ArmorArmadillo
2007-06-09, 09:54 PM
So, we have all these options in combat; bull-rush, overrun, trample, etc.; but nobody uses them! I don't even know what overrun and trample do...and trust me, I'm not fingering through the SRD, stalling the game 15 minutes, blowing my action, and eating an AoO to push a goblin back 5 feet.
So, we could make some homebrew feats to improve them, and then nobody would take them because there are too many build-specific and PrC-necessary feats they have to trudge through already. Plus all those awesome "+2 to 2 skills" feats.
How about something that you don't have to spend skills, feats, maneuvers, or any other of your limited choices on. These maneuvers are meant to be options for anyone to use, not things you have to spend feats on for them to be even mildly useful!
I don't want to reinvent the wheel, but I do want to clothespin a playing card onto the spokes; so I'm not redoing the pre-existing mechanics but I am adding a new little bit of sugar.
Mechanic: COMBOS!
Once you successfully use one of the following techniques; bull-rush, disarm, feint, sunder, single attack, overrun, or trip; you begin a chain. You may continue a chain by using another technique on the same opponent before taking any other action other than a single move action or delaying.
If you successfully complete all the techniques listed in a specific Chain, you gain the benefits listed in that Chain.
Chain:
Predatory Jaguar Panther Mongoose More Powerful Jaguar Pounce
Combination: Bull-Rush, Trip
Benefit: Upon succeeding on the trip, you may make a bonus attack, as though you had the Improved Trip feat. If you already have that feat, you gain a +4 insight bonus on the attack.
Advance of Unending, but Not Redundant, Thunder
Combination: Bull-Rush, Bull-Rush, Overrun
Benefit: In addition to being knocked prone, your opponent is stunned for 1d4 rounds.
Some Kind of Crazy Ninja Move
Combination: Feint, Disarm, Trip
Benefit: You bewilder your opponent, leaving him dazed for 1d4 rounds.
Dance Like You Want to Win
Combination: Single Attack, Feint, Trip
Benefit: For the remainder of this encounter, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC.
Dual Duelist's Bane...Bane
Combination: Disarm, Disarm
Benefit: Your opponent is knocked prone.
Extended Walrus Style
Combination: Sunder, Bull-Rush
Benefit: Your opponent is stunned for 1 round.
Infinite Walrus Style
Combination: Sunder, Bull-Rush, Overrun
Benefit: Your opponent is paralysed for 1d4 rounds.
Special: This stacks with the benefits of Extended Walrus Style.
Ok; Names and combos suck. The point is I think this is a valid way of designing combos and such. Opinions.
So, we could make some homebrew feats to improve them, and then nobody would take them because there are too many build-specific and PrC-necessary feats they have to trudge through already. Plus all those awesome "+2 to 2 skills" feats.
How about something that you don't have to spend skills, feats, maneuvers, or any other of your limited choices on. These maneuvers are meant to be options for anyone to use, not things you have to spend feats on for them to be even mildly useful!
I don't want to reinvent the wheel, but I do want to clothespin a playing card onto the spokes; so I'm not redoing the pre-existing mechanics but I am adding a new little bit of sugar.
Mechanic: COMBOS!
Once you successfully use one of the following techniques; bull-rush, disarm, feint, sunder, single attack, overrun, or trip; you begin a chain. You may continue a chain by using another technique on the same opponent before taking any other action other than a single move action or delaying.
If you successfully complete all the techniques listed in a specific Chain, you gain the benefits listed in that Chain.
Chain:
Predatory Jaguar Panther Mongoose More Powerful Jaguar Pounce
Combination: Bull-Rush, Trip
Benefit: Upon succeeding on the trip, you may make a bonus attack, as though you had the Improved Trip feat. If you already have that feat, you gain a +4 insight bonus on the attack.
Advance of Unending, but Not Redundant, Thunder
Combination: Bull-Rush, Bull-Rush, Overrun
Benefit: In addition to being knocked prone, your opponent is stunned for 1d4 rounds.
Some Kind of Crazy Ninja Move
Combination: Feint, Disarm, Trip
Benefit: You bewilder your opponent, leaving him dazed for 1d4 rounds.
Dance Like You Want to Win
Combination: Single Attack, Feint, Trip
Benefit: For the remainder of this encounter, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC.
Dual Duelist's Bane...Bane
Combination: Disarm, Disarm
Benefit: Your opponent is knocked prone.
Extended Walrus Style
Combination: Sunder, Bull-Rush
Benefit: Your opponent is stunned for 1 round.
Infinite Walrus Style
Combination: Sunder, Bull-Rush, Overrun
Benefit: Your opponent is paralysed for 1d4 rounds.
Special: This stacks with the benefits of Extended Walrus Style.
Ok; Names and combos suck. The point is I think this is a valid way of designing combos and such. Opinions.