D&D 4E List of Potential New Martial Practices

[darkbard]

Heroes Shout - Your mighty shout travels for miles and miles (echoing and resonating) at a volume none can deny your heroic significance

TARZAN!

 

[Garthanos]

TARZAN!

That one is I think a re-invocation of Enkidu as a more primary hero.

But certainly Tarzan could be a source/inspiration that will sing better for many ie a modern incarnation but I will still claim Cu Cuhlaine and Lugh Samildánach.

 

[Garthanos]

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 )

To me this identifies something important... the Skalds influence seems for me an example of Application of Diplomacy/Streetwise ie it is skill functionality explicit but embedded in a class context that I am not happy with at all.

 

[Garthanos]

Made ambush planning an explicit practice where you confer bonus on stationary stealth for the entire party.


The Essentials Ranger I find very annoying... the burying of skill related things in class features is throwback design which bothers me.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

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 )

The first two are considered to be narrative explanations for the acquisition of boons in HoML. In other words, if you drink the dragon's blood, then maybe you get the "blood of the dragon" boon, which perhaps gives you some resistance or who knows (basically reflavor some other boon, which in HoML is pretty much EVERYTHING, into the effects of drinking dragon's blood). Now you go up a level! See how this kind of stuff is encouraged by the structure of the game? Its so cool! The mechanics and the narrative simply blend and the result is "Hey, you're being rewarded for doing really cool stuff!" (plus its likely the player is going to be the one suggesting the reskinning, so they have a pretty decent degree of control over what their character ends up with, though the GM also has a natural path to presenting their vision as well, meaning the game is not dictating or even strongly influencing, who is in charge of what elements of play).

I think its pretty fair to say that the third thing is a boon in and of itself, though you could make an argument for a technique which let you substitute say a CON check in place of various other possibilities. This is one of those design things I'm still kind of wrestling with, whether to focus more on the technique design or relegate most of these fantastic things to boons, in which case they can be seen as having an opportunity cost (in a sort of arse-backwards way) with all that implies.

 

[Garthanos]

The first two are considered to be narrative explanations for the acquisition of boons in HoML. In other words, if you drink the dragon's blood, then maybe you get the "blood of the dragon" boon, which perhaps gives you some resistance or who knows (basically reflavor some other boon, which in HoML is pretty much EVERYTHING, into the effects of drinking dragon's blood). Now you go up a level! See how this kind of stuff is encouraged by the structure of the game? Its so cool! The mechanics and the narrative simply blend and the result is "Hey, you're being rewarded for doing really cool stuff!" (plus its likely the player is going to be the one suggesting the reskinning, so they have a pretty decent degree of control over what their character ends up with, though the GM also has a natural path to presenting their vision as well, meaning the game is not dictating or even strongly influencing, who is in charge of what elements of play).

I think I could disagree about the Trophies while they could in very abstract represent the manner one implements ones skill in intimidate OR perhaps better in D&D the items created are like a set of personal tools like custom climbing tools (akin to a personal magic item). Arguably it is a very visible activity making items that took time and money and can be turned off taken or stolen.

A climbers kit grants a plus 2 bonus on a subset of athletics so Perhaps we might specify that a Trophy set aids intimidation where threats of death are involved (many social environments exist where that is not appropriate).

The second is definitely a manner of granting an ability - rather just like enchant magic item which are both a flavor mechanic way to give the player control over their character development - D&D stories are resplendent with awesome monsters to feed into this and the history connect is very Bardic.

I think its pretty fair to say that the third thing is a boon in and of itself, though you could make an argument for a technique which let you substitute say a CON check in place of various other possibilities. This is one of those design things I'm still kind of wrestling with, whether to focus more on the technique design or relegate most of these fantastic things to boons, in which case they can be seen as having an opportunity cost (in a sort of arse-backwards way) with all that implies.

I am uncertain about this one in terms of how to limit it so it could be coming out as too powerful for one ritual like effect (perhaps which function you get is bloody random) . This one would also be limited to places with a strong martial hierarchy.

I really feel most of the effects starting with gaining audience with a leader is a diplomacy/intimidate ie charisma effect usually with a money cost on top doesn't that sound like a ritual with social ramifications it might indeed be improvised (see the DMG2 skill challenge granting an abstracted effect off of money sometimes == bribery)

I am couching this as either an Endurance or Athletics method of gaining Charisma Effects

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I think I could disagree about the Trophies while they could in very abstract represent the manner one implements ones skill in intimidate OR perhaps better in D&D the items created are like a set of personal tools like custom climbing tools (akin to a personal magic item). Arguably it is a very visible activity making items that took time and money and can be turned off taken or stolen.

HoML has no problems with this model, items are also boons. In fact this is covered in my rules notes under 'embodiment'. Every instance of any boon has a specific embodiment, as training, item, manifestation, etc. Items obviously do have the limitation that they can be lost, although they can also be given away, or lent, which can be seen as a strength.

I am uncertain about this one in terms of how to limit it so it could be coming out as too powerful for one ritual like effect (perhaps which function you get is bloody random) . This one would also be limited to places with a strong martial hierarchy.

I really feel most of the effects starting with gaining audience with a leader is a diplomacy/intimidate ie charisma effect usually with a money cost on top doesn't that sound like a ritual with social ramifications it might indeed be improvised (see the DMG2 skill challenge granting an abstracted effect off of money sometimes == bribery)

I am couching this as either an Endurance or Athletics method of gaining Charisma Effects

Its a bit open-ended for a power, but a daily power sounds pretty good. Or maybe a PP action point effect?

 

[Garthanos]

HoML has no problems with this model, items are also boons. In fact this is covered in my rules notes under 'embodiment'. Every instance of any boon has a specific embodiment, as training, item, manifestation, etc. Items obviously do have the limitation that they can be lost, although they can also be given away, or lent, which can be seen as a strength.

This item is of strange note will not be of much use to anyone else unless someone likes souvenirs and the tokens of a high level serial killer ... I mean hero... might be valuable though likely not at his own economic scale more sentimental value .

 

[Garthanos]

Its a bit open-ended for a power, but a daily power sounds pretty good. Or maybe a PP action point effect?

It definitely needs a frequency delimiter - Well let's examine closer... since I didnt detail it out.

Demand Audience -->This feature of the Skald has a once a month limit. (although I am inclined to make it per a specific locale).

Attract Attendants --> Seems to be pretty much unlimited in frequency. A martial hero gathers sycophants, pages and would be students of the martial way (Particularly if you are a Sensei / Martial Master). They actively want to hang out with you and do things for you and try to impress you as long as you remain in the area, you can easily get them to do servant style tasks.

Welcome Guest --> is a stay at a public inn with open ended duration (generally assumptions may be you will make some entertainment.) Perhaps a warrior hero is assumed to keep the local bullies/gangs and tough guys in check and the invite generally occurs when that is an actual needed.

Travel In Style --> Procuring mounts is an if you return them you can do it again so if you have them for a time and return them to their owners at a set place in time... perhaps in the next village over a week from now for instance and if you do they know you are reliable and you can repeat the gambit in subsequent places.

Ritual Beneficiary -->has a once a day limit and up to 150 gp value?

The Bard as a class feature MAY get to begin doing 2 of these ... and get an additional 1 at 13 and 17th level.

 

[Garthanos]

Perhaps the function is a random benefit (this will maintain the generalized flavor) or 1 that you pick when you get it to maintain the tactical benefit ... and then we can make a feat which brings it more like the Bards class feature ie under control and expanding as you level.