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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jonrog1" data-source="post: 237979" data-attributes="member: 189">Hey, kids, I think although we may all snipe about degrees, from "completely broken" to "good enough", I don't think anybody is deliriously happy with the trip mechanic.  I think I have something here, and I'm looking for feedback.Now, as a guy who's gotten elbow-deep in the mechanics of a bunch of d20 systems trying to make his Dark*Matter homebrew work, I've got a few rules for tweaking any mechanic.1.)It can be no more, and hopefully much less complicated than the existing mechanic.2.)The tweak should impact as few other game techniques as possible.3.) It should strive for cinematic elegance. By this I mean it  should conceptually cover as many  situational bases as possible so that you can imagine the moment passing in a movie and it just seems cool as it goes by, and makes intuitive sense.  Weird, I know, but it's the writer in me.  Clunky is the enemy.Many threads have cited specific problems with the trip mechanic.  From "Why can't I trip with a quarterstaff" to "Why does improved trip make me just as likely to be tripped back?", etc.  But the cardinal sin, to me, is the logic bump that's floating subconsciously under all the problems:Why can't a nimble guy trip a big clutz?Jackie Chan felling a huge opponent.  A quick drop-spin-kick and our lithe monk stands over his vastly larger enemy.  A moment gone by in a million movies, a moment that MAKES SENSE.  The dextrous guy's advantage is his dexterity.Why is a skill, whose improving feat is on the Expertise Chain, still so dependent on strength?  It's just counterintuitive. Let me pitch out the new mechanic, then we'll run it through some examples -- not NUMBER-CRUNCHING examples, but situational examples where I think we'll find the adventure moment results more satisfying.the new TRIP:1.) To trip an opponent, make a melee touch attack.  In this attack, if you desire you may use weapons designed for tripping, or any weapon ONE-SIZE OR MORE LARGER than your opponent.  2.) If the touch attack succeeds, it is now the DC for your opponent's REFLEX SAVE.3.) If your opponent fails the save, he is tripped.  If he succeeds, he may now make a free trip attempt on you -- i.e the melee touch attack, forcing a REFLEX SAVE on your part.This is the basic mechanic.  Now, I would suggest -- although it is not necessary -- that the trip feats be divided into"IMPROVED TRIP: You may make trip attacks and your opponent may not attempt to trip you in return. (So it's now structured like every other "Improved" feat ...)FOLLOW-UP:  When you make a successful trip attack, you may then make an attack at the same base attack ... (etc. etc., what is right now the "Improved Trip" feat in Core Rulebook I.)To keep the posts reasonable length, we'll examine this in the next message.</blockquote>

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