Believe there is already a feat called 'Stunning Critical' along that vein. Grapple to me implies holding someone fast so they can't make good use of their arms, legs or both. Not sure how a staff can do that. Trip sure, grapple...?It sounds much better!
If I wanted a feat for blunt weapons only, it could be something like 'Stunning Blow' (in the Stunning Fist feat tree) that allows you to apply a stunning fist through a blunt weapon (handy for a monk with a staff). Or in the same vein, 'Grappling Staff' - enable you to use a grapple with the aid of a stick or staff (seriously doable IRL too).
Oh yes. Grapple. You brace the stick or staff in the crook of the body's joint and apply leverage, you only need one hand to help apply the pin and hold the stick both, leaving you one hand free. It's best with a half-staff or shorter stick, I used to do it a long time ago when I was a clean, lean, martial arts fighting machine ... not an overweight forty-something couch-potato <sigh>.
Oh yes. Grapple. You brace the stick or staff in the crook of the body's joint and apply leverage, you only need one hand to help apply the pin and hold the stick both, leaving you one hand free. It's best with a half-staff or shorter stick, I used to do it a long time ago when I was a clean, lean, martial arts fighting machine ... not an overweight forty-something couch-potato <sigh>.Believe there is already a feat called 'Stunning Critical' along that vein. Grapple to me implies holding someone fast so they can't make good use of their arms, legs or both. Not sure how a staff can do that. Trip sure, grapple...?It sounds much better!
If I wanted a feat for blunt weapons only, it could be something like 'Stunning Blow' (in the Stunning Fist feat tree) that allows you to apply a stunning fist through a blunt weapon (handy for a monk with a staff). Or in the same vein, 'Grappling Staff' - enable you to use a grapple with the aid of a stick or staff (seriously doable IRL too).
Not to mention using it to lock them in a choke hold or to keep their legs down.
Oh, polearms, is there anything you can't do?
Why not make a feat that lets you do internal damage to foe? Maybe have it work like the Bleeding effect or something like that. Its just a thought I'm throwing out there.
Now that's nasty ... Internal Damage as a feat ...
I wouldn't take this feat ever, for the very same reasons as I wouldn't take the Improved Sunder tree:
a) combat is about killing enemies, not doing fancy things to them,
b) many opponents don't use armor anyway (anything non-humanoid ?)
c) attack bonus scales up faster than AC, so reducing AC isn't usually making any difference.
D) Sunder also cuts into the cash flow when selling said armor.
D) Sunder also cuts into the cash flow when selling said armor.I wouldn't take this feat ever, for the very same reasons as I wouldn't take the Improved Sunder tree:
a) combat is about killing enemies, not doing fancy things to them,
b) many opponents don't use armor anyway (anything non-humanoid ?)
c) attack bonus scales up faster than AC, so reducing AC isn't usually making any difference.
Not really. Just repair it with the Craft skill or the Make Whole spell.
Love the feat. Stealing it for my upcoming Kingmaker game (and I'm picky :)
The fact that Pathfinder unfortunately retains the moronic 3.5 rule that you cannot sunder a magical weapon unless your enhancement bonus exceeds that of the weapon being sundered.
Hmm. That was a 3.0 rule, not a 3.5 one. Pathfinder remains the same as 3.5:
Magic Armor, Shields, and Weapons
Each +1 of enhancement bonus adds 2 to the hardness of armor, a weapon, or a shield, and +10 to the item's hit points.
Rarely are hits *so* automatic that crushing some armor up won't help. If you take off half the hp, broken reduces the AC by half, so it's even incremental.
As for the damage bonus, +1 per 2 BAB is less than Power Attack, far less than two handed (Power attack is 2 + 2 per 4 BAB for primary one-handed weapons). So the change to +1 per BAB makes total sense. I would *not* ignore hardness though - that just doesn't quite make sense (+1 chain shirt vs. +5 Adamantine chain shirt?)
For what it's worth, a 16 BAB guy with a heavy flail and improved critical, hasted, would average a threat every round.
The two versions of the feat you listed are virtually identical, due to hardness... hmm... unless the weapon is adamantine, oh that would make a difference.
Perhaps...:
Prerequisites: Critical Focus, BAB +11, STR 15
When you confirm a critical hit while using any one-handed or two handed blunt weapon or axe, you do damage equal to your BAB to your opponent's armor or shield. This damage bypasses the armor or shield's hardness.
Forget the extra roll, but forget the weapon damage and the hardness.
1st - I went with your method (free Sunder check on confirmation). I think it's better. This was just an option, to make a quick (and automatic) hit on armor.
2nd - no, most threats at 11th level won't have +3 plate - more at 14th level. At 11th, most will still have +1, maybe +2, simply because of the loot value. If you're talking about the BBEG of the adventure, sure, +3.
3rd - it doesn't make the sunder feats obsolete at all - taking this is a random extra. In fact - when you crit and do this, it makes using those sunder feats a better idea - you've already started the job.
The two versions of the feat you listed are virtually identical, due to hardness... hmm... unless the weapon is adamantine, oh that would make a difference.
Perhaps...:
Prerequisites: Critical Focus, BAB +11, STR 15
When you confirm a critical hit while using any one-handed or two handed blunt weapon or axe, you do damage equal to your BAB to your opponent's armor or shield. This damage bypasses the armor or shield's hardness.Forget the extra roll, but forget the weapon damage and the hardness.
We figured by 11th level most melee nasties would have +3 plate or something of an equal level. Which is 60 hit points to get through. Which means 3 confirms to broken and 6 confirms to obliteration.
Furthermore, your feat as written would make the feats Improved and Greater Sunder obsolete. Why would anyone invest slots in those two feats when they could take this at level 11? The only way those two feat makes sense is if they do 2 extra points of Sunder damage as opposed to a +2 on the Sunder check.
HH
Actually unless you're fighting specialized NPCs, almost NOTHING has magic equipment. The Balor is one of a few examples. Otherwise the DM would be forced to cut into the dropped gold with every fight with monsters for a suit for +3 plate.
He could also slow the bonus down to 2+2 every 4, like an extra power attack.