D&D 4E List of Potential New Martial Practices

[AbdulAlhazred]

That too works too... it takes on a interesting/weird dynamic if it requires trained perception to do. Trackers making animal calls based on skills other than nature come to mind also.

Honestly, one of the problems I'm having with the HoML design of techniques is just how many different ways there are to recast something. Mimicking animal calls could USE Nature to sub for other skills, such as Intimidate. It could also simply be used for the ability to spend a Vitality Point (HS) when you have an applicable technique to auto-succeed (Say on a hunting task where you need food). Maybe hunting is a Nature check (I think its called 'foraging' in 4e) and so is Mimicry, but if you don't have some more specific hunting technique, then you'd employ Mimicry to entitle you to auto-success. Point is, you could also consider Mimicry as a way to employ Bluff instead of various other skills. This is of course a pitfall of ALL skill systems, it is never 100% clear, even given a specific narrative, which skill should apply. Honestly, it might even be better if I were to abolish the 4e-style skill system entirely in my game and just go with 'substitute one attribute bonus with a different one' as the mechanical effect. Then if you want to be a bad-assed tracker/hunter guy you'd pick up the corresponding techniques and move the narrative in the direction of tracking and hunting, put it all on your high WIS score, and be bad-assed! A 'huntsman' boon could package up the relevant techniques, along with some sort of relevant utility power, into a nice bundle. You could still buy the relevant techniques on their own if you wished.

Could just be seen as lesser GMT in this 4e specific paradigm if it doesnt need prepared (or a trance state) or a longer time to do. But yeah practices being geared toward the latter and cantrips being a quicky thing you can do are different.

But I think maybe there value might be much the same even if the practices operate as normal.

Well, there's an option is to make all the 'instant' ones only available as boons, whereas things that you can't generally rinse and repeat in combat would be available for purchase, ala rituals/practices. They could all be 'techniques', but some you can't just go out and buy. GMT in 4e is pretty much exactly 'Major Boon' in HoML, so that works fine. A super snazzy 'Distraction' technique that you can pull in combat as a standard strategy would thus be part of say a 'Trickster' boon, which would raise you a level when you get it and can't be bought (except maybe when its appropriate to the narrative, in which case the cost is, in HoML terms, just flavor).

It points out how bloody rich the Wizard was made with rituals and cantrips on top though (especially with those essentials and post essentials cantrips).

The Skald was similarly boosted however.

It was really the skill swapping practices that influenced my thinking on that, i needed to make those situational as they are just too powerful in comparison to the other cantrips without that adjustment. After the adjustment they feel like these rituals and practice with a fast casting time.

Yeah, its workable. It wouldn't be TOO hard to make some fairly broken ones, but that's no different than with powers in 4e where 'Twin Strike' and similar stuff basically follows the architecture of the game, but is still a little 'broken'.

 

[Garthanos]

Honestly, one of the problems I'm having with the HoML design of techniques is just how many different ways there are to recast something. Mimicking animal calls could USE Nature to sub for other skills, such as Intimidate. It could also simply be used for the ability to spend a Vitality Point (HS) when you have an applicable technique to auto-succeed (Say on a hunting task where you need food). Maybe hunting is a Nature check (I think its called 'foraging' in 4e) and so is Mimicry, but if you don't have some more specific hunting technique, then you'd employ Mimicry to entitle you to auto-success. Point is, you could also consider Mimicry as a way to employ Bluff instead of various other skills. This is of course a pitfall of ALL skill systems, it is never 100% clear, even given a specific narrative, which skill should apply.

You need a normal off of which to diverge , and since how a skill might be called on in a Skill Challenge is a bit up in the air, well...

Honestly, it might even be better if I were to abolish the 4e-style skill system entirely in my game and just go with 'substitute one attribute bonus with a different one' as the mechanical effect. Then if you want to be a bad-assed tracker/hunter guy you'd pick up the corresponding techniques and move the narrative in the direction of tracking and hunting, put it all on your high WIS score, and be bad-assed! A 'huntsman' boon could package up the relevant techniques, along with some sort of relevant utility power, into a nice bundle. You could still buy the relevant techniques on their own if you wished.

Nods and in 4e Character builder I can easily build a package deal Martial Arts which are a group of related practices. And we see something like that in feats that gain one access to various rituals whether you have the prerequisites or not.

Well, there's an option is to make all the 'instant' ones only available as boons, whereas things that you can't generally rinse and repeat in combat would be available for purchase, ala rituals/practices. They could all be 'techniques', but some you can't just go out and buy. GMT in 4e is pretty much exactly 'Major Boon' in HoML, so that works fine. A super snazzy 'Distraction' technique that you can pull in combat as a standard strategy would thus be part of say a 'Trickster' boon, which would raise you a level when you get it and can't be bought (except maybe when its appropriate to the narrative, in which case the cost is, in HoML terms, just flavor).

Yeah, its workable. It wouldn't be TOO hard to make some fairly broken ones, but that's no different than with powers in 4e where 'Twin Strike' and similar stuff basically follows the architecture of the game, but is still a little 'broken'.

Considering whether to go through and itemize which ones can be done that way safely.

 

[Garthanos]

Sweat it Out

This is a cure disease ritual analog idea - perhaps for flavor at minimum it wouldnt take 10 minutes more like 4 hours but also it also is less intrinsically erratic or dangerous than the accelerated healing of cure disease ritual it would seem more appropriate for the subject to have a known healing surge cost.

 

[Garthanos]

Is it Worth a Surge?

I have long been theorizing that healing surges can be a rather high cost especially for some of the very archetypes they are meant for and that I would allow the cost to fade as appropriate by introducing a skill check (a success on the check could remove a healing surge from the cost).

Here are the numbers I am thinking

A clue on the value of a healing surge is given by taking the guideline in the DMG2 at its word. Someone without a ritual or a practice can spend 1/10 the cost of a magic item OR a healing surge to gain an auto success in a challenge. Virtually all level 1 rituals actually cost approximately 1/3 of that ... but virtually all martial practices actually cost that full cost? So why would one take that deal? Why would you invest in getting the Martial Practice?

Now in a practical sense to even match up with rituals you need to pay the Healing surge usage price about 1/3 the time if the cost does not increase nor the value of the practice I am going call the DC15 as a ball park shot - Feel free to complain if it sounds too good or too easy. Perhaps on a roll of 1 you always pay the surge cost.

Additionally lets increase that based on the level of the practice. (if I increase it 1/2 per level of the practice this offsets skill gain for higher level practices)

There is a lot of assumptions in the above but it has a positive gut feel to me.

 

[darkbard]

Why not use the Hard DC for level? At L1, that's DC 19; typically, a character making use of a MP will have trained the skill and be using a skill tied to an ability score with a strong secondary bonus, if not a primary ability score. Let's call that +8 on average, though it could be as low as +5 or +6 at L1 or as high as +14 (trained, 20 Stat, +2 racial, +2 theme).

Then, of course, the DC scales with level naturally.

 

[Garthanos]

Why not use the Hard DC for level? At L1, that's DC 19; typically, a character making use of a MP will have trained the skill and be using a skill tied to an ability score with a strong secondary bonus, if not a primary ability score. Let's call that +8 on average, though it could be as low as +5 or +6 at L1 or as high as +14 (trained, 20 Stat, +2 racial, +2 theme).

Then, of course, the DC scales with level naturally.

If the Practice has a value that scales with level that would be pretty direct.

Only a few of the rituals have actual scaling costs unless I am blind ... ie the DCs in this case if the practice doesnt scale it's set at a value appropriate to its starting level and stays that way so at really high levels you can do that low level practice for basically nothing same as high level wealth makes the 10 GP of a low level ritual meaningless.

While we might need moderate, hard and ahem very hard the latter of which means when you are around its level you generally only manage effortless performance on a crit.

 

[Garthanos]

One source of inspiration for Fantasy Martial Artists who forswear weaponry and magics which might make them dependent ie the "oath of independence" as well as "battle speech".(which I have presented as more purely non-magical ) --> From the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Bloodguard. They take oaths seriously.

From the Wiki
"Haruchai are a hardy race of warriors living in the Westron Mountains, west of the Land. The Haruchai shun the use of weapons or magic, taking pride in their own physical prowess and the purity of their service, which is never given lightly. They also have the ability to communicate amongst themselves via telepathy. Outwardly stoic, even seemingly emotionless, they could also be considered arrogant in their beliefs. It is revealed on several occasions that the Haruchai are a deeply passionate race, capable of swearing a lifetime's worth of service if sufficiently moved."

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

One source of inspiration for Fantasy Martial Artists who forswear weaponry and tools which might make them dependent ie the "oath of independence" as well as "battle speech".(which I have presented as more purely non-magical ) --> From the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Bloodguard. They take oaths seriously.

From the Wiki
"Haruchai are a hardy race of warriors living in the Westron Mountains, west of the Land. The Haruchai shun the use of weapons or magic, taking pride in their own physical prowess and the purity of their service, which is never given lightly. They also have the ability to communicate amongst themselves via telepathy. Outwardly stoic, even seemingly emotionless, they could also be considered arrogant in their beliefs. It is revealed on several occasions that the Haruchai are a deeply passionate race, capable of swearing a lifetime's worth of service if sufficiently moved."

And in classic style for that world their very strength utterly destroys them.... IIRC.

 

[Garthanos]

And in classic style for that world their very strength utterly destroys them.... IIRC.

It is a trope although not my favorite one: Arthurs upholding of law (for everyone) was arguably his ultimate strength as well and it tore him and those he loved to pieces and generated chaos which brought down the peace and structure he had brought to his world.

 

[Garthanos]

Random thoughts not entirely sure how to implement

Trophy taking and wearing to enhance ones intimidation ability - learning to prepare them so they do not umm rot so badly or so they maintain identity and convey the desired message you have to pick the right tokens of your superiority.

another thought... which puts another flavor on gaining boons.

Consuming the Blood of the Mighty: by consuming parts of magical creatures one can sometimes awaken greater gifts akin learning a legendary boon. Requires the Karma points to purchase based on history skill and karma to know and recognize the legends are truly applicable and details what is needed the consuming induces healing surge loss in a symbolic fashion.

Inspired by the Celtic Warrior Class.

Heroes Shout - Your mighty shout travels for miles and miles (echoing and resonating) at a volume none can deny your heroic significance, this not only announces your arrival but brings the effects similar to the Skalds Influence effects it can gain audience with kings bring attendants and so on. (This might be seen as a use of Athletics to gain Social benefits akin to Charisma application )