So, I have been reading through Ultimate Campaign and it has become clear to me that there is a skill missing from PFRPG. Something along the lines of Tactics, Knowledge (Warfare), Martial Lore, or whatever you want to call it.
Ultimate Campaign has expanded the use of Profession: Soldier to basically cover this skill, as it is used primarily in the Mass Combat system and a little bit in the Kingdom ruling section.
In my own games, I have been considering expanding the use of the skill to function as a sort of martial variant of spellcraft. Players who make a high enough check can identify different techniques and attacks in combat such as whether an attack was a primary or secondary attack, what kinds of feats were used (Power Attack, Weapon Focus, Weapon Finesse, Teamwork Feats, etc.), and whether or not the opponent has some sort of additional damage that they can inflict beyond a normal hit (Sneak Attack, smite, challenge, Weapon Training, etc.) by making a check that either matches or exceeds the relevant attack or damage roll.
Has anyone else tried this and to what extent did it improve or ruin your game?
I haven't tried it, but it makes a lot of sense. However, the class that would thematically be most likely to have this skill - fighter - only gets 2 skill points per level.
Literally in the middle of finalizing my homebrew fix for that, also considering the fact, fighters should perhaps get to add half their level on that particular check?
I've done something similar with Profession (sailor) to enable a ship captain to analyze a ship's position to determine if it is moving in a hostile way or identify the combat-worthiness of a ship. The captain seems to enjoy having the skill do something other than driving.
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If you're making a martial variant of Spellcraft, you gotta call it Warcraft.
If you're making a martial variant of Spellcraft, you gotta call it Warcraft.
Goal was to not add another skill to the game.
If such a skill were to be invented, it oughta be used for Mass Combat rules.
Expanding the use into a Tactics based skill can greatly add to what Martial characters can do in combat.
Making Tactical Checks requires a player to target a single enemy. For the duration of combat against that enemy the player can make a number of checks to grant them self more competence in combat against that foe's exact tactics.
Tactical Defense: With an opposed roll with a DC=5+ opponent's attack roll, a player can identify any feats or extraordinary abilities that are affecting that specific attack roll. With a DC 10+ attack roll they can identify any magical effects or supernatural abilities that are affecting the attack roll. For every 5 by which the check exceeds the DC, the player can gain a +1 competence bonus on AC and CMD against that exact combination of attack variables against that opponent. You must be able to identify all variables in order to gain this bonus. If a new variable is introduced, another check must me made. Making this check is an immediate action.
Tactical Endurance: With an opposed roll with a DC= damage dealt by opponent, a player can identify any feats or extraordinary abilities that are affecting an opponent's ability to deal damage. With a DC=5+ damage dealt a player can identify any magical or supernatural effects that are affecting an opponent's ability to deal damage. For every 5 by which the check exceeds the DC, the player gains DR 1/- against that combination of variables to damage. This DR stacks with any DR/- the player may already have. If a new variable is introduced, another check must be made. Making this check is a free action when the player takes damage, the player must take damage to make this check.
Tactical Offense: With a check with a DC=5+ opponent's AC, a player can spend a swift action when they make an attack to identify any feats or extraordinary abilities that affect an opponent's Armor Class or CMD. With a DC=10+ opponent's AC they can identify any magical effects or supernatural abilities that are affecting the opponent's AC. For every 5 by which you exceed the DC the player gains a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls against that opponent. You must be able to identify all variables to gain this bonus. If a new variable is introduced, another check must be made.
Tactical Penetration: With a check with a DC= 10+ opponent's DR, a player can identify what kind of DR an opponent has, and how much of it. Making this check is a free action when the player inflicts damage to an enemy with a weapon attack. For every 5 by which you exceed the DC, you can bypass 1 point of the enemy's DR. If a new variable is introduced, a new check must be made.
thoughts?
Thread Graveknight time! Have we ever gotten anything official on this?
I tried to search for all combinations of ("Knowledge" or "Profession") with "check identify and ("combat" or "fighting") and ("feat" or "style"), and this thread was the only relevant one that came up (amidst a ton of irrelevant threads).
In the absence of other information, I would be inclined to go with something like the above, although probably with DCs cranked up a bit higher, but with a bonus for local familiarity or widespread fame/infamy.
(To a certain extent, this sort of thing also ought to be useful for identifying class features.)
There's some Weapon Master's Handbook stuff that functions similarly to this.
Not much on the skill front, but the fighter has been getting some love.
I think Profession Soldier has been a knowledge (tactics) skill since the CRB