D&D 5E Why Not? A Variant Captain Fighter

[Garthanos]

encouraging other attributes take 3

Precision Attack
When you make a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one superiority die to add it to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied. A wisdom check can be made to predict the deadliness of the attack (and you can delay til after damage is rolled).

It occurs to me the wisdom check might not be needed at some tables or might be cumbersome at others. (Some people roll damage and attack as one role).

I also forgot that if you used scan for openings wisdom or int is already added to the superiority die. So perhaps the clause isnt well considered after all.

 

[Garthanos]

Battle Cry
An extension to being battle ready is assuring your companions are too. You can share your initiative with allies whose initiative is less than your own as a bonus action on your first turn of the fight.

 

[Garthanos]

Question is there any reason a learned maneuver must take a CS die (or even an extra attack trade in). Battlecry seems appropriate to not do so. If there can be cantrips taking no slots nor significantly involving actions (and not necessarily being a combat bonus) that argues for maneuvers that also do not. At that point I think it sort of also demands more maneuvers known.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Question is there any reason a learned maneuver must take a CS die (or even an extra attack trade in). Battlecry seems appropriate to not do so. If there can be cantrips taking no slots nor significantly involving actions (and not necessarily being a combat bonus) that argues for maneuvers that also do not. At that point I think it sort of also demands more maneuvers known.

It’s either got to take action economy resources or CS, though.

Bonus action cantrips do very little. Action manuevers have potential for at-will use, though.

 

[Garthanos]

Bonus action cantrips do very little.

Think of the light spell and the whistles in the dark warlord cantrip I made as analogous both are enablers for combat in some sense but neither are necessarily messing with the combat economy

 

[Garthanos]

And even Battle signs (*or a certain cantrip) though cool, while improving how a help action works seems like its a big thing a help action actually only values in at 1/4 value of just hitting the beastie yourself unless you are significantly unable to hit the bad guy (and actually significantly worse than tripping an enemy in many circumstances where multiple allies can be given advantage or feinting if not) so is only valuable if you absolutely couldn't just do that (this is the kind of valuation to consider) . Giving the help action range is more like making it barely worthwhile it is a long ways from optimal in comparison to using athletics to try and trip which could also be accomplished by some other improvised possibility. Or even just an I hit it with my sword action *(or throwing axe or javelin for range). -

Ie help even with range granted by battle signs is like a very small short range throwing weapon single attack with poor or none attribute bonuses (sure could be at-will - but)

Note how I handed out in the Predators Stare ability the ability to do the help action at range as a reaction earlier.

 

[Garthanos]

I very much suspect there could be large number of "but you made the fighter more powerful" responses (if anyone bothers to) and only a small subset of instances it might be true.

Mostly for maneuvers I am hoping to adjust the maneuvers so there are fewer weak ones someone might pick for the flavor. I do not like abilities that fade out and become less useful at higher levels. Occasionally I might be making one more valuable. For instance Trip is very good but the size limit doesn't make sense for a true martial take down (might for a school kids improvised maneuver). So I just allow that to expand to larger sizes as you level up.

And making maneuvers flexible to help allies or self I am going for being standard. (lazy lord support)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I very much suspect there could be large number of "but you made the fighter more powerful" responses (if anyone bothers to) and only a small subset of instances it might be true.

Mostly for maneuvers I am hoping to adjust the maneuvers so there are fewer weak ones someone might pick for the flavor. I do not like abilities that fade out and become less useful at higher levels. Occasionally I might be making one more valuable. For instance Trip is very good but the size limit doesn't make sense for a true martial take down (might for a school kids improvised maneuver). So I just allow that to expand to larger sizes as you level up.

And making maneuvers flexible to help allies or self I am going for being standard. (lazy lord support)

That makes sense.

 

[Garthanos]

More maneuvers broad thoughts.

Bleeding Cut
Extra damage for 2 rounds equal to your CS die each round

Hamstring
Slows the enemy for the remainder of the fight. (save ends)

 

[doctorbadwolf]

More maneuvers broad thoughts.

Bleeding Cut
Extra damage for 2 rounds equal to your CS die each round

Hamstring
Slows the enemy for the remainder of the fight.

Remainder of the fight is probably too long without continued saves. Spells don’t even do that, and these are per short rest abilities that you can stack multiple of per Action.