Grim-n-Gritty: Revised and Simplified

[Northcott]

Not necessarily. In 3.5E, you get a 2-for-1 damage bonus when using a two-handed weapon. +10 damage? You'd have to roll 10 points higher than your enemy to get it. With power attack, all you need to do is roll the same amount! Good incentive for a muscle-bound warrior to put away the shield and pick up that gigantic sword.

I've never gone beyond 3.0... that makes a heck of a difference. The modification still makes feats like "Weapon Specialization" sound inappropriately named, though. But perhaps turning back time to the good ol' days when WS gave a fighter a +1 hit and +2 to damage works well here.

I'm sure I'm looking past the basics, but past there I can't think of any fighter feat that's made worse by this variation. Hell, Cleave is suddenly a fearsome little stunt!

 

[handforged]

Tactical combat maneuvers also become money-makers in this system. Anything that puts your opponent on the ground is great. Anything that can control opponent movement is great. This is another area in which the fighter will mop up with all the bonus feats. A fighter-mage character with some battlefield control spells and some direct damage spells, along with true strike and enlarge would be almost unstoppable. A quickened wall of stone would provide plenty of cover from dragonbreath.

I see the maximum damage dealer here being a fighter-mage that focuses on archery, touch, and ranged touch attack spells.

Ftr 2/Wiz 4/Spellsword 3/Dragonslayer 1/Eldritch Knight 10
BAB +18, Caster Level 16
Casts in Twilight Mithril Fullplate with no Arcane Spell Failure
several bonus feats, etc
ability focus on DEX and INT, then CON

I really like the system, and I think it will fit in nicely with a group I plan to play with soon. Thanks for the work. I think that it is interesting that people are so argumentative about what is essetially a highly developed house rule. If you think that your characters should survive more, give them more pips, it's your game, but I think that Ken's system is very to the point and successful at its goals.

~hf

 

[KenHood]

I'm sure I'm looking past the basics, but past there I can't think of any fighter feat that's made worse by this variation. Hell, Cleave is suddenly a fearsome little stunt!

Yep! Can you imagine a big bruiser with long reach and the improved version of Cleave?

Splat! Splat! Splat!

 

[KenHood]

Tactical combat maneuvers also become money-makers in this system. Anything that puts your opponent on the ground is great. Anything that can control opponent movement is great. This is another area in which the fighter will mop up with all the bonus feats. A fighter-mage character with some battlefield control spells and some direct damage spells, along with true strike and enlarge would be almost unstoppable. A quickened wall of stone would provide plenty of cover from dragonbreath.

Yep. That's how it should work.

In Real Life (tm), controlling your enemy's movement and "grounding" him are paramount in a fight. It places your enemy under your control. Once this happens, all that is necessary: mop-up.

Feel and flow. Two very important concepts to battle. Two things I wanted to emphasize with these rules.

"Feel" your enemy and respond to that feeling.

"Flow" with your enemy and control his body.

There are three stages of control:
1) Control yourself.
2) Control your opponent.
3) Control your environment.

If you can achieve control of all three of these things, you should be able to beat any opponent.

---

Side comment...
Speaking of grounding your opponents, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned grappling. I guess folks don't use that too much in their regular games.

 

[Wolffenjugend]

Whats with the (tm) behind Real Life?

You can't trademark that phrase...

 

[Blacksad]

Whats with the (tm) behind Real Life?

You can't trademark that phrase...

I think that he mentioned elsewhere in the thread that it had been trademarked by God...

 

[Blacksad]

Side comment...
Speaking of grounding your opponents, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned grappling. I guess folks don't use that too much in their regular games.

they're too complicated in 3.0 (IIRC touch roll with AoO, then opposed grappling roll, winner choose result among a list), you need to consult the book to use this manoeuver, or have a special sheet for it.

A manoeuver sheet would be handy to gives more flavor in martial arts games.

 

[rangerjohn]

But that fighter won't be sneaking up on Tommy the pinball wizard. He would feel the ground shake! That goes against your philosopy, also how did he reach 20th level to get +5 full plate? If your use the dex variant, the rouge may come out with a higher attack bonus, not bab, attack including bonueses. Also your making the knight the only viable fighter. What if that arch-type isn't available in the campaign? The GM that sent me to this thread wants to use it for fuedal Japan. No knights in shining full plate there.

 

[KenHood]

But that fighter won't be sneaking up on Tommy the pinball wizard. He would feel the ground shake!

Huh?

That goes against your philosopy, also how did he reach 20th level to get +5 full plate?

You're making some assumptions about my "philosophy" that aren't true.

First, why is it such a stretch for a character to make it 20th level? Are you assuming I'm trying to kill off everyone that plays? Don't be silly!

If your use the dex variant, the rouge may come out with a higher attack bonus, not bab, attack including bonueses.

If...

...may...

Speculation unfounded by experience!

I'm looking for playtest comments or requests for clarifications, not some sort of panicked response based on exposure to a new paradigm of combat. These are precisely the sort of comments that send me flying into a rant.

Also your making the knight the only viable fighter.

From what facts are you drawing this conclusion?

Again, this is assumption on your part.

Tell me, where have I identified specific classes as most appropriate to the rules. I HAVE NOT!

What if that arch-type isn't available in the campaign? The GM that sent me to this thread wants to use it for fuedal Japan. No knights in shining full plate there.

If you're so terribly worried about your character's survival or the presence of archetypes, et al, isn't this a sign that perhaps this isn't the campaign or the rules for you? Why do you wish to put yourself in a situation which has you so obviously worked up on an emotional level?

If you don't like them, DON'T USE THEM!

Could I be any clearer on the message?

And please, spare me the ranting assumptions regarding my philosophy.

 

[rangerjohn]

Your right, that campaign would be masochistic. He wishes to include ogres, hill giants and stone giants, in culture that would be decimated by them. Hardly any heavy armor and paper walls. Hopefully, someone else will open up a game.