So you got "The Book of Iron Might", what do you think.

[Lordgrae]

Actually, one thing I didn't like from the book, and from Malhavoc as a whole, is the lack of plain jane normal feats.

Arcane battle, Battlemind from BoIM, Eldritch from BoEM, Ceremonial, Talents from UA. Theres more if you get all the ones from WotC. Vile, Exalted, Tactical... Etc. Does every new feat list need it's own type?

Anyway, aside from that mini-rant. I think it's overall, a fine book. Haven't found anything other then Tumbling Strike for my rogue though. =D

Grae

 

[Siobharek]

Psion, they've posted a manoeuver cheat sheet at montecook.com. Maybe that's what you're looking for.

Personally (since I'm just running Arcana Unearthed these days), I like the fact that everything can be ported over to AU. In fact, the AU conversion appendix is what? 20 lines long?

Oh, and Lordgrae, I think that the reason for many of the feats from MP are in order to help DM's organize it. And while MP publishes many (MANY) different kind of feats, I really don't think it would be meaningful to use all of these descriptors, if you play in a campaign that in fact uses all of the feats.

Feat descriptors are also a flagging method. F'rinstance, a Ceremonial or a Talent should be used differently, and in fact, Ceremonial Feats should be approached with caution in a non-strictly AU game. As to, say, Vile feat descriptors, that simply means that you can eyeball it and ask the paladin to rethink his feat choice if he wants such a feat.

Of course, YMMV.

 

[smetzger]

First, a full-round action to study an opponent is a risky investment. If you can see your enemy, and the encounter has already started, do you spend time sizing him up for a +1 bonus, or do you charge in for an attack? There's a risk/reward mechanic built throughout a lot of stuff in this book.

I expect most people will only 'size up' someone if combat has not started yet and they are currently at a 'peaceful' state. I think the feat is balanced but I don't think it meshes well with the Sense Motive skill. Sense Motive seams like the logical skill(especially outside of combat) to use if you want to try to figure out how skilled someone is in melee combat. I understand the desire to keep the feat to a simple mechanic, and it is already on the more complex side.

It just doesn't make sense that you 'size up' someone outside of combat and get a +1 to hit them. Yet if this same guy is actively using his very high 'bluff' skill to project an air of expertise with the sword, you still get this bonus even if your Sense Motive check blows chunks.

IMO it would be better to just strike that +1 comp. for sizing someone up for a round.

Are the stunts and maneuvers similar to Secnd World Simluation's Masters of Arms stuff?

 

[Psion]

Psion, they've posted a manoeuver cheat sheet at montecook.com. Maybe that's what you're looking for.

Sort of. Their cheat sheet takes up three pages. But fixing font size and line spacing, I got it into 2.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[elbandit]

hmmm

Are the stunts and maneuvers similar to Secnd World Simluation's Masters of Arms stuff?

In some ways they are similar, but not really. Master of Arms gave us the combination attacks and you really do not get that in Book of Iron Might.

Monte Cook posted all the example maunevers up on the Book of Iron Might website. I have not decided if I like the Manuever system or not.

The Combat Stunts (which include things like running along the walls and bonus damage to charges with a leap attack) are intreasting. They require you to have a set of feats or skills to be able to perform them.

 

[Psion]

Are the stunts and maneuvers similar to Secnd World Simluation's Masters of Arms stuff?

Yes and no. MoA maneuvers are "mini feats". These maneuvers are sort of like "spontaneously implemented called shots" which can has some similar effects (more damage, ability damage, etc.), but are less feat/class ability like. They are more "opportunity" things, less about training.

That said, I am using UA action points in my game, and will probably modify the hero point rule in BoIM in a similar fashion, adapting it to action points (basically, hero points in AU let you mitigate the penalties or a maneuver.) So in practice, except for the fact that you can actually train in MoA maneuvrs, they will end up looking a lot the same in my game.

 

[Erekose13]

I havent seen any reports on the Ironborn other than people claiming they are like Warforged and Mike rebutting that. Can anyone who has it give a general overview and pros/cons, comparisons?

 

[drnuncheon]

I havent seen any reports on the Ironborn other than people claiming they are like Warforged and Mike rebutting that. Can anyone who has it give a general overview and pros/cons, comparisons?

The Ironborn are a created race mixing a crunchy metallic shell with a chewy organic center. Although they are created, they are not constructs: they still need (minimal) food and water, suffer critical hits, etc. There's essentially a handful (8?) of different types with differing racial abilities.

J

 

[Nightfall]

I must say again I'm consistantly PLEASED with the work Mike and Monte are doing.

In this regard Mike has always been a great freelancer. But with this book he's taken it to a new level.

Truly I'm already formulating ways in which an NPC Monk8/MoSC (monk of the Sacred Chain [SL Prestige class], can use a manuever or stunt that will allow him to hang an opponent caught off guard using his spiked chain end as a kind of noose. Now that's how cool and inspired Mike you've made me.

Thanks.

 

[Soul]

I can't wait for the print version of this book, hopefully it won't be on the high end price range. It reminds me of the cool things that can be done in AEGs d10 system, used for both L5R and 7th Sea. Where you call 'raises' to do extra cool abilities or to do things with style, every raise adds 5 to the difficulty but allows you to do something you wouldn't normaly do or to do it better than normal. This is sort of how I assume free-form manuevers will work, where the player states what he wants and the gm states the difficulty/results. Very cool imo, this sort of thing should definetly combine well with action points and add a much more cinematic feel.