Fifth Element
Legend
Of course, everything can be fixed with new feats but I'm specifically looking for ways to deal with this without requiring the characters to have specific feats.
Idea to improve defender abilities
- Thread starter Fifth Element
- Start date
Kmart Kommando
First Post
Combat reflexes is right in the PHB, and does what you want to do.Fifth Element said:
Crusader has some stances and maneuvers that impose penalties to those who choose to ignore them.
If you're no good at blocking (i.e. don't have the right defensive abilities), then of course people are going to be able to slip by you. Just like in real life, if you don't have the skill set to do a job, then you're going to be crappy at it.
Or you could create a feat that grants an offensive version of uncanny dodge. IE, instead of retaining dex bonus, you retain the ability to make AoO.
As for avoiding the "mind control" ability of the knight I suggest interception and dynamic action to allow a defender to prevent attacks against allies. This allows one to actively defend by foiling the actions of others rather than forcing them into a specific course of action.
Interception: an attack that begins, ends, or passes through the area within 5 feet of you can be intercepted and redirected to hit you instead of the intended target.
Uses: Stop adjacent enemies from attacking distant allies, stop adjacent allies from being attacked, provide a "wall" of flesh against ranged attacks.
Limitations: You get to take damage, joy. The good news is that a defender is likely to have a higher AC and possibly DR than the original target, so it might not be so bad.
Additional limitations: perhaps it counts as an AoO? or an immediate action? or perhaps you need to sacrifice actions (swift?/move?/standard?) before you can use it. Or perhaps there are limitations on the number of times per round/encounter/day that you can use it. Whatever the GM feels appropriate for the ability.
Dynamic Action: you may take actions during the turn of another character. Unlike a readied action, this has no specific trigger.
Uses: move to place yourself between an ally and a charging foe, move to give cover to an ally subject to ranged attacks or reflex save effects, attack a spellcaster as he moves or casts a spell, move out of range of a foe as he attacks you, etc.
Limitations: You have to sacrifice actions to get dynamic actions.
Additional Limitations: Depending on the specific rules, you may have to sacrifice larger or more actions to recieve dynamic actions (Full round -> standard, standard -> move, move->swift, etc.) Or have limited uses per encounter/day. Again, whatever the GM feels is balanced.
IMC: Interception is gained through a feat, and can operate 1/round. Also once per encounter you can use it once more in a given round. Also once per day you can use it once more in a given round. Additional feats allow additional uses.
Dynamic Action is gained through a feat, one sacrifices a FRA to gain a dynamic move action. A second feat reduces this to a standard action, a third feat reduces the cost so that move -> move. This only works for move actions, not standard actions.
As for avoiding the "mind control" ability of the knight I suggest interception and dynamic action to allow a defender to prevent attacks against allies. This allows one to actively defend by foiling the actions of others rather than forcing them into a specific course of action.
Interception: an attack that begins, ends, or passes through the area within 5 feet of you can be intercepted and redirected to hit you instead of the intended target.
Uses: Stop adjacent enemies from attacking distant allies, stop adjacent allies from being attacked, provide a "wall" of flesh against ranged attacks.
Limitations: You get to take damage, joy. The good news is that a defender is likely to have a higher AC and possibly DR than the original target, so it might not be so bad.
Additional limitations: perhaps it counts as an AoO? or an immediate action? or perhaps you need to sacrifice actions (swift?/move?/standard?) before you can use it. Or perhaps there are limitations on the number of times per round/encounter/day that you can use it. Whatever the GM feels appropriate for the ability.
Dynamic Action: you may take actions during the turn of another character. Unlike a readied action, this has no specific trigger.
Uses: move to place yourself between an ally and a charging foe, move to give cover to an ally subject to ranged attacks or reflex save effects, attack a spellcaster as he moves or casts a spell, move out of range of a foe as he attacks you, etc.
Limitations: You have to sacrifice actions to get dynamic actions.
Additional Limitations: Depending on the specific rules, you may have to sacrifice larger or more actions to recieve dynamic actions (Full round -> standard, standard -> move, move->swift, etc.) Or have limited uses per encounter/day. Again, whatever the GM feels is balanced.
IMC: Interception is gained through a feat, and can operate 1/round. Also once per encounter you can use it once more in a given round. Also once per day you can use it once more in a given round. Additional feats allow additional uses.
Dynamic Action is gained through a feat, one sacrifices a FRA to gain a dynamic move action. A second feat reduces this to a standard action, a third feat reduces the cost so that move -> move. This only works for move actions, not standard actions.
Last edited:
Arkhandus
First Post
Yep, Combat Reflexes already allows you to make AoOs when flat-footed (it's like the last line or so of the feat's description). And Stand Still lets you interfere with a foe's movement when they try to go through your threatened area.
And yeah, Crusaders from the Tome of Battle have some nifty stuff to mess with enemies that try to ignore them or go around them. Thicket of Blades is a good 3rd-level stance for use with a polearm, or even without one. Iron Guard's Glare is a 1st-level stance that gives foes a -4 to hit your allies when you're threatening them in melee (also handy with a polearm, for that extra threatening reach). Defensive Rebuke at 3rd-level makes enemies suffer if they ignore you after you attack them in the same round. Shield Block at 2nd-level lets you protect an ally with your shield, and give them an extra AC boost on top of it. Douse the Flames at 1st-level, and Covering Strike at 4th-level, prevent the stricken opponent from making any attacks of opportunity themselves (for 1 round with DtF, 3 rounds with CS). Etc.
The Devoted Defender prestige class is good for this kind of stuff to, in its own way.
And yeah, Crusaders from the Tome of Battle have some nifty stuff to mess with enemies that try to ignore them or go around them. Thicket of Blades is a good 3rd-level stance for use with a polearm, or even without one. Iron Guard's Glare is a 1st-level stance that gives foes a -4 to hit your allies when you're threatening them in melee (also handy with a polearm, for that extra threatening reach). Defensive Rebuke at 3rd-level makes enemies suffer if they ignore you after you attack them in the same round. Shield Block at 2nd-level lets you protect an ally with your shield, and give them an extra AC boost on top of it. Douse the Flames at 1st-level, and Covering Strike at 4th-level, prevent the stricken opponent from making any attacks of opportunity themselves (for 1 round with DtF, 3 rounds with CS). Etc.
The Devoted Defender prestige class is good for this kind of stuff to, in its own way.
