After the brawler came out, I was originally enamored with the idea of the snakebite striker archetype. The idea behind it seemed interesting, and it seemed like the perfect choice to play a brawler who was a little more underhanded. Unfortunately, I then realized the archetype was... a little lacking. That is what I'm hoping to fix with this re-design. Without further ado, the redesigned Snakebite Striker.
Snakebite Striker
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Studied Combat: Beginning at 1st level, a Snakebite Striker learns to study her foes to exploit their weaknesses. When in combat, a Snakebite Striker can expend a move action to study a single enemy she can see. Upon doing so, she adds 1/2 her Brawler level as an insight bonus on melee attack rolls and as a bonus on damage rolls against the creature. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).
At 5th level, the Snakebite Striker's uncanny insight into her opponent's improves. When designating a creature with her studied combat ability, she expends a swift action, rather than a move action.
A snakebite striker can only have one target of studied combat at a time, and once a creature has become the target of an investigator's studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same snakebite striker's studied combat again for 24 hours, unless the snakebite striker expends one use of martial flexibility when taking the action to use this ability.
This ability replaces Close Weapon Mastery.
Inquisitive Mind: Beginning at 1st level, a snakebite striker can use her martial flexibility to gain the benefits of a select number of investigator talents in addition to combat feats. The snakebite striker treats her brawler level as her investigator level for the purposes of this ability.
All references to dealing damage with the investigator's studied strike are instead applied to the snakebite striker whenever she is under the effects of studied combat. All other references to the investigator's studied strike are ignored.
The list of selectable talents is as follows:
This ability modifies Martial Flexibility.
Two-Pronged Assault: Beginning at 3rd level, a Snakebite Striker becomes adept at striking her opponent's unawares. Whenever she is flanking an opponent, she gains a +2 insight bonus to all combat maneuver checks made against that foe, and receives a +2 insight bonus to her CMD. These bonuses increase by two at 7th level, and every four levels after, to a maximum of +10 at 19th level.
This ability replaces Maneuver Training.
Harried Assault: Beginning at 4th level, a snakebite striker learns to harry her opponents into making mistakes. At the beginning of her turn, the snakebite striker can choose any creature adjacent to her and designate them as being harried by her attacks. While an opponent is harried, the snakebite striker can choose to designate a number of squares adjacent to the harried creature; while that target remains harried, the snakebite striker is treated as being in those squares for the purposes of flanking, even for enemies she is not harrying. At the beginning of each round, the snakebite striker can designate new squares adjacent to the creature, or choose another creature to be the target of this ability.
This ability lasts until either the original target is dead, or the snakebite striker chooses to harry a new target. In addition, the target can attempt an opposed combat maneuver check versus the snakebite striker; if the target succeeds, they are cannot be treated as harried by the snakebite striker until she succeeds at a contested combat maneuver check against them.
This ability replaces Knockout, Awesome Blow, and Improved Awesome Blow.
Alright, there it is. Let me know what you think, even if it's a little brutal. I'm looking for opinions on things that are too powerful, too weak, or not properly balanced with the abilities that are traded out for them. Re-balancing abilities, adding different ones and perhaps removing or changing certain aspects of these new features are all things I'm wide open to, however.
Bumping this thread, as it seems to have been lost beneath a sea of new posts.
In your opinion, what is wrong with the snakebite striker?
Admittedly, Snake Feint has some unclear wording. (Technically, you could declare an adjacent square, move away, and still threaten or make attacks from that square. Which is propably not what the author had in mind.) But generally the archetype works as advertised.
Replacing Close Weapon Mastery at 5th level with Studied Combat at 1st level is not a balanced trade-off.
Harried Assault does have similar problems as Snake Feint. Why is the opponent still 'harried' once the brawler is not adjacent to that opponent anymore? An ability that builds upon the feint mechanic would be more fitting in my opinion.
You gave studied combat at level 1 to a full bab class with flurry in Exchange for a minor ability that get at level 5 normally? Sorry this is not gonna work i realize you want a smart brawler but this is just silly. Your archtype gives up very little and get back stuff that is unbelivebly good.
Edit: pehaps getting somthing like studied target(slayer version) by giving up Martial flex would make sense.
That's a mistake. Brawlers are supposed to lose Close Weapon Mastery and Flurry for Studied Combat. I seemed to have missed that somehow. They should also gain Studied Combat at 2nd level.
The normal SBS is just... Ineffectual. Sneak attack pales in comparison to Martial Flexibility, and Snake Feint is borderline useless until 15th level, when you can potentially flank with yourself. I do like your idea of changing Harried Assault to something involving feints.
Maybe you can attempt a feint for free against the target of Studied Combat? If you succeed, you're treated as flanking them, as long as they are within reach, until they beat a contested CMB roll or Studied Combat ends?