
Aelryinth RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
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Translation:
Feat One: Have a sucky feat tax at the start.
Feat Two: let's make anyone who doesn't have the ability to swing at you more then once a round, who is unable to get a full attack on a move, or who is using a Vital Strike, to be completely useless. After all, we only fight tons of mooks, not single big monsters.
Feat three: After we make them useless, let's turn all our fights into AoO fights. Normal attacks are now just useless.
---Now, I know the feats are strong. I know they're trying to set up an effective defensive style of play.
But did they realize just how badly they trashed anyone under 6 BAB, anything that doesn't have multiple attacks on a move and strike, and the whole Vital Strike line?
Am I truly missing something in this feat chain? If you have SPring Attack and are dueling, you are basically invulnerable...
==Aelryinth

Rogue Eidolon |

Translation:
Feat One: Have a sucky feat tax at the start.
Feat Two: let's make anyone who doesn't have the ability to swing at you more then once a round, who is unable to get a full attack on a move, or who is using a Vital Strike, to be completely useless. After all, we only fight tons of mooks, not single big monsters.
Feat three: After we make them useless, let's turn all our fights into AoO fights. Normal attacks are now just useless.
---Now, I know the feats are strong. I know they're trying to set up an effective defensive style of play.
But did they realize just how badly they trashed anyone under 6 BAB, anything that doesn't have multiple attacks on a move and strike, and the whole Vital Strike line?
Am I truly missing something in this feat chain? If you have SPring Attack and are dueling, you are basically invulnerable...
==Aelryinth
Technically, you need to add Deflect Arrows or even better that crazy UM spell that automatically deflects all arrows without impeding you in any way. Also, if you weren't a monk, you have to pay another feat tax with IUS. But yeah, if you also do that, now you are invulnerable in all duels unless they have one of those rare abilities. Granted UC adds a few ways to move and full attack, but you usually have to be pretty high level and/or have a weird hybrid build to get the greatest use of those.
I'm also of a mind that this is a bit much. It would have been nice if it required you to roll an attack roll like the Duelist Parry ability (to save valuable game time, you can use the same attack roll for the AoO on Crane Riposte, thus not even adding an additional roll).
There was a spell or feat of some sort that also did this in 3.5, and I remember particularly a Spring Attacking 4th-level Fighter NPC with that ability and a few more tricks up his sleeve (I think he also had Freedom of Movement) winning in a duel against the level 16 PC Barbarian. It would have been a very very long duel, but I think the PC may have forfeited.

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It's once per round, not once per round per opponent. You sacrifice offense for defense. The penalties on attack rolls are lessened through the feat chain, but using crane style also prevents you from using a more aggressive martial arts style.
It gives monks something nice and I think we all agree that that's a good thing.

jgtn |
Honestly, if you are a smart character, it is great. Dodge is not that terrible of a feat. As a monk, increasing AC is a good thing. I think that the style feats are great. Ultimate Combat is incredible for monks. People have asked for ages about the monk. I hope to see less monks suck treads in the future. Monks got the good end on the stick on this one.

Swivl |

Certainly there are some scenarios that this will be most helpful. As natural optimizers, we will notice the ideal right away. This series of feats are quite handy. Make no mistake, though, it is far from perfect.
So a melée weapon attack is deflected? So what, my monk has had deflect arrows for 5 levels and hasn't used it once. Not to say melée is rare, but just think that there are many things used for offense in this game, so nullifying one attack is great, but not the invincible defender it's made out to be.

Drejk |

I have no problem with first and thrid feats from the Crane but second one with its ability to outrightly negate one attack is leaving a bad aftertaste... It can be taken at 5th level which means that it can be used in one-on-one fight before mutiple attacks are even possible. Hello, unhittable duelist.Anything that negates hit just so should be more limited in its usage (like two or three times per day or at the expense of some resource, like Ki points).

SimianChaos |
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I have no problem with first and thrid feats from the Crane but second one with its ability to outrightly negate one attack is leaving a bad aftertaste... It can be taken at 5th level which means that it can be used in one-on-one fight before mutiple attacks are even possible. Hello, unhittable duelist.Anything that negates hit just so should be more limited in its usage (like two or three times per day or at the expense of some resource, like Ki points).
I have a solution for this problem, it's called a bow.

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Drejk wrote:I have no problem with first and thrid feats from the Crane but second one with its ability to outrightly negate one attack is leaving a bad aftertaste... It can be taken at 5th level which means that it can be used in one-on-one fight before mutiple attacks are even possible. Hello, unhittable duelist.Anything that negates hit just so should be more limited in its usage (like two or three times per day or at the expense of some resource, like Ki points).I have a solution for this problem, it's called a bow.
+1
Most of my charcters had long range options, even if they wernt good at them.Oh you spring attack and go back 15ft each round..
Well i take out my bow and shoot you...

Ravingdork |
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Ah, crane technique.
Ah, knee jerk over-reactors.
It's fine. Actually worse than the under-appreciated Deflect Arrows since you must be using the style, you must be fighting defensively (which means they are likely to miss anyways), and you have to pay a fairly large feat tax.

SimianChaos |

Irulesmost wrote:Oooh! How does Crane style's deflection ability interact with Combat Maneuvers?Crane style negates weapon attacks.
So, I guess only maneuvers utilizing weapons can be negated.
If memory serves unarmed strikes and natural weapons all count as melee attacks so that means just about any combat maneuver (discounting special abilities which allow you to do such things at range).

Ravingdork |

FEAT EXCERPT: "...you can deflect one melee weapon attack that would normally hit you."
One could argue that unarmed strikes and natural weapons are "weapons" due to unarmed strike being one the "weapons" table and natural weapons having the very word in their name, but a bull rush, grapple, or steal maneuver (to name a few examples) do not typically involve weapons in any way.

Irulesmost |

Oh NO! An attempt to clarify the rules resulting in two reasonable sides about a new, slightly unclear ability! That almost NEVER happens! Not on the PAIZO boards!
After all, what constitutes an attack action, or does grapple count as using an unarmed strike, etc?
Tongue out of cheek, here:

SimianChaos |

FEAT EXCERPT: "...you can deflect one melee weapon attack that would normally hit you."
One could argue that unarmed strikes and natural weapons are "weapons" due to unarmed strike being one the "weapons" table and natural weapons having the very word in their name, but a bull rush, grapple, or steal maneuver (to name a few examples) do not typically involve weapons in any way.
I agree with the bull rush, grapple, steal, and most uses of dirty trick cannot even be deflected. And in an effort to be diplomatic I shall state that I have noticed that you are a very much RAW individual where as I am more RAI+logic. I see no logical reason why one cannot utalize a highly defensive fighting style to push away something claws, tentacle, or even it's face (provided it's mouth isn't bigger then your chest).
I will bow to your interpretation of RAW however as it is correct in that regard.

Drejk |

Drejk wrote:I have no problem with first and thrid feats from the Crane but second one with its ability to outrightly negate one attack is leaving a bad aftertaste... It can be taken at 5th level which means that it can be used in one-on-one fight before mutiple attacks are even possible. Hello, unhittable duelist.Anything that negates hit just so should be more limited in its usage (like two or three times per day or at the expense of some resource, like Ki points).I have a solution for this problem, it's called a bow.
Which part of the term duelist is hard to understand (well, except the one where they used the name for prestige class that focuses on single one-handed piercing weapon)? Duelist is someone who fights in duels: one-on-one fight. Unless the duel is ranged then bow is out.
Yes, after a few levels second attack comes into the equation but there is a small gap for 4-5 level characters where you can throw a duel that cannot be won.

Swivl |
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SimianChaos wrote:Drejk wrote:I have no problem with first and thrid feats from the Crane but second one with its ability to outrightly negate one attack is leaving a bad aftertaste... It can be taken at 5th level which means that it can be used in one-on-one fight before mutiple attacks are even possible. Hello, unhittable duelist.Anything that negates hit just so should be more limited in its usage (like two or three times per day or at the expense of some resource, like Ki points).I have a solution for this problem, it's called a bow.Which part of the term duelist is hard to understand (well, except the one where they used the name for prestige class that focuses on single one-handed piercing weapon)? Duelist is someone who fights in duels: one-on-one fight. Unless the duel is ranged then bow is out.
Yes, after a few levels second attack comes into the equation but there is a small gap for 4-5 level characters where you can throw a duel that cannot be won.
This game is not a PvP arena. Enemies will likely not fight fairly (or 1 on 1), so while a duelist may make the effort to duel, as it were (and why not? This is where they shine), enemies of said duelist may have no incentive to allow this to happen.
I've seen this sort of argument before. The game is not a vacuum of ideal scenarios.

Drejk |

This game is not a PvP arena. Enemies will likely not fight fairly (or 1 on 1), so while a duelist may make the effort to duel, as it were (and why not? This is where they shine), enemies of said duelist may have no incentive to allow this to happen.
...
This comment freezed my mind for a second. Or ten.
I have seen lots of duels in game. Duels like in "I, sir Knightly Of Little-village-of-southern-nowhere, challenge you to the duel, in front of gods and those nobles that will witness it... yadda, yadda". If you, when hear duel think of pvp arena first and not of ancient custom, then I am sorry for you skewed point of view.
I've seen this sort of argument before. The game is not a vacuum of ideal scenarios.
I agree. But dueling is not some ideal scenario but a fact of life that happened for thousands of years. Of course there were lots occassions when parties dueling had been cheating, setting their allies in ambushes and such, but in no way will you convince king that you really want to use your bow when dueling his champion.

Kaiyanwang |
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Aelrynth, there are more ways to overcome this feats than to overcome most spells.
If this FEAT CHAIN (dear god again) is overpowered, what about greater invisibility + mind blank+ overland flight?
Is really the case of complaining about Crane Style/Wing/Riposte? I'd bet not.
(I agree that duels happen. Is not only an honour thing - absolutely common in a game with kinights in shining armor - but is too the classical duel of the good guy vs the bad guy, or two future allies meeting in a tight road a là Robin Hood vs Little John).

Swivl |

Um, of course duels happen. A duelist wouldn't exist without one.
I say PvP because your concern is in mechanics, so I speak in mechanics. If rp was the issue, I'd use those terms instead.
This is, largely, a team game, with team plays. With this in mind, the feat tree, while good, is not broken, and not worth much worry. If duels are a constant and frequent appearance in your games, then obviously this selection of feats need adjustment. I don't think we are even in disagreement, just working with different assumptions about the game that uses these mechanics. I play APs mostly, and dueling is rare. Even when it does happen, it's more frequent at higher levels, where other fighters would have a suitable solution to this tree. If you play E6, then you should probably not allow this feat tree.

Aelryinth RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

Aelrynth, there are more ways to overcome this feats than to overcome most spells.
If this FEAT CHAIN (dear god again) is overpowered, what about greater invisibility + mind blank+ overland flight?
Is really the case of complaining about Crane Style/Wing/Riposte? I'd bet not.
(I agree that duels happen. Is not only an honour thing - absolutely common in a game with kinights in shining armor - but is too the classical duel of the good guy vs the bad guy, or two future allies meeting in a tight road a là Robin Hood vs Little John).
Magic is magic, you overcome it with magic. we're talking a melee duel here.
In combination with Spring Attack, you literally Cannot Be Hit. Dragon lunges at you with Greater Vital Strike Power Attacking Jaw strike? Deflect. No 100 pts dmg for you.
Sure, it's of less use against mobs, I DID point that out. Unless you have a feat that grants you AoO's when attacked, or can do multiple strikes on a move, you literally cannot touch this guy in melee.
Pull out a bow. Yeah, right, that'll work. The round you pull it out, you get at most one shot, it's auto-deflected by a monk, then he springs up, cuts the cord on your bow, and you're back to being nickeled and dimed to death.
True seeing and See Invisibility both defeat mind blank, as neither targets the mind blank recipient. And a DC 20 spot check does the job as well, especially if you are moving. So does Glitterdust, or Faerie Fire, or whatever. Plus, you're talking a minimum of 13th level to make that happen. This is usable at low levels to gain absolute advantage in a duel.
I'm trying to think of a reasonable way to defeat it in a lower level duel. You take a TH penalty for an equal or better AC bonus (i.e. an Expertise sub), and you just whittle your opponent down because he can't hit you. Unless he's got an endless supply of throwing knives, and his penalty to hit you is greater then yours to hit him!
I'm definitely seeing problems with the feat chain.
==Aelryinth

Kaiyanwang |
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In combination with spring attack means take a chain of 6 feats. And some of them is not that good, in addition.
Your interpretation of see invisibility and true seeing is optimistic. Mind Blank says "immune to divination", fullstop. But that would need a different thread.
Are you sure you can reach me and break the bow? What about prepared actions? Maneuvers?

SimianChaos |
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Kaiyanwang wrote:Aelrynth, there are more ways to overcome this feats than to overcome most spells.
If this FEAT CHAIN (dear god again) is overpowered, what about greater invisibility + mind blank+ overland flight?
Is really the case of complaining about Crane Style/Wing/Riposte? I'd bet not.
(I agree that duels happen. Is not only an honour thing - absolutely common in a game with kinights in shining armor - but is too the classical duel of the good guy vs the bad guy, or two future allies meeting in a tight road a là Robin Hood vs Little John).
Magic is magic, you overcome it with magic. we're talking a melee duel here.
In combination with Spring Attack, you literally Cannot Be Hit. Dragon lunges at you with Greater Vital Strike Power Attacking Jaw strike? Deflect. No 100 pts dmg for you.
Sure, it's of less use against mobs, I DID point that out. Unless you have a feat that grants you AoO's when attacked, or can do multiple strikes on a move, you literally cannot touch this guy in melee.
Pull out a bow. Yeah, right, that'll work. The round you pull it out, you get at most one shot, it's auto-deflected by a monk, then he springs up, cuts the cord on your bow, and you're back to being nickeled and dimed to death.
True seeing and See Invisibility both defeat mind blank, as neither targets the mind blank recipient. And a DC 20 spot check does the job as well, especially if you are moving. So does Glitterdust, or Faerie Fire, or whatever. Plus, you're talking a minimum of 13th level to make that happen. This is usable at low levels to gain absolute advantage in a duel.
I'm trying to think of a reasonable way to defeat it in a lower level duel. You take a TH penalty for an equal or better AC bonus (i.e. an Expertise sub), and you just whittle your opponent down because he can't hit you. Unless he's got an endless supply of throwing knives, and his penalty to hit you is greater then yours to hit him!
I'm definitely seeing problems with the feat chain.
==Aelryinth
Why are you talking about it being unbeatable at low levels and then claiming the person has Spring Attack and all of Crane Style? Even as a fighter thats minimum level 6 and there are ways to beat it at level 6 without magic, you've also kept saying Duelist and Monk, which is it? A Duelist or a Monk? If it's a Monk who has two levels of Duelist to get the Parry then that character is at least 10th level and by that point his ability to deflect single attacks is somewhat moot.

Aelryinth RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

(pinches nose) I never said Duelist, I said in a duel. Or any one on one fight vs. a monster that isn't a Hydra or has Pounce.
A readied action only allows you one attack. It's no defense at all. You'd get your swing, it's deflected, and he gets one attack PLUS an AoO at level 8+...i.e. a 2 for 0.
I believe Dodge and Mobility are among the bonus feats allowed to monks, Spring attack is a logical extension of those. And this is IDEAL with Spring Attack, since it limits an opponent to one attack. If he does swing at you...bonus attack at highest BAB for you.
I'm not at all sure, but would Step Up and Strike let you follow a Spring Attacker adn possibly unleash a full attack that would beat past his deflection?
===Aelryinth

meatrace |
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True seeing and See Invisibility both defeat mind blank, as neither targets the mind blank recipient.
The subject is protected from all devices and spells that gather information about the target through divination magic (such as detect evil, locate creature, scry, and see invisible). This spell also grants a +8 resistance bonus on saving throws against all mind-affecting spells and effects. Mind blank even foils limited wish, miracle, and wish spells when they are used in such a way as to gain information about the target. In the case of scrying that scans an area the creature is in, such as arcane eye, the spell works but the creature simply isn't detected. Scrying attempts that are targeted specifically at the subject do not work at all.
I'm trying to imagine why True Seeing would work since it's a divination spell, and that's literally all this spell protects you from.

VM mercenario |
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In combination with Spring Attack, you literally Cannot Be Hit. Dragon lunges at you with Greater Vital Strike Power Attacking Jaw strike? Deflect. No 100 pts dmg for you.
Dragon Breath?
Sure, it's of less use against mobs, I DID point that out. Unless you have a feat that grants you AoO's when attacked, or can do multiple strikes on a move, you literally cannot touch this guy in melee.
Grapple?
Pull out a bow. Yeah, right, that'll work. The round you pull it out, you get at most one shot, it's auto-deflected by a monk, then he springs up, cuts the cord on your bow, and you're back to being nickeled and dimed to death.
He also has Deflect Arrows? Your low level monk doesn't seem so low level...
True seeing and See Invisibility both defeat mind blank, as neither targets the mind blank recipient. And a DC 20 spot check does the job as well, especially if you are moving. So does Glitterdust, or Faerie Fire, or whatever. Plus, you're talking a minimum of 13th level to make that happen. This is usable at low levels to gain absolute advantage in a duel.
You realize you have to be 5th level for Crane Wing and 7th for Riposte, right? And really if a player is going to sink all their feats to be excellent at something, let him a couple one on ones, but keep in mind: ranged attacks, mages, mobs, animals with pounce, maneuver experts... he is NOT the be all end all in combat. And if a DM sends this thing against his players... shucks to be him, there is usually 4 to 6 heroes in a party.
I'm trying to think of a reasonable way to defeat it in a lower level duel. You take a TH penalty for an equal or better AC bonus (i.e. an Expertise sub), and you just whittle your opponent down because he can't hit you. Unless he's got an endless supply of throwing knives, and his penalty to hit you is greater then yours to hit him!
I'm definitely seeing problems with the feat chain.
==Aelryinth
As a DM, if a player uses this? It's his sctick, let him be awesome at the only thing he can do. Use one of the above options to keep the party chalenged, even two fighter should give him trouble.
As a player, if the DM throws a duel winning machine against your character the first time your character is going to fight a gentlemans duel or is fighting alone? Be happy if the enemy isn't 20th level and the DM isn't rolling only 'natural 20s' behind the shield. Still better than him dropping a meteor on your character. And after the game asking if he has something against you or your character. Start looking for a new group.
Ravingdork |

If you have a +4 bow and the skirmisher/dueslist has a +3 sword, he isn't going to be sundering anything.
Also, move in and grapple the SOB (or ready an action for when he comes to you that way he's not fighting defensively). He can't negate non-weapon combat maneuvers with Crane Wing. You also put a stop to his spring attacking.

Swivl |
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I think the take-home message here is that in artificially-constructed duels, this series of feats create a powerful, though not insurmountable obstacle. Otherwise, the feats do great defense, but far from invincible. In other words, good feats.
This is a weird thread to me; most feats worth complaining about usually have some great offense of some kind. This is rare to think such a defense is powerful, as this game is very much an offense and tactics game.

Ernest Mueller |

If I was forced to duel with the aformentioned Duelist using Crane Style I would, upon realizing that my attacks were not going to hit would begin trying to trip him, make use of Dirty Trick, or Bull Rushing him to get him on his backside.
And then finish him off with what, harsh language?

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OK, this is kind of silly.
Has anyone even looked at a non-hypothetical scenario?
A monk must be minimum level 7 to use this feat chain in full. That's a BAB of 5. Add a +1 for weapon focus unarmed, and another +1 for an amulet of mighty fist (since the devs in their infinite wisdom chose to nerf brass knuckles) and assume an 18 strength or dex (for the wpn finesse crowd) and you get a total of +11 on an AOO. When using this style, its +10.
OK. Since I assume you want a fair assessment, lets use a fighter 7 with a standard melee weapon. That's +7/+2 BAB, with a 20 strength (the 3000gp cheaper a +1 weapon is than the +1 amulet makes a +2 belt of strength easily attainable), weapon focus, weapon training, and a +1 weapon. your total to hit bonus is a 15. Great your first hit is negated. The second attack that can't be negated is at +10.... the same bonus as the monk's AOO.
At best, this puts a monk on a relatively even footing in a one on one combat against an equal level fighter-type opponent. You are not unbeatable, and most scenarios will not allow this clean of a match up. When counting mob fights, mages, big beasts, etc... this feat chain is nice, but far from the best.

Aelryinth RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

OK, this is kind of silly.
Has anyone even looked at a non-hypothetical scenario?
A monk must be minimum level 7 to use this feat chain in full. That's a BAB of 5. Add a +1 for weapon focus unarmed, and another +1 for an amulet of mighty fist (since the devs in their infinite wisdom chose to nerf brass knuckles) and assume an 18 strength or dex (for the wpn finesse crowd) and you get a total of +11 on an AOO. When using this style, its +10.
OK. Since I assume you want a fair assessment, lets use a fighter 7 with a standard melee weapon. That's +7/+2 BAB, with a 20 strength (the 3000gp cheaper a +1 weapon is than the +1 amulet makes a +2 belt of strength easily attainable), weapon focus, weapon training, and a +1 weapon. your total to hit bonus is a 15. Great your first hit is negated. The second attack that can't be negated is at +10.... the same bonus as the monk's AOO.
At best, this puts a monk on a relatively even footing in a one on one combat against an equal level fighter-type opponent. You are not unbeatable, and most scenarios will not allow this clean of a match up. When counting mob fights, mages, big beasts, etc... this feat chain is nice, but far from the best.
And how is the fighter ever getting his second attack in?
Likewise, why wouldn't an attempted grapple provoke the deflection and AoO? It's still considered an attack roll, even if you're trying to grip and rend instead of cut and poke.
What it allows you to do is completely shut down any foe you want to completely shut down in melee. That is Extremely Powerful. I ALREADY mentioned mob situations. I already mentioned missile and magic. I'm referring to melee combat.
And I don't have to sunder your +4 bow. I have to sunder your +0 bowstring.
===Aelryinth

Aelryinth RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
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You know that's akin to saying I can't sunder a scabbard a magic sword is in, or a non-magical arrow on the bow?
Sundering the bowstring renders it unusable until you get another bowstring. Sundering the bow destroys the bow. I don't see anything saying the replaceable string is an integral part of the bow.
But, c'est la vies.
===Aelryinth

leo1925 |
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You know that's akin to saying I can't sunder a scabbard a magic sword is in, or a non-magical arrow on the bow?
Sundering the bowstring renders it unusable until you get another bowstring. Sundering the bow destroys the bow. I don't see anything saying the replaceable string is an integral part of the bow.
But, c'est la vies.
===Aelryinth
Since you can't sunder the hilt of a sword seperately you can't sunder a bow's bowstring seperately, that's the rules.

Zmar |

You know that's akin to saying I can't sunder a scabbard a magic sword is in, or a non-magical arrow on the bow?
Sundering the bowstring renders it unusable until you get another bowstring. Sundering the bow destroys the bow. I don't see anything saying the replaceable string is an integral part of the bow.
But, c'est la vies.
===Aelryinth
What you say is like I tried to make it that the bow somewhat protected a chest to which you place it.
Scabbard is not part of the weapon and neiter is the arrow. These are full subject to sunder. Arrow will get broken, but the sword won't cut the string by any chance. The scabbard will also receive a good cut or a hole, but the sword inside won't have a scratch unless sundering weapon at least matches the sword's enchantment.

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But, c'est la vies.===Aelryinth
/Frenchgrammarnazi
"C'est la vie", actually. Only one per people, nine by cat, it's the rule.
Also, if you are the kind of DM to throw at your player a guy who can sunder his bow by cutting the "+0" string, you're not the kind of DM I would touch with a 10' pole.
I guess you allow your players to break the pommel of a sword, making it "unusable because it is too much unbalanced now" ? Or maybe "the hilt can be sundered so it can't be wielded anymore" ? Is only the blade enchanted ? The edge ? The head of a hammer ?
A string is as much part of a bow than a cross is part of a gun, please don't be silly here.

Skull |
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underling wrote:OK, this is kind of silly.
Has anyone even looked at a non-hypothetical scenario?
A monk must be minimum level 7 to use this feat chain in full. That's a BAB of 5. Add a +1 for weapon focus unarmed, and another +1 for an amulet of mighty fist (since the devs in their infinite wisdom chose to nerf brass knuckles) and assume an 18 strength or dex (for the wpn finesse crowd) and you get a total of +11 on an AOO. When using this style, its +10.
OK. Since I assume you want a fair assessment, lets use a fighter 7 with a standard melee weapon. That's +7/+2 BAB, with a 20 strength (the 3000gp cheaper a +1 weapon is than the +1 amulet makes a +2 belt of strength easily attainable), weapon focus, weapon training, and a +1 weapon. your total to hit bonus is a 15. Great your first hit is negated. The second attack that can't be negated is at +10.... the same bonus as the monk's AOO.
At best, this puts a monk on a relatively even footing in a one on one combat against an equal level fighter-type opponent. You are not unbeatable, and most scenarios will not allow this clean of a match up. When counting mob fights, mages, big beasts, etc... this feat chain is nice, but far from the best.
And how is the fighter ever getting his second attack in?
Both characters in the example are level 7. the fighter's BAB is +7/+2 as listed in the section above. As a side note.
As a side note: Crane's deflect only works for fighting defensively or in total defense. So firstly all the attacks are at a -1 (from the 3 Crane feats) so in truth the fighter's second hit is @ 10. the AoO is @ 9 :P
The other catch is I just realized that when using total defense an AoO is not normally permitted. But I see no problem in giving that one AoO from the feat :P