I believe that there is a strong argument to be made for ranged combat maneuvers such as trip and disarm so that they are not limited to a fighter archetype.
If an archer wants to trip his target, it's a matter of firing an arrow in such a way that it causes the target to lose its footing. In most terrain, I would say this could be done by making the arrow stick into the ground just in front of a moving target.
Disarming can be done by targeting a creature's hands/tentacles/etc.
Sundering is merely choosing to strike armor or other equipment rather than a 'soft-spot' in the defense.
By all means, make it cost a feat, with things like precise shot or focused shot as prerequisites, but don't tie it directly to the fighter, please.
Lucky Luke called, he wants his moves back.
Seriously, generally I'm not opposed to the idea and I think I actually recall reading something about it. Maybe it was a gunslinger ability or a variant rule somewhere but I'm certain ive seen the idea of ranged combat maneuvers cropping up somewhere.
What would you replace this (mostly) exclusive fighter ability with?
By all means, make it cost a feat, with things like precise shot or focused shot as prerequisites, but don't tie it directly to the fighter, please.
Maybe Agile Maneuvers as a prerequisite? Most ranged folks have high Dex anyway and will avoid (at least partially) complexity of having Str-based CMB for melee and Dex-based CMB for ranged.
By all means, make it cost a feat, with things like precise shot or focused shot as prerequisites, but don't tie it directly to the fighter, please.Maybe Agile Maneuvers as a prerequisite? Most ranged folks have high Dex anyway and will avoid (at least partially) complexity of having Str-based CMB for melee and Dex-based CMB for ranged.
This mostly eliminates one of the primary advantages melee weapons have over ranged weapons. To make it somewhat balanced, it would need at least a feat tax, and not one they'd be taking anyways.
That, Cheapy, I don't know. As a feat though, a fighter could gain the ability easily. It's something that anyone with sufficient training and/or know-how should be able to do. A ranger or zen archer should be able to do it, but they can't, because it is restricted to a fighter archetype.
I'm all for classes having unique stuff, and I understand that it's difficult for the fighter to find a niche that only the fighter can fill when pretty much everything the class does is rather mundane in a sense, but things like this should be more accessible.
This mostly eliminates one of the primary advantages melee weapons have over ranged weapons. To make it somewhat balanced, it would need at least a feat tax, and not one they'd be taking anyways.
It would appeal to a select few anyway. Tripping is not the best thing to do if you're a ranged combatant. You're making your target harder to hit. Sundering is not popular as far as I can tell, even with Pathfinder's changes.
Disarming is an attractive option, but unarmed fighters also have the option of actually using the weapon.
Sundering is better with two-handed weapons, disarming may be better at range or without a weapon, tripping is great in melee, but not so great at range... There are advantages and disadvantages for each.
And yet you're already vastly increasing the versatility of the probably the strongest fighting style in the game, all while ensuring that the character doesn't need the Improved versions of the feat, as they won't be provoking an AoO anyways :) That pesky AoO is the reason why people generally don't use CMs they don't have the improved version of.
Not saying it can't be balanced, but something needs to give.
Maybe make each ranged maneuver a separate feat?
Prerequisites: Agile Maneuvers, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot.
Benefits: Allows performing of disarm maneuver with a ranged weapon as a standard action. The character attempting the maneuver suffers -4 penalty to CMB due to complexity of such shot.
Special: Ranger with archery combat style adds Disarming Shot to his bonus feat list at 6th level.
Prerequisites: BAB +6, Agile Maneuvers, Disarming Shot, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot.
Benefits: Reduces the penalty while performing ranged disarm by 2 and the affected weapon drops 15 feet in random direction from the target. Before firing, the shooter may decide to deal normal damage in addition to disarming but his CMB roll has to match both the target's CMD and AC.
Prerequisites: Agile Maneuvers, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot.
Benefits: Allows performing of dirty trick maneuver with a ranged weapon that deals piercing damage as a standard action. The character attempting the maneuver suffers -4 penalty to CMB due to complexity of such shot. If the maneuver is successful the target gains entangled condition until he removes the projectile with a move action.
Special: Ranger with archery combat style adds Entangling Shot to his bonus feat list at 6th level.
Prerequisites: BAB +6, Agile Maneuvers, Entangling Shot, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot.
Benefits: Reduces penalty of entangling shot maneuver by 2 and the target requires standard action to remove the entangling projectile. Before firing, the shooter may decide to deal normal damage in addition to entangling but his CMB roll has to match both the target's CMD and AC.
EDIT: I am thinking about adding extra penalties to these maneuvers...
And yet you're already vastly increasing the versatility of the probably the strongest fighting style in the game, all while ensuring that the character doesn't need the Improved versions of the feat, as they won't be provoking an AoO anyways :) That pesky AoO is the reason why people generally don't use CMs they don't have the improved version of.
Not saying it can't be balanced, but something needs to give.
I don't see why "Improved [maneuver]" can't be a prerequisite for these theoretical feats. It would make perfect sense, so long as the option is there and not taxed with meaningless prerequisites.
EDIT:
Ranged Disarm
Prerequisites: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, BAB +5
You may attempt a disarm combat maneuver with a ranged weapon.
Normal: You cannot used ranged weapons to disarm a target.
Seems fair enough to me. Five feats to be able to disarm someone at a distance is a significant investment.