Defensive Throw feat

[Theovis]

One of my players wants to take "Defensive Throw" (From Oriental Adventures) for his monk.

The feat (whose prerequisites include Improved Trip and Combat Reflexes) allows the Monk, as an AoO, to make an improved trip against his dodge target if the opponent misses him. And, of course, since it's an improved trip attack, he can make a free melee attack if he successfully trips.

Does this seem like a reasonable feat for a primarily core-rules campaign? I'm wary of anything that allows free attacks, but it's limited to one of potentially many opponants, is limited to once a round (since you can only have one AoO against an opponant per round), and is useless if your opponent doesn't miss you...

Thoughts?

 

[Crothian]

I like it. It does have limited use as monks aren't known for their high AC so don't always get missed. I think it really fits in with the flavor of a monk and in my games has not been at all overpowering.

 

[Theovis]

What level is your campaign, Crothian?

 

[Crothian]

What level is your campaign, Crothian?

It ended in June, but it went from 1st to 20th.

 

[kreynolds]

It ended...

Say what? It ended? You mean a campaign can actually end!?! Sheesh. I need to get with the program and end a couple of mine.

 

[Crothian]

Say what? It ended? You mean a campaign can actually end!?! Sheesh. I need to get with the program and end a couple of mine.

It was the most linear game I've ever been in. It was designed to go from 1-20 and it worked perfectly. We basically helped a fallen evil god conquor Greyhawk.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I hate it. It basically adds at least one additional roll every round to the fight. I've found that it slows down fights more than any feat should. And unless I'm missing something since combat reflexes is a pre-req it can be done more than once a round as long as you are attacked by multiple targets.

 

[Nish]

And unless I'm missing something since combat reflexes is a pre-req it can be done more than once a round as long as you are attacked by multiple targets.

improved trip against his dodge target

I don't have the actual text for this feat on hand but from what the original poster said, it appears as if it can only be used against someone you have declared your dodge (as in the feat) against. That means it would only apply to a single opponent per round.

Although it makes me wonder if it would also work with the psionic dodge...

 

[FANGO]

There is no way that another attack roll should slow down combat. I notice in my own games that a lot of the time, people do take a long time to make attack rolls, etc. (we have one person who will stand there and recite exactly what he's doing several times, and seriously will take about 30 seconds each time he rolls a die). However, it is really not very hard to say "I'm attacking", roll your dice, and add them up. In fact, on my characters with multiple attacks, I've even taken to rolling them all at the same time in some cases, and I can get my full round of actions done in about 10-15 seconds (including checks with the DM for ACs, etc.) I honestly don't see how an extra attack would make things so much harder...when the monk is missed, he simply says 'i use defensive throw', tosses a d20, and possibly tosses another d20 and a damage die...shouldn't take more than 10-20 seconds, and in my games where even somewhat small combats can last hours, 10-20 seconds isn't a big enough difference to warrant throwing away a fun and quite flavorful feat. I'm not sure if this is all how it works in other groups, but if your monk is slowing things down with this feat then just teach him to roll dice and add quickly rather than nerfing an entire feat.