Iron Heroes: Playing a Harrier

[Snowfall]

Well, starting my first Iron Heroes campaign and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for playing a harrier... particularly a 1st level razor-loving (weapon bond dagger and razor fiend) harrier.

In particular, combat strategy:



The harrier is speed personified, making members of this class ideal scouts, skirmishers, and raiders. They strike fast and hit hard. Against their foes, harriers are served by swooping in for repeated strikes, neutralizing their enemies' fighting talents by dancing beyond sword reach after each strike.


Can a harrier split his movement before and after an attack as the above describes? I didn't think so, and if not then the above isn't really all that accurate, at least not until later levels (like 8, with Running Assault).

Each round, a low level harrier can tumble his way into an opponents range, strike and then... would be stuck afterwards, unable to move until his opponent had its move. Kind of defeats the advantage of mobility, no?

Experiences?

[clockwork warrior]

dont know anything about harriers, but its good to see another iron heroes player.

im running my first game of it, and we have only played one session so far, but i really like it. stunts are awesome!

it seems that they must wait till 8th level to do such things. i think the point of the class is to never stand still. instead of just walking up to the enemies and fighting them, you use tumble to constantly move around, getting quick shots in, then moving. being able to provide that flanking bonus to the thief and executioner would make you very useful. i would also play off of stunts to get that advantage, like using a rope to swing across the room, using your other hand to slash a foe mid swing or the like

edit: it also seems that you can still use ranged attacks to get your bonus's, so thats one thing you could do is run around outside of the melee, tossing daggers or spears or whatever at unsuspecting foes

[Snowfall]

Thanks, that's good advice. I'll have to get a feel for the stunt system, but it sounds pretty cool.

[Chronicled]

As clockwork said, good to see another Iron Heroes player.

Take a look at the third feat in the Mobility set, which allows you a form of Spring Attack. Don't forget the Iron Heroes feat setup (I haven't played in some time, but I remember it as giving normal feats + bonus feats as a D&D Fighter).

[clockwork warrior]

yeah, the feat progression goes from 1 bonus feat every 3rd level to 1 bonus feat every even level.

while you would probably have enough feats to get that, you also need to watch your max masteries. to get the mastery for that feat you need to be at least 5th level, so probably 6th level using your new feat. (unless they changed it in the errata, i really dont use the errata, to much work...)

stunts and challenges are cool, but they do take some getting used to. my players i think are going to take some time to get used to the idea, but i have been using them as much as i can. one thing i did was with dire rats, instead of just having them attack, the started climbing on the characters, which gave them a bonus to there damage because they can now reach more vital spots ( biting your body vs biting your leg) which i thought was cool

[Snowfall]

Ah I see, so at level 5, when a harrier gains access to level 3 mastery for mobility, you could begin to move before and after a strike.

According to the handbook you gain feat at even levels, so you'd have to save a feat (not spend it at an earlier level) to get Mobility 3 at level 5 or wait until level 6, right?

I don't see anything about bonus feats for a harrier, am I missing something?

[clockwork warrior]

unless its in the errata they dont seem to get any. and im unsure if you can save feats ( i dont think you can in dnd)