and ignore up to 5 range increments worth of attack penalties.


I would ignore 1 range increment per 2 BaB personally, I think it makes it grow better, I'd make it a standard action too, it's still one attack but you can take a short move and do it. (I'm thinking a half move to the top of a hill, take your shot, and run down) but these are just suggestions, balanced as is



All or nothing
Usable with: Any two handed weapon
As a full round action, perform two full attacks. You are now exhausted and sickened until the end of the encounter, even if you would otherwise be unable to be affected by these conditions.


Ummm... I think yes, but I'd get a third opinion, I play high op games so this would fit at my tables (perhaps even those effects for 3 rounds) but yes. I could see using this.



Bludgeon
Usable with: Unarmed attack, club, greatclub, nunchaku, any hammer
As a standard action, perform an attack. For every attack you would have gotten if you had full attacked, deal an additional [W] as nonlethal damage.

This is interesting but I'm not entirely sure about it, full attacking (basically) as a standard action is kind of the purview of some of the less "table-friendly" things in the D&D world (I'm looking at you Lion Totem Barbarian) again, depends on the op level. Maybe making this an opposed roll, your bullrush check (just because that's a good comparison) against their Fort Save, you deal the difference * 2 in Nonlethal damage?



Brawler
Special: Requires the improved unarmed strike feat.
Usable with: Unarmed attack, one handed weapon.
As a full round action, perform a full attack. Until your next turn (or, if you successfully grapple the foe, until the grapple ends) are considered to have a secondary natural weapon with damage equal to your unarmed strike that you have the improved grab special ability for though unlike the normal improved grab you can grapple a creature of any size, though you take a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) if you choose to use improved grab's secondary grapple mode. Your brawling attack can be used in addition to a one handed weapon or your regular unarmed attack.


Yes for grappling. this was lacking anyway. Though considering you can already fight with two hands (assuming unarmed) does this give you a third unarmed progression? I wouldn't call it broken (though I would bundle this with two other unarmed abilities and make it a tactical feat, more on that later)



Combat appraisal
Useable with: Any piercing weapon
As a standard action, take stock of an individual within 30' you have already attacked and roll an appraise check. For the rest of the encounter, ignore points of armour or natural armour (if they have both, choose one to reduce. The other can be reduced by using this ability again) equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Opponent gains a +3 dodge bonus against you due to your faulty assessment.
6-15: -1
16-25: -2
26-35: -3
36-45: -4
46+: -5


Why only piercing weapons? I mean I see the fencing influence here but it really is a universal tactic.



Confusing throw
Usable with: Any melee weapon with a range increment
As a full round action, move up to half your speed and throw a weapon from up to two hands - no more than one weapon may be aimed at a particular target, and any targets are treated as flat footed for the attack.


Upto two hands is an awkward phrasing, up to one from each hand is probably a better phrasing, (even though it gives characters with more limbs an advantage. This would make a very good skill trick too. I think it would work better as a skill trick actually as flatfooted is a pretty tasty status.




Crane Stance
Usable with: Any reach weapon that is not a spiked chain
As a standard action, nominate any number of targets within reach. These targets get a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against you, but attacks against them do not count towards your limit of attacks of opportunity you can make. Additionally, if you make a successful attack of opportunity against that target they must make a fortitude save equal to the damage you dealt or be unable to move beyond the square they were in when they provoked that attack.


This needs a feat to go with it but otherwise I like it. This itself is worth the feat.




Crossbow trap
Usable with: Any crossbow
As a standard action, ready a standard attack against a square of your choosing. If a foe steps into that square and the attack hits it does x2 damage, increasing the multiplier by one for every extra attack you would have gotten had you made a full attack.



This is another one of those skill-trick/tactical feat ones but I like it, it makes Mooks with crossbows deadly again. Maybe this, Aim, and one more as I go down the list for a "Crossbow Sniper" tactical feat



[B]
Decipher weakness
Usable with: Quarterstaff, dwarven waraxe, bastard sword, whip.
Special: You must be wielding a magical weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and make a decipher script check - if the attack hits, choose a magic item belonging to the target and attempt to dispel it using your decipher script check -10 as your caster level for the attempt. If you succeed, both the weapon used and the item targeted are suppressed for 1d4 rounds.


Make this against spell effects too. Melee would have a way out of Force Cages, but again, why is this with specific weapons?




Duel
Usable with: Any sword
As a standard action, perform a single attack against one foe. For the rest of the encounter or until that foe is incapacitated you may only direct attacks against that foe and can not flank him, but any time the foe attacks you may make an attack roll back - if yours exceeds his, the attack is nullified. For every time you do this you take a -2 penalty to AC until the start of your next turn, making you more vulnerable to other enemies and to attacks that get through your guard.
Again, why limited weapons, many cultures have duels with weapons other than swords. Maybe melee weapons only though.



Execution
Usable with: Any crossbow, any dagger, scythe, falchion
As a standard action, perform a Coup de Grace.


Worth a skill trick or part of another tactical feat but otherwise it's just making that action faster with other weapons. If you do make it a tactical feat or skill trick make it accessible to any weapon.




Flurry
Usable with: Unarmed strike, any special monk weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and any extra attacks your flurry of blows would give you if you'd performed a full attack, with the appropriate penalties (if any).


I'm just going to go write this into the monk entry in my PhB, very good.




Focus defense
Special: Must be within reach of more than one foe that is intent on harming you or your allies
Usable with: Any shield
As a free action, pick a foe that you are within reach of. The bonuses to AC your shield grants you are doubled against that foe until the start of your next turn, but removed against any other foe.


Maybe add a Dex version of this. I would also make this bigger as you level somehow, maybe +1x for every 6 BaB



Great cleavage
Usable with: Scythe, any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - any attack may target two adjacent squares within your reach simultaneously, but you do not apply your strength bonus to damage.


Needs to be any two handed bludgeoning or slashing weapon as well, but I like it.



Harvest
Usable with: Scythe, sickle.
As a standard action, pick a number of opponents within reach and perform an attack against each of them. You are treated as nonproficient with scythes and sickles for a number of rounds equal to the number of foes who took no damage from these attacks.


Specialized Whirlwind attack, worth a skilltrick or feat again, too powerful to stand alone as a freebie, (though maybe melee can have nice things)



Hew
Usable with: Any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - your attacks ignore the target's damage reduction, but afterwards until the end of your next turn the target is considered to have bonus AC equal to their damage reduction against you.


It's a trap! Ignore it and 1 nat AC per point of BaB double the later afterwords as well. A lot of mobs would gain a +15 AC and if you're ignoring DR you need those hits to land for it to be worth giving up the next round worth of damage.



Hybrid style
Usable with: Any ranged weapon, any melee weapon
Attack as a standard or full round action - at the end of the action you sheathe your weapon and cannot draw a weapon of that same type (melee or ranged) until the end of your next turn. If you attacked with a melee weapon your ranged attacks deal extra damage equal to your str mod next until the end of your next turn and if you attacked with a ranged weapon your melee attacks deal extra damage equal to your dex mod until the end of your next turn.


I like this a lot! Nothing to say on it though.




Iaijutsu focus
Usable with: Any one handed sword or light weapon
Special: Must not have a weapon drawn
As a standard action you draw your weapon and attempt to strike your opponent before he can react. You and your foe both make a reflex check - whoever wins is treated as having just attacked and threatened a critical hit with a critical modifier of x3. If the reflex checks result in a draw neither party attacks and anyone with quick draw gains a +4 bonus on the reflex check.

Again, I would scale this with a Combat modifier check or Base Attack bonus but otherwise I like it.



Memorise style
Usable with: Any monk special weapon, unarmed attack, any crossbow
As part of a full attack or standard attack against a single, take a -2 penalty to all attacks and provoke an attack of opportunity from your foe for doing so. If the opponent makes an attack of opportunity, roll an autohypnosis check - if it is higher than your foe's attack roll for the rest of the encounter you may, as an immediate action, make an attack of opportunity against him whenever that opponent makes one of his own. If the opponent does not make an attack of opportunity in response to this maneuver he is dazed until the end of his next turn.


Again, tactical feat or skill trick. I don't get the weapon limit's either.




Multiple missile massacre
Usable with: Any light throwing weapon.
As a full round action, make a sleight of hand check and throw one throwing weapon per target at a number of targets equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Attack yourself, no other targets
6-11: One target
11-17: Two targets
18-25: Three targets
26-34: Four targets
35-44: Five targets
45+: All targets within range


I would raise targets by +2 instead of +1 (levels you would consistently hit these you're already throwing that many weapons anyway.) but otherwise I like this, again for a skill trick, at the




Pummel
Usable with: Any blunt weapon, light or heavy shield.
Special: Must be wielding both a shield and blunt weapon (two shields is acceptable)
Attack with your weapon as a standard or full round action - every time you deal damage with your blunt weapon you may slam the target with your shield, attacking at the same attack bonus as your weapon and dealing damage equal to your strength modifier and reducing their fortitude save by 1 until the start of your next turn every time you hit.


Feat. Definitely a feat, though for a feat I would make it a full shield bash attack and reduce the Will save too.




Quick feint
Usable with: Any light weapon, rapier
Special: Must be dual-wielding melee weapons
As a standard action, make a feint check and then perform a single attack with both weapons. If the feint check is successful, your opponent is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for the lowest of your attack rolls. If your BAB is 6+ your opponent is denied his bonus for one of your attacks (your choice) and if your BAB is 11+ he is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for both attacks.


Skilltrick and make it rolled for how many attacks he's denied Dex for. Maybe as a full round action version how many iteratives he's denied for. Good rogue toy as a feat.



Relentless march
Usable with: Any shield
As a standard action, move up to your speed - immediately and until the beginning of your next turn, you gain a bonus to ability checks, skill checks or saves to resist movement impairing or compulsion effects equal to the AC bonus your shield grants you.


Skill trick based in Concentration, amazing for a Phalanx, may work up more like this on my own, and would again raise it based on higher BaBs/rolls



Salvo
Usable with: Any ranged weapon with a reload time longer than a free action.
As a full round action, make a full attack - every time you damage a target, you may reload your weapon as a free action. If you miss you must spend a full round action to reload your weapon again.


This is the third one that should go in that Crossbow Sniper tactical feat.



Sheathe and shock
Special: Must start this maneuver with a one handed weapon in one hand and nothing in the other hand
Usable with: Any one handed weapon
As a move action, sheathe your weapon and move up to half your speed. Until the end of your next turn, you are treated as having the improved grapple, improved bull rush, improved trip, improved disarm and improved overrun feats.

Gain +BaB or +1/2 BaB and this would make a perfect skill trick again (they're good for surprise actions especially as you can only use them once an encounter)



Shield rush
Usable with: Heavy shield, extreme shield, tower shield
As a move action, perform a bull rush with a bonus on your strength check equal to your shield's AC value. You lose your shield's shield bonus to AC until the start of your next unless you have the improved shield bash feat.


Granting a new use for a move action is again the purview of a tactical feat or a skill trick.



Shorten grip
Usable with: Any reach weapon
As a move action, shorten your reach - you now threaten squares adjacent to you but your weapon no longer counts as a reach weapon until you take another move action to return to your original stance


Good as a Skil... Nope, I'm just kidding this time, perfect as is. I love this one.



Skewer
Usable with: Any spear, lance
As a standard action, make an attack roll - if your weapon deals damage the spear is stuck in the target, causing the target to bleed for damage equal to your strength modifier x1 (increase the multiple by 1 for every extra attack you would have made if you'd made a full attack) every round unless it is pulled out as a full round action which causes the same damage as the weapon did going in. A successful heal check (DC equal to the original attack) allows the weapon to be pulled out with no damage.


Feat. Definitely a feat.



Skyfire
Usable with: Any bow, sling
Attack as a standard or full round action - your missiles ignore the effects of any weather effect and deal bonus damage equal to your dex mod, but afterwards you may not fire at any target that is in contact with the ground until the end of your next turn.


This one makes no sense to me but it's balanced as is.



Skullsplitter
Usable with: Heavy mace, morningstar, any flail, any pick, warhammer, gnome hooked hammer.
As a full round action, perform a single attack - your opponent makes a fortitude save against (1/2 HD+str mod) and if he passes the attack is negated. If the attack is not negated, deal [W] damage to the target's intelligence. If your BAB is 6 or higher you may perform this as part of a charge and if your BAB is 11+ you may perform this is as a standard action.


Feat/Wizard Killer, I like it. I'd make it with any non-piercing weapon though.



Weaken
Usable with: Sap, whip or bola.
As part of a full attack or standard attack you can decide to convert all nonlethal damage to a strength penalty at a rate of -1 to strength per 10 nonlethal damage done over the course of that action. This penalty lasts for one minute.

I'm not sure about this one at all. Why not with unarmed as well though? It would make a lot of sense.

I hope this helped.

Eslin
2013-05-06, 07:25 AM
Thanks for that! I obviously haven't explained what I was going for with these feats properly, I'll rewrite the intro to make things clear.

Still, even with the reviews being misdirected by me not explaining properly, that was damn useful.

The Mentalist
2013-05-07, 04:49 AM
So coming at these again!


Aim
Usable with: Any bow, any crossbow.
As a full round action, attack the target once - you add your dexterity bonus to the shot's damage and ignore up to 5 range increments worth of attack penalties.

Balanced but it would be much better if that were 1 increment per 2BaB, scaling is nice. Give Melee nice things scaling things.

All or nothing
Usable with: Any two handed weapon
As a full round action, perform two full attacks. You are now exhausted and sickened until the end of the encounter, even if you would otherwise be unable to be affected by these conditions.

I play tested this in a few encounters with my brother this afternoon and it worked out quite well, I would make it a scaling exhaustion effect though because it can work out that you'll be doing these more than once. (He was fond of using it every round against a dragon) because the penalties didn't scale and there is no loss after the first time. Maybe -2 scaling penalties to all the sicken attributes and -10ft movement speed per attempt (eventually reducing you to just five foot steps)

Bludgeon
Usable with: Unarmed attack, club, greatclub, nunchaku, any hammer
As a standard action, perform an attack. For every attack you would have gotten if you had full attacked, deal an additional [W] as nonlethal damage.

This one actually goes fairly well. It's better than a full-attack against high AC mobs though. I would give this a - to hit (perhaps make it at your second attack's BaB)

Brawler
Special: Requires the improved unarmed strike feat.
Usable with: Unarmed attack, one handed weapon.
As a full round action, perform a full attack. Until your next turn (or, if you successfully grapple the foe, until the grapple ends) are considered to have a secondary natural weapon with damage equal to your unarmed strike that you have the improved grab special ability for though unlike the normal improved grab you can grapple a creature of any size, though you take a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) if you choose to use improved grab's secondary grapple mode. Your brawling attack can be used in addition to a one handed weapon or your regular unarmed attack.

As I said before. Yes, perfectly fine as is.

Combat appraisal
Useable with: Any piercing weapon
As a standard action, take stock of an individual within 30' you have already attacked and roll an appraise check. For the rest of the encounter, ignore points of armour or natural armour (if they have both, choose one to reduce. The other can be reduced by using this ability again) equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Opponent gains a +3 dodge bonus against you due to your faulty assessment.
6-15: -1
16-25: -2
26-35: -3
36-45: -4
46+: -5

I feel appraise (Sense Motive maybe) may be the wrong skill for this, I would also make it available for Dexterity but don't count it as denying them their dexterity bonus.

Confusing throw
Usable with: Any melee weapon with a range increment
As a full round action, move up to half your speed and throw a weapon from up to two hands - no more than one weapon may be aimed at a particular target, and any targets are treated as flat footed for the attack.

Fine as is, but as I said before, make it one from each hand. Good for Ninjas

Crane Stance
Usable with: Any reach weapon that is not a spiked chain
As a standard action, nominate any number of targets within reach. These targets get a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against you, but attacks against them do not count towards your limit of attacks of opportunity you can make. Additionally, if you make a successful attack of opportunity against that target they must make a fortitude save equal to the damage you dealt or be unable to move beyond the square they were in when they provoked that attack.

Fine as is other than the save scales quickly, maybe make an opposed roll (as for trip or bullrush) so that they're on equalish footing

Crossbow trap
Usable with: Any crossbow
As a standard action, ready a standard attack against a square of your choosing. If a foe steps into that square and the attack hits it does x2 damage, increasing the multiplier by one for every extra attack you would have gotten had you made a full attack.

As I said before, I like this one. Makes a formation of crossbowman at the end of a hallway a threat again.

Decipher weakness
Usable with: Quarterstaff, dwarven waraxe, bastard sword, whip.
Special: You must be wielding a magical weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and make a decipher script check - if the attack hits, choose a magic item belonging to the target and attempt to dispel it using your decipher script check -10 as your caster level for the attempt. If you succeed, both the weapon used and the item targeted are suppressed for 1d4 rounds.

Perfect but this one really really needs to be any melee weapon and break a spell effect too. This is perfect balanced way to give Melee a way out of force cages.

Duel
Usable with: Any sword
As a standard action, perform a single attack against one foe. For the rest of the encounter or until that foe is incapacitated you may only direct attacks against that foe and can not flank him, but any time the foe attacks you may make an attack roll back - if yours exceeds his, the attack is nullified. For every time you do this you take a -2 penalty to AC until the start of your next turn, making you more vulnerable to other enemies and to attacks that get through your guard.

Seems fair.

Execution
Usable with: Any crossbow, any dagger, scythe, falchion
As a standard action, perform a Coup de Grace.

Alright.

Flurry
Usable with: Unarmed strike, any special monk weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and any extra attacks your flurry of blows would give you if you'd performed a full attack, with the appropriate penalties (if any).

As I said, should have been written into the Monk rules

Focus defense
Special: Must be within reach of more than one foe that is intent on harming you or your allies
Usable with: Any shield
As a free action, pick a foe that you are within reach of. The bonuses to AC your shield grants you are doubled against that foe until the start of your next turn, but removed against any other foe.

I don't think that they should need to be in reach for this one. (I call to mind Skyrim and angling my shield to avoid specific archers)

Great cleavage
Usable with: Scythe, any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - any attack may target two adjacent squares within your reach simultaneously, but you do not apply your strength bonus to damage.

Seems alright. Maybe make it incompatible with Power Attack for avoiding doubling ubercharger reasons. Also if you have the Cleave feat does each square count as felling a separate opponent with an attack or is it all counted as one attack? What about with swarms? Does this let them deal damage to them (I recommend yes)

Harvest
Usable with: Scythe, sickle.
As a standard action, pick a number of opponents within reach and perform an attack against each of them. You are treated as nonproficient with scythes and sickles for a number of rounds equal to the number of foes who took no damage from these attacks.

Whirlwind Attack was a trap anyway, much better option.

Hew
Usable with: Any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - your attacks ignore the target's damage reduction, but afterwards until the end of your next turn the target is considered to have bonus AC equal to their damage reduction against you.

The penalty on this one is too stiff. Breaking through DR is not worth not hitting next round on a character in melee.

Hybrid style
Usable with: Any ranged weapon, any melee weapon
Attack as a standard or full round action - at the end of the action you sheathe your weapon and cannot draw a weapon of that same type (melee or ranged) until the end of your next turn. If you attacked with a melee weapon your ranged attacks deal extra damage equal to your str mod next until the end of your next turn and if you attacked with a ranged weapon your melee attacks deal extra damage equal to your dex mod until the end of your next turn.

Sure, why not. Can daggers (as thrown weapons) count as both? I would also make the amount of time you get the bonus scale with your base attack bonus.

Iaijutsu focus
Usable with: Any one handed sword or light weapon
Special: Must not have a weapon drawn
As a standard action you draw your weapon and attempt to strike your opponent before he can react. You and your foe both make a reflex check - whoever wins is treated as having just attacked and threatened a critical hit with a critical modifier of x3. If the reflex checks result in a draw neither party attacks and anyone with quick draw gains a +4 bonus on the reflex check.

Perhaps count them as flatfooted for the attack as well and make it a full-round action? Also, make it a critical hit with a +1 to the multiplier (I'm thinking about light axes or light gnomish picks that would suffer from this multiplier)

Memorise style
Usable with: Any monk special weapon, unarmed attack, any crossbow
As part of a full attack or standard attack against a single, take a -2 penalty to all attacks and provoke an attack of opportunity from your foe for doing so. If the opponent makes an attack of opportunity, roll an autohypnosis check - if it is higher than your foe's attack roll for the rest of the encounter you may, as an immediate action, make an attack of opportunity against him whenever that opponent makes one of his own. If the opponent does not make an attack of opportunity in response to this maneuver he is dazed until the end of his next turn.

Is the crossbow supposed to be there? Otherwise it looks fine.

Multiple missile massacre
Usable with: Any light throwing weapon.
As a full round action, make a sleight of hand check and throw one throwing weapon per target at a number of targets equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Attack yourself, no other targets
6-11: One target
11-17: Two targets
18-25: Three targets
26-34: Four targets
35-44: Five targets
45+: All targets within range

As I said before scale it by twos but otherwise it looks good.

Pummel
Usable with: Any blunt weapon, light or heavy shield.
Special: Must be wielding both a shield and blunt weapon (two shields is acceptable)
Attack with your weapon as a standard or full round action - every time you deal damage with your blunt weapon you may slam the target with your shield, attacking at the same attack bonus as your weapon and dealing damage equal to your strength modifier and reducing their fortitude save by 1 until the start of your next turn every time you hit.

I was hesitant about this but I think it will work.

Quick feint
Usable with: Any light weapon, rapier
Special: Must be dual-wielding melee weapons
As a standard action, make a feint check and then perform a single attack with both weapons. If the feint check is successful, your opponent is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for the lowest of your attack rolls. If your BAB is 6+ your opponent is denied his bonus for one of your attacks (your choice) and if your BAB is 11+ he is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for both attacks.

If it means you're not full-attacking this is perfectly good.

Relentless march
Usable with: Any shield
As a standard action, move up to your speed - immediately and until the beginning of your next turn, you gain a bonus to ability checks, skill checks or saves to resist movement impairing or compulsion effects equal to the AC bonus your shield grants you.

Rocking the Phalanx

Salvo
Usable with: Any ranged weapon with a reload time longer than a free action.
As a full round action, make a full attack - every time you damage a target, you may reload your weapon as a free action. If you miss you must spend a full round action to reload your weapon again.

Is there a penalty with a Heavy Crossbow? Seems good though.

Sheathe and shock
Special: Must start this maneuver with a one handed weapon in one hand and nothing in the other hand
Usable with: Any one handed weapon
As a move action, sheathe your weapon and move up to half your speed. Until the end of your next turn, you are treated as having the improved grapple, improved bull rush, improved trip, improved disarm and improved overrun feats.

I would again make this an unnamed bonus to those checks that scales with BaB, it makes them more useful to those who are already specializing in those abilities and have taken the feat.

Shield rush
Usable with: Heavy shield, extreme shield, tower shield
As a move action, perform a bull rush with a bonus on your strength check equal to your shield's AC value. You lose your shield's shield bonus to AC until the start of your next unless you have the improved shield bash feat.

No complaints

Shorten grip
Usable with: Any reach weapon
As a move action, shorten your reach - you now threaten squares adjacent to you but your weapon no longer counts as a reach weapon until you take another move action to return to your original stance

Should be written into spears at least, fine.

Skewer
Usable with: Any spear, lance
As a standard action, make an attack roll - if your weapon deals damage the spear is stuck in the target, causing the target to bleed for damage equal to your strength modifier x1 (increase the multiple by 1 for every extra attack you would have made if you'd made a full attack) every round unless it is pulled out as a full round action which causes the same damage as the weapon did going in. A successful heal check (DC equal to the original attack) allows the weapon to be pulled out with no damage.

Double damage + Dazed for 1 round or damage over time... This needs a penalty other than losing the spear or I can keep an enemy locked down forever or kill him from bleed damage quickly.

Skyfire
Usable with: Any bow, sling
Attack as a standard or full round action - your missiles ignore the effects of any weather effect and deal bonus damage equal to your dex mod, but afterwards you may not fire at any target that is in contact with the ground until the end of your next turn.

Don't get this one but fine as is.

Skullsplitter
Usable with: Heavy mace, morningstar, any flail, any pick, warhammer, gnome hooked hammer.
As a full round action, perform a single attack - your opponent makes a fortitude save against (1/2 HD+str mod) and if he passes the attack is negated. If the attack is not negated, deal [W] damage to the target's intelligence. If your BAB is 6 or higher you may perform this as part of a charge and if your BAB is 11+ you may perform this is as a standard action.


I worry about the [W] part of this, enlarge very quickly makes weapons that do 2d8 points of Int damage which can easily 1 hit most creatures just by reducing Int to 0 (and that's at level 1), not to mention Shelagh or Mighty Whallop. 1d4 per Iterative maybe?

Weaken
Usable with: Sap, whip or bola.
As part of a full attack or standard attack you can decide to convert all nonlethal damage to a strength penalty at a rate of -1 to strength per 10 nonlethal damage done over the course of that action. This penalty lasts for one minute.

This one is fine I think.

More what you were looking for?

Also, I'm requesting permission to make "Improved X" for the combat mods and some feat trees for them (they've struck my interest enough that I've gone through them line by line three times)

Eslin
2013-05-07, 10:07 AM
Permission absolutely granted, I was looking for community input and additions after all.

Implementing quite a lot of what you suggested, a second pair of eyes is a fantastic thing to have.

Regarding the persistent confusion about skyfire, maybe I'll reword - trying to give ranged a way to ignore stuff like wind wall, but at a cost.

Yitzi
2013-05-07, 10:43 AM
Aim
Usable with: Any bow, any crossbow.
As a full round action, attack the target once - you add your dexterity bonus to the shot's damage and ignore up to 5 range increments worth of attack penalties.

Seems ok.


All or nothing
Usable with: Any two handed weapon
As a full round action, perform two full attacks. You are now exhausted and sickened until the end of the encounter, even if you would otherwise be unable to be affected by these conditions.

I would remove this one, as it really helps gishes and clericzillas (who tend to go for more powerful attacks but have limited duration) more than straight martial.


Bludgeon
Usable with: Unarmed attack, club, greatclub, nunchaku, any hammer
As a standard action, perform an attack. For every attack you would have gotten if you had full attacked, deal an additional [W] as nonlethal damage.

This makes it a lot easier to knock someone out without killing them; you sure you want that?

Monks are going to love it, though.


Brawler
Special: Requires the improved unarmed strike feat.
Usable with: Unarmed attack, one handed weapon.
As a full round action, perform a full attack. Until your next turn (or, if you successfully grapple the foe, until the grapple ends) are considered to have a secondary natural weapon with damage equal to your unarmed strike that you have the improved grab special ability for though unlike the normal improved grab you can grapple a creature of any size, though you take a -10 penalty (instead of the normal -20) if you choose to use improved grab's secondary grapple mode. Your brawling attack can be used in addition to a one handed weapon or your regular unarmed attack.

You might want to rewrite it for clarity (i.e. shorter sentences); I can make sense of it but many people will likely have difficulty. Also, can you use the brawling attack on that full attack? Also, as a secondary natural weapon, it will take a -5 to attack (-2 with multiattack) and add only half STR bonus; you sure you want that?


Combat appraisal
Useable with: Any piercing weapon
As a standard action, take stock of an individual within 30' you have already attacked and roll an appraise check. For the rest of the encounter, ignore points of armour or natural armour (if they have both, choose one to reduce. The other can be reduced by using this ability again) equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Opponent gains a +3 dodge bonus against you due to your faulty assessment.
6-15: -1
16-25: -2
26-35: -3
36-45: -4
46+: -5

Is Appraise (used to determine the monetary value of an item) really the right thing to use? I think an opposed BAB check would make more sense.


Confusing throw
Usable with: Any melee weapon with a range increment
As a full round action, move up to half your speed and throw a weapon from up to two hands - no more than one weapon may be aimed at a particular target, and any targets are treated as flat footed for the attack.

Seems a bit powerful; you get two attacks and a bit of movement, and the enemy is flat-footed.



Crane Stance
Usable with: Any reach weapon that is not a spiked chain
As a standard action, nominate any number of targets within reach. These targets get a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against you, but attacks against them do not count towards your limit of attacks of opportunity you can make. Additionally, if you make a successful attack of opportunity against that target they must make a fortitude save equal to the damage you dealt or be unable to move beyond the square they were in when they provoked that attack.

Seems ok...good for keeping enemies at bay or keeping them near you.



Crossbow trap
Usable with: Any crossbow
As a standard action, ready a standard attack against a square of your choosing. If a foe steps into that square and the attack hits it does x2 damage, increasing the multiplier by one for every extra attack you would have gotten had you made a full attack.

Seems ok.



Decipher weakness
Usable with: Quarterstaff, dwarven waraxe, bastard sword, whip.
Special: You must be wielding a magical weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and make a decipher script check - if the attack hits, choose a magic item belonging to the target and attempt to dispel it using your decipher script check -10 as your caster level for the attempt. If you succeed, both the weapon used and the item targeted are suppressed for 1d4 rounds.


What does Decipher Script have to do with suppressing magic? Spellcraft makes more sense.



Duel
Usable with: Any sword
As a standard action, perform a single attack against one foe. For the rest of the encounter or until that foe is incapacitated you may only direct attacks against that foe and can not flank him, but any time the foe attacks you may make an attack roll back - if yours exceeds his, the attack is nullified. For every time you do this you take a -2 penalty to AC until the start of your next turn, making you more vulnerable to other enemies and to attacks that get through your guard.

Seems ok, though fairly strong in single-enemy fights.


Execution
Usable with: Any crossbow, any dagger, scythe, falchion
As a standard action, perform a Coup de Grace.


CdG during combat is rare enough that it's not that relevant...but to the extent that it's relevant at all, it's probably overpowered for a costs-nothing ability.


Flurry
Usable with: Unarmed strike, any special monk weapon
As a standard action, perform a single attack and any extra attacks your flurry of blows would give you if you'd performed a full attack, with the appropriate penalties (if any).

This is what monks need.



Focus defense
Special: Must be within reach of more than one foe that is intent on harming you or your allies
Usable with: Any shield
As a free action, pick a foe that you are within reach of. The bonuses to AC your shield grants you are doubled against that foe until the start of your next turn, but removed against any other foe.

Seems ok, though fairly strong in single-enemy fights.


Great cleavage
Usable with: Scythe, any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - any attack may target two adjacent squares within your reach simultaneously, but you do not apply your strength bonus to damage.

Seems ok.


Harvest
Usable with: Scythe, sickle.
As a standard action, pick a number of opponents within reach and perform an attack against each of them. You are treated as nonproficient with scythes and sickles for a number of rounds equal to the number of foes who took no damage from these attacks.

I don't understand why you'd get nonproficiency.


Hew
Usable with: Any axe
Attack as a standard or full round action - your attacks ignore the target's damage reduction, but afterwards until the end of your next turn the target is considered to have bonus AC equal to their damage reduction against you.

Looks ok.


Hybrid style
Usable with: Any ranged weapon, any melee weapon
Attack as a standard or full round action - at the end of the action you sheathe your weapon and cannot draw a weapon of that same type (melee or ranged) until the end of your next turn. If you attacked with a melee weapon your ranged attacks deal extra damage equal to your str mod next until the end of your next turn and if you attacked with a ranged weapon your melee attacks deal extra damage equal to your dex mod until the end of your next turn.

Interesting, though I don't see how it's supposed to work in terms of in-game logic.



Iaijutsu focus
Usable with: Any one handed sword or light weapon
Special: Must not have a weapon drawn
As a standard action you draw your weapon and attempt to strike your opponent before he can react. You and your foe both make a reflex check - whoever wins is treated as having just attacked and threatened a critical hit with a critical modifier of x3. If the reflex checks result in a draw neither party attacks and anyone with quick draw gains a +4 bonus on the reflex check.

By "reflex check", I assume you mean a check using the modifier for Reflex save? And shouldn't there be something about being flat-footed in there as well?

It's also probably overpowered, in that it lets you largely ignore AC (without requiring any character build investment to be able to do so).



Memorise style
Usable with: Any monk special weapon, unarmed attack, any crossbow
As part of a full attack or standard attack against a single, take a -2 penalty to all attacks and provoke an attack of opportunity from your foe for doing so. If the opponent makes an attack of opportunity, roll an autohypnosis check - if it is higher than your foe's attack roll for the rest of the encounter you may, as an immediate action, make an attack of opportunity against him whenever that opponent makes one of his own. If the opponent does not make an attack of opportunity in response to this maneuver he is dazed until the end of his next turn.

Seems ok, since it does take an immediate action. (If it were a free action it might be broken, though.)



Multiple missile massacre
Usable with: Any light throwing weapon.
As a full round action, make a sleight of hand check and throw one throwing weapon per target at a number of targets equal to your result on the table below.
5 or less: Attack yourself, no other targets
6-11: One target
11-17: Two targets
18-25: Three targets
26-34: Four targets
35-44: Five targets
45+: All targets within range

Seems ok.


Pummel
Usable with: Any blunt weapon, light or heavy shield.
Special: Must be wielding both a shield and blunt weapon (two shields is acceptable)
Attack with your weapon as a standard or full round action - every time you deal damage with your blunt weapon you may slam the target with your shield, attacking at the same attack bonus as your weapon and dealing damage equal to your strength modifier and reducing their fortitude save by 1 until the start of your next turn every time you hit.

With the right build, this could be a very nasty combo with a necromancer ally. Probably overpowered.


Quick feint
Usable with: Any light weapon, rapier
Special: Must be dual-wielding melee weapons
As a standard action, make a feint check and then perform a single attack with both weapons. If the feint check is successful, your opponent is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for the lowest of your attack rolls. If your BAB is 6+ your opponent is denied his bonus for one of your attacks (your choice) and if your BAB is 11+ he is denied his dexterity bonus to AC for both attacks.

So basically a free feint when single-attacking with two weapons? Overpowered.


Relentless march
Usable with: Any shield
As a standard action, move up to your speed - immediately and until the beginning of your next turn, you gain a bonus to ability checks, skill checks or saves to resist movement impairing or compulsion effects equal to the AC bonus your shield grants you.

Doesn't really seem to have any in-game logic, and it has no real cost.


Salvo
Usable with: Any ranged weapon with a reload time longer than a free action.
As a full round action, make a full attack - every time you damage a target, you may reload your weapon as a free action. If you miss you must spend a full round action to reload your weapon again.

If it's already a full round action to reload, then this is essentially a free reload; as a feat it'd be underpowered, but as a free ability it's probably overpowered.


Sheathe and shock
Special: Must start this maneuver with a one handed weapon in one hand and nothing in the other hand
Usable with: Any one handed weapon
As a move action, sheathe your weapon and move up to half your speed. Until the end of your next turn, you are treated as having the improved grapple, improved bull rush, improved trip, improved disarm and improved overrun feats.

Seems ok.


Shield rush
Usable with: Heavy shield, extreme shield, tower shield
As a move action, perform a bull rush with a bonus on your strength check equal to your shield's AC value. You lose your shield's shield bonus to AC until the start of your next unless you have the improved shield bash feat.

Probably should be a standard action the same as a normal bull rush.


Shorten grip
Usable with: Any reach weapon
As a move action, shorten your reach - you now threaten squares adjacent to you but your weapon no longer counts as a reach weapon until you take another move action to return to your original stance

Seems ok.


Skewer
Usable with: Any spear, lance
As a standard action, make an attack roll - if your weapon deals damage the spear is stuck in the target, causing the target to bleed for damage equal to your strength modifier x1 (increase the multiple by 1 for every extra attack you would have made if you'd made a full attack) every round unless it is pulled out as a full round action which causes the same damage as the weapon did going in. A successful heal check (DC equal to the original attack) allows the weapon to be pulled out with no damage.

Wait, it's only a standard action to put it in (with no chance of failure beyond the normal chance of a miss), but an FRA to pull it out? Seems overpowered.


Skyfire
Usable with: Any bow, sling
Attack as a standard or full round action - your missiles ignore the effects of any weather effect and deal bonus damage equal to your dex mod, but afterwards you may not fire at any target that is in contact with the ground until the end of your next turn.

Not the way I'd do it, but it's ok.


Skullsplitter
Usable with: Heavy mace, morningstar, any flail, any pick, warhammer, gnome hooked hammer.
As a full round action, perform a single attack - your opponent makes a fortitude save against (1/2 HD+str mod) and if he passes the attack is negated. If the attack is not negated, deal [W] damage to the target's intelligence. If your BAB is 6 or higher you may perform this as part of a charge and if your BAB is 11+ you may perform this is as a standard action.

Nasty against wizards, but probably ok.


Weaken
Usable with: Sap, whip or bola.
As part of a full attack or standard attack you can decide to convert all nonlethal damage to a strength penalty at a rate of -1 to strength per 10 nonlethal damage done over the course of that action. This penalty lasts for one minute.

Seems ok.

Eslin
2013-05-07, 11:59 AM
Ok, everything's updated - again, thanks heaps for the critiques.
Regarding using appraise instead of sense motive or BAB, it's mostly to try to make a few less useful skills better. Same with decipher script, not often used - the specialty weapons are to keep classes like wizards from being better at it than melee characters.

Regarding skewer, I thought the fact that you've just given away your weapon would balance it out, but I've changed it to a full round action regardless (better safe that sorry).

Yitzi
2013-05-07, 03:09 PM
Regarding using appraise instead of sense motive or BAB, it's mostly to try to make a few less useful skills better.

Yeah, but you do it in a way that makes no sense. A better approach IMO is to make opportunities for them to be useful. Maybe include haggling, and appraise will of course help a lot with that. And decipher script can be made useful in certain puzzles in dungeons (or combine it with something else like Pathfinder did).


Regarding skewer, I thought the fact that you've just given away your weapon would balance it out

I'd say that balances out the fact that you're essentially doing double damage; you still shouldn't get an action economy advantage on top of that.

Eslin
2013-05-08, 02:31 AM
Yeah, but you do it in a way that makes no sense. A better approach IMO is to make opportunities for them to be useful. Maybe include haggling, and appraise will of course help a lot with that. And decipher script can be made useful in certain puzzles in dungeons (or combine it with something else like Pathfinder did).

The thing is, even if you make an effort for them to be useful, those skills are never going to come in useful as often as spot, concentration, bluff or any other useful skill. I figure this gives better incentives, though I might change it to only item based AC to tie it in with appraise's usual use a little better.


I'd say that balances out the fact that you're essentially doing double damage; you still shouldn't get an action economy advantage on top of that.

It's only double damage if the enemy chooses to pull it out immediately without a heal check - looking at it it seems a little too strong at low levels, but I still think it sounds balanced for higher ones. I'll figure out a way to weaken it earlier on.

Yitzi
2013-05-08, 09:03 AM
The thing is, even if you make an effort for them to be useful, those skills are never going to come in useful as often as spot, concentration, bluff or any other useful skill.

Depends for whom (a merchant would much rather have appraise than concentration), but yes some skills are more useful for adventurers than others. I don't see that as a problem, but if you do you could just take Pathfinder's approach and combine skills; it makes a lot more sense than applying skills that don't really make sense.

Eslin
2013-05-09, 07:42 AM
Eh, it seems to me that expanding what the useless skills can do is the more logical solution. Make appraise now be item analysis in general - what the item does, how valuable it is, any weak points - and it suddenly becomes a lot more useful without stepping on any other skill's toes.