So, here's my thought: few players seem to use combat maneuvers unless they have the corresponding Improved feat, since provoking an attack of opportunity, possibly failing to succeed on the maneuver (especially since you don't have feat-based bonuses helping you out), and then possibly getting tripped or disarmed yourself is rather punitive, but having players use such maneuvers when they make sense, well, makes sense.
So, my thought is this: rather than provoking an AoO when attempting a maneuver, what if you only provoke if you fail on the attempt (fail to beat their CMD)? If you fail, the results are largely the same: AoO and possible reversal of the action upon yourself, but it makes attempting the trick actually worthwhile at times.
Do you think this would:
--encourage more martial types to attempt maneuvers when they make sense?
--be reasonably balanced?
--slow down the game?
--improve the combat gameplay experience by providing options?
Well, I think the primary point of that AoO is to give enemies a chance to mess you up, since if they hit you on it, you take a penalty to your CMB.
I think you're probably right that it'll encourage more CMs, but at higher levels, sometimes it's just better to hit the enemy a few dozen times than to try to trip them, or what have you.
It'd probably slow down the game at first but...only at first.
Would the improved feats then make it so you don't provoke if you fail?
Well, I think the primary point of that AoO is to give enemies a chance to mess you up, since if they hit you on it, you take a penalty to your CMB.
Ah, I'd never read that part. Hmm...that's useful for PCs defending against big, strong monsters attempting a maneuver, although most don't provoke for the actions they'd normally attempt.
Would the improved feats then make it so you don't provoke if you fail?
Yeah.
You can always offer the enemy some AoO attempts just to get him to spend his AoO, then maneuver him. Summoned creatures are useful for this, as are people with Mobility and too much AC.
Teamwork in combat; it's great fun.
True, although the people I play with rarely make these kinds of tactical decisions.
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When random goblins start attempting to disarm and steal your +3 blade en masse, that AoO suddenly looks like really good game design. It's value as a way for (N)PCs to defend themselves is significant.
Otherwise you might also have three PCs all ganging up on the same BBEG to trip him; and this every boss combat, because a maneuver that succeeds is actually quite valuable; nearly always denies full attacks if not much worse.