New Feat idea

[Navar]

OK new unnamed feat idea (sorry if this has already been suggested or exists in a book, if it does I would just like to be pointed at it)

*Don't have a good name yet* (general)
Preq: Tumble 10 ranks
Benefit: You may enter an oponents square and prevent him from attacking with anything besides a natural bite attack or unarmed attacks, you have the same restriction.

What do you think.
This was insperied by reading Forsaken and is a tactic the main character uses a lot.

 

[Privateer]

OK new unnamed feat idea (sorry if this has already been suggested or exists in a book, if it does I would just like to be pointed at it)

*Don't have a good name yet* (general)
Preq: Tumble 10 ranks
Benefit: You may enter an oponents square and prevent him from attacking with anything besides a natural bite attack or unarmed attacks, you have the same restriction.

What do you think.
This was insperied by reading Forsaken and is a tactic the main character uses a lot.

Isn't this basically grappling?

 

[the Jester]

Sounds like grappling to me.

 

[Prothall]

I'm not certain I even understand it to that degree...

 

[Navar]

It is simmiler to grappling, but it is differant in that it is not opposed, and it only lasts 1 round, you could even do it to start a grapple. When it comes to the foe's int. count he would just move out of the square (in any dirrection because you are in the same square) and not draw an attack of oppertunity. The basic idea though is differant from starting a grapple, it is a fencer's tech to buy time, or smack the foe with his elbow or something.

 

[the Jester]

So basically this feat should read, "You may choose to establish a grapple without provoking an attack of opportunity or allowing your opponent a grapple check to avoid you. If you choose to do so you may only maintain the grapple for one round."

I think that's way too powerful. There's a reason you get a chance to avoid a grapple.

 

[Navar]

But you can't pin, they can still cast spells, etc. It really isn't a grapple. And I was thinking of having it allow a attack of oppertunity, or a reflex save to avoid (players choice)

 

[the Jester]

Okay, let me lay out an explicit example that shows why I think this is a bad idea.

On one side we have a standard npc 7th-level rogue with this feat and a few dogs (who are only there to stop the fighter from moving forward). He has a sorcerer buddy.

On the other side we have a 20th level pc fighter. He starts in a corner so he doesn't have anywhere to back away to.

Rogue wins initiative, moves in, uses this feat. Sorcerer hits fighter in the will save, either confusing, holding, charming or dominating him.

Fighter can't really do anything about it. He twiddles his thumbs. Maybe he punches the rogue in the face, but the rogue doesn't care; it's better than getting killed by a full attack for 100+ hp in one round.

The second round, well, the same thing happens. If the fighter keeps resisting the will save stuff, maybe our npc sorcerer starts shooting lightning bolts, scorching rays and magic missiles; whatever, a sorc ain't running out of spells any time soon.

The fighter, meanwhile, twiddles his thumbs some more.

Rinse and repeat.

What you're proposing is something with effects on the target almost identical to grappling, but irresistable. It's a way to negate a fighter-type with no trouble, no check, no nothing- and both in terms of the description of it and the effects of it, it sounds a lot like grappling.

Sorry, I can't see allowing this, ever, under any circumstances, in my campaign. Compare it to Improved Grapple: this one is far superior. Compare it to Improved Disarm: this still comes out on top, and is easier to get.

This may sound like a cool idea, but just picture your character on the receiving end and you begin to see why it isn't. It either totally nerfs the fighter or forces him to move.

 

[The Souljourner]

There has to be an opposed roll. Whenever something like this happens in the game, there has to be an opposed roll. I'd allow you to automatically block one attack of his, a la deflect arrows, but not stop all his attacks automatically. Plus, how is this going to work on a frost giant? Obviously there should be some kind of strength check... but skill matters too, so add in base attack bonus.... now since you're grabbing at the guy, he should get an attack of opportunity, unless you take another feat so that he doesn't... except that's not really good enough for a feat, so let's make you better at this attack, say by +4. Sound familiar? It's grapple.

-The Souljourner

 

[Navar]

Well my idea would be that the fighter could still attack the dogs (remember he just can't attack the character in his square.) and if you occupy a larger area then a 5 foot square then this feat can't affect you. It really only works when both characters are the same "size" (ie occupy the same combat square.) And you arn't grabbing at the guy at all, you are bashing him with your elbow, or your knee or maybe your head. If you have a natural bite attack, bite away. That is why I wanted to keep the actions limited.

In the above scenero the fighter would kill all the dogs, and then exit his square and charge the sorcerer and kill it, but I would hope 6th level Rogue and sorceror with some dogs couldn't corrner a 20th level fighter in the first place.