Samardan Press releases Fantasy Concepts!

[Gwarh]

Pg:45 - Talent - Death Attack

Death Attack [Prestige]
Your stealth attacks can be deadly.
Prerequisite: Sneak Attack



The Death Attack talent seems pretty powerfull. Shouldn't it also require the Crippling Strike talent as a prerequisite?

 

[Flynn]

Hi Flynn,

I downloaded it and have skimmed through it. It looks good and I'm excited about giving it a try.

The only thing that stood out to me was on page 60, the Table: Skills by Class lists classes that differ from the classes detailed earlier. I presume scholar replaces wizard, but what are the number of beginning skills for outlander and aristocrat?

Darn, thank you for catching that. I totally missed it during my clean-up. Please use the numbers found in the class descriptions. I'll see if I can get a fresh PDF up sometime today with that correction, if Lulu will let me. That should get it up for re-downloading, and hopefully before the print runs begin on the requested prints. If Lulu won't let me, I'll create an errata document that can be downloaded for free, to cover that.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

On pg:21 under the heading for Gnomes, it states the below.

Small Size: As Small creatures, gnomes gain +1 size bonus to their Reflex Score and attack rolls,

Does this mean that because they are small, they get a bonus to hit others? And if that is
the case then why? It must be only vs creatures larger than themselves. As it wouldn't
make any sense if they got a +1 to hit other small creatures.

This is standard for small races in D20, too. They get a +1 to attack and a +1 to AC. Notice that this becomes a wash for small creatures, as the attack bonus is offset by the Reflex Score adjustment.

Hope that helps,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

Page 23 lists the Aristocrat Character Class's starting Weapon Group Proficiency as Clubs.
Wouldn't it make more sense to have Swords. As Swords were the symbol of authority in
many ancient societies.

While that is the case, and I'm not opposed to adding it, as it makes sense, I didn't want to require that all nobles and aristocrats know Blades, but I figured anyone could swing a club. Feel free to add it in your game as a freebie for Aristocrats, as I don't think it would imbalance anything to do so.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

Is the Reactive Attack that this feat allows you to make (by using an action point) in
addition to any other attacks one could make in a give round? or is it either the Riposite
or your normal attack.

I'm assuming it's in addition too as it costs a Action Point to activate. I only mention it
as it's not entierly clear which is the case.

It's an additional attack outside of your normal attacks, which is why you need to spend an action point to activate it.

Hope That Helps,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

(keep in mind all these comments are just IMO)

The Armored Caster feat is listed as only for (Scholars a.k.a. Wizards)
but wouldn't it be, at least in a traditional D&D'ish sense for Mystics a.k.a. Clerics.

And the Attack Focus feat is listed as only for (Aristocrat, Mystic, Outlander,
Warrior) Wouldn't it be more likely that the Mystic be swapped with Expert as it
more or a martial class than the Mystic? Granted Warrior Monks could be
portayed as a Mystic, but I still feel Experts should be in this group as well.

Blind–Fight is listed as only for (Mystic, Warrior) Wouldn't Expert be a
better choice than Mystic for this feat?

Armored Caster is listed for Scholars because it works against arcane magics. Divine magics do not suffer this penalty. If you decide that they do in your campaign, please add this to the list of those available for the Mystic.

Since I pictured the Mystic as being a useful class for capturing holy warrior concepts, I included the Mystic in the list for Attack Focus. Otherwise, I wouldn't have added it at all, and left the feat to one of the generic level advancement feats for members of that class. If, in your campaign, you would like to add the Expert, or replace the Mystic with the Expert, feel free to do so. Make the game yours as much as you'd like.

I only included Blind-Fight for Mystics because of the concept of the blind martial artist, which is a classic trope for such things. As the Mystic encompasses the monk-style concepts as well as the divine caster, I felt it was a good fit. Again, for your campaign, if you'd like to add Expert or substitute Expert for Mystic, please feel free. For me, it made more thematic sense to do it as I did.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

On page 31 the below feat is printed as:

Favored Enemy Spell (Mystic, Scholar)

Now granted I'm being really nit picky here but shoudln't it read
Favored Enemy: Spell (Mystic, Scholar) For as the way it is
now, it reads as if you have a Favorite Spell that your Enemy Casts.
I thought at first when I read it it would be a feat to gain a bonus on
counter spelling a particular enemies spell.

It is designed to make your spells more effective against a favored enemy. It has nothing to do with counterspelling. I'm not sure what you are getting at with this one, but I think it's because I'm having a hard time reading in the light that you have. Feel free to explain, if you'd like.

Favored Enemy Spell (Mystic, Scholar)
You are adept at casting spells against your favored enemies.
Prerequisite: Favored Enemy, ability to cast arcane or divine spells
Benefit: When casting a spell against your favored enemies, you can either add half your favored enemy bonus to the spell’s power check or your full favored enemy bonus to the amount of damage inflicted by the spell.

Improved Point Blank Shot and Improved Precise Shot
Perhaps adding Outlander to the limited to classes for this feat would
be good. As the Outlander seems to include Forrester/Ranger like
characters under it's umbrella.

That's a good point, and one I considered, but I didn't want to step on the concept of the archer/ranged specialist that I'd been somewhat developing for the Expert. However, it makes sense to add Outlander to the list of allowed class feats for those two feats, and I don't think it would be unbalancing to do so in your campaigns.

As an aside, Gwarh, I greatly appreciate you taking the time to post your questions for me, and I hope that I'm answering them to your satisfaction. Let me know if I need to make any additional clarifications.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

Death Attack [Prestige]
Your stealth attacks can be deadly.
Prerequisite: Sneak Attack



The Death Attack talent seems pretty powerfull. Shouldn't it also require the Crippling Strike talent as a prerequisite?

I didn't feel it should be required, seeing as how you can't take this talent before 5th level anyway and that's roughly when you would get it from the Assassin PrC in standard D20 rules. Because of that, I felt that it was balanced as I've written it. I would suggest you try it first, and if you find that Death Attack is too easy to get or too powerful in your campaign, that you could add the Crippling Strike talent as a prerequisite.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Oldtimer]

Acrobatics, Acrobatic Defense, Fighting Defensively, Total Defense

Acrobatics skill
A character with Acrobatics as a known skill gains a +4 dodge bonus to Reflex Score (instead of the normal +2) when fighting defensively, and a +8 dodge bonus (instead of
the normal +4) when engaging in Total Defense.

Acrobatic Defense feat (Normal section)
If you have 5 or more ranks in Acrobatics, you gain a +3 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when fighting defensively, and a +6 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when using the total defense standard action.

Fighting Defensively combat action
Can't find it among the Combat Round Actions

Total Defense combat action
If you have Acrobatics as a known skill, this bonus increases to +6.

The numbers vary and ranks are back. The feat also mentions "This benefit includes the synergy bonus you gain from having Skill Focus in Acrobatics" which is not repeated in either Skill Focus feat or Acrobatics skill.

Also I was wondering about your terminology: in Races you talk about Trained Skills, but in Classes and Skills you talk about Known Skills and in Talent Paths you use "Skill Training (...)".

 

[Flynn]

Acrobatics skill
A character with Acrobatics as a known skill gains a +4 dodge bonus to Reflex Score (instead of the normal +2) when fighting defensively, and a +8 dodge bonus (instead of
the normal +4) when engaging in Total Defense.

Acrobatic Defense feat (Normal section)
If you have 5 or more ranks in Acrobatics, you gain a +3 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when fighting defensively, and a +6 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when using the total defense standard action.

Fighting Defensively combat action
Can't find it among the Combat Round Actions

Total Defense combat action
If you have Acrobatics as a known skill, this bonus increases to +6.

The numbers vary and ranks are back. The feat also mentions "This benefit includes the synergy bonus you gain from having Skill Focus in Acrobatics" which is not repeated in either Skill Focus feat or Acrobatics skill.

Also I was wondering about your terminology: in Races you talk about Trained Skills, but in Classes and Skills you talk about Known Skills and in Talent Paths you use "Skill Training (...)".

Another tidbit I didn't catch in the rushed editing process of getting this out by the deadline. Consider all of the terminologies to be synonymous. I'll need to clean up the mention of ranks. My apologies for the errors. I appreciate the feedback on the errata.

I've rewritten the Acrobatic Defense feat as follows:

Acrobatic Defense (Expert, Warrior)
You are an expert at using acrobatics to defend yourself from attacks.
Prerequisite: Acrobatics as a trained skill
Benefit: When in light armor or no armor, your dodge bonus when fighting defensively or when using the total defense standard action increases to +2.
Normal: You normally have a +2 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when fighting defensively, and a +4 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when using the total defense standard action. If you have Skill Focus in Acrobatics, you gain a +4 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when fighting defensively, and a +8 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score when using the total defense standard action.

Under Attack (Standard Action), I've added:

Fight Defensively: You can choose to fight in a defensive manner. You suffer a –4 penalty on attack rolls, but you also gain a +2 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score until the beginning of your next round. If you have Skill Focus in Acrobatics, this bonus increases to +4.
Fight Wildly: You may choose to fight wildly. You gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls, but you suffer a –4 penalty to your Reflex Score until the beginning of your next round.

I have clarified Total Defense as follows:

Total Defense (Standard Action)
As a standard action, you can choose to avoid attacks instead of attacking. You don’t get to attack or perform any other standard action, but you get a +4 dodge bonus to your Reflex Score for the round. If you have Skill Focus in Acrobatics, this bonus increases to +8.

The text description of the Acrobatics skill has changed to support these modifications:

Special: While balancing, the character is flat–footed (the character loses his or her Dexterity bonus to Reflex Score, if the character has one), unless the character has Acrobatics as a trained skill. If the character takes damage, he or she must make an Acrobatics check again to remain standing. Moving twice in a round requires two checks, one for each move action.
A character with a Skill Focus in Acrobatics gains a +4 dodge bonus to Reflex Score (instead of the normal +2) when fighting defensively, and a +8 dodge bonus (instead of the normal +4) when engaging in Total Defense.

An updated version of the PDF will go up today, and I'll post here to let you know when you can re-download the PDF and get the corrected version.

With Regards,
Flynn