RangerWickett
Legend
Can people think of any other interesting forms of dueling. I know there was a big thread about lots of fighting styles a long time ago, but it relied on prestige classes. I just want feats/styles that would be easier to use for a character.
So, let's think of some dueling styles we could introduce in a D&D campaign, or mention some real-world fencing schools/styles. Include their focus and perhaps some game mechanics.
I'm not sure quite how to provide the proper benefits from these dueling styles. Either A--make them feats that just provide a benefit--or B--let people just use them if they have the appropriate prerequisite feats, but the style has both benefits and drawbacks.
Rapier Schools
Moretti Style: Designed for dueling indoors, in enclosed areas, where most mobility is linear, with little sidestepping. Skilled duelists often try to find a narrow location and adopt this style when they're facing a more mobile opponent. Prerequisite feats include Alertness, Dodge, and Expertise.
When using this style, if you are in the following position:
???
XDX
???
X = Square where the terrain provides a wall or solid barrier that is at least as tall as the Duelist.
? = This square may or may not have a wall or barrier; it does not matter. As long as your enemy attacks from any of these squares, you gain the bonus mentioned below.
D = The duelist using the Moretti style.
You gain a +2 bonus to AC against melee attacks when there are two squares on opposite sides of you that have some form of obstruction that blocks attacks. You are particuarly skilled in using the terrain in the X squares to block some incoming attacks, making it easier for you to defend against straight-on attacks. Thus, this style is useful in hallways, or if you are able to back into an alley, or even if you can just find a spot between two large pillars.
If you use the feat version, you simply gain the above bonus in appropriate situations. If you do not require a feat, then add the following drawback: Switching between styles can be done at the beginning of your turn. If you are using this style and do not have the appropriate squares of cover, an opponent attacking you gains a +2 bonus to all his attacks if he uses a 5-foot adjustment to sidestep from your front to your side.
Kerensky's Last Stance: The rapier requires quick movements for effective attacks, and severely wounded duelists often lose proper finesse and control over their movements. The Kerensky style was developed specifically for times when a character is very weak. It is said that Renek Kerensky, the originator of this style, would practice for hours with other styles until he was nearly exhausted, before he could even begin to study this new style.
This style is useful only when a character is Disabled (0 hit points, or negative hit points but stable and conscious) or Staggered (subdual damage exactly equal to his hit points). In both instances, the duelist is only able to take partial actions each round. The duelist's stance and grip changes so that though his attacks lose some precision, they require less exertion.
The prerequisite feats are Great Fortitude and Endurance.
Firstly, whenever you are Disabled, you may attack using this style without taking the normal 1 point of damage. Secondly, though you normally can only make partial actions when Staggered or Disabled, you can make a Full Attack, but you suffer a -2 penalty to your attack rolls. Finally, if you are Fatigued or Exhausted, you can still retain any benefits from Dexterity-based feats such as Dodge and Mobility, even if your effective Dexterity score has been reduced below the normal prerequisite for those feats. This does not, however, allow you to keep a higher Dexterity-based AC bonus, or attack bonus if you have Weapon Finesse. There is no particular drawback to this style, except that you have to be nearly unconscious to use it.
Nailo Shalanth (Nightbreeze Form): This rapier-whip form actually uses the rapier as the support weapon, relying primarily on the whip to keep enemies at bay and creating openings that the more deadly rapier can take advantage. Prerequisite feats are, of course, Weapon Proficiency (whip or whip-dagger), Two-Weapon Fighting, Expertise, and Improved Trip, plus at least 6 ranks in Jump.
The duelist primarily fights using full Expertise, attempting to trip his opponent or disarm him. Tripping is usually easier, since the trip requires only a touch attack, and the opposed check is Strength based, not attack bonus-based. This style relies on keeping your distance, and often the duelist will only attack to deal damage if it is absolutely necessary.
The duelist gains three primary benefits. First, she threatens out to 15 ft. with her whip, and can make attacks of opportunity against opponents who move out of a threatened square in this area. This is particularly useful against opponents who try to close.
Second, the duelist gains great reach with her rapier, due to a special lunge that emulates the cracking of a whip, rapidly forward and back. She may choose to effectively increase her reach with her rapier by 10 ft. for one round. However, she suffers a -2 penalty to her AC for one round, much as if she had made a charge. Also, she may only make this lunge on her turn, so she cannot lunge out and strike someone 15 ft. away as an attack of opportunity.
Typically, if the duelist is successful with a trip attack with her whip, she'll lunge with her rapier for a free attack, since Improved Trip grants a free attack whenever you trip someone.
For example, Quillathe is dueling against Theric. Due to Theric's heavy armor, she is unable to harm him with the whip, but she can keep her distance easily since he's slower. On her turn, Quillathe makes one attack with her whip, trying to trip Theric, who is 15 ft. away. If she fails (assuming Theric doesn't manage to trip her in response), she'll use her move action to back up and continue keeping her distance. However, if she successfully trips Theric, she can lunge in with her rapier for the bonus attack from Improved Trip, and then make her normal off-hand attack with the rapier. On the next turn, her AC will be lower, but it's unlikely Theric will be able to catch up to her.
The drawback of this style is its heavy reliance on its whip. A failed trip attempt can easily turn disastrous if your opponent manages to pull your whip out of your hands, so many Nightbreeze Form duelists prefer to let themselves be tripped instead of dropping their whip. Also, an opponent can ready an action to sunder the whip whenever the duelist attacks, even if the duelist herself is out of range. Whips are very fragile weapons, and so Nightbreeze Form duelists typically carry at least two, sometimes three.
So, let's think of some dueling styles we could introduce in a D&D campaign, or mention some real-world fencing schools/styles. Include their focus and perhaps some game mechanics.
I'm not sure quite how to provide the proper benefits from these dueling styles. Either A--make them feats that just provide a benefit--or B--let people just use them if they have the appropriate prerequisite feats, but the style has both benefits and drawbacks.
Rapier Schools
Moretti Style: Designed for dueling indoors, in enclosed areas, where most mobility is linear, with little sidestepping. Skilled duelists often try to find a narrow location and adopt this style when they're facing a more mobile opponent. Prerequisite feats include Alertness, Dodge, and Expertise.
When using this style, if you are in the following position:
???
XDX
???
X = Square where the terrain provides a wall or solid barrier that is at least as tall as the Duelist.
? = This square may or may not have a wall or barrier; it does not matter. As long as your enemy attacks from any of these squares, you gain the bonus mentioned below.
D = The duelist using the Moretti style.
You gain a +2 bonus to AC against melee attacks when there are two squares on opposite sides of you that have some form of obstruction that blocks attacks. You are particuarly skilled in using the terrain in the X squares to block some incoming attacks, making it easier for you to defend against straight-on attacks. Thus, this style is useful in hallways, or if you are able to back into an alley, or even if you can just find a spot between two large pillars.
If you use the feat version, you simply gain the above bonus in appropriate situations. If you do not require a feat, then add the following drawback: Switching between styles can be done at the beginning of your turn. If you are using this style and do not have the appropriate squares of cover, an opponent attacking you gains a +2 bonus to all his attacks if he uses a 5-foot adjustment to sidestep from your front to your side.
Kerensky's Last Stance: The rapier requires quick movements for effective attacks, and severely wounded duelists often lose proper finesse and control over their movements. The Kerensky style was developed specifically for times when a character is very weak. It is said that Renek Kerensky, the originator of this style, would practice for hours with other styles until he was nearly exhausted, before he could even begin to study this new style.
This style is useful only when a character is Disabled (0 hit points, or negative hit points but stable and conscious) or Staggered (subdual damage exactly equal to his hit points). In both instances, the duelist is only able to take partial actions each round. The duelist's stance and grip changes so that though his attacks lose some precision, they require less exertion.
The prerequisite feats are Great Fortitude and Endurance.
Firstly, whenever you are Disabled, you may attack using this style without taking the normal 1 point of damage. Secondly, though you normally can only make partial actions when Staggered or Disabled, you can make a Full Attack, but you suffer a -2 penalty to your attack rolls. Finally, if you are Fatigued or Exhausted, you can still retain any benefits from Dexterity-based feats such as Dodge and Mobility, even if your effective Dexterity score has been reduced below the normal prerequisite for those feats. This does not, however, allow you to keep a higher Dexterity-based AC bonus, or attack bonus if you have Weapon Finesse. There is no particular drawback to this style, except that you have to be nearly unconscious to use it.
Nailo Shalanth (Nightbreeze Form): This rapier-whip form actually uses the rapier as the support weapon, relying primarily on the whip to keep enemies at bay and creating openings that the more deadly rapier can take advantage. Prerequisite feats are, of course, Weapon Proficiency (whip or whip-dagger), Two-Weapon Fighting, Expertise, and Improved Trip, plus at least 6 ranks in Jump.
The duelist primarily fights using full Expertise, attempting to trip his opponent or disarm him. Tripping is usually easier, since the trip requires only a touch attack, and the opposed check is Strength based, not attack bonus-based. This style relies on keeping your distance, and often the duelist will only attack to deal damage if it is absolutely necessary.
The duelist gains three primary benefits. First, she threatens out to 15 ft. with her whip, and can make attacks of opportunity against opponents who move out of a threatened square in this area. This is particularly useful against opponents who try to close.
Second, the duelist gains great reach with her rapier, due to a special lunge that emulates the cracking of a whip, rapidly forward and back. She may choose to effectively increase her reach with her rapier by 10 ft. for one round. However, she suffers a -2 penalty to her AC for one round, much as if she had made a charge. Also, she may only make this lunge on her turn, so she cannot lunge out and strike someone 15 ft. away as an attack of opportunity.
Typically, if the duelist is successful with a trip attack with her whip, she'll lunge with her rapier for a free attack, since Improved Trip grants a free attack whenever you trip someone.
For example, Quillathe is dueling against Theric. Due to Theric's heavy armor, she is unable to harm him with the whip, but she can keep her distance easily since he's slower. On her turn, Quillathe makes one attack with her whip, trying to trip Theric, who is 15 ft. away. If she fails (assuming Theric doesn't manage to trip her in response), she'll use her move action to back up and continue keeping her distance. However, if she successfully trips Theric, she can lunge in with her rapier for the bonus attack from Improved Trip, and then make her normal off-hand attack with the rapier. On the next turn, her AC will be lower, but it's unlikely Theric will be able to catch up to her.
The drawback of this style is its heavy reliance on its whip. A failed trip attempt can easily turn disastrous if your opponent manages to pull your whip out of your hands, so many Nightbreeze Form duelists prefer to let themselves be tripped instead of dropping their whip. Also, an opponent can ready an action to sunder the whip whenever the duelist attacks, even if the duelist herself is out of range. Whips are very fragile weapons, and so Nightbreeze Form duelists typically carry at least two, sometimes three.
