D&D 4E Disarm Let Us Count the Ways.

[AbdulAlhazred]

I almost suggested making the swap out an exertion (healing surge/vitality point) but that seems too costly... so maybe the skill check might indeed be good

HS is a bit steep, yes.

 

[Garthanos]

Speaking of 3e, it had Improved Disarm & Improved Trip. Both took the same prerequisites and both put the enemy at a disadvantage that they would probably have to provoke an AoO to get rid of (standing up provoked, as did picking up a dropped weapon - both were move actions, too).

We can guarantee that isn't an intentional... but it might not be a coincidence.

 

[Garthanos]

Enticing aura of peace...

A cleric reflavor of the Warlords Taunting Disarm with Charisma based attack and static range.

 

[Fox Lee]

Late to the party, but what about weakened as a disarm condition? Obviously it's intended for use against NPCs, not players, but many things in 4e work that way. Just add a requirement that the target must be holding a weapon, an weaken them until they save (or until they perform a specific action—I imagine a move action, and there are already powers templated this way too).

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Late to the party, but what about weakened as a disarm condition? Obviously it's intended for use against NPCs, not players, but many things in 4e work that way. Just add a requirement that the target must be holding a weapon, an weaken them until they save (or until they perform a specific action—I imagine a move action, and there are already powers templated this way too).

Within certain limits it works. TBH though I'm not so much worried about handling it for PCs. Simply write up a monster power which causes the PC to drop their weapon/implement/whatever. How its handled from there is pretty straightforward. If its an unusual monster with a daily/recharge type of power and you don't have that sort of thing too often it will simply be an unusual challenge. The slight amount of extra calculation required is not going to break anything in that situation. Its how it is handled for monsters that concerns me, but in that case weakened really isn't so bad. The only time it would be odd is if the monster has something like a bow and you make him drop it, then logically he should have to switch to a melee weapon. Its hard to describe that in rules text, but not impossible.

 

[Garthanos]

The only time it would be odd is if the monster has something like a bow and you make him drop it, then logically he should have to switch to a melee weapon. Its hard to describe that in rules text, but not impossible.

Flexibility in description is still an option

Bow using enemy: Starts using short pulls because your disarm attack hurt his arm and he cannot hold the draw steady or as deep... also the twang of the bow string now stings on his hand and forearm, hence weakening his attacks. They are now not much better than a thrown rock.

Occasionally the enemy also doesnt have a weapon but you injure the attacking limb save ends.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Flexibility in description is still an option

Bow using enemy: Starts using short pulls because your disarm attack hurt his arm and he cannot hold the draw steady or as deep... also the twang of the bow string now stings on his hand and forearm, hence weakening his attacks. They are now not much better than a thrown rock.

Occasionally the enemy also doesnt have a weapon but you injure the attacking limb save ends.

You can always describe something as something else, of course. That only gets you so far in terms of players who are designing characters to do certain things...

 

[Fox Lee]

Within certain limits it works. TBH though I'm not so much worried about handling it for PCs. Simply write up a monster power which causes the PC to drop their weapon/implement/whatever. How its handled from there is pretty straightforward. If its an unusual monster with a daily/recharge type of power and you don't have that sort of thing too often it will simply be an unusual challenge. The slight amount of extra calculation required is not going to break anything in that situation. Its how it is handled for monsters that concerns me, but in that case weakened really isn't so bad. The only time it would be odd is if the monster has something like a bow and you make him drop it, then logically he should have to switch to a melee weapon. Its hard to describe that in rules text, but not impossible.

That's a good point. I honestly forgot that some monsters are implied to be carrying multiple weapons based on their stat blocks (because monsters are so pick-up-and-playable XD). Could you restrict the weaken based on attack range? It would make sense for spells too in a lot of cases, since it makes just as much sense to disarm an implement user in most cases.

Maybe it could even be an immediate action, and the triggering attack determines which powers it effects. I do like the idea of disarm as an interrupt, particularly if it's a non-damaging attack—that reminds me of a lot of cool fight scenes in movies and such.

This is suddenly sounding like a very cool version of the martial controller my partner and I have always been disappointed to never see...

 

[Garthanos]

This is suddenly sounding like a very cool version of the martial controller my partner and I have always been disappointed to never see...

It's one of the elements that inspire it. Martial controllers are definitely on the list.

Even all that work on Martial Practices might be seen as prep for Martial Controller.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

That's a good point. I honestly forgot that some monsters are implied to be carrying multiple weapons based on their stat blocks (because monsters are so pick-up-and-playable XD). Could you restrict the weaken based on attack range? It would make sense for spells too in a lot of cases, since it makes just as much sense to disarm an implement user in most cases.

Maybe it could even be an immediate action, and the triggering attack determines which powers it effects. I do like the idea of disarm as an interrupt, particularly if it's a non-damaging attack—that reminds me of a lot of cool fight scenes in movies and such.

This is suddenly sounding like a very cool version of the martial controller my partner and I have always been disappointed to never see...

Disarming as an immediate action can be pretty workable, yes. Your opponent just recovers the weapon, but their attack is spoiled/weakened.