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This is the story of the Brothers Cut, Tourne and Tranche. Although Tourne briefly led a monastic life, and Tranche is an unrepentant rake (well, Knife Master, but whatever), their brotherly love knows no bounds. They are known for overt expressions of their mutual affection, and for their peculiar song, which they sing as a duet, dedicated to the eternal Brotherly Love they epitomize.
These brothers are so entirely in tune with each other, that there is not a single legged, non-flying opponent which they can not utterly slaughter in six seconds flat. (literally)
The Brothers Cut are Pathfinder Society legal 7th level characters. Watch in astonishment as they show you just what it means when they say they "like to get it up."
Tourne Cut
Human Flowing Monk 2/Two-Handed Fighter 5
Str: 20 (13pts, +2 racial, +1 lvl4)
Dex: 18 (10pts, +2 belt)
Con: 8 (-2pts)
Int: 13 (3pts)
Wis: 10 (0pts)
Cha: 7 (-4pts)
Feats:
1Ftr - Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Seven Branched Sword) - 1st, Power Attack - human, Weapon Focus(Seven Branched Sword) - fighter 1
2Mnk - Combat Reflexes - Monk 1
3Mnk - Tandem Trip - 3rd, Improved Trip - monk 2
4Ftr - Vicious Stomp - fighter 2
5Ftr - Precise Strike - 5th
6Ftr - Weapon Specialization(Seven Branched Sword)
7Ftr - Greater Trip - 7th
Equipment - maximum value: 23,800
+1 Menacing Seven Branched Sword - 8350
+2 Belt of Incredible Dexterity - 4000
+1 Mithral Full Plate - 6650
+1 Amulet of Natural Armor - 2000
+1 Ring of Protection - 2000
Total: 23,000
Tranche Cut
Human Knife Master(Rogue) 7
Str: 10 (0pts)
Dex: 22 (13pts, +2 racial, +1 4th, +2 belt)
Con: 16 (10 pts)
Int: 14 (5pts)
Wis: 7 (-4 pts)
Cha: 7 (-4pts)
Feats:
1 - Improved Unarmed Strike - 1st, Combat Reflexes - human
2 - Weapon Finesse - Finesse Rogue
3 - Tandem Trip - 3rd
4 - Weapon Focus(Dagger) - Weapon Training
5 - Precise Strike - 5th
6 - Dodge - Combat Trick
7 - Mobility - 7th
Equipment - max value - 23,800
+1 Agile Dagger - 8302
+2 Mithral Chain Shirt - 5250
+2 Belt of Incredible Dexterity - 4000
+1 Amulet of Natural Armor - 2000
+1 Ring of Protection - 2000
+1 Cloak of Resistance - 1000
Total: 22,552
Attack Sequence:
Combat Begins - Tranche double moves around far side of enemy to set up flank.
Tourne charges opponent and attempts a trip using his Seven Branched Sword.
Attack Roll: +24 (+6 BAB, +5 Str, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Weapon Training,+2 Menacing, +2 Imp. Trip, +2 Greater Trip, +2 flank, +2 charge) If he rolls a 2 on the die, he has a roll of 26, pretty tough to avoid. Opponent is now flat-footed, and provokes attacks of opportunity.
Tranche takes his first AOO
Attack Roll: +15 (+5 BAB, +6 Dex, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +2 Flank) against the opponent's flat-footed AC.
Damage: 1d4 +4d8 sneak attack +1d6 precise strike +6 Dex +1 Enhancement = 1d4 +7 +4d8 +1d6
Tourne takes his first AOO - Trip attempt using Seven Branched Sword, using Redirection ability.
Attack Roll: +22 (+6 BAB, +5 Str, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Weapon Training, +2 Menacing, +2 Imp. Trip, +2 Greater Trip, +2 Flank) against opponent's CMD minus dex bonus (he is flat-footed). Very low chance opponent is sickened. (DC 11 Reflex Save halves, assuming 1 round halved is 0 rounds) Opponent provokes AOO because of Greater Trip.
Tranche takes his second AOO
Attack Roll: +15 (+5 BAB, +6 Dex, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +2 Flank) against the opponent's flat-footed AC. Small chance opponent is sickened.
Damage: 1d4 +4d8 sneak attack +1d6 precise strike +6 Dex +1 Enhancement = 1d4 +7 +4d8 +1d6
Tourne takes his second AOO - Trip attempt using Seven Branched Sword, using Redirection ability.
Attack Roll: +22 (+6 BAB, +5 Str, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Weapon Training, +2 Menacing, +2 Imp. Trip, +2 Greater Trip, +2 Flank) against opponent's CMD minus dex bonus (he is flat-footed). Very low chance opponent is sickened or nauseated. Opponent provokes AOO because of Greater Trip
Tranche takes his third AOO
Attack Roll: +15 (+5 BAB, +6 Dex, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +2 Flank) against the opponent's flat-footed AC. Small chance opponent is sickened or nauseated.
Damage: 1d4 +4d8 sneak attack +1d6 precise strike +6 Dex +1 Enhancement = 1d4 +7 +4d8 +1d6
Tourne takes his third AOO - Trip attempt using Seven Branched Sword, attempting to trip opponent to prone.
Attack Roll: +22 (+6 BAB, +5 Str, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Weapon Training, +2 Menacing, +2 Imp. Trip, +2 Greater Trip, +2 Flank) against opponent's CMD minus dex bonus (he is flat-footed). Very low chance opponent is sickened or nauseated. Opponent provokes AOO because of Greater Trip.
Tranche takes his fourth AOO
Attack Roll: +15 (+5 BAB, +6 Dex, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +2 Flank) against the opponent's flat-footed AC. Small chance opponent is sickened or nauseated.
Damage: 1d4 +4d8 sneak attack +1d6 precise strike +6 Dex +1 Enhancement = 1d4 +7 +4d8 +1d6
Tourne takes his fourth AOO - Power Attack with Seven Branched Sword.
Attack Roll: +16 (+5 BAB, +6 Dex, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Weapon Training, +2 Menacing, +2 Flank, -2 Power Attack) against opponent's Flat-footed AC. Very low chance opponent is sickened or nauseated.
Damage: 1d10 + 1d6 precise strike +10 Str (Overhand Chop) +6 Power Attack +1 Enhancement +1 Weapon Training +2 Weapon Specialization = 1d10 +20 +1d6
Opponent falls prone. Opponent provokes AOO from characters with the Vicious Stomp feat.
Tranche takes his fifth AOO - Vicious Stomp
Attack Roll(Unarmed Strike): +13 (+5 BAB, +6 Dex, +2 Flank) against the opponent's flat-footed, prone AC. Small chance opponent is sickened or nauseated.
Damage: 1d3 +4d4 sneak attack +1d6 precise strike +6 Dex = 1d3 +6 +4d8 +1d6
Tourne, if he has had Cat's Grace cast on him, takes his fifth AOO - Vicious Stomp
Attack Roll(Unarmed Strike): +13 (+6 BAB, +5 Str, +2 Flank) against the opponent's flat-footed, prone AC. Small chance opponent is sickened or nauseated.
Damage: 1d6 + 1d6 precise strike +5 Str.
Tourne's turn on round 1 of combat ends. That's right, this all took place during the first turn of one character. Tranche gave up doing damage on his turn in order to get into position.
Thus, on round one of combat, between the two brothers, they have done a potential damage of: 8d4 + 1d3 + 1d10 + 8d6 + 16d8 + 59. If every damage die roll 1's, that's 93 damage.
Note that, in the unlikely event that Tourne fails any of these trip attempts (pretty much needs to roll a 1), he gets to roll a second time and take that result instead.
While the Brothers Cut fight, they sing the following song, although most combats they don't get past the first verse before their target is dead. After killing an opponent, they kiss each other once on the cheek, and then both kiss the cheek of their slaughtered foe.
Give it up to this planet full of strife
We're the Brothers Cut cuttin' sharp as a knife
With the pop of a snap and the flip of a flap
The Cuts went up like a natural fact
It was our shoulder space
That made the perfect place
For the magic of the Cut
To style out with grace
With a tight turn twist
And a slight swerve swank
The Brothers Cut kissed
With a kick ass clank
We are the Brothers Cut
We like to get it up
We are the Brothers Cut
We like to get it up
Give it up to this planet full of strife
We're the Brothers Cut cuttin' sharp as a knife
With the pop of a snap and the flip of a flap
The Cuts went up like a natural fact
So love all your brothers
And love all your sisters
Love all the misses
And love all the misters
Don't be shy when you're sharin' your kisses
The Brothers Cut kiss
And we ain't sissies
It is our notion that the perfect peace potion
Can be found in the wake of the green sea's motion
The long rocking swell of the mighty blue ocean
Is the cradle of peace it's the perfect peace potion
Give it up to this planet full of strife
We're the Brothers Cut cuttin' sharp as a knife
With the power of the Cut we are about to astound
All your preconceptions they will come unbound
We are the Brothers Cut coming to your town
Bringing tubs of love we're going to spread it around
Suck on that, AM BARBARIAN, these are 7th level, PFS legal characters.
For those of you trying to unravel it, the trick revolves around tripping a foe who's already tripped, making the target provoke new AoOs with Greater Trip every time.
OP edited to specify each instance where Greater Trip causes opponent to provoke an AOO.
You likey Rasmus? ;-)
reading the short thing from Rasmus Wagner (thanks for summing it up) I'm not sure it is legal as you can't trip someone who's on the floor, neither can you trip someone as an AoO for standing up (as he's on the floor when it triggers, see FAQ).
Or is there something I understood wrong from the rules or from what you want to do with that build.
anyhow, +1 for every attemp to create 2 builds at a time that synergize this well (too bad it's just twice the same build that synergizes with itself, not that versatile, even if it's strong)
The opponent does not end up on the floor prone till the last trip in the sequence. Seven Branched Sword allows you to make an opponent flat-footed instead of falling prone with a trip attempt. Redirection ability of the Flowing Monk archetype allows you to make an opponent sickened instead of falling prone with a trip attempt. Sickened twice stacks to make one nauseated, thus the small chance of those conditions being applied.
after reading it in a little more detail it seems a very good combo, a one-trick-pony for sure, but it works.
Another idea would be to get sap master and change knife master to something different, perhaps ninja or something. It should give you a considerable damage boost, even if it's nonlethal.
Oh, come on. It's better than a "good combo." It's a Munchkin masterpiece. It even comes with its own theme song. ;-)
I said "very", and yes it's munchkinism (for proof: check wisdom of rogue), but it's no AM barbarian (before the FAQ).
The problem is that sundering the fighters sword will destroy the combo, it's awesome on paper, but I wouldn't want to play it because it's either you achieve this combo and win without breaking a sweat (and having fun) or you'll die miserably.
However I don't really get the "tourne" thing, perhaps because he spins his opponents around?
I would have gone for: Zack and H'lay.
also, stay knife master, take sap master and try to munchkin some +1 agile merciful knifes in there for 2d8+2 sneak damage for every 2 levels of rogue.
I said "very", and yes it's munchkinism (for proof: check wisdom of rogue), but it's no AM barbarian (before the FAQ).
AM BARBARIAN is a 20th level character. These are 7th level characters.
AM BARBARIAN requires quite a bit of GM cooperation, and does not work fully by RAW. These are completely legal PFS 20 point-buy characters, requiring no house-ruling at all.AM BARBARIAN does not understand Brotherly Love. Only BATTY BAT loves AM BARBARIAN.
AM BARBARIAN does not sing Red Hot Chili Peppers songs as he purees you into a fine red mist.
The problem is that sundering the fighters sword will destroy the combo, it's awesome on paper, but I wouldn't want to play it because it's either you achieve this combo and win without breaking a sweat (and having fun) or you'll die miserably.
Sundering his weapon would only reduce Tourne's attack bonus by 5, and make him unable to make the opponent flat-footed. This is not such a problem, because Tranche already has a flank. Remember, Tourne is a monk. He loves his crazy hat-rack sword, but he does not need it to keep you spinning while Tranche cuts you to ribbons. THEY SPINNIN', THEY SPINNIN'!
However I don't really get the "tourne" thing, perhaps because he spins his opponents around?
I would have gone for: Zack and H'lay.
They are Tourne(spin) and Tranche(slice) Cut. They are the human Robocoup. ;)
also, stay knife master, take sap master and try to munchkin some +1 agile merciful knifes in there for 2d8+2 sneak damage for every 2 levels of rogue.
Lol, does this build really need more damage? One turn of combat results in minimum 93 damage (average closer to 179), and on the Tranche's next turn the opponent is still flat-footed, so he gets another sneak attack, and possibly another when the opponent tries to stand (he still has one AOO left) before repeating the trip-juggle on Tourne's turn. Who could survive that? ;-p
...interesting :)
Easy enough - instead of charging, he moves through a threatened square and provokes an AOO from the opponent before moving into flank position. He loses the +2 charging bonus on the first trip attempt, and the order of the trip attempts is changed - reposition, flat-footed, flat-footed, and can not upgrade to nauseated condition (highly unlikely anyway with an 11 DC) - but I'm still happy with an attack bonus of +22.
Also, seems reposition does not use up an AOO, so he gets to Vicious Stomp even if he has no Cat's Grace cast on him, or even gets to do an additional trip to up Tranche's sneak attack damage even more.
Edit: Oops, I realized that the initial trip in my OP was not an AOO at all, so the immediate action caused by the opponent's attack is not granting him an additional AOO after all.
mmmm...sounds like a lolfest for an enchanter, at that lvl, i´d try to land a dominate monster on the rogue (cha n wis 7 = doom) and then i´d make him kill his brother for the lols)
mmmm...sounds like a lolfest for an enchanter, at that lvl, i´d try to land a dominate monster on the rogue (cha n wis 7 = doom) and then i´d make him kill his brother for the lols)
Only if your enchanter can beat their initiative, otherwise he is dead on round one of combat. And, these are 7th level characters. They shouldn't be facing anything with 9th level spells. Perhaps Dominate Person, but that would still be at least 2 CR above the average party level. Even so, they are both stealthy characters (I did not include skills, but stealth would be maxed for both), they could stay out of line of site and work into position until they are in striking distance. Wait until the enchanter goes, then move in and Cuisineart his ass.
Magi can do something similar.
Magi can do something similar.
Please share. I'd love to see a Magus trip-juggle build.
Nice one, James, I love it. You're right about the power attack, if he wanted to use it, he would have had to declare it before his first attack. This would lower the attack bonus on the trip attempts down to 20. Still bad-ass for 7th level. My aim was to produce maximum damage and action-economy at minimum level. Or he could just not do power attack, his damage is not really all that important, it is the rogue's damage that matters.
You have to admit, although your magus may have a higher trip, my brothers do an amount of damage so far out of scale for their level that they really grab your attention, with little risk of a failed trip attempt.
If we keep building trip-juggle builds, maybe some people will start to see the light. ;)
When he runs out of Redirect uses, he just uses the sword's ability to make the opponent flat-footed 3 times in a row.
Torne doesn't need to worry about getting critted, because the Brothers Cut kill anyone who can be tripped before they can act. That's a natural fact. He could not buy that expensive full-plate and spend his money on something else he wants, because he really doesn't worry about getting hit.
Cool. Now find a PFS game where they let you play two characters at once.
I have plenty of buddies who play pathfinder. I'm sure one of them would be just as tickled by the Brothers Cut as I am.
i meant dominate person, my bad (note to self double check before post while "at work")
anyways if we are talking about pure optimization, the mage will have imp init or it could be a diviner with imp init, mirror image , imp invisibility or whatever, the point is that they are very weak against any will save or something like that, they are in fact ultra effective against a single target but they have quite a few open flaws
True strike makes hitting combat manuevers quite easy. You can go hamatula strike to lock prone targets into place and have others beat the crap out of them. Elephant Stomp can also make it quite easy to knock someone prone while getting an attack off. The alchemist can probably do this build better though. It's also going to be reached at a higher level. It's not really juggling it's just keeping them prone and killing them. Which I think is the point of this exercise.
A) as posted, Tranche doesn't have Vicious Stomp
B) Combat Reflexes gives you additional attacks equal to your Dex bonus.
Tourne already has 5 AoOs per round (and Tranche has 7)If you successfully build these in PFS, please let us know. I am amused.
(and wow, it's Tandem Trip that makes this build silly, you can almost never roll a 1)
Lol, I thought I had put Vicious Stomp in Tranche's build. Guess I missed that. So, dump Mobility, and replace with Vicious Stomp. I only put in Dodge and Mobility because I thought I had hit all the bases, and was thinking "well, why not?"
And also funny, I miscounted the number of Aoo's, because I forgot that you get extra aoo's for each dex bonus. I was just counting dex bonus, and forgot that everyone gets one without combat reflexes :) Thanks for the head's up, seems the DPR is even more insane (another 1d4 +7 +1d6 +4d8)
True strike makes hitting combat manuevers quite easy. You can go hamatula strike to lock prone targets into place and have others beat the crap out of them. Elephant Stomp can also make it quite easy to knock someone prone while getting an attack off. The alchemist can probably do this build better though. It's also going to be reached at a higher level. It's not really juggling it's just keeping them prone and killing them. Which I think is the point of this exercise.
No, this build is juggling, because the opponent does not go prone until the last trip. The first 3 (actually 4 now that Archaeik pointed out that I short-changed myself an aoo per character) do not knock the opponent prone, but either attempt to give him the sickened condition, or attempt (and succeed 99% of the time) to make him flat-footed without dropping him prone. A build that knocks the opponent prone on the first attempt does not give the rogue the ability to use his huge number of AoO's to sneak attack with.
I wasn't addressing that comment to your build. I was simply stating my idea for a knock prone build is more about stopping them from getting up.
You should consider trying to fit Fury's Fall into your trippers build.
Benefit: When making a trip attack, add your Dexterity bonus to your CMB.
You should consider trying to fit Fury's Fall into your trippers build.
Benefit: When making a trip attack, add your Dexterity bonus to your CMB.
That is a very poorly worded feat. When you make a trip maneuver, you use your attack bonus, not your CMB. It should say you add your dexterity and your strength to your attack bonus - CMB does not come into the process.
It's still another +5 to your roll with 20 Dex. (Well, assuming the GM will allow it poorly worded as it may be.) :)
Well, I built them to be legal in PFS organized play, so unless "Pathfinder Companion: Cheliax, Empire of Devils" is an approved resource for PFS, no joy :(
(I don't feel like looking it up in the approved resources list now, but I will later)
Pathfinder Player Companion: Cheliax, Empire of Devils Equipment: all items on pages 20–21; Feats: all feats on pages 26–27; Spells: all spells on pages 22–23; Traits: all traits on pages 18–19
:)
Well hey, Tourne now knows what his 8th level Fighter bonus feat will be. :-D
When you make a trip maneuver, you use your attack bonus, not your CMB.ORLY?
Care to cite where you get that?
In the definition of Trip in the combat Section:
Trip
You can attempt to trip your opponent in place of a melee attack. You can only trip an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. If you do not have the Improved Trip feat, or a similar ability, initiating a trip provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.
If your attack exceeds the target's CMD, the target is knocked prone. If your attack fails by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has. Some creatures—such as oozes, creatures without legs, and flying creatures—cannot be tripped.
Why does the first attack from Tourne cause the target to provoke AoOs? Vicious Stomp only works if they fall prone. A trip attack with the Seven Branched Sword makes them flat footed instead of falling prone.
Just because it is also an attack doesn't mean it isn't also a combat maneuver and combat maneuvers use CMB where as attacks don't always use attack rolls. (Fireball for instance.)
Yes, now that I look, I agree with you, although they really could have worded it better. On a practical level it doesn't matter, because if you use a weapon to trip, you are going to get all the same bonuses to your CMB as to your attack modifier, so they are essentially identical. But the definition of trip really should mention rolling your CMB instead of using the word "attack", for clarity's sake.
Why does the first attack from Tourne cause the target to provoke AoOs? Vicious Stomp only works if they fall prone. A trip attack with the Seven Branched Sword makes them flat footed instead of falling prone.
It comes from Greater Trip. The successful trip check renders the poor schmuck flatfooted instead of prone, but it is still a successful trip check.
Why does the first attack from Tourne cause the target to provoke AoOs? Vicious Stomp only works if they fall prone. A trip attack with the Seven Branched Sword makes them flat footed instead of falling prone.It comes from Greater Trip. The successful trip check renders the poor schmuck flatfooted instead of prone, but it is still a successful trip check.
I see it now. Thanks.
This is, also, from the FG:
Dueling-FG
This ability can only be placed on a melee weapon.
A dueling weapon bears magical enhancements that makes it particularly effective at performing certain combat maneuvers. When a dueling weapon is used to perform a combat maneuver that utilizes the weapon only (see below), it grants a luck bonus equal to twice its enhancement bonus on the CMB check made to carry out the maneuver. The dueling weapon also grants this same luck bonus to the wielder’s CMD score against these types of combat maneuvers. These combat maneuvers include disarm and trip maneuvers, but not bull rush, grapple, or overrun maneuvers. If you’re using the additional combat maneuvers in the Advanced Player’s Guide, this also includes any dirty trick maneuvers that utilize the weapon, as well as reposition combat maneuvers, but not drag or steal combat maneuvers. Note that this luck bonus stacks with the weapon’s enhancement bonus, which in and of itself adds to CMB checks normally.
Might be better than menacing. If only for trip. Not that he really needs more help on that front.
Why does the first attack from Tourne cause the target to provoke AoOs? Vicious Stomp only works if they fall prone. A trip attack with the Seven Branched Sword makes them flat footed instead of falling prone.
Because he is using the Trip Maneuver in order to either attempt to make the opponent flat-footed, or to make him sickened. He is not going prone, but Tourne is still causing him to provoke, because the wording of Greater Trip says that on a successful trip, the target provokes AoO's.
Now, don't get me wrong. I do not agree with this interpretation of the definition of "trip." I personally believe that Greater Trip does not cause the target to provoke until the target becomes prone, but this was an academic exercise to show those who argue otherwise why it breaks the rule of the obvious - if it seems like it shouldn't work, it shouldn't. I in no way believe that any combination of two 7th characters should be able to average 292 damage per round. It is fun, however, to explore the idea to it's patently absurd end.
I will say, however, that I have become very fond of the Brothers Cut. They are so full of Brotherly Love, it's tough to not love them back. Also, I actually think they would still be a bad-ass combo even if greater trip does not cause the target to provoke AoO's until the target goes prone, and thus also by definition does not stack with Vicious Stomp.
I'm curious, since you now know that the redirection only occurs as an immediate action to an attack, what are the other trip attempts?
Trip 1 is to flatfoot with the 7 branch sword.
Trips 2-4 is.... to trip prone? Getting more cheesy with the rules there. Good luck getting that to fly.
I bet you'd get 2, the flat-foot, then the actual trip.
First is provoke aoo from target, when it attempts to attack, it triggers Tourne's Redirection ability. Second is using the sword to make him flat-footed. Third is the same (just because he is already flat-footed, doesn't mean I can't trip him again. I can succeed, but since he is already flat-footed, his status does not change) Fourth is the same. Fifth is trip to prone. After 5th, he takes his standard-action attack(no provoke). Victim falls prone. Vicious Stomp. The correct order is not reflected in the OP, because when I realized the order was incorrect, it was already too late to edit the post.
And of course it is cheesy. The whole thing is cheesy. I firmly believe that the creation of the opportunity by Greater Trip does not ever happen until the creature becomes prone. This thread is to show people why any other interpretation leads to nonsense uber-damage builds.
So if you use redirection to prone him, in response to his AoO then the order goes:
Tourne leaves a threatened square, provoking AoO.
Monster takes AoO.
Tourne makes a trip redirection attempt, tripping and sickening the monster.
Monster now falls prone, provoking Vicious Stomps from whoever has it.
Monster AoO resolves, at a -6 to hit Tourne (-2 from sicken, -4 from prone).
Tourne finishes leaving the square, and can now continue with his turn. He can now make a trip attempt on the prone monster to flat-foot it, then its already prone... and then make trip attempts on the prone monster?
Oho, You are right. I had read it that Redirection made them sickened instead of prone, but it seems it does both. So, in that case, every single one is a trip with the sword's special ability, which does say that it makes the target flat-footed instead of prone. Seems Reposition only comes into play as a defensive option, when someone attacks, to put them on the ground, make them provoke from the rogue, then vicious stomp from both.
So, forget redirection, all trip attempts are attempts to make the target flat-footed with the sword's special ability, except the last, which is to trip them prone.
So you're okay with tripping to make flat-footed even if they are already flat-footed... but not with tripping to make prone even if they are already prone?
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A seven-branched sword does not have the Trip property, and hence its enhancement bonus is not added to maneuver checks.Attack Sequence:
Combat Begins - Tranche double moves around far side of enemy to set up flank.
Tourne charges opponent and attempts a trip using his Seven Branched Sword.
Attack Roll: +24 (+6 BAB, +5 Str, +1 Enhancement, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Weapon Training,+2 Menacing, +2 Imp. Trip, +2 Greater Trip, +2 flank, +2 charge) If he rolls a 2 on the die, he has a roll of 26, pretty tough to avoid. Opponent is now flat-footed, and provokes attacks of opportunity.
Tranche takes his first AOO....
But he is not eligible for an AoO at this point.
-- The target becoming susceptible (flat-footed to sneak-attacks) as a result of the partner's attack doesn't mean that he automatically grants one.
You also can't say it's a readied action because Tranche double-moved. Tandem Trip is also not applicable to the described situation (since it requires a maneuver action, and Tranche has neither attack-actions nor standard-actions remaining).
Tourne takes his first AOO - Trip attempt using Seven Branched Sword...
*No.* The target is either already on the ground due to being tripped prone (triggering an AoO from either Trip, Greater or Vicious Stomp, but not both -- see below), or the successful trip was converted into victim-is-upright-but-flatfooted (from the special property of a seven-branched sword); if the latter case, then the target didn't actually fall down, and Tourne forfeits his Trip, Greater AoO (since, while the trip attempt was successful, the maneuver was hijacked by the weapon property, and the target didn't actually trip).
An argumentative GM might even maintain that you can't really "trip" at all with a seven-branched sword, only confer flat-footedness.
....using Redirection ability.
A Flowing monk does not gain the ability to perform a Redirection maneuver as anything other than a standard action while performing the maneuver on HIS turn (i.e., not as the archetype-granted immediate-action when he is attacked in melee); to incorporate a Redirection maneuver into a charge attack, he'd need to be a Maneuver Master.
= = = =
And here we arrive at a major sticking points in the rules: In order to provoke an AoO (for, in this case, movement), a target must voluntarily undertake said movement himself. AoOs are not granted due to involuntary movement. I.e., the same Redirection schtick is easily done by a tank with Improved Bull Rush or a wizard with Grease on an inclined surface, or knocking a guy off his horse or other elevated platform (making him fall at least 5'). These forms of involuntary movement do not grant AoOs to nearby rogues unless they have feats with specifically permit them to (e.g., Vicious Stomp, etc).
Tranche takes his second AOO...
Tranche is still ineligible for AoOs; see above.
<snip><snip><snip>
Tranche takes his fifth AOO - Vicious StompThis, in fact, is the only AoO he has been eligible for during the whole sequence (assuming he had Vicious Stomp, which the build doesn't depict).
Tourne, if he has had Cat's Grace cast on him, takes his fifth AOO - Vicious Stomp
Tourne is not able to claim two AoOs in the same round off the same situation (in this case, from an opponent going prone, because he has already claimed that from Trip, Greater). (Due to the same rule, if somebody else came along and picked up the victim, stood him on his feet, then knocked him over again, Tourne would still not be able to use Vicious Stomp more than once versus the same target in the same round.)
what really happened is this (assuming Tranche had Vicious Stomp):
1) Tranche double-moves to set up a flank.
2) Tourne charges and trips target; target falls prone.
3) Tourne gets an AoO due to Trip, Greater or Vicious Stomp (pick one).
4) Tranche gets an AoO due to Vicious Stomp (if he has it).
5) Done.
If your GM let's you get away with more than that, he doesn't have a firm grasp on the rules.
these are 7th level, PFS legal characters.
<attention perk-up>
PFS, eh? Me knows a thing or two about that. Let's assume both players manage to consistently make the same tables for their Ambiguously Gay tag-team duo action in PFS....
Tourne Cut
Human Flowing Monk 2/Two-Handed Fighter 5Str: 20 (13pts, +2 racial, +1 lvl4)
Dex: 18 (10pts, +2 belt)
Con: 8 (-2pts)
Con 8?
Assuming fighter at 1st, he has 9hp and a "sink" to -7 (-8 = dead). A measly 16hp of "life" in a melee. (And elf wizard with CON12 has 17hp worth of "life" at 1st without Toughness.)
Tourne probably croaks before 2nd level in PFS, and is toast from any axe or arrow crit or a single claw-claw-rend at Tier 3+. He picks up only 6hp per fighter level and 4hp from monk while advancing for a total of only 42hp at 7th as a melee in PFS. (In contrast, the average CON16 gnome sorcerer HP+1 leveling will be picking up 8hp per level, 9hp if he's a bard.)
AC problems: Fighter[Two-Handed] archetype trades off Armor Training, so no getting use of 18 DEX in mithral full-plate (+3 DEX bonus is highest you get without Armor Training). (He's also worn non-magical crap armor all the way until 6th or so because he won't have the Prestige Points necessary for eligibility to buy a 8000+gp total-cost item in PFS (ditto the +1/Menacing weapon). He doesn't use a shield and he charges, meaning he's AC-8ish relative to a typical 7th-level S&B fighter (so the tripped target laying on the ground has a better chance of hitting Tourne while he's prone than he normally would standing up versus a S&B fighter); translation: Tourne's going to get hit, and hit bad at Tier 6+.
Since Tourne only has two levels of monk, he doesn't achieve Ki Pool. Since he's wearing medium armor, his Evasion ability is forfeit, as is his Flurry and any monk-granted bonuses to AC.
Tranche Cut
Human Knife Master(Rogue) 7Str: 10 (0pts)
Dex: 22 (13pts, +2 racial, +1 4th, +2 belt)
Con: 16 (10 pts)
Int: 14 (5pts)
Wis: 7 (-4 pts)
Cha: 7 (-4 pts)
So the rogue with higher AC is over-emphasizing HP relative to the fighter/monk, picking up 12hp at 1st (with a "sink" to -15). Good; very durable.
Problem: will-saves and miserable skill bonuses. This guy will fail most of the time. Lousy CHA means he's unlikely to be pushing Use Magic Device (one of the best skills in the game in PFS), and have poor Diplomacy/Intimidate and mediocre Perception (the most necessary skills in PFS for completing faction missions, particularly factions catering to rogues, that being necessary to acquire "fame" and prestige points which permit you to buy expensive items and get a free Raise Dead or two). Tranche needs to buy a Circlet of Persuasion in order to get his social skills up to what a halfling or gnome rogue or bard would normally have.
The 14 INT is unnecessary given the lack of Combat Expertise. (Is an eleventh skill that important?)