Iron Lore: Malhavoc's Surprise?

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

From the White Wolf Quarterly:

Running Assault: You can combine
movement and an attack into
a single action. As a full-round action,
you can move your normal
allotment. At any point during this
movement, you can use a standard
action to attack. You can move both
before and after this attack. You gain
the benefits of abilities such as mobile
assault based on the squares
you moved before your attack.
You cannot attempt a running
assault if you wear anything
heavier than light armor or if you
carry enough equipment to reduce
your speed.

They also gain a bonus to attacks where they used tumble to avoid an attack of opportunity.

 

[A'koss]

Details Strangemonkey, detaaaaails!!!

 

[Particle_Man]

Ok, so the harrier is not the "multiple attacks guy" he is the "hit and run guy/scout "skirmish" guy/spring attack guy". So the reason his hp are low is that he is not meant to end up near the "stand here while I bash you repeatedly" meelee guys.

 

[A'koss]

You can now find this information on Monte's site in the S&S Insider PDF.

http://www.montecook.com/images/SSI_Q305.pdf


More on this later...

 

[Andor]

Huh.. some interesting stuff here.

The executioner gets his tokens by observing from hiding, like an assasin.

Any standard or full round action that is not an attack generates an AOO.

Every class gets d4 plus kicker hit points.

 

[DrSpunj]

How the Harrier gets fewer hitpoints than the archer is beyond me. They'd better have some frekkin amazing defenses or it's gonna be the glass ninja all over again only with a lot more glass.

First off, a big thank you to Dr. Strangemonkey for the heads up about White Wolf's Summer Catalog PDF and the Iron Heroes info inside it. I've never checked that thing and would never have thought to look for any additional information.

Second, I'd agree the Harrier will need "some frekkin amazing defenses", but I'm betting he has them. I'd bet he has the best Active Defense score of all the classes, and just might have an ability or two to help him hold on to Active Defense when others lose it. That's pure speculation, mind you, and may not be anything as good as Uncanny Dodge from Core, but I can imagine a class ability that makes it very difficult to catch a moving Harrier without his Active Defense.

Also Running Assault refers to "gain[ing] the benefits of abilities such as mobile assault based on the squares you moved before your attack". I could see such benefits as being put towards both better attack bonuses and damage (though that seems to step on the toes of Whirling Attack quite a bit) or being able to better his defenses. It's obviously tied to how much you move before you attack, so maybe you could get a +1 to AC against that foe for every 5' or 10' you moved before your attack? I envision that as a running back with the football approaching a blocker in front of the end zone. The more room he has to maneuver, twist & turn before he reaches the blocker, the harder it is for the blocker to catch him.

One thing about the whole three page write-up in general: I'm kind of surprised by how a few things pop out as being Core abilities with a twist. By that I mean, well, here's a couple examples: the Harrier's Running Assault ability is pretty much Spring Attack; and apparently anyone with enough ranks can use Perform like a Core Bard to inspire his allies (though I'm not clear on whether the Performer gets the bonus or not, it says "granting them" so I'd guess not).

That doesn't really bother me in anyway, though it makes me wonder how many things from Core have been similarly treated, and by extension, how much truly new stuff is in there. I'm also curious to see if Dodge, Mobility & Spring Attack are still feats available to all characters, or if because of the Harrier's class abilities whether they're now off the list (cuz if the Harrier doesn't get Mobility as a class feature, he damn well better pick it if it's available, seems like a no-brainer from the little I've got to work with). Executioner is another class that seems like it would do well with something like Running Assault and/or Spring Attack.

Anyway, just some random thoughts.

Thanks,
DrSpunj

 

[A'koss]

Even though we already kinda knew this, the preview really hit home the idea that characters will have myriad combat options available to them. There seems to be an absolutely huge amount of flexibility with this system. Choosing your own skill/stunt check penalty to gain better results, stringing multiple stunts together, using the combat zones to best effect. A lot of different ways to mix and match stunts, skills, maneuvers and class abilities.

Ooog.

 

[Andor]

I like the 'bump up your DC to get better effects' mechanic. It's hardly a new concept (L5R is built around it) but I don't think I've seen it in D20 before.

 

[PeRfEcT^InZaNiTy]

Just tried to post this on the Iron Heroes forum (Seems something gone wrong but I don't want to repost it to fast because I don't want to double post by accident).

Title: Black Company Masterwork Rules+Iron Heroes=Good?

The masterwork rules of the Black Company RPG (I'll explain them in brief at the bottom of the post) would fit perfectly, because the most powerful item you can build with them is equal to about +2.5 weapons (more powerful then than +2 but weaker than +3).

Also, because of the skill demanded to make one of those, it would be a quest in itself to track down a guy that could make it and then another quest proving you are worth his time.

Also you can build ineffective builds. A king's sword could grant +1 to hit and +1 to damage and +6 six to diplomacy for being so finely decorated (the plus to diplomacy might seem powerful until you realize that all the king's items has it and they don't stack).
And yes, this would make the king look like a xmas tree.

Well sure, if the players themselves got to decide exactly how the old weapon's smith in the mountains would make their swords, then it could be too mighty. But if the smith is famous for making light and easy to handle swords, that is what they will get. Accurate (x2), Balanced (x3) and Light. This weapons gives +2 to hit, +3 to initiative and 10% less weight.



Now to explain the rules. The game has 6 levels of masterwork:
1. Fine (Anything given above average effort)
2. Excellent (Something an average craftsman has put much work into, most often done on commission)
3. Exceptional (The pinnacle of an average craftsman's career, something he has spent several years to complete)
4. Superior (This is a level only very good craftsmen can even accomplish, and then it takes a lot of work)
5. Masterwork (This is what master artisans can make with a lot of work)
6. Masterpiece (Legendary artisans can do this kind of thing, or a master artisan if he took several decades)

Each lvl lets you buy one point of Masterwork Benefits. This can be anything from extra damage, to looking so good it impresses people, to just being better at what it does (for non-martial items). Also, if it is of a high enough lvl, you can choose a benefit twice or even three times.

What do you think of the idea?

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Well, given the expanded rules for skills it may be a little early to tell how that would interact with IH.

Also I'm very excited about IH's magical items in their own right, but I'm thinking this may be something of a complementary set.