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Hey Forum

I been thinking about adding a new house rule to my game(s):
Iterative attacks are determined by total attack bonus.

Example(if needed or desired):
A medium sized 1st level fighter with STR 16, weapon focus(longsword), and a masterwork longsword would have +6/+1 with the masterwork longsword, but "only" +4 with a regular battleaxe.

Feats with BAB requirements, would still only count BAB. Like Improved TWF.

Upsides:
u1) martials get a boost
u2) weapon focus (line) improves (along with other combat feats)
u3) enhancement bonus gains benefits over magic weapon properties

Downsides:
d1) size change may determine number of attacks
d2) low level fights become deadlier (eg. orcs/ogres, barbarians)
d3) more rolls may incur slow play
d4) ranged combat
d5) skewed benefits on borderline values: a masterwork item is worth more mechanically if you have attack +5 than if you have +4 or +6.
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I really like the upsides - which should be obvious, since I'm advocating the rule :)

My take on the downsides:
d1) I dislike size bonus/penalty to attacks as it is. I prefer to only apply these when your size changes from your normal. If kept, then the size change usually incurs an "equal" drop/gain in strength, so - maybe not an issue (for melee).

d2) GM beware!

d3) The extra damage will shorten combat, which alleviates this issue

d4) Ranged combat already has advantages over melee.

d5) meh... (okay - bad argument, but it's all I have)

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Now the questions are:
- What do you think?
- Am I overlooking some potential/obvious problems with this? which?
- Has this been tried/done to death and failed? (I hope not)

It is of course exploitable, but my players are focused on fun, but not attracted to martial classes.
Maybe some oomph will help; I like oomph... do you like oomph?

Thanks...

Just contemplating here... On a lazy sunday...

UM has rules for modifying constructs with armor-enhancements and adding (magic) manufactured weapons to a construct. These are clearly an inherent part of the modified construct.

Is there anything preventing eg. an iron golem for picking up an appropriately sized(prefered) manufactured greatsword and exchanging its slam attacks with 4 iterative attacks with the weapon? I realize there's the -4 non-proficiency penalty, but that's mostly irrelevant.

After a bit of research; the terra-cotta soldier uses manufactured weapons, but is special in that it has an inteligence score. Another is the graven guardian, which seems fairly normal.

Another item is armor - mundane or magic - to be worn, there is still the non-proficiency causing ACP to apply to attacks, but this can be partially mitigated by materials and other stuff.

Question (1): Is there anything preventing are construct with "arms/hands" from wielding manufactured weapons?

Question (2): Is there anything preventing a crafter from having a blacksmith whipping up a set of mithral full plate armor for her shiny new alchemical golem?

Question (3); How about them shields?

(Maybe these go too much against the idea of the modifications from UM.)

and related(sort of)...

Question (4): Do constructs have item slots? (I figure the PC ones in ARG do, but how about "monsters"?)

Question (5): Can a mindless construct activate a magic item? Can it be ordered to (try to) activate one? (given of course that it can speak a command word, or do whatever is required to activate the thing)

Question (6): Is anyone else picturing an adamantine golem sitting around, tossing cards from a Deck of Many Things at a hat?