Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arawyn" data-source="post: 1677691" data-attributes="member: 9671">Is this better achieved with Education than FeatsHi Bob,:-D Great idea, it is the problem that every WMA'er who roleplays moans about but rarely tries to fix (or like me, follow through with ;-)I have looked into this issue myself and have tried Feats but I don't think it works (mind you we have shared some very similar thoughts).The problem is including Feats as a way to explain basic techniques means that valuable feat slots are wasted on techniques that any (semi-)competent swordsman should know.As in the case of your examples:Sidestep FeatYou are giving a Feat to a basic bit of footwork that I expect my students to know before they even touch a sword. (though the feat woudl mean competent and consistant, unlike a beginner)Now the Dodge feat really is just a way of explaining the application of Judgement and Measure and knowing when to Fly In and Out (Governors-Silver).This feat gives little benefit other than some basic free movement that a flexible/condidant GM would give in these circumstances if asked by a player.The Grapple check bonus really should be kept to Improved Grapple, which any  competent swordman should know.Counterstoke FeatI start with teaching Open Fight to my students. Other than knowing how to stand in a Guard, this is one of the first techniques they learn.Now okay this is a little better than reality becuase you are taking advantage of the correct timing and distance/movement to catch your opponent laying spent which is a lot harder to get between swordsman at full speed and martial intent than in d20...Point Control FeatGood idea, but I personally think avoiding AoO when unarmed against a armed opponent to be rubbish anyway. (It should just give you something like a +4 dodge bonus for the AoO instead).As you can guess though, I think it is a feat to fix an unrealistic artifact in the d20 system. So changing the system should be the choice, not a waste of a Feat slot.Cooperative Fighting FeatTell me if I am wrong here, but I am making ASSumptions. ;-)Fixing that multiple opponent issue in d20. It is not that easy in reality as we know. It is like a free assist action though isn't it?If you try to make multiple opponents more challenging remember this will effect CRs. In addition it should be easier for goblinoid races to take.What I have tried is using the Class Defence Bonuses(d20Modern)+Dex+Dodge(but double) as a  "Defence Pool" that can be allocated as a Dodge bonus per attack that can be replenished at the start of your action.Lunge FeatIsn't Spring Attack supposed to be a mechanic for Lunging?Half SwordingGotta love it don't you. :-DActually half-swording is done with Silver's single sword and 18thC Backsword as well just for a start.I could imagine Swetnam's Rapier and Dagger having mechanics similar to half-swording as well.I personally think that Halfswording benefits are more about improved defenceagainst weapons with greater reach and power. It is method of a moving into close distance defensively.I imagine Halfswording as the technique when your swordsman is moving to the adjacent square of an opponent with reach.Now honestly Bob, how many of these type of feats would you consider yourself to have in your current skill level?Work out a d20 Modern character that can take all of it into account.You end up being pretty high-level don't you? You just don't get all the Feat slots you would need.So what I have tried is looking at ways to explain realistic techniques within the broad combat strategies that currently exist (Special Initative Actions, Combat Modifiers and Special Attacks).I also gave additional bonuses for more detailed descriptions of attacks.This is can be an ugly hack and really needs to be detailed properly at some time (when I have some spare).The issue is that the d20 Developers at WotC don't have the knowledge of a WMA community (and are not the intended audience either).A rewrite/tweak of the Combat section of the SRD could do wonders to the realism of the game without the addition of many Feats.Articles of weapon styles/techniques and related Combat Feats could also help. (there was a basic one in Dragon in the last year).Education of Western Martial Arts in relation to d20, rather then rules addition I think is a better solution.BTW: Medievil Sword and Shield (I.33) by Stephen Hand and Paul (Mac)Wagner is a good book, though I want my Modern Swordman's Companion and Highland Broadsword books already. ;-)regards,Scott Nimmo</blockquote>

Verification