Level Up (A5E) How did we end up with 11 combat traditions?

[lichmaster]

Hmm...various cultures in real life have their own combat traditions, what if some of the cultures in A5e had a culturally specific combat tradition of their own? Shadow Elf Culture, for instance, could have a stealthy combat tradition that relies on stealth, hit-and-run tactics and darkness.

It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure it would fit well in the current design space.
Cultures give a few features that can be used by any character regardless of class (although some features have better synergy with some classes than others). Combat traditions only work for martial classes, so their benefits would be totally useless for pure spellcasters.
Besides, an entire combat tradition is worth several pages of material (as you need to provide at least 5 degrees of maneouvers), while cultures are normally between half a page to a page top.

 

[xiphumor]

It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure it would fit well in the current design space.
Cultures give a few features that can be used by any character regardless of class (although some features have better synergy with some classes than others). Combat traditions only work for martial classes, so their benefits would be totally useless for pure spellcasters.
Besides, an entire combat tradition is worth several pages of material (as you need to provide at least 5 degrees of maneouvers), while cultures are normally between half a page to a page top.

I think a small thing that could work is cultures that grant 1st-degree stances. Farshot, Throwing, and Zealous stance are the only ones that require weapons

 

[lichmaster]

I think a small thing that could work is cultures that grant 1st-degree stances. Farshot, Throwing, and Zealous stance are the only ones that require weapons

Yeah, that could work. I can see some hardy mountain folk having innate proeficiency with heavy stance and being able to use it 1/day without exertion, for example

 

[Xaielao]

Shadow Elf Culture, for instance, could have a stealthy combat tradition that relies on stealth, hit-and-run tactics and darkness.

Geez, you guys have the gears in my brain box just a grinding with these ideas. There's so much potential expandability to this system!

 

[Blue Orange]

Hmm...various cultures in real life have their own combat traditions, what if some of the cultures in A5e had a culturally specific combat tradition of their own? Shadow Elf Culture, for instance, could have a stealthy combat tradition that relies on stealth, hit-and-run tactics and darkness.

I mean, IRL there's karate, tae kwon do, kung fu, judo, escrima, krav maga, savate, boxing, wrestling, MMA, pankration...

You could totally have martial arts that play to the strengths of the people developing them--elvish martial arts could rely on flexibility and agility whereas dwarvish martial arts are more heavy-hitting and halfling martial arts rely on attacks to the lower body, for example.

 

[Morrus]

I mean, IRL there's karate, tae kwon do, kung fu, judo, escrima, krav maga, savate, boxing, wrestling, MMA, pankration...

I totally think there’s design space for all that. And for the fantasy equivalents.

 

[Faolyn]

gestures vaguely

Level Up (A5E) - Psychic Warrior Combat Tradition

I truly do wanna see Level Up have a really cool Psionic System with it's own neat tricks. But until we see what the Voidrunner's Codex comes out with I decided to toss together the Awakened Mind Combat Tradition this morning as a sort of "Lesser Psionics" form to be used by characters that...

www.enworld.org

I hope you submit those to GPG, if you hadn't already!

 

[Steampunkette]

I hope you submit those to GPG, if you hadn't already!

Those I can't, sadly. But I did submit my Arcane Knight and Eldritch Blackguard combat traditions! We'll find out on Monday whether they'll be picked up.

 

[Faolyn]

Those I can't, sadly. But I did submit my Arcane Knight and Eldritch Blackguard combat traditions! We'll find out on Monday whether they'll be picked up.

Aww. Maybe try releasing them on DriveThru, then.