Xeviat
Hero
Hi everyone. Right now, I'm working on an expansion to the skill system. I'm going to be building tables of example DCs (still following the very easy to nearly impossible structure, just giving examples for each), as well as adding actions to each of the skills. While participating in threads about TWFing, it was pointed out to me that the rogue's two weapon fighting very much mirrors advantage on ranged hiding rogues, and I got an idea for two new skill actions: Aim and Feint.
We can already use Stealth to hide, which then grants advantage on an attack against someone you are hidden from.
Aim
Through careful study of a target, you can seek out vulnerable targets or less defended angles of attack. When you take the Aim action, you make a Wisdom (Perception) check against the target's AC or the target's Charisma (Deception) roll. If successful, you gain advantage on your next attack roll against the target, provided it is made before the end of your next turn. Like with a readied action, you are considered to be concentrating as if concentrating on a concentration spell, and your Aim action can be lost if you fail a concentration check.
Feint
With a deceptive flourish or a telegraphed attack that is changed at the last second, you can trick your opponent into opening their guard. When you take the Feint action in melee reach of a target, you make a Charisma (Deception) check against the target's AC or the target's Wisdom (Insight) roll. If successful, you gain advantage on your next attack roll against the target, provided it is made before the end of your next turn. (I might allow ranged feints if you make a leading shot or an attack with a ranged attack cantrip to lead someone to dodge in a certain way)
I'm considering allowing these to be used with an attack, not just a full action. This would even allow Extra Attackers to get mileage out of the crossbow; give up your first attack to aim, and then attack with the crossbow, since you can only make one attack anyway.
Both of these are like using the "Aid" action on yourself. They are also like using the True Strike cantrip. In both cases, the trade off is the required ability check. This is similar to how the Heal skill can allow you to mimic the "Spare the Dying" cantrip, just with a check. Against the baseline ACs, a proficient user will have a 50-60% chance of succeeding these checks, and an expert will have a 70-80% chance (unless they're also pushing their Cha or Wis scores, in which case it will get better).
I then want to expand Cunning Action, to allow for Aim and Feint actions to be taken as a bonus action. I believe this will expand the optimal combat rogue options to include ranged attackers who aren't stealth focused and melee attackers who aren't TWFing focused.
I crunched the numbers between a rogue using two shortswords and thus using their bonus action to make an off-hand attack against a rapier wielder using their off-hand to feint. If they succeed at their feints 85% of the time (give or take a bit), their damage will equal the expected damage of a two-weapon fighting rogue, though there is a trade off because the twfing rogue can save their offhand attack after they see if they hit or miss.
I also wonder what it would be like to allow a tanky rogue to use Dodge as a bonus action; the monk has to pay for this with ki, though, so I'm inclined to say no.
What do you think?
We can already use Stealth to hide, which then grants advantage on an attack against someone you are hidden from.
Aim
Through careful study of a target, you can seek out vulnerable targets or less defended angles of attack. When you take the Aim action, you make a Wisdom (Perception) check against the target's AC or the target's Charisma (Deception) roll. If successful, you gain advantage on your next attack roll against the target, provided it is made before the end of your next turn. Like with a readied action, you are considered to be concentrating as if concentrating on a concentration spell, and your Aim action can be lost if you fail a concentration check.
Feint
With a deceptive flourish or a telegraphed attack that is changed at the last second, you can trick your opponent into opening their guard. When you take the Feint action in melee reach of a target, you make a Charisma (Deception) check against the target's AC or the target's Wisdom (Insight) roll. If successful, you gain advantage on your next attack roll against the target, provided it is made before the end of your next turn. (I might allow ranged feints if you make a leading shot or an attack with a ranged attack cantrip to lead someone to dodge in a certain way)
I'm considering allowing these to be used with an attack, not just a full action. This would even allow Extra Attackers to get mileage out of the crossbow; give up your first attack to aim, and then attack with the crossbow, since you can only make one attack anyway.
Both of these are like using the "Aid" action on yourself. They are also like using the True Strike cantrip. In both cases, the trade off is the required ability check. This is similar to how the Heal skill can allow you to mimic the "Spare the Dying" cantrip, just with a check. Against the baseline ACs, a proficient user will have a 50-60% chance of succeeding these checks, and an expert will have a 70-80% chance (unless they're also pushing their Cha or Wis scores, in which case it will get better).
I then want to expand Cunning Action, to allow for Aim and Feint actions to be taken as a bonus action. I believe this will expand the optimal combat rogue options to include ranged attackers who aren't stealth focused and melee attackers who aren't TWFing focused.
I crunched the numbers between a rogue using two shortswords and thus using their bonus action to make an off-hand attack against a rapier wielder using their off-hand to feint. If they succeed at their feints 85% of the time (give or take a bit), their damage will equal the expected damage of a two-weapon fighting rogue, though there is a trade off because the twfing rogue can save their offhand attack after they see if they hit or miss.
I also wonder what it would be like to allow a tanky rogue to use Dodge as a bonus action; the monk has to pay for this with ki, though, so I'm inclined to say no.
What do you think?
Looks good so far, carry on.
