Crash Test Magic: No Quarter
They're wearing steel that's bright and true.
Our almost-but-not-quite-weekly Monday feature returns this week with a new fighter exploit for D&D 4th Edition. Is a combat power based on a skill check broken?
Two weeks ago we broke down an artifact, the Southern Blade, and the Vikings pointed out some tweaks that will no doubt make the weapon more balanced. I still need to write it up fully with the new adjustments and re-present it as a fully usable artifact for your campaign.
In the meantime, here’s a 7th level fighter exploit. Does anyone know of a program or a template that would let me format these the way they look in the 4E books? I couldn’t find one.
No Quarter
You dishearten your opponent with a terrifying display of martial skill, proving that you will show no mercy and grant no quarter.
Level 7
Encounter. Martial, Weapon.
Standard Action. Melee weapon.
Target: One creature.
Attack: Strength vs. AC.
Hit: 2[W]+Strength modifier damage.
Secondary target: The original target.
Secondary Attack: Intimidate vs. Will.
Hit: Target is pushed back a number of squares equal to your charisma modifier. Target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
This exploit is based on the idea of making skills more relevant in combat. I can’t think of any powers that are based on skills off the top of my head, though I could be wrong. This is more of a replacement power than anything else (it doesn’t really accomplish anything other fighter powers don’t already do). Its main benefit is that you get it a few levels early, since a power with this amount of damage and secondary effect is probably more appropriate at 11th level. However, making the secondary effect contingent on a skill check makes it a little less powerful, so I slotted it at level 7.
Thematically, I like the idea of an attack combined with intimidation. If you’re fierce enough, you leave your opponent fleeing and cowering in terror. It adds a role-playing element to combat that’s sometimes missing in 4E. Is it balanced at 7th level? Is it too easy to make an intimidate check vs. Will? Is there already a power out there that accomplishes the same thing? What say you, doughty Vikings?
If this works, it would be fun to come up with a set of powers based on each skill.
Related posts:
June 15th, 2009 2:56 PM
This is kinda like the D&D equivalent of Intimidation Bolt. Aside from that, I know nothing of higher levels of D&D and really couldn’t tell you how you would break 4e.
June 15th, 2009 3:37 PM
I’d say it just doesn’t…need to be? It adds complication rather than anything else. Wouldn’t just causing a fear effect, straight out, be more elegant?
June 15th, 2009 3:50 PM
It should probably have the Fear keyword.
Other than that, the fact that it depends on three ability scores (Str, Dex, Cha) balances it somewhat at first, which is good, since at 7th level it’s going to be pretty easy to make that skill check even if the fighter isn’t optimized for intimidation at all.
However, assuming the fighter only replaces his lowest level encounter powers each time he gets the chance, he’s going to have this power until 22nd level, at which point he’s screwed unless he’s putting in a pretty strong effort into keeping his Intimidate bonus high.
So, it starts off really good, but somewhere along the way the secondary attack loses most of its significance.
June 15th, 2009 4:19 PM
You know, the Dex part is actually an error. Fixing it now. Should have been CHA! Good point on the Fear keyword and the diminishing returns at higher levels.
June 15th, 2009 5:01 PM
I thought the DEX was a mistake, but maybe you were being sneaky.
June 15th, 2009 5:31 PM
http://www.dnditalia.it/pcg is a pretty spiffy power card generator.
In terms of the power, I would probably make the 2ndary attack ‘use your weapon as an implement’.
Attacks vs Will generally are implement attacks & don’t get proficiency bonuses added in (Since will is usually a little below AC). The +5 from intimidate more than makes up for the fact that Charisma usually is not a fighter’s go-to stat.
Over time, as the PC takes special cool-weapon feats, and as the weapon accrues enhancement bonuses, Intimidate vs Will is going to be less and less effective (which is why I think some provision for using the weapon as an implement is important).
June 15th, 2009 5:54 PM
Sounds sexy for Charisma paladin multi classed into Fighter.
An average monster Will DC at level 7 is 19.
Good thing the 7 Dragonborn Paladin (Fighter) I whipped up has a +21 to Intimidate checks!
Intimidate bonus: 5 (trained) + 3 (1/2 level) + 5 (attribute) + 2 (racial) + 3 (skill focus feat) + 1 (Skull helm) + 2 (background) = 21
He pushes 5 squares (20 charisma) and can add 1d4 daily due to his Bashing Shield for a potential of 9 squares. If he prefers, he can wield a Staff of Thunderwave to knock the target prone and force it to take 5d6 damage. Not too bad.
June 15th, 2009 6:01 PM
What if instead Intimdate vs. Will, it was an intimidate check make at “Medium.” The DMG has a chart for increasing skill check difficulties based on level, so a medium check at level 5 scales up. Maybe base it on the target’s level?
June 16th, 2009 12:19 PM
http://toosigma.com/wiki/index.php/Universal_Card_Set is working on a massive project and they are using a Magic the Gathering card creator to format the powers into powercard which uses a very similar format as the 4th edtion template. Several people are doing similar stuff. I have a PDF that has blank card templates, and you could use Microsoft Publisher or Adobe to Format the power card.
June 16th, 2009 12:24 PM
Also, the unused portion of Intimidate (making an opponent surrender when bloodied) is based off will, so I would continue the precedent.
June 17th, 2009 2:49 AM
I like the intimidate vs will – I might not phrase it as a secondary attack, though. What about:
Effect: As a free action, make an intimidate check vs the target’s will save. If successful, target is dazed until the start of your next turn or until it moves directly away from you a number of squares equal to your charisma modifier.
June 17th, 2009 3:12 AM
iconoplast, that’s brilliant.
June 18th, 2009 7:45 AM
This was mentioned on a board where I was discussing your power: Hostile creatures get +10 to will saves vs Intimidate. I think that should apply here and makes it a lot harder to pull off unless you specialize in being intimidating.