Altair_the_Vexed
2013-05-19, 04:25 AM
Pathfinder's combat manoeuvre system is simple, and easier to remember. That makes it more attractive at first than the relatively clunky d20 / D&D 3.x system.
But it's still flawed: there are some nerfs from the d20 rules that aren't really justified, and the provoking of Attack of Opportunity makes attempting combat manoeuvres unattractive to players unless they've specialised.
All manoeuvres:
Some conventions first: I'll use the British English spelling throughout ('cause it's my native English), and I'll refer to the proactive combat manoeuvre check as a combat manoeuvre attack, and so call the bonus CMA, instead of CMB. (At my table, we found that CMB and CMD sound similar enough to be confusing, so we changed it.)
Combat Manoeuvre Defence is based on your STR or DEX modifier, not both. CMD scales very differently to CMA, making combat manoeuvres less useful at higher level, further punishing the mundane classes.
So, instead:CMD = 10 + BAB + STR or DEX modifier + size modifier
Attacks of Opportunity: An attack of opportunity is provoked only if you fail your combat manoeuvre attack.
This makes combat manoeuvres more attractive to attempt - which encourages players to be more inventive.
Feats are updated: For Improved <Combat Manoeuvre Name> you still avoid AoO, but as that's no longer such a big deal, the bonus to CMA is increased to +4. (This bonus is in line with d20's bonus.) The bonus to CMD remains +2.
The Rule of Thumb
Players can propose any combat manoeuvre. The GM must decide whether this is equivalent to one of the existing manoeuvres, or rule what the outcome will be for a new style of manoeuvre.
The attacker makes a combat manoeuvre attack against the opponent's combat manoeuvre defence. If the attacker wins, the combat manoeuvre works. If the defender wins, he may make an attack of opportunity against the attacker, and the attacker gains no advantage.
Specific manoeuvres changes:
Bull Rush
Bull rush provokes attacks of opportunity. The movement of you and your target provokes AoO. There is a 25% chance that opportunity attacks on you will hit your target, and vice versa.
Improved Bull Rush reduces the chance that you will be hit by AoO. Attacks of Opportunity on you will hit your target 50% of the time, but Attacks of Opportunity on your target will hit you only 10% of the time.
Greater Bull Rush negates the chance that AoO on your target will hit you. You no longer provoke AoO if you move during a Bull Rush.
Additionally, you may knock back your opponent without moving with them, if you wish.
Grapple
Instead of a standard action, a grapple CMA is made in place of a melee attack.
Trip
Improved Trip grants the ability to reduce the fly speed of a creature by half (minimum 10ft) for one round.
Greater Trip grants the ability to truly trip flying creatures.
I've never been comfortable with the verisimilitude of d20's permission to trip flying creatures, but I think that as a compromise, specialisation in the manoeuvre should allow some capacity to do so.
EDIT: Added change to CMD
But it's still flawed: there are some nerfs from the d20 rules that aren't really justified, and the provoking of Attack of Opportunity makes attempting combat manoeuvres unattractive to players unless they've specialised.
All manoeuvres:
Some conventions first: I'll use the British English spelling throughout ('cause it's my native English), and I'll refer to the proactive combat manoeuvre check as a combat manoeuvre attack, and so call the bonus CMA, instead of CMB. (At my table, we found that CMB and CMD sound similar enough to be confusing, so we changed it.)
Combat Manoeuvre Defence is based on your STR or DEX modifier, not both. CMD scales very differently to CMA, making combat manoeuvres less useful at higher level, further punishing the mundane classes.
So, instead:CMD = 10 + BAB + STR or DEX modifier + size modifier
Attacks of Opportunity: An attack of opportunity is provoked only if you fail your combat manoeuvre attack.
This makes combat manoeuvres more attractive to attempt - which encourages players to be more inventive.
Feats are updated: For Improved <Combat Manoeuvre Name> you still avoid AoO, but as that's no longer such a big deal, the bonus to CMA is increased to +4. (This bonus is in line with d20's bonus.) The bonus to CMD remains +2.
The Rule of Thumb
Players can propose any combat manoeuvre. The GM must decide whether this is equivalent to one of the existing manoeuvres, or rule what the outcome will be for a new style of manoeuvre.
The attacker makes a combat manoeuvre attack against the opponent's combat manoeuvre defence. If the attacker wins, the combat manoeuvre works. If the defender wins, he may make an attack of opportunity against the attacker, and the attacker gains no advantage.
Specific manoeuvres changes:
Bull Rush
Bull rush provokes attacks of opportunity. The movement of you and your target provokes AoO. There is a 25% chance that opportunity attacks on you will hit your target, and vice versa.
Improved Bull Rush reduces the chance that you will be hit by AoO. Attacks of Opportunity on you will hit your target 50% of the time, but Attacks of Opportunity on your target will hit you only 10% of the time.
Greater Bull Rush negates the chance that AoO on your target will hit you. You no longer provoke AoO if you move during a Bull Rush.
Additionally, you may knock back your opponent without moving with them, if you wish.
Grapple
Instead of a standard action, a grapple CMA is made in place of a melee attack.
Trip
Improved Trip grants the ability to reduce the fly speed of a creature by half (minimum 10ft) for one round.
Greater Trip grants the ability to truly trip flying creatures.
I've never been comfortable with the verisimilitude of d20's permission to trip flying creatures, but I think that as a compromise, specialisation in the manoeuvre should allow some capacity to do so.
EDIT: Added change to CMD