Rogue 2nd level utility an encounter power

[Cadfan]

1. Its the swashbuckler in me, as well, that prefers that it be per encounter. It just got old, after a while, tumbling all the time. The theme of that use of the Tumble skill is that you pull off some acrobatic trick that lets you move so quickly that no one gets to take an attack of opportunity. Do it every round, and you start to approach farce.

For what its worth, remember that there are a LOT of other mobility options in 4e. Just look at all the rogue abilities that let you duck and weave around the battlefield.

 

[Blackbrrd]

One of my players' character is a shadowdancer with the Acrobatic Strike feat from PHB2. He's tumbling almost every round! But, I guess, in 4E there will be a separate power that has an effect similar to that feat, so it will not be necessary to tumble.

You can use the at will power Deft strike to move two squares before attacking. After this you still have your move and minor action left. You can use the move action to shift one square away or the tumble encounter power to shift three squares away.

 

[DM_Blake]

It goes without saying that, in order to tumble, the stars must be aligned, the tea leaves arranged just so, and the circumstances foretold by the auger's bones.

Afterword, you're so tired, so exhausted, so weak, that all you can do is swing your sword for the rest of the combat - or perform other powers as you like. But, the mere thought of attempting a second tumble in your depleted state will likely cast you into a gran mal epileptic seizure from which only the healing touch of a cleric, or the uplifting words of a warlord, could possibly restore you to normal health.

Yep, clear as a whip to me.

(note: deliberately mixed metaphor, intended to be a subtle jab at the way 4e is mixing RPG concepts with CRPG notions of balance).

 

[Voss]

Where does the CRPG notion of balance come in? Its been a while since I've seen one that approaches it in any manner besides 'spam it until you run out of mana'.

 

[Lacyon]

It goes without saying that, in order to tumble, the stars must be aligned, the tea leaves arranged just so, and the circumstances foretold by the auger's bones.

You can tumble as often as you want.

You can use your tumbling prowess to guarantee that OAs miss you only once per encounter. The rest of the time you'll have to rely on your AC as usual.

 

[Wormwood]

It goes without saying that, in order to tumble, the stars must be aligned, the tea leaves arranged just so, and the circumstances foretold by the auger's bones.

Go ahead and tumble as much as you want.

But you only get a free 3-square move once per combat.

edit: Lacyon!!!!!!!!

 

[Wolfwood2]

It goes without saying that, in order to tumble, the stars must be aligned, the tea leaves arranged just so, and the circumstances foretold by the auger's bones.

Afterword, you're so tired, so exhausted, so weak, that all you can do is swing your sword for the rest of the combat - or perform other powers as you like. But, the mere thought of attempting a second tumble in your depleted state will likely cast you into a gran mal epileptic seizure from which only the healing touch of a cleric, or the uplifting words of a warlord, could possibly restore you to normal health.

Hey, look at it from the other side. If some guy runs past me, I get a whack at him with my sword. Now if he suddenly does a backflip, for some reason I can't target him? Get real. Maybe he can fool me and my warriors with that trick once, but next time he tries it we'll be ready.

 

[Mengu]

Between Shifting, Deft Strike, Tumble, Artful Dodger, Nimble Reaction, Second Chance, and Halfling Agility, the second level halfling rogue should be able to get to a flank unharmed most of the time. I'd go so far as to say his abilities are very well selected to be a mobile melee rogue. I have no doubt at higher levels, he could add on more mobility to his arsenal, but for 2nd level this is probably as good as it gets.

 

[Just Another User]

At first I raised my eyebrows, then I remembered all those Order of the Stick comics where Elan tumbles like 8 rounds in a row so that he can run in circles around the battlefield. And I remembered that was dumb. And I remembered that rogues get Mobility built in, if they want it.

The problem is that 3.x tumble , like everything with a fixed DC (I'm looking at you Concentration), was just too easy after a cetain level. The solution would have been making it harder, maybe an opposed check against the monster's attack, or something similiar.

To be fair, it is possibile than a trained use of the i.e acrobatic skill could be to used to move avoiding AO with an appropriate high roll, that could cover what Professor Cino mean for Tumble leaving the power for that rare and exceptional 1-in-a-thousand "exploit".

 

[Wolfwood2]

The problem is that 3.x tumble , like everything with a fixed DC (I'm looking at you Concentration), was just too easy after a cetain level. The solution would have been making it harder, maybe an opposed check against the monster's attack, or something similiar.

So you'd have a check versus a monster's attack bonus to see if he gets a chance to hit you, and if the monster makes it he then gets to make an attack versus your AC to see if he hits you. Basically it would amounts to making the monster make two attack rolls, and both have to be good. It seems like a more efficient way to do it would be to give a bonus to AC against opportunity attacks, or maybe make it so opportunity attacks do only half damage.