Ultimate Combat Preview #2

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

During the preview banquet at PaizoCon this year, I boasted that Ultimate Combat had a gigantic feats chapter, which started off with a seven-page table, summarizing all the feats. While that is impressive, I realized later that I made a mistake—the feats table is nine pages long!

This week we're going to take a look at the feats chapter a bit more closely, since it is such an important part of this book. This chapter contains 256 feats, suitable for characters of every race and class. There are feats to grant bonuses with nets, feats that let you mix a hex with an unarmed strike, and feats that nearly let you rip off your opponents head! While many of them are combat feats, there are a few new feat categories as well. Grit feats modify and amplify the abilities of the gunslinger class, while style feats represent fighting forms and techniques, primarily employed by martial art masters, such as the monk. Take a look at this chain of style feats.

Illustration by Dmitry Burmak

Crane Style (Combat, Style)
Your unarmed fighting techniques blend poise with graceful defense.
Prerequisites: Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +2 or monk level 1st.
Benefit: You take only a –2 penalty on attack rolls for fighting defensively. While using this style and fighting defensively or using the total defense action, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class.

Crane Wing (Combat)
You move with the speed and finesse of an avian hunter, your sweeping blocks and graceful motions allowing you to deflect melee attacks with ease.
Prerequisites: Crane Style, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +5 or monk level 5th.
Benefit: Once per round while using Crane Style, when you have at least one hand free and are either fighting defensively or using the total defense action, you can deflect one melee weapon attack that would normally hit you. You expend no action to deflect the attack, but you must be aware of it and not flat-footed. An attack so deflected deals no damage to you.

Crane Riposte (Combat)
You use your defensive abilities to make overpowering counterattacks.
Prerequisites: Crane Style, Crane Wing, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +8 or monk level 7th.
Benefit: You take only a –1 penalty on attack rolls for fighting defensively. Whenever you use Crane Wing to deflect an opponent's attack, you can make an attack of opportunity against that opponent after the attack is deflected.

This is one of the easiest style feats to qualify for, but the trick with these feats is that you cannot utilize more than one style feat at a time, and you cannot use the other feats in the chain unless you are using the base style feat as well. While this means you can get some pretty good abilities if you just focus on one chain, getting into multiple chains forces you to make decisions about which abilities you want on a given round.

Of course, the chapter also features some new teamwork feats and a new classification of feats called Performance feats, which give you an edge when fighting in an arena or other theater of blood. Take a look at these two, one from each category.

Shake It Off (Teamwork)
You support your allies and help them recover from crippling effects.
Benefit: When you are adjacent to one or more allies who also have this feat, you gain a +1 bonus on saving throws per such ally (maximum +4).

Murderer's Circle (Combat, Performance)
After savaging your foe, you circle like a hunter ready for the kill.
Prerequisites: Dodge, Acrobatics 4 ranks.
Benefit: When you spend a swift action to make a performance combat check after scoring a critical hit or performing a combat maneuver, and you are adjacent to the target of the critical hit or combat maneuver, you can move to any other space that is adjacent to the target without provoking attacks of opportunity. You must have a clear path to that space and the ability to reach it by spending a move action. If you end this move in any space other than the one where you started, you gain a +2 bonus on the performance combat check.

I must admit, I picked those two to show off due mainly to their awesome names. There are a lot of really great feats in this book and I would love to show off all of them to you, but you'll just have to check them out for yourself when the book releases next week. For our final preview, we're going to take a look at some of the great new rules systems found in this book, including vehicle combat!

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Design Tuesdays Dmitry Burmak Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
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1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

I believe it was James Jacobs, he posted that Shields could be used as single attacks or AoO`s (without off-hand penalties, which apparently only exist within the framework of 2WF). Implicitly meaning you can single-weapon Full Attack with a Shield if you want, and likely use it as a main-hand weapon along with UAS as off-hand (or whatever). Makes sense since they are listed as a weapon, and never says you can ONLY use them as off-hands, even if their description only discusses that aspect.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
LoreKeeper wrote:

Fighting defensively gets you +2 AC already, then the feat:

Quote:
While using this style and fighting defensively or using the total defense action, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class.

Adds +1

Then acrobatics at 3+ ranks adds another +1.

Total of +4 ;)

I JUST LOVE FEAT TREES THAT ARE WORTH TAKING! :D

EDIT: Visiting a friend tonight who got his PDF copy. He's going to let me peruse it for an hour or two.

Will get back to you all. :D


I don't know how performance combat works yet, so this might not be 100% viable, but now I want to play an ex-gladiator adventurer who can't stop showboating even when no-one can see him. It's the only way he knows how to fight.


Xenophile wrote:
I don't know how performance combat works yet, so this might not be 100% viable, but now I want to play an ex-gladiator adventurer who can't stop showboating even when no-one can see him. It's the only way he knows how to fight.

Order of the Cockatrice Cabalier?


Cheapy wrote:
Razz wrote:
Do you need a crowd to use Performance feats or no? It'd be kinda silly to master fighting maneuvers that only work when a crowd is watching, but they mysteriously stop working on enemies when the crowd isn't there
There's a feat that lets you get around this.

Interesting. Sucks it's a feat cost, but at least the option is there.


Razz wrote:
Cheapy wrote:
Razz wrote:
Do you need a crowd to use Performance feats or no? It'd be kinda silly to master fighting maneuvers that only work when a crowd is watching, but they mysteriously stop working on enemies when the crowd isn't there
There's a feat that lets you get around this.
Interesting. Sucks it's a feat cost, but at least the option is there.

It does other things too.


Denim N Leather wrote:
Wow, super cool idea!!!! I hope and pray all 5 of the classic animals are represented (crane, tiger, dragon, leopard, snake). I really like that picture, aside from one thing ... his crane stance is pretty bad! The raised foot should be angled in to protect the family jewels; with that stance, his gro-in is wide open!!

What do you know. Perhaps the Monk os faking a weakness to draw the enemy to come for a punch.


Denim N Leather wrote:
Wow, super cool idea!!!! I hope and pray all 5 of the classic animals are represented (crane, tiger, dragon, leopard, snake)

From my understanding, those 5 and 11 more are in the book.


Xenophile wrote:
I don't know how performance combat works yet, so this might not be 100% viable, but now I want to play an ex-gladiator adventurer who can't stop showboating even when no-one can see him. It's the only way he knows how to fight.

You mean Leadership? :)

Scarab Sages

Gah! Must... get... book...

Must... stop talking... like... Kirk...


Kabump wrote:
Golden-Esque wrote:
Am I the only one who is confused? What is a performance combat check?
There is a section on optional rules. Performance combat is in that section. Think running gladiatorial combat and trying to win the favor of the crowd.

So, basically, kind of like pro wrestling.


Eric Hinkle wrote:
Kabump wrote:
Golden-Esque wrote:
Am I the only one who is confused? What is a performance combat check?
There is a section on optional rules. Performance combat is in that section. Think running gladiatorial combat and trying to win the favor of the crowd.
So, basically, kind of like pro wrestling.

*gurk* No! Gladiatorial combat.


Jason Nelson wrote:
Ravingdork wrote:
Jason Nelson wrote:

Shield attack can't be done as a primary weapon. Check out the Core Rulebook weapons chapter: "You can bash an opponent with a shield, using it as an off-hand weapon."

It says what it does and it does what it says.

Developers have already debunked that one. You are likely right when using the shield in conjunction with another weapon, but if I ONLY attack with the shield in a round, it is considered my primary weapon.
Have they now? I don't comb the boards as thoroughly as a lotta folks do, so I must've missed that clarification.

Point being Jasont that, in my humble opinion, if they really are off-hand only it would suck. Expecially considering the effort spent in pumping several stats and invest a long list of feats in your character.


Oh, now, you know what you do with Crane Style? A monk (weapon adept)/duelist! Play a Dwarf, you bump 2 stats and dump Cha, you'll need it. Your defenses are sky-high, you get two 'miss me in melee' powers and one 'miss me in ranged', and you actually deal more damage with a siangham bumped by precise strike than a 20th level monk with 2d10 fists. And you just have to buy a magic weapon instead of the amulet of mighty fists. And the duelist's elaborate defense. And and and...Rock!

Feat Tree (up to Duelist)

1st (bonus monk) Improved Unarmed Strike
1st (bonus weapon adept) Perfect Strike
1st (bonus monk) Dodge
1st Crane Style
2nd (bonus monk) Deflect Arrows (or whatever)
2nd (bonus weapon adept) Weapon Focus (siangham)
3rd Weapon Finesse
5th Crane Wing
6th (bonus monk) Mobility
6th (bonus weapon adept) Weapon Specialization (siangham)
7th Crane Riposte

You can enter duelist at 9th level (or 10th if you want evasion and +10 speed). I dub thee: The Greatest Warrior Ever!


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Jason, for the next and final preview can you show us the dervish dancer archetype.

Shadow Lodge

Quote:
...allowing you to deflect melee attacks with ease.
Quote:
...you can deflect one melee weapon attack that would normally hit you.

Which is it? All melee, or armed melee only? Is this THAT specific on purpose? If so, then I would rule this feat useless against:

A) Most monsters

B) Other Monks

The latter part hits my suspension of disbelief pretty hard. It could be based upon some real-world, only-works-against-armed-attackers martial arts style, but nothing is really coming to mind here. Typically you're taught to block armed and unarmed alike.

Just wondering if this was a design decision to make the feat less desirable, or what.

Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games

mcbobbo wrote:
Quote:
...allowing you to deflect melee attacks with ease.
Quote:
...you can deflect one melee weapon attack that would normally hit you.

Which is it? All melee, or armed melee only? Is this THAT specific on purpose? If so, then I would rule this feat useless against:

A) Most monsters

B) Other Monks

The latter part hits my suspension of disbelief pretty hard. It could be based upon some real-world, only-works-against-armed-attackers martial arts style, but nothing is really coming to mind here. Typically you're taught to block armed and unarmed alike.

Just wondering if this was a design decision to make the feat less desirable, or what.

Natural weapons are still weapons, right? :)


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
mcbobbo wrote:
Quote:
...allowing you to deflect melee attacks with ease.
Quote:
...you can deflect one melee weapon attack that would normally hit you.

Which is it? All melee, or armed melee only? Is this THAT specific on purpose? If so, then I would rule this feat useless against:

A) Most monsters

B) Other Monks

The latter part hits my suspension of disbelief pretty hard. It could be based upon some real-world, only-works-against-armed-attackers martial arts style, but nothing is really coming to mind here. Typically you're taught to block armed and unarmed alike.

Just wondering if this was a design decision to make the feat less desirable, or what.

Natural weapons and unarmed strikes are considered weapons. The former literally is called a weapon in its own name. The latter appears on the weapons table. Therefore they are both weapons. :D

Shadow Lodge

Ravingdork wrote:
Natural weapons and unarmed strikes are considered weapons. The former literally is called a weapon in its own name. The latter appears on the weapons table. Therefore they are both weapons. :D

...and they're subject to disarm rules, as well, then?


With a sharp enough knife, sure. :-P

Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games

mcbobbo wrote:
Ravingdork wrote:
Natural weapons and unarmed strikes are considered weapons. The former literally is called a weapon in its own name. The latter appears on the weapons table. Therefore they are both weapons. :D
...and they're subject to disarm rules, as well, then?

Deflect =/= disarm.

Also, being able to be disarmed is not a necessary precondition of being a weapon. Even in manufactured weapons, an armor spike cannot be disarmed but is still a weapon, for example.

Shadow Lodge

Okay, you make decent points, but the wording is still bad.


2 people marked this as FAQ candidate. 1 person marked this as a favorite.

Is there a difference between ´you can deflect one melee weapon attack´ and ´you can deflect one melee attack´? (the more commonly used phrasing)

This reminds me: is there any terminology difference when referring to ´melee weapon/damage dealing attacks´ vs. ´melee attacks including melee ranger maneuvers´?
Both would seem to be included under ´melee attacks´ (which is the only phrase I commonly see used)...?


Quandary wrote:

Is there a difference between ´you can deflect one melee weapon attack´ and ´you can deflect one melee attack´? (the more commonly used phrasing)

This reminds me: is there any terminology difference when referring to ´melee weapon/damage dealing attacks´ vs. ´melee attacks including melee ranger maneuvers´?
Both would seem to be included under ´melee attacks´ (which is the only phrase I commonly see used)...?

Maybe it won't let you deflect melee touch attacks, from spells or otherwise?


Possibly more than anything else in Pathfinder, I would love a rule that says any bonus granted to fighting defensively works with Combat Expertise. It would make it a more worthwhile feat, and lessen the anger a lot of people who hate having to take it to get the feats they want. Plus, this new style makes it almost obsolete, unless there's another style you just gotta have, and you just gotta use combat ex with it. But I don't see that happening.


Davick wrote:
Possibly more than anything else in Pathfinder, I would love a rule that says any bonus granted to fighting defensively works with Combat Expertise. It would make it a more worthwhile feat, and lessen the anger a lot of people who hate having to take it to get the feats they want. Plus, this new style makes it almost obsolete, unless there's another style you just gotta have, and you just gotta use combat ex with it. But I don't see that happening.

You don't need a rule for that. Combat Experties is done as part of the attack(s) and grants a Dodge Bonus. Fighting Defensively is a standard action(or full-action) with attacks which grants a dodge bonus.

You declare you Fight Defensively then declare you're taking the Combat Expertise penalties on that attack(s). Both Dodge bonuses stack.

*edit*

sorry correction, There seems to be an error in PRD. Defensive Fighting is an untyped AC bonus as a Standard Action, but a Dodge bonus as a Full-Round action.


Dorje Sylas wrote:
Davick wrote:
Possibly more than anything else in Pathfinder, I would love a rule that says any bonus granted to fighting defensively works with Combat Expertise. It would make it a more worthwhile feat, and lessen the anger a lot of people who hate having to take it to get the feats they want. Plus, this new style makes it almost obsolete, unless there's another style you just gotta have, and you just gotta use combat ex with it. But I don't see that happening.

You don't need a rule for that. Combat Experties is done as part of the attack(s) and grants a Dodge Bonus. Fighting Defensively is a standard action(or full-action) with attacks which grants a dodge bonus.

You declare you Fight Defensively then declare you're taking the Combat Expertise penalties on that attack(s). Both Dodge bonuses stack.

*edit*

sorry correction, There seems to be an error in PRD. Defensive Fighting is an untyped AC bonus as a Standard Action, but a Dodge bonus as a Full-Round action.

That doesn't really help. If I'm better at fighting defensively (taking an attack penalty to aid AC) then I should be better at combat expertise (taking an attack penalty to aid AC). Its kind of a slap in the face to say, yeah you took a feat to do exactly that, but whenever we give out these types of abilities, we're only going to give them to people who didn't waste a feat on it. Saying oh you can take even more penalties to gain a lesser benefit isn't a good solution.


Davick wrote:
That doesn't really help. If I'm better at fighting defensively (taking an attack penalty to aid AC) then I should be better at combat expertise (taking an attack penalty to aid AC). Its kind of a slap in the face to say, yeah you took a feat to do exactly that, but whenever we give out these types of abilities, we're only going to give them to people who didn't waste a feat on it. Saying oh you can take even more penalties to gain a lesser benefit isn't a good solution.

You stated they couldn't be combined, I was pointing out they could. Fighting Defensively, Combat Expertise, 3 Ranks in Acrobatics make for a very strong defensive burst. Throw that on a heavy armor fighter, who's bonuses to hit are really around to be used for tactics like this, and you have a solid high AC character.

Unless you've gotten a look at the subscriber PDF you don't know what else is in UC, including anything for boosting combat expertise. Before we rant about how "fighters don't get nice things" lets wait till August 4th to find out. Or we could ask the subscribers if there are any defensive feats that Tree off combat expertise.

Personally I'd throw Crain style on to a heavy AC fighter. If space permits add in shield bashing (which still needs an FAQ post about being usable as primary hand attack). A spike heavy shield (unless UC has something for bashing with tower shields), an open hand, and one of the highest defensive ACs you'll find.

Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games

Some of the feat concepts I had thrown into the hopper involved follow-ups to Combat Expertise that were similar in scope to Furious Focus, etc. as follow-ups to Power Attack. However, they did not make it into the final.


Jason Nelson wrote:
Some of the feat concepts I had thrown into the hopper involved follow-ups to Combat Expertise that were similar in scope to Furious Focus, etc. as follow-ups to Power Attack. However, they did not make it into the final.

WHY!?!?!?!?!? Oh well, back to the houserule.

Grand Lodge

Gonna make a monk just so I can take the Crane Style stuff and then play "You're the Best Around!" on my phone during fights in the module.


Hmm, perfect for this defensive monk I had been throwing ideas around for. So long Duelist levels and Hamatulatsu.


A question (or rather, a clarification) on Crane Wing:
Does this feat cause the attack to miss or is the entire attack negated?
Does this feat negate crits?


Jason Nelson wrote:
mcbobbo wrote:
Ravingdork wrote:
Natural weapons and unarmed strikes are considered weapons. The former literally is called a weapon in its own name. The latter appears on the weapons table. Therefore they are both weapons. :D
...and they're subject to disarm rules, as well, then?

Deflect =/= disarm.

Also, being able to be disarmed is not a necessary precondition of being a weapon. Even in manufactured weapons, an armor spike cannot be disarmed but is still a weapon, for example.

I disagree, there are numerous examples of "disarming" unarmed fighters by snapping bones and dislocating shoulders and/or elbows in various "soft" martial arts styles.

My thoughts are if someone pulls off a disarm maneuver on an unarmed opponent, then that arm is useless in the fight until they can take an action to set their dislocated shoulder/elbow/hand/etc... back into place.


The entire attack is negated. If it would've hit, the player can choose to negate it if they have not negated an attack yet.

And yes, this does work with natural attacks and unarmed attacks.

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