Knock Back Feat

[smetzger]

I submitted this to the NBoF a long time ago and have gotten impatient waiting for them. So what do you think?

KNOCK-BACK [General]
COPYRIGHT 2002, Scott Metzger
YoYoDyne@webweaver.zzn.com
Prerequisites: Str 25+, Power Attack
Benefit: After a successful melee attack you can make an opposed strength check against your opponent. Your opponent may substitute a Balance check if he desires. You each add +4 bonus for each size category you are above Medium-size or a -4 penalty for each size category you are below Medium-size. If you succeed, you knock your opponent prone and back 5 feet for every point you beat him in the strength check. You only knock back an opponent if you want to.

 

[the Jester]

I was just thinking about something like this...

 

[Technik4]

I think an interesting restriction would be that you have to be using power attack to use that feat. Also, at a glance 5ft per point over seems like an awfully far push, noone would use bull rush anymore, just get this feat. Finally, 25 str is not too difficult to get (I recently made a half-orc barbarian with 22 str at level 6), perhaps you should add a BAB prereq.

Nice Feat

Technik

PS- Oh, and there is already a feat called knockback in Sword and Fist, it allows a free attack if you trip someone, or a free trip attempt or something...

 

[smetzger]

The feat in S&f is called Knock-down.

Yes, I wanted this feat to be over the top Hercules (TV series) like, so it would knock people back really far. I'd rather not up the BAB, maybe make it Str 30+

 

[the Jester]

This is my version, more suitable for standard pcs:

KNOCK-BACK [General, Fighter]
The force of your blows can knock enemies away from you.

Prerequisites: Str 15+, Power Attack

Benefit: When you strike an enemy, you may choose to attempt to knock it back away from you a number of feet equal to your natural reach (due to size). If you decide to do you, make an opposed strength check with the victim of your blow. For every size category above Medium, you and your opponent add +4 to your rolls; for every size category below Medium, you and your opponent take a -4 penalty to your rolls. If you succeed, you knock your enemy directly away from you. This movement does not trigger attacks of opportunity.


For yours- with the super-knockback effect- I'd require a high BAB, a high Str, and maybe Improved Bull Rush.

 

[Technik4]

Smetzger: just something to watch out for, a 1st level half-dragon fighter can take your feat at level 4, and you can bet he'll be knocking people around. I would raise the str to 30 and require improved bullrush as Jester suggested.

Technik

PS- A BAB restriction is still the best way to limit exactly what type and level of character can take the feat (ie- Fighter BAB, at least level 6).

 

[Nail]

KNOCK-BACK [General, Fighter]
The force of your blows can knock enemies away from you.....

...This movement does not trigger attacks of opportunity.

Better nix this last bit. AoO is an important feature of 3e combat, and removing it for an enemy....just seems like poor form, if nothing else. Besides, allowing AoO's from this sort of movement (being knocked back, FLYING through the air...) is just too cool to not allow.

Player: "I wack 'im as he flies past...."

 

[Forrester]

Better nix this last bit. AoO is an important feature of 3e combat, and removing it for an enemy....just seems like poor form, if nothing else. Besides, allowing AoO's from this sort of movement (being knocked back, FLYING through the air...) is just too cool to not allow.

Player: "I wack 'im as he flies past...."

I disagree. Clearly, the feat is meant to be chiefly cinematic in effect -- an effort I highly approve of. Allowing the backwards movement to trigger AoOs just seems kind of . . . well, I dunno . . . munchy.

 

[Nail]

I disagree. Clearly, the feat is meant to be chiefly cinematic in effect -- an effort I highly approve of. Allowing the backwards movement to trigger AoOs just seems kind of . . . well, I dunno . . . munchy.

There are several instances of being moved by an enemy causing AoO. Bull Rush and grappling being the two most obvious. Nothing "munchy" about it (especially given the likelihood of NPC having the feat). More like "consistant with other rules".

But, YMMV. All a matter of taste, an' all o' that.

Besides, for those of us that enjoy the strategy, as well as the cinematic flavor of the game, that move causing an AoO is good stuff!

 

[smetzger]

There are several instances of being moved by an enemy causing AoO. Bull Rush and grappling being the two most obvious. Nothing "munchy" about it (especially given the likelihood of NPC having the feat). More like "consistant with other rules".

There is nothing in the rules about Grapple that allows you to move your opponent and thus let someone have an AoO on them. You incur when (normally) when starting a grapple, but thats another matter.

I was thinking that your standard out of the box Hill Giant should be able to take this feat. Improved Bull Rush is a suck feat IMO, do you think this feat is good enough to take a sucky feat as a pre-req, or should I just give it a min Bab of +9?