I noticed a thread on the messageboards that discussed how difficult it is to stake a vampire in the heart (or attempt any instant kill attack) with the existing D&D rules. I've actually been contemplating this for a while and I'm thinking about expanding the coup de grace action in such a way as to make it more usable in active combat.
Yeah, I know this a step in a dangerous direction but that's why I want some opinions on how to handle this before I enter such a major house rule into my game.
The best way I have thought of to introduce this rule so far has been as a new feat called Improved Coup De Grace, which would read something like this:
Improved Coup De Grace [General]
By dropping your own defenses, you deliver deadly accurate strikes whenever your opponent is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC.
Prerequisites: Death Blow (from Sword & Fist), Expertise, Improved Critical.
Benefit: You can deliver a coup de grace as a standard action whenever your opponent is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC. But, by doing so, you provoke attacks of opportunity from other opponents threatening you (not from the opponent you are attacking) and you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC until your next action.
Normal: Delivering a coup de grace is a full-round action.
The above feat is one option for expanding coup de graces. My other option is to make the ability to deliver a coup de grace as a standard action open to everyone if they take a major attack penalty (-4 to -8) and the penalties from the feat above (provoking AoOs and no Dex bonus to AC).
My main reason for even considering expanding the coup de grace in this way is to get the cinematic finishing moves into combat.
Examples:
When Darth Maul nails Qui'Gon in the face with the handle of his lightsaber (effectively stunning him) and then finishes him off with a pretty dramtic maneuver.
Every time Buffy stakes a vamp in the heart after throwing them on the ground (effectively prone or stunned, take your pick) or grappling them with one arm and staking them with the other (basically held).
Any kung fu movie where the opponents are striking, blocking, and countering faster than the eyes can see and then suddenly, one of the combatants throws a "stunning fist" and instantly follows it up with the killing blow (accompanied by a shrill ki scream).
What do you guys think?
Bavix
Yeah, I know this a step in a dangerous direction but that's why I want some opinions on how to handle this before I enter such a major house rule into my game.
The best way I have thought of to introduce this rule so far has been as a new feat called Improved Coup De Grace, which would read something like this:
Improved Coup De Grace [General]
By dropping your own defenses, you deliver deadly accurate strikes whenever your opponent is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC.
Prerequisites: Death Blow (from Sword & Fist), Expertise, Improved Critical.
Benefit: You can deliver a coup de grace as a standard action whenever your opponent is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC. But, by doing so, you provoke attacks of opportunity from other opponents threatening you (not from the opponent you are attacking) and you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC until your next action.
Normal: Delivering a coup de grace is a full-round action.
The above feat is one option for expanding coup de graces. My other option is to make the ability to deliver a coup de grace as a standard action open to everyone if they take a major attack penalty (-4 to -8) and the penalties from the feat above (provoking AoOs and no Dex bonus to AC).
My main reason for even considering expanding the coup de grace in this way is to get the cinematic finishing moves into combat.
Examples:
When Darth Maul nails Qui'Gon in the face with the handle of his lightsaber (effectively stunning him) and then finishes him off with a pretty dramtic maneuver.
Every time Buffy stakes a vamp in the heart after throwing them on the ground (effectively prone or stunned, take your pick) or grappling them with one arm and staking them with the other (basically held).
Any kung fu movie where the opponents are striking, blocking, and countering faster than the eyes can see and then suddenly, one of the combatants throws a "stunning fist" and instantly follows it up with the killing blow (accompanied by a shrill ki scream).
What do you guys think?
Bavix
