Pathfinder: Rise of the Runelords, Burnt Offerings OOC

[hewligan]

The Skinsaw Murders

I am sure you are all now aware that part two of the adventure path, The Skinsaw Murders, is underway. Please continue to post OOC into this thread, although short OOC comments and notes are welcome in the IC thread as long as you clearly mark them as such.

Also, please note that I will be on holiday (if you can call moving house and then attending a conference on catastrophe risk a holiday) from Thursday the 18th of September through to the Saturday the week after (27th?).

I will actually have access to my computer for portions of this time, so updates may come on occasion, but expect them to be less often than normal, especially in the middle of this holiday when I am in a hotel in Edinburgh and thus potentially without web access.

Other than that ... let the mayhem begin!

 

[Fenris]

[sblock=Hewligan]
Hey Hewligan, My apologies for my abscence. Life has been hard to my family lately. A crashed video card started my outage, then a series of fmaily crises followed. I am back as things have settled down now. Hopefully I am welcome back as well ?

I am sorry to have been gone, I was craving this game as it is so good. [/sblock]

 

[hewligan]

Fenris - of course. Happy to have you back!

 

[frostrune]

Hewligan,

Just daydreaming a bit about character progression and had a question for you.

At some point (probably 6th level) I was considering grabbing a 2nd level of ranger to get the two weapon fighting style. I would also get a feat at that level and was thinking of Improved Unarmed Combat. I have always been a huge fan of the Conan genre and Howard's descriptions of combat with head butts, knee to the groin, kicks, and elbow smashes.

I have seen Improved Unarmed Combat liberally interpretted to include much more than punches with a free hand. Would you consider allowing a character build where Jokad fights with sword and shield but makes 'colorful' off-hand attacks with kicks, elbows, and head butts? From my perspective this would be great fun but I am unsure if this falls within the rules.

I would appreciiate your thoughts.

Thanks,

Frostrune

 

[frostrune]

Hi All,

I'm heading out on a short vacation later this afternoon and will be out of contact for a few days (until 10/20). Please NPC Jokad as needed. I was witholding his RAGE until a melee breaks out in earnest (multiple foes) or things get desperate.

RAGE will last 8 rounds. He will take his +2 to hit and immediately dump it into PWR AT 3 becoming +7 to hit, dmg d8+7 +d6 fire. He also has CLEAVE. The CON boost will also improve his fortitude saves by +2 (+9 vs ghoul paralysis).

See you in a few days.

Josh/Frostrune

 

[Rhun]

I have seen Improved Unarmed Combat liberally interpretted to include much more than punches with a free hand. Would you consider allowing a character build where Jokad fights with sword and shield but makes 'colorful' off-hand attacks with kicks, elbows, and head butts? From my perspective this would be great fun but I am unsure if this falls within the rules.

Obviously this is Hewligan's game, so I am only throwing my opinion in here as a fellow player/DM of the game...

If you were in one of my games, I would allow it, but on the following condition: Anytime you used your improved unarmed combat for an extra attack, you'd lose your shield bonus to armor class. I believe this would keep game balance intact. I say this because a two weapon fighter who fights a sword and spike shield, or even a sword and shield bash, would lose his shield AC bonus by making the extra attack.

Of course, I would probably make a new feat that you could get in a couple of levels that would allow you to keep your shield bonus and still make your extra unarmed attack...along the lines of two-weapon defense.

Again, just my thoughts thrown out there.

 

[frostrune]

Obviously this is Hewligan's game, so I am only throwing my opinion in here as a fellow player/DM of the game...

If you were in one of my games, I would allow it, but on the following condition: Anytime you used your improved unarmed combat for an extra attack, you'd lose your shield bonus to armor class. I believe this would keep game balance intact. I say this because a two weapon fighter who fights a sword and spike shield, or even a sword and shield bash, would lose his shield AC bonus by making the extra attack.

Of course, I would probably make a new feat that you could get in a couple of levels that would allow you to keep your shield bonus and still make your extra unarmed attack...along the lines of two-weapon defense.

Again, just my thoughts thrown out there.

I appreciate the feedback Rhun.

Its been quite a while since I have DM'd but I seem to recall there is a feat out there (may be complete warrior?) called Improved Shield Bash that allows you to keep your shield bonus to AC while making bash attacks. I do not recall if it has prereq's or not. Regardless, this mechanically might be the answer though I wasn't really picturing Jokad actually making attacks with his shield. If so, I suppose it would make more sense to take Improved Shield Bash vs Improved Unarmed Strike.

Not really the flavor I was looking for but maybe the best we can do within the rules. I guess I can always call it a headbutt even if it really means a hit with a shield. Maybe Hewligan has some other ideas?

Frostrune

 

[Rhun]

I appreciate the feedback Rhun.

Its been quite a while since I have DM'd but I seem to recall there is a feat out there (may be complete warrior?) called Improved Shield Bash that allows you to keep your shield bonus to AC while making bash attacks. I do not recall if it has prereq's or not. Regardless, this mechanically might be the answer though I wasn't really picturing Jokad actually making attacks with his shield. If so, I suppose it would make more sense to take Improved Shield Bash vs Improved Unarmed Strike.

Not really the flavor I was looking for but maybe the best we can do within the rules. I guess I can always call it a headbutt even if it really means a hit with a shield. Maybe Hewligan has some other ideas?

Ah, now I see...you could accomplish what you want mechanically by taking just improved shield bash, but not the flavor. And if you were required to take improved unarmed strike and another feat to keep your shield bonus to AC, it wouldn't be worth the extra feat just for the flavor.

That makes perfect sense. With that said then, I would allow you to do it with just improved unarmed attack after all. I like to remain within the rules as much as possible, but I also love to have players who do interesting things like this with their PCs! Plus, it isn't as if the damage is great: 1d3 + 1/2 STR for a 'off hand' attack...I'd totally allow it. It isn't unbalancing at all.

 

[hewligan]

My view is that the improved unarmed attack feat is all I would require for this, or you can take improved shield bash but call it "glaswegian fighting style" (okay, bit of a Scottish joke that one), and of course just change the feat so that you use knees, head, elbow, finger gouges, etc.

What you are talking about is combining some aspects that would not normally be combined to add a lot of flavour to your character, and I am all for that.

So take this as my blessing to go ahead with your plan. Single feat only. Either take one as discussed, or create a new one that does the same thing.

 

[Friadoc]

Hey, folks, I'm sorry I've been a non-entity the past bit, but I've been under the weather, big time, and I was barely getting my school work done, let alone anything else.

But, I shall be playing catch up over the next little bit, if that's cool?

Sorry, once again.

Robert