Robillar's Gambit

[Nifft]

Robillars Gambit: it's easy to hit and damage me, but I get free attacks when you do.

Frenzied Berserker: turns out I'm immune to death from damage.

Er... I think I see one of these being broken. Basically, being unkillable increases the value of anything that trades defense for offense (since you don't actually pay for your decreased defense by risking death).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Rystil Arden]

I've GMed for a Frenzied Berserker PC at high levels, and it wasn't a problem. If the GM in the OP was supposedly trying to keep up with the PCs' builds, and he had an excuse to know the capabilities of the PCs ahead of time (BBEG is one character's father), I don't see why the GM didn't bring some Disintegrate to the party. Once the Berserker is down below 0, any Disintegrate will kill it. Of course it will make the save, but the residual 2d6 damage will finish it off.

IMC, I also created another spell that adds +1 'Disintegrate' damage to each of a weapon's strikes, researched by an ongoing enemy of the PC. This is not really an overpowered spell, and it has the advantage that it stops Pious Templar Frenzied Berserkers (fortunately my player is not one) that have Mettle.

Either way, though, if the GM saw in previous battles how this combo worked for the PC and was trying to make a climactic finale, he was being negligent to neglect Disintegrate, a spell that the BBEG would have been able to cast, possibly Quickened with a Metamagic Rod.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

Wouldn't prismatic sphere stop reverse gravity's effect? They'd still touch the sphere, since gravity would be reversed right up to it, but they wouldn't go through...

like i said I wasen't sure, you could be right, i didn't think of it like that. One could also argue that due to inertia, you might still be forced into the sphear. That would result in many many forced intersections with the sphere as once you fall back out of the sphere you are immediately pushed into it. But I think your argument is much more reasonable for the game itself.

I don't care ether way, so I'm not arguing I'm right, I'm just making a educated guess.

*on topic*

Robilar's Gambit in of itself isn't broken. You basically get an extra attack AFTER the opponent attacks you and they also get a +4 to hit AND damage for this.

So you can see, it in of itself isn't that bad.

I don't have the book in front of me, But I thought the attack could miss you and you still get the aoo. I know with karmatic strike you do need to get hit first, but i thought RG was different, and that is why it was higher level and does +4 damage as well when a enemy does hit you.

Also if said badguy Knows that this warblade has a really nice counter attack, whats to stop him from using a reach weapon. The warblade couldn't counter attack because he is out of reach. Arguably he could be disarmed or have his weapon sundered though. I am assuming the wrablade did not have a reach weapon.

 

[PallidPatience]

Also if said badguy Knows that this warblade has a really nice counter attack, whats to stop him from using a reach weapon. The warblade couldn't counter attack because he is out of reach. Arguably he could be disarmed or have his weapon sundered though. I am assuming the wrablade did not have a reach weapon.

This was the point I was going to make.

If the dragon (assuming an age to be of an appropriate CR to the group) attacks the FB, the FB gets NO AoOs. Why not? The dragon will not saunter up to the FB and, standing within the meager 5' reach, full attack him. You don't get AoOs on an opponent you don't threaten.

 

[Wolfwood2]

This was the point I was going to make.

If the dragon (assuming an age to be of an appropriate CR to the group) attacks the FB, the FB gets NO AoOs. Why not? The dragon will not saunter up to the FB and, standing within the meager 5' reach, full attack him. You don't get AoOs on an opponent you don't threaten.

That's true, though it's not an impossible problem to deal with. If the PC is Enlarged or using a Spiked Chain (or some other means of being right next to the dragon but having a reach of 10 feet), he can make it impossible for the dragon to get out of range and still make a full attack. No matter how big it is, the dragon can only move back 5 feet on its turn without forfeiting its full attack. The PC juist has to make sure he ends his turn right next to the dragon.

 

[kanatafun]

Two words. calm emotion

It automatically suppresses the barbarian rage ability. no save no anything.

 

[Nezkrul]

another easy fix to the OP is to have simply ruled that you can't use the tactical expertise affored to you by Robilar's Gambit (look up gambit, noun, in dictionary; requires intelligence) while raging or frenzying. Problem solved.

 

[Jackinthegreen]

For those who would like a link to the actual feats: Robilar's Gambit. Yes, it does work on both misses and hits, unlike Karmic Strike.

Note there is a disclaimer on it that asks you not to look at anything from books you don't actually own.

 

[Umbran]

but it is a bit frustrating when players know their builds can't be touched...

"What is good for the goose is good for the gander." If the PCs can do it, so can an NPC. So, that untouchable build can be faced with itself, or some polar opposite that wipes the floor with it. Over specialization tends to leave vulnerable holes.

That is, assuming the GM has the time to do the character design and build, and has the rules mastery to do it. If the GM doesn't have the time/master, barring some agreement from the GM that they will only use "official" material for antagonists, the GM can create a monster or NPC with abilities that defeat any particular build arbitrarily.

Player: "I can't die from hit point damage!"
GM: "That's okay. Neither can he. The two of you are now locked in an eternal struggle. Let's roll off Con checks to see who drops from sheer exhaustion first..."
or
GM: "Interestingly, he has a magic sword that does Con damage, rather than hit point damage...."
or
...

So, is the real issue that the build was broken, or that the GM didn't fully understand the capabilities of the PCs, such that what he built as opposition wasn't appropriate?

 

[TwoSix]

Is there anything that counters the Dread Necromancer ability that brought this thread back?