The problem: A lot of people feel the basic combat manuevers just aren't very good, there's not enough benefit to bother trying them. On the other hand, once you have the various improved feats, the maneuvers become too good, something a person does all of the time. This is an attempt to come to a middle ground.
Disarm
As normal, except:
A person can choose to attempt a disarm more carefully by taking a -4 on the disarm check. Disarming in this way does not provoke an AOO, and there's no counterdisarm should you fail the check.
Improved Disarm
You gain a +4 to disarm checks. If using a light weapon to disarm, you gain a +6.
Comments: So now, any person can attempt to disarm without the horrible penalties associated with it, such as the AOO and counterdisarming. However, its pretty difficult. In addition, with the improved feat, you have a choice between two options. You can have the normal +4 to your disarm check, but you take an AOO and may face a counterdisarm. Or you can go a straight up roll and play it safe. I also include a small bump in the bonus for light weapons, as its already painfully difficult to disarm with light weapons.
Bullrush
As normal except:
When moving into the defender's square, you draw an AOO from opponent's around you, including the defender. You are considered to have some protection due to the defender, and so gain a +4 to your AC against AOOs, except from the defender.... If successful, you deal unarmed damage to the opponent and push the opponent back and he's considered off balance unless he makes a balance check DC 15.
Improved Bullrush
You gain a +4 bonus to bullrush checks, and the opponent's balance DC to stop being offbalanced increases by 5. You no longer provoke an AOO from the defender when bullrushing, and now gain a +7 to AC against other AOOs for the bullrush attempt. You gain a +2 to your unarmed damage when successfully completeing the bullrush, and you no longer have to keep moving with the opponent to push him back farther than 5 feet.
Comments: Bullrushing is a very very situational manuever, so I tried to clean it up and streamline it for convienice. The 25% to hit the other guy is a clunky mechanic, a quick and easy +4 was added just to make resolution quicker. Also, the offbalance mechanic was added to give the manuever some more utility.
Improved Bullrush was greatly increased in strength. Bullrushing is so situational that if your taking a feat to improve it, you had better get a lot of money's worth. The improved feat is intended to make bullrushing more routine in combat, for someone who really likes the idea of moving a guy around.
Trip
As normal except:
A person with improved unarmed strike can make trip attacks unarmed without provoking an AOO.
Improved Trip
You gain a +2 to the touch attack when making a trip and gain a +2 to the trip check. If you successfully trip, you may immediately make an attack as if you never used the attack to trip.
Comments: I thought it was stupid that a person with a weapon could trip someone without an AOO but a person with improved unarmed strike couldn't trip someone with their hand and not take an AOO. Your technically "armed" with both. Also, many have said that a +4 to trip checks is a bit much, especially coupled with the other benefits. A +2 to touch attacks and +2 to trip checks is a little weaker overall.
Grapple
As normal except the following:
Safe Grappling: A person can attempt to initiate a grapple without provoking an AOO. To do so, they must either take a -8 to the touch attack OR a -4 to the grapple check.
Improved Grapple
If hit with an AOO for grappling, you no longer automatically lose the grapple. You gain a +4 to grapple checks.
Comments: Grappling without improved grapple is normallly stupid as heck, if you get hit (which you often do) you completely lose the attempt. This gives you an option to grapple safely. A -4 to grapple checks hurts, and even a touch attack can be tricky with a -8 to the attempt. The improved grapple is a weaker version, it now doesn't make you the ultimate wrestler it does now.
Disarm
As normal, except:
A person can choose to attempt a disarm more carefully by taking a -4 on the disarm check. Disarming in this way does not provoke an AOO, and there's no counterdisarm should you fail the check.
Improved Disarm
You gain a +4 to disarm checks. If using a light weapon to disarm, you gain a +6.
Comments: So now, any person can attempt to disarm without the horrible penalties associated with it, such as the AOO and counterdisarming. However, its pretty difficult. In addition, with the improved feat, you have a choice between two options. You can have the normal +4 to your disarm check, but you take an AOO and may face a counterdisarm. Or you can go a straight up roll and play it safe. I also include a small bump in the bonus for light weapons, as its already painfully difficult to disarm with light weapons.
Bullrush
As normal except:
When moving into the defender's square, you draw an AOO from opponent's around you, including the defender. You are considered to have some protection due to the defender, and so gain a +4 to your AC against AOOs, except from the defender.... If successful, you deal unarmed damage to the opponent and push the opponent back and he's considered off balance unless he makes a balance check DC 15.
Improved Bullrush
You gain a +4 bonus to bullrush checks, and the opponent's balance DC to stop being offbalanced increases by 5. You no longer provoke an AOO from the defender when bullrushing, and now gain a +7 to AC against other AOOs for the bullrush attempt. You gain a +2 to your unarmed damage when successfully completeing the bullrush, and you no longer have to keep moving with the opponent to push him back farther than 5 feet.
Comments: Bullrushing is a very very situational manuever, so I tried to clean it up and streamline it for convienice. The 25% to hit the other guy is a clunky mechanic, a quick and easy +4 was added just to make resolution quicker. Also, the offbalance mechanic was added to give the manuever some more utility.
Improved Bullrush was greatly increased in strength. Bullrushing is so situational that if your taking a feat to improve it, you had better get a lot of money's worth. The improved feat is intended to make bullrushing more routine in combat, for someone who really likes the idea of moving a guy around.
Trip
As normal except:
A person with improved unarmed strike can make trip attacks unarmed without provoking an AOO.
Improved Trip
You gain a +2 to the touch attack when making a trip and gain a +2 to the trip check. If you successfully trip, you may immediately make an attack as if you never used the attack to trip.
Comments: I thought it was stupid that a person with a weapon could trip someone without an AOO but a person with improved unarmed strike couldn't trip someone with their hand and not take an AOO. Your technically "armed" with both. Also, many have said that a +4 to trip checks is a bit much, especially coupled with the other benefits. A +2 to touch attacks and +2 to trip checks is a little weaker overall.
Grapple
As normal except the following:
Safe Grappling: A person can attempt to initiate a grapple without provoking an AOO. To do so, they must either take a -8 to the touch attack OR a -4 to the grapple check.
Improved Grapple
If hit with an AOO for grappling, you no longer automatically lose the grapple. You gain a +4 to grapple checks.
Comments: Grappling without improved grapple is normallly stupid as heck, if you get hit (which you often do) you completely lose the attempt. This gives you an option to grapple safely. A -4 to grapple checks hurts, and even a touch attack can be tricky with a -8 to the attempt. The improved grapple is a weaker version, it now doesn't make you the ultimate wrestler it does now.
