Swashbuckling Adventures (7th Sea d20) "Exploit weakness"?

[danbala]

This is a reference to the d20 implementation of 7th Sea called Swashbuckling Adventures. I notice that many of the Prestige classes have an "Exploit Weakness" trait in the list of class features. I can't find an explanation of what this means.

Could anyone tell me where to look for this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Salutations,

I suspect it was mistakenly left in the book.

There is such an ability in the 7th sea rpg- that allows one ot take advantage of the weakness of a fighting school, but I never found the mechanic in the SA book.

SD

 

[danbala]

Salutations,

I suspect it was mistakenly left in the book.

There is such an ability in the 7th sea rpg- that allows one ot take advantage of the weakness of a fighting school, but I never found the mechanic in the SA book.

SD

How does the mechanic work in the original game. Does it give you some advantage to your combat rolls when fighting a different sword school? Could you think of a d20 analog?

 

[Seule]

In 7th Sea, Exploit Weakness adds unkept dice to Attack and Active Defense against someone who is currently using the listed school. Note that it doesn't apply to Passive Defense, so it doesn't make you harder to hit, it makes you better at parrying, should you sacrifice an action to try.

I'd probably make it a bonus to hit and AC against the opponent in SA, although I haven't seen those rules, I just have 7th Sea.

--Seule

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Salutations,

How does the mechanic work in the original game. Does it give you some advantage to your combat rolls when fighting a different sword school? Could you think of a d20 analog?

It has been some time since I have read the rules of play, but it is a dice pool game. So, it most likely allowed you to roll and/or keep additional dice when fighting someone using that school. The number depending on the level of the ability/knack.

A d20 analog?

I really wish. It was my biggest hope from that book. A system of fighting styles, and a skill system connected to represent knowledge of the style and how to exploit its weaknesses.

The problem is the styles broken into PrC's in that book. You could create a class skill for each PrC of a style knowledge(X style). It is cross classed for everyone else, but only taken with dm approval.

Then create a feat, that is bonus for those in the PrC's, that allows them to make a skill check against a dc equal to 10 + the # of levels in that PrC style. If successful, then the character can get a bonus to hit or a bonus to be hit by the target using that style.

It would be even better to come up with different results for each style- since each would have its own weakness.

Here is what I might do in my next d&d campeign (which is turning into to quite a mess of ideas, heh)- take the fighting style concept in Quint Fighter. Drop the wis requirement, but add xp/rp requirements.

Convert the SA schools to a similar system, and use a framework of the skill system I suggested above.

I really like the idea of running a city campeign which is central to a lot of fighting schools. Sadly, it looks like I will need to patchwork the rules I want together myself. Woe is me.

SD

 

[Seule]

Although 7th Sea is a point-buy system rather than a levelled system, Exploit Weakness (school) is limited to those who are in said school. Giving it as a class ability is perfectly reasonable. It also gives bonuses against people using that school, I'd probably give +1/hit and +1/AC (or parry, if that's in the SA system) per PrC level, max +5. That would be about the right balance.
The bonus only applies if the opponent is currently fighting in the style of the school, and using any advantages given by the school, so if someone is using ExWeakness on you, switch schools or forgo any benefits from the school, and you will be fine. Many NPCs have multiple schools to choose from.

--Seule

 

[danbala]

In 7th Sea, Exploit Weakness adds unkept dice to Attack and Active Defense against someone who is currently using the listed school.

So this an added defensive advantage when fighting a specific school? So should this have been expressed as "Exploit Weakness [school name]." The d20 listings only say "Exploit Weakness" without further identification.

Note that it doesn't apply to Passive Defense, so it doesn't make you harder to hit, it makes you better at parrying, should you sacrifice an action to try.

I'd probably make it a bonus to hit and AC against the opponent in SA, although I haven't seen those rules, I just have 7th Sea. [/B]

Would some sort of parry feat be an adequate substitute? (maybe limited to opponents who are using fencing weapons?)

 

[tetsujin28]

re: exploit weakness

It was a stupid and hardly used ability in the original game, anyway. You're not missing anything, believe me. Besides, its place is taken by the Bluff and Sense Motive skills, which actually do something.

 

[Seule]

Yes, it only applies to the school that you got it in. I wouldn't miss it, I'm cursing that I have to buy ranks in it in 7thSea in order to go up in rank as a Swordsman. I'd just ignore it, really.

--Seule

 

[sotmh]

In my 7th Sea game I've always allowed swordsman characters to buy Exploit Weakness for an opposing school after defeating a practitioner of the school. Thus if you defeat an opponent using Valroux, you could buy a rank in Exploit Weakness (Valroux). My swordsman players all have a smattering of Exploit Weakness at low levels.

In d20, I'd probably allow someone to gain a bonus against a school after defeating an opponent using the school.

A master swordsman is not only one who studies his own style, but one who understands the weaknesses of his opponent. I've always thought this added to the flavor of the game.

sotmh