Limit Breaks

[nopantsyet]

Here's a draft of a rule idea I've been throwing around. Open for opinions, suggestions, flames, etc. It's designed for a gritty+heroic setting.

Edited: Modified to eliminate references to other non d20 rules.

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Taking inspiration from the epic nature of fantasy video games, literature and movies, characters will be able to perform actions beyond the limits of their normal abilities when they find themselves close to death. Limit breaks can be invoked when a character has 25% or less HP. The limit break gives the character a hasted action (full action plus an extra partial action) and allows them to act as though they had a feat combination normally unavailable to the character.

Tega (brb4) is surrounded by three giants has just been reduced to 11 HP in damage from a critical hit. Since his max HP is 45, he qualifies for a Limit Break. He has a limit break, "Spinning Death," which consists of Great Cleave and Whirlwind Attack. Whirlwind Attack gives him an attack on each giant with his flail. In the attack, one giant is felled, granting Tega another attack from Greater Cleave. In the second attack, another giant is felled, and in the third attack, the last one falls.

Each character may know 2 + INT bonus (min. 2) Limit Breaks at any time. At each level, one may be dropped and replaced with a new limit break. Feat cost is calculated as 1 + the total number of unmet prerequisites for each feat (minimum 1). Feat costs should be recomputed upon advancement as previously unmet requirements may be met. There is no explicit limit on the cost of any single limit break, however there are practical limits based on the CON score of the character.

Tega has an Int score of 8 (-1 bonus) giving him two limit breaks. He chooses "Spinning Death" (Great Cleave + Whirlwind Attack, cost 8) and "Iron Arrow" (Mantis Leap + Power Lunge, cost 4). If he takes Power Attack, which is a prerequisite for Great Cleave and Power Lunge, for his next feat, the costs will drop to 7 and 3, respectively.

Performing a limit break always exacts a toll on the character. This toll is in the form of ability damage. The character takes temporary CON damage in the amount of the cost of the limit break. For each CON point you lose, you also lose HP as per PH rules.

All characters know three defensive limit breaks in addition to their normal allotment. "Hurry" grants the hasted action, but nothing else. At a fixed cost of one it can help a character out of a bind. "Flight" grants the hasted action plus the Run feat, allowing a speedy retreat for a cost of 2. "Safe Retreat" grants the hasted action plus the Mobility and Run feats. The base cost is 4, but will be lower for characters who meet the prerequisites for Mobility (Dex 13+, Dodge).

In the same situation, "Spinning Death" would cost him 8 CON and he would be reduced to -9 HP. Instead he elects to use "Retreat," which costs him two CON since he has 13 Dex and Dodge. He gets a full action at his improved running (5x) speed plus a partial of movement for a total movement of 6x base speed. He takes no attacks of opportunity from the giants and will have put a good distance between himself and the giants by the time they are able to take up pursuit.

 

[Anubis]

[What are VP, WP, and Hero Points?

I don't believe that is part of D&D3 . . . Perhaps if you explain the system itself along with explaining the idea you have, twe would be able to give more useful input . . . As it stands, since you give no information on the system you're using, no input is possible . . .]

Thanks! I think I understand now!

 

[nopantsyet]

I removed references to non-d&d rules. Should make a bit more sense now.

 

[the Jester]

Eh, you realize you're making the run feat even less desirable by making it available to anyone in a pinch? I try to make less desirable feats more desirable by making chains with them as prereqs (Marathon requires Run, f'rinstance).

Interesting idea, but is it good for the gander as well? Can said giants use the limit breaks? How about npcs? This will significantly increase lethality, if so, and if not, it'll really reduce how challenging any given encounter is for pcs.

 

[Ferret]

for his next feat, the costs will drop to 7 and 3, respectively.

What does the feat cost mean? Am I the onlt confused one here?

 

[Valmur_Dwur]

I to am confused on the cost issue But I think that you are giving them way too much. Not only can they chose to use feats and combos they don't have, you also are giving them "haste" on top of it? If I were a munchkin I'd want tocome over to your house. I would also allow npcs to chain these and monsters to have the "basics" of your system, the 6x move deal You might also give a better idea if we saw 5-6 of these combos and their cost and when you could aquire them. Put a pc up and so us.

 

[Anubis]

Input

The idea is good, but the restrictions and costs are WAY too high to make this useful as it is written.

If you're gonna incorporate Final Fantasy ideas, bring them in as they are. In that case, however, this stuff should either be a feat or part of a Prestige Class. (I have one such Prestige Class.) Maybe it'd be even better as an Epic Feat.

My version of a Limit Breaker is the same for everyone, and all it does is let the person strike with a bonus to damage equal to the amount of damage the character has taken in the current day. An alternative allows the number to be carried over on new days but has a limit as to the amount that can be stored.

I also brought in Trance (Final Fantasy IX). It allows the character to, once per day, activate Trance and basically get two full-round actions every round, doubling a characters rate of action. In addition, all spells are made into single-action spells, and all damage taken is halved.

Both of those are part of a Dzungarian Knight Prestige Class I created. It has VERY VERY VERY strict requirements, however, which is what balances everything.

 

[nopantsyet]

Thanks for the feedback. To clarify, feat cost is 1 + the number of unmet prerequisites. The minimum cost for any feat element of a limit break is 1.

As far as balance, without getting into other aspects of the homebrew setting, it's gritty, but not low-power. In fact, what I'm going for I'm calling gritty/heroic. This is an idea I had to help balance out the fact that they won't have access to healing magic in a pinch, only through herbal infusions. Besides, heroes never stop in the middle of battle to heal themselves; they are somehow able to extend themselves just enough to triumph rather than die. So while the term "limit break" comes from FF, the concept I'm going for is rooted in the heroic tradition.