| Mon |
This is just an idea for a few homebrew combat rules, not a suggestion to change the game as written. The intention is to add new combat options that use iterative attacks as the primary resource/currency. Essentially, finding more things to do with them.
There seems to be some thought and discussion in the d20 corner of cyberspace about the action economy being biased in favour of casters. Casters can move and alter reality, while the warriors have to stand still to grate cheese. The implication being that warriors are disadvantaged because they can't do their best stuff if they move, and that warriors are also tedious to play because they just stand there and roll attacks or CMB checks. It seems to me and my main group that there is some truth in this.
If that's not your experience then this thread is probably not for you as you clearly won't like or want the proposed house rule.
Here are some proposals, untested, to get started. All are variations of the Full Attack action that trade out the second, third, and/or fourth attacks for other tactical goodies. Usually, the attacks with the lowest bonus would be the ones that are sacrificed, but you could choose any iterative attack if you needed to (for example) move between attacks.
At this stage, they only apply for iterative attacks derived directly from base attack bonus and not for extra attacks gained due to natural weapons or multi-weapon fighting. The flavour reason being that they arise from combat training with weapons, just as iterative attacks themselves do. The mechanical reason being that Two-weapon warriors, elderly dragons, etc could otherwise get sick bonuses and still make a tremendous number of attacks.
What would be the effect of these on PF and other d20 games? If they turn out to be poorly implemented, is there a better way that we could use iterative attacks to give more tactical options? Or is the whole idea structurally unsound? If so, why?
Elusive Attack
A character with a base attack bonus of +6 or higher can lose one iterative attack in order to gain a +2 bonus to his AC and CMD until the start of his next turn. A character with a base attack bonus of +11 can lose two attacks to gain a +4 bonus, and a character with a base attack bonus of +16 can lose three attacks to gain a +6 bonus.
Decisive Attack
A character with a base attack bonus of +6 or higher can lose one iterative attack in order to add half of his base attack bonus to damage rolls until the end of his turn. A character with a base attack bonus of +11 or higher can lose two iterative attacks in order to add his full base attack bonus, and a character with a base attack bonus of +16 or higher can lose three iterative attacks in order to add 1 1/2 times his base attack bonus to damage.
Mobile Attack
A character with a base attack bonus of +11 or higher can lose one iterative attack in order to move up to half his speed. A character with a base attack bonus of +16 or higher can lose two iterative attacks in order to move a distance up to his speed.
Thoughts?