Ampersand: Sneak Attack

[hong]

"You can't hurt them when you WANT to hurt them. You CAN hurt them when you DON'T want to hurt them. If you don't like it, you're one of those 'simulationists'. You're not a 'simulationist', are you? ARE YOU? 'Cuz we don't allow those types round this here table..."

See? You're getting it already.

 

[Khaim]

Didn't that have exactly the same restriction as every other healing strike attack which prevented such sillyness?

Nope. Although I would like to point out how stupid and nonsensical that "restriction" was. Sadly, we'll probably see a similar wording on the cleric's healing strikes and such.

 

[Doug McCrae]

In 3e you could kill anything so long as you had your bag of rats with you. And we're being told that was simulationist.

See also: Deadly keetoms, octogenarians with 20/20 vision and wonky gravity.

This planet better start falling into the sun right now! If it doesn't my suspension of disbelief will be ruined. Ruined!

 

[shilsen]

This planet better start falling into the sun right now! If it doesn't my suspension of disbelief will be ruined. Ruined!

You know, I think that's one of the reasons why my sense of disbelief seems to be much more robust than many other posters'. If I can deal with the idea that I live on a rock which flies around a giant flaming ball, both of which are hanging in space, I can deal with a whole lot of the stuff in D&D.

 

[Ahglock]

Hi Ahglock,

If you want, I'm sure someone here can rewrite the flavor text for Torturous Strike and Positioning Strike so they're more "cool" and "un-lame" for you. I already rewrote Torturous Strike as a dueling swiftblade technique called Penetrating Strike in an earlier post, but I'm not very good at that sort of stuff.

I mean, because its obvious you're just having issues with the fluff. Instantly dealing double damage with a single attack (plus an ability score bonus if you take the right "talent") or doing normal damage and slinging your target around (which can be up to 4 squares away if you take the right "talent") are both pretty impressive at 1st level. They're certainly the equal of most (if not all) 1st level encounter powers from, say, Tome of Battle.

And, you still never addressed my other query. What stops your players from using their "strongest" or "best" powers as often as they can every single fight?? They have no incentive not to, especially if they roleplay their best power as their "favorite" or "signature" attack. I mean, other than DM fiat, that is.

Laterz.

Yeah, I'm mainly having issues with the fluff. If want to have a per encounter system that is great I think it makes balancing different campaign styles easier. You don't have to assume 4 encounters per day. If the fluff is making it a mundane move, it should be at will.

Well what stops my players form using the same move over and over again would either add penalties for lots of moves because people rarely fall for the same move multiple times in a row, or more importantly the designers not making worse moves. Its a novel idea but it they I don't know balance the maneuvers instead of using the best you will use the best for that situation, because there is no best.

And if its balanced what is it to you if someone uses the same move over and over again? Maybe he likes Super Fly Ninja Stomp.

 

[glass]

Depends on how much damage you do, their hit points, etc...

No it doesn't. We are talking IC here, there are no such thing as 'hit points', just honking great buts of steel swung at their squishy bits -and those can kill.


glass.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

And if its balanced what is it to you if someone uses the same move over and over again? Maybe he likes Super Fly Ninja Stomp.

In a special case, it might be okay. Generally, it leads to boring combats. And as long as D&D retains its combat focus, you better keep combat interesting. And it sucks if you have to choose between an effective choice and an interesting one.
(Like, say, playing a Fighter with lots of feats regarding combat maneuvers like trip/disarm, and simply playing one with the Weapon Focus tree. My personal 3.x pet peeve. )