Skirmishing Warlord

[UngeheuerLich]

Maybe a standardized attack bonus is not the worst thing to do... at least when the attack damage is still using the attribute...

the attribute requirements for multiclass feats are good enough for me to restrict access to totally unfitting classes. (maybe even use these as requirements for your normal class)

I would however not begin with 5+x as you suggested but with the more balanced 3+level + proficiency bonus and eliminate enhancement bonuses and expertise feat bonuses completely out of your calculation. This way you achieve the smoothest curve.

then you should look at the magic item treshold of monsters and calculate if you get an enhancement bonus out of your magic weapon or not.

the result is a perfectly balanced to hit system where everybody is happy.

notice: in your example, the paladin is hitting with +6 vs AC, the rogue hits with +10 vs Reflex with combat advantage.

Now the question is: is the game balanced for such an equal increase for all? I don´t know, but this is what i would do if i would change anything.

(Defenses are much more difficult, i believe you need to tie a bonus to heavy armor proficiencies and to light armor proficiencies to have the same result)

edit: grapple would be strength + level without any enhancemen bonuses added...

 

[tyrlaan]

I tend to agree with folks saying STR for firing a bow seems a bit weak. I can see the argument, but it does stretch things for me. Love the fact that the warlord will finally have a ranged option though.

My thing is, if the warlord was built off INT instead of STR, I doubt we'd even be discussing this topic.

 

[bganon]

I just see the archer ranger and archer warlord as having completely different styles.

One deftly nicks arrows into the dragon's joints, crippling it. The other blasts one right in it's chest as it rears to attack, which might not hurt it too much, but is so in-your-face awesome it gives the heroes some renewed hope.

 

[Garthanos]

It would make the classes more flexible. Instead of being a "Tactical warlord" you could have an array of scores that looks like:
Tactical: 18, Inspiring: 13, Resourceful: 16, Bravura: 8, Archery: 10

Stronger people in real life usually get bigger bows and draw the ones they do use back further to allow faster farther flying arrows... harder to evade... better at penetrating... hmmm sounds like more damage and better to hit for me.

Note better timing and perception could be emphasized if that is the advantage you have... Modern bows involve only enough strength to get them cocked (no stamina or burst perception but sustained and timing yes).

For some styles of bow use it is important to be able to draw a STRong bow then hold it for a longer period of time CONstituting a need for stamina but you might exploit sudden DEXtrous aiming and quick release after drawing (me I use the latter because I dont like holding it or compound bows and recurve is cooler). Many techniques can be employed like combining just the right timing, judgement and perception intelligently deciding when to release on the field of battle is often as useful as arrow speed and it often combines with weaker bows and arcing the arrow so it is not obvious to the target exactly from whence the attack is coming. Deception and creativity can come in to it by changing rate of fire or targets...

Those who study theories of "intelligence" came to the conclusion a while back that there isn't any one generalized quality in real life... but rather a myriad of them which represent many different specialized styles of thought. (almost like classes or skills and close concept wise to what you described in your oh so mocking web tones).

Oh and strength ... umm is that thigh burst strength front or back thick muscle or long (can you jump high or long better and can you sustain the activity?) One can look at a roman statue of a discuss thrower and tell what his musculature was best for but it might be similar to some of the same back strength of a golfer but the golfer has more elongated calves useful for stamina and walking

The first game I saw which disconnected attributes from abilities was called fudge... or was that fate?

 

[DracoSuave]

I tend to agree with folks saying STR for firing a bow seems a bit weak. I can see the argument, but it does stretch things for me. Love the fact that the warlord will finally have a ranged option though.

My thing is, if the warlord was built off INT instead of STR, I doubt we'd even be discussing this topic.

Well, Warlords are a Strength-based class. Tossing in Dexterity would cause even more bawwing as people would go 'But his powers don't work, you can't mix ranged and melee powers cause you still need Intellegence bawww'.

So, by making the basic ranged attack Strength, it matches his basic attack with the rest of his class's attack.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

Never thought of it like that. Here's the full text of the houserule:

Cool stuff. With this method, I'd treat ability scores as measures of effect - they give at least a baseline for the degree of success if a check is made. That could be damage from an attack, amount of weight lifted from a skill check, etc.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

And if you can calculate an arrows flight in a matter of seconds... have the confidence to fire the bow in the heat of battle or you just aim intuitively right, you could as well use INT, CHA or WISDOM for a ranged basic attack, so a RANGED TRAINING feat would be useful.

 

[Garthanos]

And if you can calculate an arrows flight in a matter of seconds... have the confidence to fire the bow in the heat of battle or you just aim intuitively right, you could as well use INT, CHA or WISDOM for a ranged basic attack, so a RANGED TRAINING feat would be useful.

Yup most definitely...

 

[Destil]

My thing is, if the warlord was built off INT instead of STR, I doubt we'd even be discussing this topic.

Yeah, we totally didn't argue about this for the seeker...

Of course a lot of people may just handwave everything that isn't martial.