Fighting Styles

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Lurker
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Fighting Styles

Post by Lurker »

So I've been reading some pdfs for Forgotten Realms Grey Box and thinking about the good ole days and that lead to digging through some of my old house rules ideas. I found one I always like but I can't remember if I ever play tested it.

Fighting styles

All fighters, and their associated subclasses, have mastered the basic fundamental skills needed to properly utilize all of the general fighting styles. However fighters, and eventually the associated subclasses, may chose to specialize in a specific style of fighting. Becoming more focused on the style and receiving specific benefits from the specialization.

A fighter that, through time and experience, gains 2 fighting styles cannot use both styles at the same time. Therefore, he or she cannot get the benefits of using the styles or combining them.

Fighting styles

'Sword' & board
All fighters know how to effectively use the combination of weapon and shield. However, one that specializes in this fighting style have mastered the use of the combination of the 2. A 'sword & board' specialist is able to use both the weapons and the shield in surprisingly offensive and defensive maneuvers.

The benefits to this specialization:
An additional +1 to AC
Every other round a character that is specialized in this fighting style may attempt to make an additional attack with the shield. The character must make a dex check (cl # of previous attempts in the combat), if the dex check succeeds a normal attack is rolled. damage for attack d6, plus str bonus (magic bonus for the shield acts a bonus for the attack and damage). The damage is considered to be bludgeoning so is not halved when fighting things like skeletons etc.

Finesse
Most fighters in general rely on their exceptional strength to enhance their ability to hit and to damage their opponent. However, there are a few fighters that rely on speed, precision, and agility to enhance their combat abilities. These fighters have specialized in finesse fighting. Where a normal fighter uses a weapon powered by brute strength to cleave through the enemy's armor, a finesse fighter uses a smaller/lighter weapon to precisely attack the armor's chink or the weak area in the opponent's defense.

However, to properly utilize this style of combat, the character must have and use weapons that are specifically designed for finesse fighting - one handed, well balanced, etc . for example, saber, rapier, short sword, dirk, Main Gauche, Poniard, or similar weapons depending on the setting/era. A Viking with the finesse style may be allowed to use a hand axe, or a well made/balanced battle ax, but would not be allowed to use a Danish/great battle ax
The benefit to this specialization:
Attack to hit and damage rolls use the dex bonus instead of the str bonus.

2 weapon
There are times a fighter feels the need to have a weapon in each hand. Fighting with a weapon in each hand gives the fighter 2 attack rolls each round. However, this type of combat is rightfully considered one of the most difficult to properly utilize - with an associated -3, -6 to the attack rolls. However, a fighter that specializes in 2 weapon fighting has master this style to a point that they have minimized these negatives.
*** dex bonuses also reduce the negatives and stacks with the benefit of this fighting style
The benefits to this specialization:
2 attacks per round
Negatives associated with 2 weapon fighting are reduced by 2 ( becoming -1 & -4 ) However, the reduction - when included with dex bonus - will never improve past 0, -1 .

2 handed (single weapon)
All fighters know how to hack, slash, and bash their opponent. However, some fighters chose a fighting style that greatly utilizes their natural strength to deliver devastating blows and critical damage. Fighters that specialize in 2 handed (single weapon) fighting have given up the benefit of using a shield or having 2 weapons in hand to use their maximum strength and leverage focused through one weapon.
The benefits to this specialization:
improved damage. Due to the increased strength and leverage involved in this fighting style, a fighter that is specialized in the '2 handed' fighting does an additional +2 damage to their attacks.
Disarm difficulty. An opponent that attempts to disarm the fighter specialized in this style is at a -2 on their disarm attack roll.

2 hander weapon

All fighters can pick up a spear, pole arm, or a great sword and properly utilize it. However, a fighter that specializes in the 2 hander weapon fighting style has perfected using the reach, leverage , and control - along with specialized features of these weapons - to great effect.

The benefits to this specialization:
Trip/disarm . A fighter specialized in this style receives a +2 to attacks focused on tripping or disarming an opponent - pole arms with hooks associated with them also apply this benefit to unhorsing a mounted opponent. Similarly, a character using this fighting style is harder to disarm (though there is no benefit to resist a trip attack with this style)

Simultaneous attack a against a charging opponent. Due to the reach of the weapons, a fighter - even if they have a lower initiative - can counter attack a charging opponent. Thus deliver a attack against a charging opponent.

For this benefit, the character must not be surprised. If they are surprised, the charging character attacks as normal as long as they reach the character in that round and the fighter with this specialization cannot counter attack the charge. Additionally, if they are not surprised, the character must make a dex check (cl of the charging opponent's level). If the dex check is successful then the character attacks the charging character at the same time as the charger's attack hits home. Attack and damage for both attacks are rolled normally.

Furthermore, if this benefit is utilized, it replaces the fighter's attack for this round (if the fighter has a slower initiative. Additionally, this benefit cannot be used if the character has already used their attack against a different opponent. *** In short, it does not give a fighter an additional free attack***
Note, one using specific pole arms set to receive a charge deliver additional damage as per RAW.


Soooooo what do you all think ?
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Persimmon
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Re: Fighting Styles

Post by Persimmon »

Hmm, interesting, but a bit too complicated for me. We use the DCC rules for "sword and board" for dwarves and dual wielding for halflings, which are simpler, in that they just use the "dice chain," which, however, requires their extra dice. For sword and board, you get a shield bash every round for d3 damage if used with one handed weapon but the attack die is a d14. For the halflings, they use a lower die for dual wielding on the second weapon so it could be a d16 or d14 depending upon dexterity. Other characters can do it too, but the penalties are greater. I think RAW they might have a penalty of -1 or more depending on Dex but we say you need at least a 16 Dex to dual wield as a non-halfling. Now we also have a chance to be ambidextrous by rolling at character creation. Ambidextrous characters can automatically fight with two weapons without penalty.

We never seem to do much with disarming so I don't have much opinion on the two-handed stuff; extra damage is nice, but a lot of weapons already add damage for two-handed use. The finesse style is cool and I could see that working if you had a musketeer style concept or something like a certain dark elf who shall not be named....
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Grandpa
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Re: Fighting Styles

Post by Grandpa »

Tried this back in the AD&D 2e days. Can be okay as long as the GM doesn't have to manage any of it and the player is experienced.

Fizz
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Re: Fighting Styles

Post by Fizz »

I've used fighting styles like that for awhile, and never had any problem with them. You can extend styles as well- it's not just about how many hands you use. Fighting with a polearm, or from horseback, are very different than any sword technique. And of course there are various ranged techniques.

I've actually found 3E feats to be a good source of inspiration for different styles (though not necessarily the mechanics).


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Captain_K
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Re: Fighting Styles

Post by Captain_K »

The combat maneuver and combat actions in the PH and CKG are a good guide to the things fighters can do, it can be as simple as +1 (or -1 from a penalty) for each time they spend a skill slot or level gain (superior, expert, master, etc.) to the particular technique they want to get good at.... but should there be a penalty from something they do not spend time at?

Why does one fighter get all the benefits of X PLUS Y while the rest of the fighters just get Y?

I'm thinking along the line of the old specialist wizard approach, better at some, but none of another.
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serleran
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Re: Fighting Styles

Post by serleran »

If I do things like this, I try to keep it culturally related, so that, for example, only the Tine Sallow warriors are known for their use of XXXX and it gives them YYYY. Usually this is for NPCs.

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