This is a question to those DMs used to using combat maneuvers alongside the hundreds, if not thousands, of feats available online and officially.
How do you keep it all straight? I'm a 2nd edition DM, but I've recently been considering implementing some kind of maneuver type system to my game, and using the d20 system as a very primal prototype on which to base things off of, but I look at a document I have acquired online of approximately 100-200 feats and maneuvers, and I'm intimidated. Big time. How much is too much, and how many is to many where they all start to blur together, or worse, duplicate?
I've considered narrowing them down greatly to like 10 per category or less, but then it feels like a lot of potential character options are denied. What do DMs here feel is a good number of feats/maneuvers to have in your game where you can manage them, keep them all straight, and find that sweet spot where all are useful (and used by the players)? Thanks.
This is a question to those DMs used to using combat maneuvers alongside the hundreds, if not thousands, of feats available online and officially.
How do you keep it all straight? I'm a 2nd edition DM, but I've recently been considering implementing some kind of maneuver type system to my game, and using the d20 system as a very primal prototype on which to base things off of, but I look at a document I have acquired online of approximately 100-200 feats and maneuvers, and I'm intimidated. Big time. How much is too much, and how many is to many where they all start to blur together, or worse, duplicate?
I've considered narrowing them down greatly to like 10 per category or less, but then it feels like a lot of potential character options are denied. What do DMs here feel is a good number of feats/maneuvers to have in your game where you can manage them, keep them all straight, and find that sweet spot where all are useful (and used by the players)? Thanks.
I guess that depends on your experience with 3rd edition material and your willingness to go beyond core books. My advice would be stick with the core feats and maneuver, add a few campaign or generic support book (that you own and can easily have a quick reference to)) and keep it to that, at least for a while.
I'm I understanding correctly that you want to implement those feat to AD&D 2nd ed? I that case, I'd limit the selection even further, only allowing those that would define the "gray zones" without adding anything new to the game.
'findel
For 2nd edition I would suggest going to a book and music exchange and finding a copy of Player's Options: Combat and Tactics.
This is a question to those DMs used to using combat maneuvers alongside the hundreds, if not thousands, of feats available online and officially.
How do you keep it all straight? I'm a 2nd edition DM, but I've recently been considering implementing some kind of maneuver type system to my game, and using the d20 system as a very primal prototype on which to base things off of, but I look at a document I have acquired online of approximately 100-200 feats and maneuvers, and I'm intimidated. Big time. How much is too much, and how many is to many where they all start to blur together, or worse, duplicate?
I've considered narrowing them down greatly to like 10 per category or less, but then it feels like a lot of potential character options are denied. What do DMs here feel is a good number of feats/maneuvers to have in your game where you can manage them, keep them all straight, and find that sweet spot where all are useful (and used by the players)? Thanks.
200 feats?
That's a small list.
I created a spreadsheet for my 3.5 game, listing all the feats in official published books, plus some in 3rd party published books that I own, plus about 100 of my own creation. This list has 1,300 feats by now.
That's still 1,200 or so without my home-brew, and if I took out the 3rd party stuff, I might whittle that down to under 1,000 give or take.
I don't mind having them all.
It gives players tons of options, and it also gives me tons of options (some of that list is monster-only, though that might only be 1% of it).
It's the player's job to scan the feat list, find interesting feats, and know what they do. If he asks to acquire a feat I don't remember off the top of my head (very easy to do with 1,300 feats, of which I remember aobut a hundred common ones), then we simply look it up, and for that game, for that character, I now have just one new feat to remember.
|
The sheer number of feats seems intimidating and unbalanced until it is compared to the number of feats that a character is allowed. Even in the Pathfinder RPG, only the Fighter comes out on top with feats (20 feats @ 2oth level, +1 if human). Everyone else has much less (average of 10 feats @ 20th level, with exception to class granted bonus feats and the additional +1 if human). A character still has a limit to how many he can choose and implement. And pound for pound, the best feats are the core PHB/PFRPG feats.
If you're on 2E my suggestion is to keep it as simple as possible. Just check how the maneuvers work on a most general level, then allow yourself to extrapolate on a "need" basis. Also I'd recommend you not get too far from the ThAC0 system, the more well-integrated your solution is the smoother things will go in the long run. Needless to say, the 2E DMG already has the basis for you to use maneuvers with rules like Called Shots and so.
Arnim, a fighter at 20th level will have 21 feats:
2 at first level + 1 every level after that (humans will of course have 22).
Other than that complete agreement.
|
|
Forgot the feat at first level for Fighters. My players have been using the Class Skills variant for Fighters (from PFC: Gazetteer, pg.12), dropping the first level feat for extra skill points and skill options.
I highly recommend this book for some interesting alternate class abilities, regardless of campaign world setting.