Concentration; Combat Techniques [Simple Version added]

[sblock=Ignore this, go to post #23]Well, the Fighter has now Concentration, he and the Paladin can make good use of it now.

Note this is a mechanic in construction, I need help on it.

I recomend reading the Simple Version unless you feel like you have time to spare and don't care risking a headache.

Concentration (Wis)
Technique use:
Allows the use of learnt techniques which involve momentum and/or feints in the weapon use.

[sblock=Simple Version]
1 technique learnt every 2 ranks in Concentration (Provided that teaching is carried out either by other PCs or NPCs... Or a personal technique is developed).

The player must declare the technique to be carried out, and with which weapon it will be carried out, any bonuses from the technique apply only to that weapon.

Can’t be used in conjunction with Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Rage, or similar effects... Note that it can be used in conjunction with Smite Alignemnt, Stunning Fist, and others.

Note that these are only samples, more can be developed with combinations of the Basics (and creation of more Basics would be welcome also).

Basic nº 1

1st Round:
Consumes a Standard Action
DC = 12
AC: +4 Technique Bonus
Attack: No attack allowed

2nd Round:
Consumes a Standard Action
DC = 13
AC: +4 Technique Bonus
Attack: +0 Attack Bonus
Damage: Double


Basic nº 2

1st Round:
Consumes a Standard Action
DC = 12
AC: +4 Technique Bonus
Attack: No attack allowed

2nd Round:
Consumes a Standard Action
DC = 13
AC: +4 Technique Bonus
Attack: +5 Attack Bonus
Damage: Normal


1st Combination

1st Round:
Consumes a Standard Action
DC = 18
AC: +4 Technique Bonus
Attack: No attack allowed

2nd Round:
Consumes a Standard Action
DC = 19
AC: +4 Technique Bonus
Attack: No attack allowed

3rd Round:
Consumes a Standard Action
DC = 20
AC: +4 Technique Bonus
Attack: +5 Attack Bonus
Damage: Double


Basic Defense
Consumes a Standard Action
DC 10 (Arbitrary)
AC: +4 Technique Bonus to AC, +2 Dodge Bonus to AC
Attack: -4
Damage: Normal


Advanced Defense
Consumes a Full Round Action
DC = 15 (Arbitrary)
AC: +4 Technique Bonus, +4 Dodge Bonus
Attack: No attack allowed[/sblock]

[sblock= Complex Version]
Steps:


First:

The player must declare with which weapon the technique will be carried out, any bonuses from the technique apply only to that weapon.

Also has to declare in advance the characteristics of the technique (i.e.: Bonuses to be achieved and how many standard actions will be devoted to it).

Can’t be used in conjunction with Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Rage, or similar effects... Note that it can be used in conjunction with Smite Alignemnt, Stunning Fist, and others.

You must spend the Standard action of the present turn and of an "X" number of subsequent turns. (If during any round a Full-round action is devoted to the technique instead of a Standard action, you get +5 bonus on Concentration checks that round)

You can Fight Defensively when performing a technique.
You can perform a Total Defense Technique, which is a Full-Round Action, Concentration DC 15, and doesn't receive the +5 bonus from using a Full-round Action instead of a Standard Action.


Next:

DC: 6*X (and each round after the first the DC increases by +1)

X is the number of Standard actions to ve devoted to the technique.

Has Weapon Focus with declared weapon: +1 bonus to the check
Has Greater Weapon Focus with declared weapon: +2 bonus to the check
Is using a Masterwork Weapon: +1 bonus to the check

Can’t drop/change weapons for the duration of the technique without interrupting it (but can unsheathe a weapon).

While using a technique, defenses are included into it and it's quite difficult to hit the one performing it. (i.e: +4 technique bonus to AC)


Effect:

If the checks have been succesful, for every Standard (or Full-round) action spent in the technique after the first, you have the option to add one of the following benefits in an attack carried out on the last Standard action/Full-Round action spent on this:

*+5 Technique bonus to the attack roll

*Deal damage as if had rolled a critical hit and the weapon has a critical multiplier of "X" (x2 if 1 extra standard action is used to this effect, x3 if 2 standard actions are used to this effect, etc.) Should a critical hit be rolled, the resulting damage is calculated as if the weapon’s critical multiplyer were (X-1) higher than it actually is.


Note: If you are dealt damage while carrying out the technique, you must do a Concentration check DC equal to the damage done with the attack to avoid interrupting the formula.

Note2: You may "hold" your technique while taking a Double Move Action, but the DC increases as usual, with no additional benefits granted (no +4 technique bonus to AC either).

[sblock=Example 1]
1st level Human Fighter, Weapon Focus (+1), Skill Focus (+3), Power Attack, 4 ranks,
Str 15, Dex 13.
Longsword, Chain Shirt, Light steel shield.

1st round:
Declares: Using Longsword, Technique nº 1 (Double damage [1])
Takes a Full-round action (+5 check).
DC = 6*2 => 12
Check: 1d20+12
AC: 20

2nd Round:
End of technique, but has to move to get to his enemy, so he takes a move action.
DC = 6*2 +1 => 13
Check: 1d20+8
AC: 20

Attack: +4 Longsword (2d8+4/19-20; Crit: 3d8+6)[/sblock]

[sblock=Example 2]
1st level Human Fighter, Weapon Focus (+1), Skill Focus (+3), Power Attack, 4 ranks,
Str 15, Dex 13.
Longsword, Chain Shirt, Light steel shield.

1st round:
Declares: Using Longsword, Technique nº 3 (+5 Attack Bonus [1], Double damage [1])
Takes a Full-round action (+5 check).
DC = 6*3 => 18
Check: 1d20+12
AC: 20

2nd Round:
His enemy has moved too far away from him, so he knows he won't get him except he moves towards him... fast!
Double Move Action.
DC = 6*3 +1 => 19
Check: 1d20+8
AC: 16

3rd Round:
His enemy is still far away, he can reach hium if he only moves a bit more...
Standard Action and Move Action.
DC = 6*3 +2 => 20
Check: 1d20+8
AC: 20

4th Round:
Now they are toe to toe!...
Full Round Action.
DC = 6*3 +3 => 21
Check: 1d20+12
AC: 20

Attack: +9 Longsword (2d8+4/19-20; Crit: 3d8+6)[/sblock]

[sblock=Example 3]
1st level Human Fighter, Weapon Focus (+1), Skill Focus (+3), Power Attack, 4 ranks,
Str 15, Dex 13.
Longsword, Chain Shirt, Light steel shield.

This time he feels like he needs some serious protection, so he uses only one standard action.

Declares: Using Longsword, Advanced Defensive Technique (Total Defense)
Full Round Action
DC = 15 (Arbitrary)
Check: 1d20+8
AC: 24
Attack: -

Or maybe he wants to move away...

Declares: Using Longsword, Basic Defensive Technique (Attack +0 [0], Damage x1 [1], Fighting Defensively)
Takes a Standard action, given that he wants to move away from his enemy
DC = 10 (Arbitrary)
Check: 1d20+8
AC: 22
Attack: -1 Longsword (1d8+2/19-20)
[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]

I think I under stand, and I think it's really complicated, I left my algebra in 2nd edition..hehe. Just Kidding. I'm not sure if I like the system as it is, I think it would slow things down way too much as everybody starts "charging up" to make viscious attacks instead of fighting. It kind of has a final fantasy feel to it, with all the waiting and build up and all...That said I'm in favor of some martial applications of concentration... Like a dc 15 concentration check to add 5% to your blindfighting role, straining to hear the smallest tells...or a dc 20 concentration check to lower an opponents cover by one step...

Just my thoughts, which will inevitably lead to my own demise.

Drexes

Just my thoughts, which will inevitably lead to my own demise.

Click to expand...

Al the contrary my friend, the lack of them would lead to your demise

1) Thanks for answering

2) Comlplicated? Indeed. It would slow combat down probably, but not sure of how seriously... now...

The introduction of this would hopefully make for combars in which the answer to what to do next turn is a bit more complex than: I hit, again.
Although combat does have those "I hit, again" situations, It also has other, far more tactical situations in which descicions are desicive.

This is done by Trip, Power Attack, Combat Expertise, Sunder, Disarm... (I won't include the Combat Manouvers because prescious little people use it... in my experience). But I want more (Yes, I'm a greedy dastard).
Of course: If you are happy with the complexity level of your game's combats, this variant is not for you.

[sblock= rant on new additions to this variant, Knowledge, Feats, and Warmasters]
This "more stuff" would add considerably to the game, I could even create Knowledge (Techniques) which would allow characters to effectively discover what their enemies will do in the future (DC = 15 + Number of moves). Also would allow to make an opposed check against Tumble and against Feint.
The idea is to have basic techniques and allow the players to develop (And name) their own.

Certain techniques can be taught by masters of Warcraft or Contemplation, and would carry great benefits (for example, Durkor's Skewerer. Devote 3 Extra Standard Actions, Deal x5 Damage instead of the x4 maximum he'd be allowed)

And at higher levels (10+) make available a feat to reduce the length of a formula in one Standard Action (Never below one extra Standard Action). And also allow other benefits, a feat to allow two attacks at the end of a technique instead of one... A feat to rise the attack bonus to +7... +6 AC technique bonus instead of +4 while performing the technique... and the most powerful: to be able to use techniques along Combat Expertise and/or Power Attack[/sblock]

That's what I'm searching for, more complexity for Combat, indeed

note: Charging up would be a difficult option now that I think about it, getting flanked would be baaaad for someone using a technique.

Any more comments?

The monk has Concentration, because it's the closest to meditation techniques.

Of course, in play Concentration is rarely used for non-spellcasters, although, it can be used in many mundane occasions.

Bye
Thanee

Now, that was a quite direct and undeniably true answer

I think I'm gonna withold anymore thoughts until I see a it a little more developed. It's probably unfair to judge anymore, without knowing more. After all I'm for more options in combat, but I'm just reluctant to slow combat down. Aftre all a grapple slows things down considerably and because of that I think alot of people shy away from it. That and they think its complicated...hrmm...I can say that it took me a couple of read throughs to make since of your first post, so you might wan to clarify away. Just a thought. I love house rules. I'll never use 99% of them (like stat generation and such) but they all make you see something new, so by all means post more and I'll read more, respond more, and you'll read and respond, and its a viscious cycle... argh clowns are coming!!!

Whew sorry about that, almost let the nasty inner sociopath out...

Drexes

Hum... actually I posted it because I was somehow stuck

I was seeking feedback (even feedback into posting it in a neater, more understandable manner) to start moving the wheel again.

Why not layout the techniques as quasi feats, ala: you can know 1 special move from the list below for every five ranks on concentration you have. Then each maneuver could even have its own prereqs.

Quick, not wholly thought out example...

If you have 5 ranks in concentration you can have 'keen blow'
As a full round action the character makes a single attack. For the strike the characters weapon's threat range is doubled. Using this ability requires a dc 15 concentration check.

Drexes

hum... If I stick with the multiple standard action expenditure thing It'd have to be something like:
1 technique every 2 ranks... but techniques should have some kind of requirements (as they grow more complex)

See Post nº 1, "Simple Version"

Hum...

Knowledge (Tactics)
Allows you to discern the technique being carried out by any combatant, if he is carrying out any. DC = 15 + (Number of Standard Actions the technique consumes)

Allows you to make an opposed check whenever someone tries to tumble through your threatened area, If you win the result, you can take AoOs as normal.

You can choose to use your ranks in Knowledge (Tactics) instead of Sense Motive when making an opposed check when someone is attempting a Feint.