Storyteller01
First Post
Double post!! X(
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Bringing back Ambidexterity
- Thread starter Storyteller01
- Start date
Storyteller01
First Post
Hawken said:
No worries. I asked for feedback...
By the way, US pilots are required to be officers in most cases (I can think of a few exceptions...). That means a college degree, and if the military provided the education said degree will be in math or science (like physics).
Drachenherz
First Post
Alternate idea for True Ambidexterity
True Ambidexterity (the kind that folks are born with, rather than the taught version represented by the feat) is rarely total. It comes in percentages. So, as an idea that I've been toying with for some time now, how does this sound:
Prerequisite: Dex 13+
1) True Ambidexterity MUST be chosen at character creation! This is how the character is "born". Roll percentile dice to determine how adept the character is.
2) The percentage will determine the DC bonus for performing checks on actions, such as 2 Weapon Fighting, writing with the off-hand, posing as someone of Right or Left dominance (for disguise purposes), or performing different actions with each hand. For each 10%, either reduce the DC by -1 or give the character a +1 bonus (same difference).
3) Allow the character to increase their percentage rating by 5% + Dex bonus every 3 levels. Obviously this progression stops when the character is at 100%.
4) Those who have True Ambidexterity are considered to AUTOMATICALLY have the same benefits as the feat. (I'm interested in possibly using the benefits from the Greater and Superior Ambidexterity feats proposed earlier in this thread for the higher percentages.)
5) Those with True Ambidexterity who use 2 Weapon Fighting (and the higher level versions) have their penalties reduced even further (by 1/2), and can use larger weapons when fighting this way (Note: this does NOT allow a character to fight with 2 large weapons, such as 2 great swords, great axes, etc...!!!). This means a character CAN use 2 Bastard Swords, but nothing larger.
6) The To Hit and Damage bonuses are also increased by 50%.
How does this stack up? I've had good feedback from some of my gamers, but a couple claim that it is useless for anything but "flavor", or to give a chartacter a little more "color". Let me know what you think.
True Ambidexterity (the kind that folks are born with, rather than the taught version represented by the feat) is rarely total. It comes in percentages. So, as an idea that I've been toying with for some time now, how does this sound:
Prerequisite: Dex 13+
1) True Ambidexterity MUST be chosen at character creation! This is how the character is "born". Roll percentile dice to determine how adept the character is.
2) The percentage will determine the DC bonus for performing checks on actions, such as 2 Weapon Fighting, writing with the off-hand, posing as someone of Right or Left dominance (for disguise purposes), or performing different actions with each hand. For each 10%, either reduce the DC by -1 or give the character a +1 bonus (same difference).
3) Allow the character to increase their percentage rating by 5% + Dex bonus every 3 levels. Obviously this progression stops when the character is at 100%.
4) Those who have True Ambidexterity are considered to AUTOMATICALLY have the same benefits as the feat. (I'm interested in possibly using the benefits from the Greater and Superior Ambidexterity feats proposed earlier in this thread for the higher percentages.)
5) Those with True Ambidexterity who use 2 Weapon Fighting (and the higher level versions) have their penalties reduced even further (by 1/2), and can use larger weapons when fighting this way (Note: this does NOT allow a character to fight with 2 large weapons, such as 2 great swords, great axes, etc...!!!). This means a character CAN use 2 Bastard Swords, but nothing larger.
6) The To Hit and Damage bonuses are also increased by 50%.
How does this stack up? I've had good feedback from some of my gamers, but a couple claim that it is useless for anything but "flavor", or to give a chartacter a little more "color". Let me know what you think.
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Ulorian - Agent of Chaos
Legend
Hey now.. settle down, spanky. I know what he meant: he thought that the AU Ambidexterity rule was different from the D&D version. I pointed out that they were the same. What's the problem? I think you're the one who's misunderstood what he was trying to say.John Q. Mayhem said:
I'm going to overlook you acting like a knob
and say that I like your Improved Ambidexterity feat. 
Merry Christmas
Ulorian - Agent of Chaos
Legend
To be honest, I think this rule doesn't add much except complexity to the game. I agree with your gamers who think it's great flavour but little else.Drachenherz said:
John Q. Mayhem
Explorer
Ulorian said:
You speak the truth about my statement
The original poster wanted input on a new Ambidexterity feat; raoul said he liked AU's treatment of the whole kit'n'caboodle; you said that that has nothing to do with the original question. Merry Christmas.
Ulorian - Agent of Chaos
Legend
John Q. Mayhem
Explorer
The point of the above post being that you're still wrong about Raoul.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
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Primitive Screwhead
First Post
Off-Hand..
I agree that there are very few situations outside of combat that require knowing which hand the character uses.
Multi-tasking, where a character attempts two INT based skills at the same time, say deciphering the numbers on the lock while attempting to pick it...is a rare enough event in normal DnD to not warrant a feat. In a modern or sci-fi world, it is still relatively rare but a character may wish to invest in this ability. The first step would be to institute a penalty for doing mulitple tasks, then have the feat to reduce of eliminate them. Perhaps a -4 to the skill checks for each task attempted and the feat reduce that to a -2?
Incidently, I tend to have each characters handed-ness determined for those occasional situations where it might matter. Mainly flavor.. until you are fighting your way up a winding staircase that winds to the right. The defender has a height advantage while you are restricted by the wall to your right. I use a simple dice roll, 1D20(your right hand) and 1D8 (your left hand). The higher dice indicates your handed-ness. Matched means natural ambidexterity. For each 5 points of spread, your off-hand has a -1 to attacks and the usual half-STR modifier. This penalty does not stack with that of TWF, whichever is greater applies.
The players options on these type of stairs are to allow the half-cover granted by the curving wall, with its +4 to AC and lack of AoOs, or take the off-hand penalty by swinging with the left hand.
All my well built castle keeps use stairs this way, and tend to have 'stooping doors', where you have to 'squeeze' through before entering the guarded chambers. (watch out for that Sneak Attack!)
These options make fighting inside keeps mechanically different, and therefore more memorable, than fighting in open ground. I have played too many games where the only thing different from fighting on an open plain and the inside of a castle was lack of long range archery.
enough rambling..
Have a great day!
I agree that there are very few situations outside of combat that require knowing which hand the character uses.
Multi-tasking, where a character attempts two INT based skills at the same time, say deciphering the numbers on the lock while attempting to pick it...is a rare enough event in normal DnD to not warrant a feat. In a modern or sci-fi world, it is still relatively rare but a character may wish to invest in this ability. The first step would be to institute a penalty for doing mulitple tasks, then have the feat to reduce of eliminate them. Perhaps a -4 to the skill checks for each task attempted and the feat reduce that to a -2?
Incidently, I tend to have each characters handed-ness determined for those occasional situations where it might matter. Mainly flavor.. until you are fighting your way up a winding staircase that winds to the right. The defender has a height advantage while you are restricted by the wall to your right. I use a simple dice roll, 1D20(your right hand) and 1D8 (your left hand). The higher dice indicates your handed-ness. Matched means natural ambidexterity. For each 5 points of spread, your off-hand has a -1 to attacks and the usual half-STR modifier. This penalty does not stack with that of TWF, whichever is greater applies.
The players options on these type of stairs are to allow the half-cover granted by the curving wall, with its +4 to AC and lack of AoOs, or take the off-hand penalty by swinging with the left hand.
All my well built castle keeps use stairs this way, and tend to have 'stooping doors', where you have to 'squeeze' through before entering the guarded chambers. (watch out for that Sneak Attack!)
These options make fighting inside keeps mechanically different, and therefore more memorable, than fighting in open ground. I have played too many games where the only thing different from fighting on an open plain and the inside of a castle was lack of long range archery.
enough rambling..
Have a great day!
Treebore
First Post
After 3.5 got rid of the ambidexterity feat I just updated my old 1e/2e rule. If you have an 18 dex or higher you are ambidextrous, meaning you can use either hand equally well for any dex based task. For combat purposes cut two weapon penalties down by 1/2 of the dex bonus. IE an 18 would get a 2 point reduction to wielding two weapons, in addition to the effects of any feats the player may have selected.
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