Is this house rule balanced - Dragoon Jump

[dreaded_beast]

I made this house rule for a player that wants to play a dragoon type character, based on the Final Fantasy game series.

Let me know if you think this rule is too strong, too weak, or balanced.

This is a rule that we are going to play test in our game. If this rule works well within our game, then it will be instituted as a variant rule.

This rule is usable by any character.

When wielding a weapon that does piercing damage, a character can gain a +2 to hit when jumping down and attacking from a height of at least 10 feet.

Attacking in such a way does not incur an attack of opportunity.

The character may incur damage from falling, although the damage may be reduced with a successful Jump or Tumble check with a DC 15.

Additional changes may be added as needed.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Perhaps you meant to put this in the house rules forum?

And isn't this really adequately covered by the charge rules?

 

[rowport]

I agree with Patryn, I would just call this a Charge on steriods. If you want to add a 'gimmie' game benefit, how about sharing the falling damage with the target, since you are landing on him (avoided with Jump or Tumble check as you describe, which is consistent with the RAW). That way, it is really not even a house-rule, but rather, combining existing rules for Charge and Falling respectively. (Well, I guess the extra damage for falling on the target is not RAW, but it is described in one of the "Rules of the Game" articles, so it is not a far stretch.)

If one of your players wants to specialize in this type of manuever, it might also be worth considering the feats Leap Attack (Complete Warrior) and/or Mountain Warrior (Complete Adventurer).

 

[Corsair]

The Leap Attack feat is basically what you want.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Moved to house rules for you.

 

[Thia Halmades]

Don't forget that Leap Attack was NERFed, per the erratta, but it's still potent and, I agree with everyone else, it's a charge. Mechanically you'd have to represent both the player's reistance to falling damage as well as the additional damage incurred by the Vertical Charge. You'd be reinventing the wheel, go with the erratta.

LCpt. Thia Halmades