That's ridiculous. But there's no reason this has to touch the sneak attack rules; just declare that it is not possible to catch someone flat-footed in any combat pre-arranged by both parties.
But that absolutely touches the Sneak Attack rules: it degrades them to the points of uselessness in dueling, seriously weakens rogues and pretty much shoots Tom's character design in the foot.
Sneak attack only works if you have someone flat footed, flanked or you successfully feint them (which is a time consuming pain in the butt in D&D). I've already taken steps to improve the aspect of feinting, but if you say that losing initiative doesn't make you flat footed in a duel than rogue fencers are hosed because their best weapon has just vanished. I'm perfectly happy to let you pick your starting stance and use of Expertise before the fight (as those are grey areas in the rules), but saying you aren't flat footed takes away too much from the rogues.
If the consensus is that we don't want to change first blood from first loss of HP (and I'm waiting for others to chime in) expect all serious fencers will have Improved Initiative and accurate attack as it's the only strategy that makes sense - go first, boost your chance to hit and screw damage as 1 point is still a win. Jim stated after that duel that obviously the only smart thing to do was take Improved Init when he made level, and I expect all of you will do so, as not doing so consigns you the losing end of a great many duels. Nearly all duels will be over in the first round and Halfling Fencers with 18 dexes, improved init and the attack and AC bonuses from being Small will rule the field of battle.
As far as this requiring more parrying: the aspect of D&D that covers your ability to defend yourself based on your skill level rather than your equipment is... Hit Points. High level fighters parry more and better than low level ones because they have more Hit Points. Armor Class, as D&D is designed, is based 80% on gear and 20% on skill (by way of feats and Dex mods, which are by and large static), with the assumption that you will upgrade your gear at every opportunity. But Emirikol doesn't have much by way of gear and has social reasons for not upgrading to masterwork studded leather and wearing it everywhere, so AC doesn't provide as much benefit.
Unless you have some other Parrying rules in mind? Weapon vs weapon rolls rather than armor classes, perhaps? Again, that starts to get really freaky when dealing with non-human, non-fencing opponents (did the giant spider parry?) but I'm willing to entertain the discussion....
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 01:40 pm (UTC)But that absolutely touches the Sneak Attack rules: it degrades them to the points of uselessness in dueling, seriously weakens rogues and pretty much shoots Tom's character design in the foot.
Sneak attack only works if you have someone flat footed, flanked or you successfully feint them (which is a time consuming pain in the butt in D&D). I've already taken steps to improve the aspect of feinting, but if you say that losing initiative doesn't make you flat footed in a duel than rogue fencers are hosed because their best weapon has just vanished. I'm perfectly happy to let you pick your starting stance and use of Expertise before the fight (as those are grey areas in the rules), but saying you aren't flat footed takes away too much from the rogues.
If the consensus is that we don't want to change first blood from first loss of HP (and I'm waiting for others to chime in) expect all serious fencers will have Improved Initiative and accurate attack as it's the only strategy that makes sense - go first, boost your chance to hit and screw damage as 1 point is still a win. Jim stated after that duel that obviously the only smart thing to do was take Improved Init when he made level, and I expect all of you will do so, as not doing so consigns you the losing end of a great many duels. Nearly all duels will be over in the first round and Halfling Fencers with 18 dexes, improved init and the attack and AC bonuses from being Small will rule the field of battle.
As far as this requiring more parrying: the aspect of D&D that covers your ability to defend yourself based on your skill level rather than your equipment is... Hit Points. High level fighters parry more and better than low level ones because they have more Hit Points. Armor Class, as D&D is designed, is based 80% on gear and 20% on skill (by way of feats and Dex mods, which are by and large static), with the assumption that you will upgrade your gear at every opportunity. But Emirikol doesn't have much by way of gear and has social reasons for not upgrading to masterwork studded leather and wearing it everywhere, so AC doesn't provide as much benefit.
Unless you have some other Parrying rules in mind? Weapon vs weapon rolls rather than armor classes, perhaps? Again, that starts to get really freaky when dealing with non-human, non-fencing opponents (did the giant spider parry?) but I'm willing to entertain the discussion....