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If that witty title didn't draw you in, then nothing will...
Let's talk about the Brace Feature shall we? Currently, a character can do double damage with a brace weapon IF they use a readied action to set their attack vs a charge.
Brace:
This makes the feature overlooked and frankly not very usable. I know that I would prefer to set my weapon to attack a target that gets in range without adding the highly conditional "if they are also charging" clause. Double damage is a powerful feature, but honestly - how often does it occur that a monster charges into the brace?
I propose a modification to this oft forgotten weapon feature:
Brace v2.0:
This is a minor change, I admit, but it does allow a little more flexibility to use a Brace Weapon in a cool and unique way. If your readied attack strikes a charging character, double damage.
This way, a monster doesn't get to walk up to you and slap you across the face because you set your spear against the charge that never came.
I would just change it to apply to AoO´s provoked by Charges or Running movement.
If anything, the current function encourages the curious scenario where you get both your Readied Attack AND the AoO, which just rubs me the wrong way when I visualize it, even though I don´t think it´s unbalanced or something.
If you´re not aware, the APG has the Phalanx Fighter Archetype that expands the ability by quite a bit, letting you Ready an Attack as an Immediate Action, which is just about a free extra attack each round when you can use it, and you never have to waste your actions by Readying them for Charges that never materialize. (this makes the ´double´ AoO + Readied Attack happen just about 100% of the time, even when not Charging, unfortunately)
I already use the 2.0 version. Makes sense to me.
I would just change it to apply to AoO´s provoked by Charges or Running movement.
This is possible, but leads me to think of odd shenanagins where a player with Combat Reflexes destroys a charging group of monsters. At first I was game to make that change, but upon further thought I reconsidered just the readied attacks. Of course, I am willing to change my opinion.
If anything, the current function encourages the curious scenario where you get both your Readied Attack AND the AoO, which just rubs me the wrong way when I visualize it, even though I don´t think it´s unbalanced or something.
I agree with you, its a bit odd to visualize, but works within the game mechanics. We can't have everything be perfectly realistic.
I already use the 2.0 version. Makes sense to me.
Ah! Excellent to know someone else saw the limitations of Brace as it is currently written.
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I think it would be much more useful if the weapon could also be braced/readied as a standard action, so that you could conceivably move to a tactically sound location and then brace, which would ready your attack vs. a charger. This would either ready an attack of opportunity vs. the incoming charger or else would give you your normal attack as they come in... I agree that having the charger take both the AOO and the regular attack on the way in is a bit much.
I basically agree. No strong opinion.
However, I did once see a player use the brace as written. Against a giant boar that was charging. It was pretty cool.
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The brace feature is great for characters who are forward thinking and fighting any kind of non-spellcaster, non-rogue type enemy. I have a phalanx fighter who can brace against an attack a number of times a day as an immediate action and he ALWAYS uses them up. It can be quite effective against creatures, especially unintelligent ones.
I already use the 2.0 version. Makes sense to me.Ah! Excellent to know someone else saw the limitations of Brace as it is currently written.
Not exactly; it's more along the lines that as a GM I'm a bit more loosey-goosey with what sort of readied actions you can perform. E.g. I would allow a player to say "I'll ready an action to attack anyone who comes near, and if they're charging I'll set my spear".
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I see the brace feature used a lot in my home game... Generally bad guys don't stroll casually into combat, they charge, and with some monsters (a dire boar for example) it's pretty obvious what they're going to do.
The ready action mentions you have to state the action you'll take, and the conditions under which you'll take it. I see no problem with a guy stating, 'I'll ready my spear to attack the first bad guy who gets near enough' and getting the brace bonus if the bad guy happens to charge. If you decide to split hairs and rule that you can either brace Vs charges (only) or ready to make a normal attack, then you've pretty much fallen victim to 'grid physics' thinking... The guy ready to attack with his spear can't just poke at the bad guy if he happens to saunter slowly forwards..? Riiight... ;)
I had to read the spoilers twice to notice what you were saying.
Till now I kind of assumed your v.2, not that it did come up that often.
Readied actions are often not very useful:
"I ready a ranged attack if he starts casting a spell"
Mage speaks a few words and the warrior is charmed.
"Where was my readied action?"
"Well he didn't cast, it was a hex from a witch, SU ability you know"...
However, if you imagine the readied action, the difference makes sense. against a charge you can put one end in the floor and just aim. Against a "walk to me" you have to actually attack and can't use his momentum.
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I agree, the use of making the attack against moving character adds more use for the item but can be over used. Maybe a feat that would just change it to apply to AoO´s provoked by Charges or Running movement. This was some who could over use the ability would have to build their character to this point rather than that be the way that the item is used. Also if other uses were granted for brace weapons that would give more use for them.
Like a feat allowed options like...
- The user to push back a target when using a brace weapon.
- The user can be treated like a larger creature when using a brace weapon +1 cmd, cmb and have the option to take feats as if a larger creature, (powerful blow)
Just something to make brace weapons appealing
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However, if you imagine the readied action, the difference makes sense. against a charge you can put one end in the floor and just aim. Against a "walk to me" you have to actually attack and can't use his momentum.
It should still be the same readied action though... just as the guy readying to shoot the spellcaster should still get his shot once the spellcaster starts mumbling... Moving your spear from braced against your back foot to 'into the other guy's gut' isn't so much of a difference that you should need a specific definition to differentiate the two things. Otherwise, yes, you make readied actions pointless.
All the description a readied action needs is enough so that everyone at the table knows what you're talking about. It shouldn't be like trying to make a wish with a jerkass genie, where the wording has to be like a legal contract to avoid getting dumped on. If you point your loaded crossbow at a guy and yell, 'Move a muscle and you're dead!' you should be able to shoot him if he tries anything vaguely dodgy... not just if he specifically 'moves a muscle' (but only one of them, mind...).
The brace feature is a bonus to the weapon, not a weird restriction which means you lock yourself out from using it normally. That would be pointless.
Also, braced weapons in the game don't just use the other guy's momentum - after all, you still get your Strength bonus on the damage roll as well - their momentum just gives you the bonus of the extra base dice of damage.
The ready action mentions you have to state the action you'll take, and the conditions under which you'll take it. I see no problem with a guy stating, 'I'll ready my spear to attack the first bad guy who gets near enough' and getting the brace bonus if the bad guy happens to charge. If you decide to split hairs and rule that you can either brace Vs charges (only) or ready to make a normal attack, then you've pretty much fallen victim to 'grid physics' thinking... The guy ready to attack with his spear can't just poke at the bad guy if he happens to saunter slowly forwards..? Riiight... ;)
Yup, this is pretty much what I was trying to say.
The ready action mentions you have to state the action you'll take, and the conditions under which you'll take it. I see no problem with a guy stating, 'I'll ready my spear to attack the first bad guy who gets near enough' and getting the brace bonus if the bad guy happens to charge. If you decide to split hairs and rule that you can either brace Vs charges (only) or ready to make a normal attack, then you've pretty much fallen victim to 'grid physics' thinking... The guy ready to attack with his spear can't just poke at the bad guy if he happens to saunter slowly forwards..? Riiight... ;)
I agree with you, but the way the Brace feature was written implied to me anyway that the rules did "split hairs" in this way.
I'm glad to hear that most folks work with broad strokes and less in the minutiae of action breakdown.
Thank you for asking this i was about to comment on this as well
I also thank you for thinking up a simple solution for this little problem i have had. I will now be using the 2.0 version
Thank you for asking this i was about to comment on this as well
I also thank you for thinking up a simple solution for this little problem i have had. I will now be using the 2.0 version
Happy to be of service. Just a little bending of the language makes the Brace Feature seem a little more useful.