Why, Why, Why???

[green slime]

Refocus:

I was wanting to check up if a character could take a 5-foot step and refocus, in this 3.5 game PBMB game. So I turned to the SRD. No luck. I get home, check out the 3.5 PHB. Zip.

It has disappeared from 3.5. Or at least, I can't find it. Why? Was there some horribly broken use of this ability that sent DM's quivering in their boots?

What are your experiences with Refocus, and do YOU allow its use in your 3.5 game? Or do you ban players who suggest such silly 3.0 naughtiness?

 

[Planesdragon]

Refocus was tossed in 3.5. You can get the same effect just by delaying.

 

[CM]

Planesdragon beat me to it, but here's the relevant text.

Delay

By choosing to delay, you take no action and then act normally on whatever initiative count you decide to act. When you delay, you voluntarily reduce your own initiative result for the rest of the combat. When your new, lower initiative count comes up later in the same round, you can act normally. You can specify this new initiative result or just wait until some time later in the round and act then, thus fixing your new initiative count at that point.

You never get back the time you spend waiting to see what’s going to happen. You can’t, however, interrupt anyone else’s action (as you can with a readied action).

Initiative Consequences of Delaying

Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the delayed action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed an action, you don’t get to take a delayed action (though you can delay again).

If you take a delayed action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that round.

 

[Nail]

Why, for the love of all that's holy, would you want to 3.0e refocus + 5' step, anyway?

Fill us in, Green Slime!

 

[green slime]

(Thanx.)

Because you can't charge around corners?

xAxxxxx
x
x
x
x
.
.
.
B

x = passage
A = my character
B = enemy
. Unknown intermittent distance

If one could take a 5-ft step and refocus (one can't, I checked the 3.0 rules, they explicitly ban movement), then you could Delay till the end of the round, (hope they hadn't readied an action), 5-ft step around the corner, Refocus and charge down the hallway.

As it now stands, it hardly matters if they have readied actions or not, I'm going to get hit by a shower of missile fire. IF they have readied actions, that is TWO rounds worth of missile fire.

The game is here

 

[Nail]

Double move?

If possible, find some portable cover. Is there a door around here to pop hinges?

 

[Nail]

As it now stands, it hardly matters if they have readied actions or not, I'm going to get hit by a shower of missile fire. IF they have readied actions, that is TWO rounds worth of missile fire.[/URL]

Ouch! (Nice read, BTW.)

As I see it, those hobgoblins will be able to hit you for (calculates....) about 8 hps, depending on what they're using for missile weapons.

The description *seems* to indicate that the bugbears down the corridor don't have bows or anything......javelins?

 

[Drakon66]

Green Slime,

I have some questions before I comment on what you are doing or intend to do.
1. What class of charactor are you running?
2. What level is your charactor?
3. What is your total AC for this situation?
4. How many HP's do you have?
5. How many NPC's are you facing and how are they armed?
6. Do you have back up? (other PC's or NPC's with you)
7. What is your charactors Int.?

Once I know what you are working with and are up against I could give you an informed answer as to how to handle it.

Jeff

 

[green slime]

Green Slime,

I have some questions before I comment on what you are doing or intend to do.
1. What class of charactor are you running?
2. What level is your charactor?
3. What is your total AC for this situation?
4. How many HP's do you have?
5. How many NPC's are you facing and how are they armed?
6. Do you have back up? (other PC's or NPC's with you)
7. What is your charactors Int.?

Once I know what you are working with and are up against I could give you an informed answer as to how to handle it.

Jeff

Hi Jeff! thanx for your concern!

There is a link in a post above which will take you to the fight (IC so no posting), there is also an OOC thread which you are most welcome to post in!
All the good stuff!! <= Click!

The character is the party tank, 3rd level, Ftr2/Mnk1. AC at present 19, with shield. HP is a massive 12 of 26 at the moment (expecting healing soon). 3 Bugbears, and I noticed no ranged weapons, but I only got a glance. Backup I got plenty of, but they are all of the chicken variety. You want monsters killed the hard way, Joecin's your gal! She is smart, as fighters go; Int 14.

Joecin's Character Sheet

 

[The Souljourner]

You've already answered your own question - you can't 5' step when you refocus precisely to prevent this kind of action. You're not *supposed* to be able to charge around corners.

Make a normal move around the corner and go total defense (or expertise + fighting defensively if you can). You'll have at least 22 AC, and can charge next round. Not exactly the end of the world.

-The Souljourner