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*blushes with a silly question*
When I participated in the Alpa and Beta playtest, my players weren't 14th level characters. Now that they are, I seem to have questions about what can be done in a round regarding folks with multiple attacks versus using one of the many combat maneuvers.
Can the fighter try CMB on attack 1 of 3 (or of 4 when hasted) and then get his other attacks? Can CMB be used on one of the iterative attacks such as instead of attack #2. If the CMB is a standard action (or a move action), does this mean it replaces all of the fighter's regular attacks? And if this is the case, why would a fighter ever choose to use a combat maneuver over his regular attacks?
Please help.
I am assuming by "Try CMB" you mean execute a combat maneuver.
Some combat maneuvers may be used in place of an attack (such as sunder, disarm, and trip... maybe others as defined in the combat maneuver definitions). So yes, a fighter can take a full attack action to do a Trip, Attack, Disarm or any other combination there of. This also means a player can choose to, say, use Trip instead of a normal attack when performing an Attack of Opportunity.
The other types of CMs, such as grapple or overrun, are standard actions that may not replace an attack.
A regular attack does damage, which is useful. So is disarming your enemy or tripping them so they can't get away or grappling them so they can't cast spells. Each option has its uses.
There are certain combat maneuvers that can be used instead of an attack and some that can be used as a standard action. If a maneuver can be used as an attack you may replace any of your attacks with that maneuver. For instance, a 20th fighter with no buffs and a two hander could disarm four times, attack four times, disarm/attack/disarm/attack, or any other combination.
The following combat maneuvers replace attacks:
Disarm
Trip
Sunder
These use a standard action and thus you cannot normally attack in the same turn:
Bull Rush
Dirty Trick
Drag
Grapple
Overrun
Reposition
Steal
Feint
You may also use Bull Rush or Overrun as part of a charge.
Certain feats and class abilities allow you to use the standard action combat maneuvers with different actions. Greater Grapple lets you maintain as a move and Rapid Grappler lets you swift after that. There are feats called Quick (Combat Maneuver) that allows you to use most of the standard action combat maneuvers to replace your highest BAB attack once a round. The monk archetype Maneuver Master can use their flurry alternate class feature to use standard action maneuvers during their full attack (though only with the attacks granted from the flurry). I'm certain there are more instances but those are the big ones.
If you're not a combat maneuver specialist you likely won't be using them, especially the standard action ones. Grapple and Dirty Trick stand out as some heavy combat winners in certain situations. As you get higher in level combat maneuvers generally become worse since brute monsters get bigger and casters have more counters to the conditions they inflict.
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Another short question...
As a GM, I find that when my enemies (monsters and NPCs) use their SU or SP abilities, they don't do much else in the round. Just wondering... does at-will just imply "as often as desired" with no special way to do more in a round?
The way I've been playing... is if an NPC/Monster uses those attacks (which usually cost a standard action) then they're most likely done for the round, unless they wish to move.
If a monster has multiple attacks in a round and doesn't move.... is there any way by using a full round action they can actually do more on their turn. Sometimes its hard to defend the monsters if they want to use a spell like ability, or supernatural ability it seems their turn is over.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I assume monsters can replace their attacks with CMs?
If it's a maneuver that's allowed to replace an attack, then yes. Just remember that without an "Improved [Maneuver]" feat (or similar ability, like Grab) doing so will provoke an Attack of Opportunity.