Complete Warrior, anybody got it? What's in it?

[Felon]

My favourite is as follows:
Show Off: As a standard action, the character can display his mastery with an exotic weapon and confound his opponent. The character may make an Intimidate check against a single opponent within 30 feet that can see him, adding his base attack bonus to the result. If the result exceeds the opponent's modified level check (see the skill description on page 76 of the Player's Handbook), the opponent becomes shaken for 1 round per class level of the exotic weapon master. Sure, there are better stunts, but I just like the idea of that one.

"Fear my net! My scary scary net! Watch me unfold it with blinding speed! Now watch me..fold it back up again! Now I put on my head! Scared yet?"

Hehe. Yeah, the EWM is pretty cool. Imagine pulling the Bruce Lee Enter the Dragon move with a pair of nunchaku. Hmm. Guess monks have an advantage in regards to this class, since they're already proficient with a number of exotic weapons.

 

[Olive]

Quite correct; I was assuming a kill in my enthusiasm.

With the two AoOs Hyp argues the feat gives, that kill is more likely!

 

[Gez]

No offense but...

Yeah, Teträm, but that's to be expected when playing with other trolls.

 

[Seule]

No offense but...

Y'know, I think that's the first time I've ever seen that phrase used that way. Usually it's shortform for "I'm going to say something really offensive, but I don't want you to be able to do anything about it."
In this case, as far as I can tell, it means "If you are really touchy you could take this the wrong way, and I don't want that."
Novel.

Anyway, to drag this back on topic, if my wife hasn't gotten the hint from my incessant harping of 'Cool!' and 'Listen to this!' inspired by the kind people on this thread and bought me the book for Christmas, I'll be buying it as soon after as I can. It looks right up my alley.

--Seule

 

[Endur]

After owning the book for a week, I think this is the best balanced non-core book I have bought from WOTC. Most of the other non-core books had serious issues with play balance. There are still some minor issues with play balance in this book, but they are better than most other WOTC splat books I have seen.

With regards to the Swashbuckler and Samurai classes, I think these are neat alternatives to the fighter class. You keep fighter BAB, fighter saves, and fighter hit points. But, from there we change. The Swashbuckler only has light armor profiency, but gains 4 skill points per level. The Samurai has heavy armor profiency, but no shield profiency, and 2 skill points per level. Both the Samurai and Swashbuckler have a different skill list from the fighter class. These two fighter alternatives have special ability lists instead of the bonus feats a fighter gets.

I think these classes are well-balanced alternatives. A power gamer won't like these alternative classes, but I think they do a credible job of describing a swashbuckler or samurai character class. The book does not say, but I think the Swashbuckler and Samurai should have access to the Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization feats.

Likewise, I think the non-spellcasting variants of Paladin and Ranger are also balanced.

What is unbalanced in this book? Well, the unbalanced areas in this book are really two; old existing things that were always unbalanced (Frenzied Berserker, etc.) or new items that didn't receive much playtesting in terms of how these feats stacked with other feats (Heedless Charge, etc.).

 

[Rolzup]

I think these classes are well-balanced alternatives. A power gamer won't like these alternative classes, but I think they do a credible job of describing a swashbuckler or samurai character class. The book does not say, but I think the Swashbuckler and Samurai should have access to the Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization feats.

It's got me interested in working up a knife-fighting character, which I would have thought impossible before. Three levels of Swashbuckler, three levels of Rogue, then right into Invisible Hand...and then maybe a few levels of master Thrower to have him tossing daggers all over the damned place.

Plus you've got some decent Barbarian options -- love the idea of the Bear Warrior -- some good fighter/mage possibilities...I dunno. I like it, all-in-all. Lots of good ideas, and I expect to get a good bit of use out of the book.

Rolzup

 

[hong]

My favourite is as follows:
Show Off: As a standard action, the character can display his mastery with an exotic weapon and confound his opponent. The character may make an Intimidate check against a single opponent within 30 feet that can see him, adding his base attack bonus to the result. If the result exceeds the opponent's modified level check (see the skill description on page 76 of the Player's Handbook), the opponent becomes shaken for 1 round per class level of the exotic weapon master.

Sure, there are better stunts, but I just like the idea of that one.

Eh, it's silly.

What happens if someone does not have this feat? Does that mean they can't attempt a showoff stunt to intimidate people? A 10th level fighter with Weapon Focus, Weapon Spec and Greater Weapon Focus in any weapon, exotic or otherwise, should know more than enough fancy techniques to make mooks quake in their pants. This is basically an example of too many feats making the character stupid. Normally the maxim is applied to skills, but the underlying principle is the same.

I can understand it if there was some _supernatural_ element in play; perhaps a special ability like dragon fear or a magic spell ("supernatural" here being used in its plain-English sense, not its D&D jargon sense). For example, I have no problem with the S&F master of chains being able to scare people as a spell-like ability; it's magic. But there's nothing magical about this feat.

 

[MerricB]

Eh, it's silly.

What happens if someone does not have this feat? Does that mean they can't attempt a showoff stunt to intimidate people? A 10th level fighter with Weapon Focus, Weapon Spec and Greater Weapon Focus in any weapon, exotic or otherwise, should know more than enough fancy techniques to make mooks quake in their pants. This is basically an example of too many feats making the character stupid. Normally the maxim is applied to skills, but the underlying principle is the same.

I can understand it if there was some _supernatural_ element in play; perhaps a special ability like dragon fear or a magic spell ("supernatural" here being used in its plain-English sense, not its D&D jargon sense). For example, I have no problem with the S&F master of chains being able to scare people as a spell-like ability; it's magic. But there's nothing magical about this feat.

It's a class ability, hong, not a feat. Get it right.

Of course someone can use the normal rules for Intimidate to do a showoff stunt to Intimidate people. This "exotic weapon stunt" just makes that option somewhat better.

Could you conceptually create an ability or feat that does the same for other characters? Of course you can! It is merely that the EWM is particularly trained and skilled in intimidating his opponents with his weapon - there's a certain logic behind it with most EW being more powerful or unusual than the standard weapons.

Cheers!

 

[hong]

It's a class ability, hong, not a feat. Get it right.

Whatever. It should not even be a class ability. It should be something that's doable as a standard application of Intimidate, and by heck, if someone wanted to show off his katana moves IMC (not that I actually have katanas IMC but by definition anything that makes mooks believe it is uber enough to cut through tanks is a katana) I wouldn't have any problem with letting them make an Intimidate check to obtain the exact same results as given here.

Of course someone can use the normal rules for Intimidate to do a showoff stunt to Intimidate people. This "exotic weapon stunt" just makes that option somewhat better.

How?

Could you conceptually create an ability or feat that does the same for other characters? Of course you can! It is merely that the EWM is particularly trained and skilled in intimidating his opponents with his weapon - there's a certain logic behind it with most EW being more powerful or unusual than the standard weapons.

Most EWs are unusual. Most EWs are not, however, that powerful.

 

[Wormwood]

How?

Would this work? Intimidate is a class skill for Fighters now (IIRC)

From the SRD:
Demoralize Opponent: You can also use Intimidate to weaken an opponent’s resolve in combat. To do so, make an Intimidate check opposed by the target’s modified level check (see above). If you win, the target becomes shaken for 1 round. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. You can intimidate only an opponent that you threaten in melee combat and that can see you.