Houserules to Introduce More Dynamic Combat?

[StreamOfTheSky]

So, here are some ideas I have to actually help the OP instead of thread derail.

1. 3E tumble DC rules.

2. Abolish the Vital Strike line. For free, anyone that uses the attack action instead of the full attack action adds their BAB amount as a bonus to the damage. This is for two reasons: a) multiplying base weapon damage heavily favors people with giant swords of over-compensation +5, which IMO isn't the kind of style of combat you think of when you think of skirmishing; b) with wording like that, it could be combined with Spring Attack. Vital Strike explicitly cannot be.

Will make combat slightly deadlier at low levels. *shrug*

3.) Abolish the Step Up feat. Replace with something specific to spell and spell-like ability use if you must. Replace with "Defensive Sweep," after the high level PHB2 feat from 3E. It basically caused anyone that you ended your last turn next to that had not moved between turns to provoke an AoO for that. Drop the pre-requisites down to BAB +1, so just about everyone can have it. This will likely spur people to move around a bit more.

It's a start.

 

[Sylrae]

I like your Vital Strike Alternative as an idea. I'm not sure though. How does that damage compare to the damage of a full attack? It sounds like it would eventually surpass it in many cases. (Edit: I wasn't thinking of weapons that are doing like 3d6 fire damage on top of weapon damage though, for this argument lets say basic masterwork weapons. I want to consider how it would work in Pathfinder, as well as in Conan, which doesnt have the reliance on gear.)

I like the 'Defensive Sweep'.
Personally I like Step-Up as a feat, but it does discourage skirmishing.

[Edit] I'd like to ask: What's the problem with allowing Vital Strike on a Charge or Spring Attack?

 

[gamerprinter]

[Edit] I'd like to ask: What's the problem with allowing Vital Strike on a Charge or Spring Attack?

The rules problem is that a Vital Strike is standard action, and you can't do a charge/spring attack and a vital strike, as each are its own standard action.

That said, in one of Paizo's AP's one of the iconics (?) uses vital strike with a spring attack - and Erik Mona says that it worked for flavor, but technically not by the rules. So Paizo would unofficially allow it, but by the rules it can't really be done.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I would never want Vital Strike to work on a charge. Spirited lance charge is crazy strong enough already, thanks.

I do think it should work on Spring Attack, though. I think Spring Attack should just work like Flyby Attack and let you take any standard action, actually. It requires one decent and one sucky feat, while Flyby just requires flight, seems balanced to me...

 

[Sylrae]

The rules problem is that a Vital Strike is standard action, and you can't do a charge/spring attack and a vital strike, as each are its own standard action.

That said, in one of Paizo's AP's one of the iconics (?) uses vital strike with a spring attack - and Erik Mona says that it worked for flavor, but technically not by the rules. So Paizo would unofficially allow it, but by the rules it can't really be done.

Yeah, I knew the technical rules problem. I remember that the author who wrote the book said he meant for it to work with Charge and Spring Attack, and it was an error on his part that the wording doesn't allow for it. The company went with rules as printed instead of rules as intended as their official stance.

That said, I've been allowing it on charges and spring attacks since the Pathfinder rules came out, first because we thought it was supposed to, and then because I read both sides of how it came to not be the official rule, and we went with the author's intent instead of the publisher.

I dont think I've ever seen it be a problem though.

I would never want Vital Strike to work on a charge. Spirited lance charge is crazy strong enough already, thanks.

I'm not familiar with Spirited Lance Charge.

I do think it should work on Spring Attack, though. I think Spring Attack should just work like Flyby Attack and let you take any standard action, actually. It requires one decent and one sucky feat, while Flyby just requires flight, seems balanced to me...

Hmm. I can see that.