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Draz74
2010-02-24, 03:33 AM
Introduction

Every athlete knows that feeling when you are "in the zone," either for just a moment or for an extended period of time: when your mind seems to work on its own with a great degree of self-confidence, or when you spot and take a momentary chance to do something amazing that you normally wouldn't even dare to attempt. The military speaks of having such an ability too. In CRE8, this phenomenon is represented by Momentum.

Momentum may represent an advantage caused by martial training, lucky timing, mental focus, divine favor, or any other source of power the character cares to acknowledge and be governed by. Likewise, Momentum may be used to improve a character's actions whether they are magical, physical, mental, spiritual, or whatever.

At any given time, your character either has Momentum or doesn't have Momentum. You cannot gain levels or repeated degrees of Momentum. Some abilities can only be used or activated when your character has Momentum.

Expend Momentum: Some abilities can only be used or activated by expending your Momentum. These abilities cannot be used if you do not have Momentum. Once you use one of these abilities, you lose your Momentum unless you Preserve it.

Gain Momentum: There is currently no default way to gain Momentum. You must have a special ability that gives you Momentum.

Preserve Momentum: Some abilities give you a chance to not lose your Momentum even when you expend it. (Designer's note: this is the plan for a few cool high-level abilities that I haven't gotten around to designing yet.)

Draz74
2010-02-24, 03:36 AM
Design Notes

This system grew out of my love of the Psionic Focus rules. I realized that, other than the Concentration check to gain Psionic Focus, there was really nothing specific to a psionic flavor about it. And yet, it limited use of character abilities in a way that was so much more elegant (and friendly to adventuring all day long) than "Smite Evil 3/day. Rage 2/day."

The basic idea is to allow a typical low-level character to use one Momentum-based special ability per encounter. Characters who really focus on Momentum, or high-level characters, should be able to use Momentum 2-5 times per encounter pretty consistently.

Things to Improve

I'll gladly take suggestions for more feats/talents/kits that allow you to use your Momentum to do something cool. I'll really gladly take suggestions of carefully-balanced ways to allow characters to gain Momentum; I know I need more of these.

I know it would also be elegant game design if there was a default way to gain Momentum and a default way to use it, available to all characters regardless of feats/kits/talents. You're welcome to offer suggestions for this as well. However, don't be surprised if I shoot down suggestions along these line; I'm very wary of overpowering these abilities.

Of course, the easiest way to allow characters to gain Momentum by default, without being too powerful, would be requiring a large sacrifice of them in the action economy. Like, spend a Standard action for a chance at gaining Momentum. However, in my book, standing back for three seconds in combat and letting your opponent have a breather isn't the best way to take control of the situation. If I make a default way to gain Momentum, it has to make sense in-character too.

Draz74
2010-02-24, 03:37 AM
Ways to Gain Momentum


Feat: Attitude of Fortune
You may attempt to gain Momentum as a free action, either when you roll initiative, or when you wish to use an ability that would require you to expend Momentum. Make a DC 15 Wit check; if you pass this check, gain Momentum. Once you have made this check, you may not attempt to do so again until you have taken a short rest.

Lose your Momentum anytime you take a short rest.

Kit: Swashbuckler
(Among other benefits:)
If, during your turn, you move from a position where you do not have Combat Advantage to a position where you do have Combat Advantage (e.g. higher ground, flanking) against a certain foe, and you successfully hit that foe with a melee attack, you may gain Momentum as a free action.

Feat: Guardian Stance
While you are in this stance and a foe that you threaten makes a melee attack that does not include you as a target, gain Momentum.

Feat: True Believer
Whether a spellcaster or a warrior, you are adept at praying for divine favor while you fight.
As a swift action, you may attempt a DC 21 Intuition check. If you succeed, gain Momentum. You may not use this ability if your DM rules that you are acting contrary to your deity's objectives.

Talent: Staredown
When you and a (non-mindless) foe can see each other and roll Initiative, you may challenge that foe. Make an Intimidate check. Before the results of your check are determined, the targeted foe must choose between the following options.

Contest: The foe opposes your Intimidate check with one of his own. The character with the greater Intimidate check gains Momentum.
Ignore: The foe opposes your Intimidate check with a Willpower save. If the save fails, he takes a -10 penalty to his Initiative check.



And I've come up with one "default" idea for gaining Momentum that I might actually be ok with:
If you roll a natural 20 on an Initiative check, you may re-roll your Initiative to gain Momentum. You must accept the new results of your Initiative check.

Abilities that Require Having Momentum


Talent: Tumble
When you provoke an Opportunity Attack by moving, you may replace your Defense Save against that attack with an Acrobatics check. You must have Momentum to use this ability.

Feat: Two-Weapon Tempest
While you have Momentum, when you make an attack, you may make an additional attack with an off-hand weapon as a free action. If both attacks hit, you may expend Momentum to add +3d6 rend damage to the second attack.
Also, your shield bonus when fighting with two weapons improves to +3.
(Designer's note: multiple attacks per round are much harder to gain in CRE8 than they are in standard 3e D&D. This is a high-level feat, a worthy addition to the Two-Weapon Fighting feat tree. Like the CRE8 equivalent of Raging Mongoose. See Two-Weapon Fighting feat description below.)


Abilities that Require Expending Momentum


Feat: Weapon Expertise
While wielding a melee weapon, you may expend Momentum to make a special Parrying Check in place of a Defense Save. This check result is equal to 1d20 -10 + the accuracy value of your attacks with the wielded weapon.
(Translation: Parry by replacing your normal defense value with an attack roll.)

Talent: Baffling Defense
You may expend Momentum to replace your Defense Save with a Sense Motive check.

Talent: Smite
When you make an attack, you may expend Momentum to make the attack a Smite. Add +1d6 damage to the attack. If the attack is a Critical Hit, you may also Daze the target for one round.

Feat: Two-Weapon Fighting
While you are wielding two weapons, gain a +1 shield bonus to Defense Saves, and you may attack with either weapon interchangeably without suffering penalties for attacking with your off-hand.
When you attack with one weapon, you may expend Momentum to attack with the other weapon as a swift action.
(Designer's note: multiple attacks per round are rare in CRE8. This feat makes two-weapon fighting styles slightly more comparable to their real-life historical analogues than they are in 3e D&D.)

Talent: Opportunist
Prerequisites: Sneak Attack feat.
You may expend Momentum when attacking a foe against whom you have combat advantage (e.g. he is flanked, prone, or flat-footed). If you hit, deal +1d6 damage and treat the results of the attack as Hazard +1. This ability does not work against foes with no anatomy (e.g. oozes).
Normal: Sneak Attack only works during the surprise round.

Talent: Cleave
When you score a Critical Hit or drop a foe with a slashing melee weapon, you may expend Momentum to immediately make another attack with the same weapon as a free action. The target of the free attack must be a different creature than the previous target.

Feat: Improvisation Focus
When you make a skill check using a skill that you have at least one rank in, you may expend Momentum to replace this skill check with an Awesome check (i.e. a check equal to your character level +your highest ability modifier +2).
(Designer's note: this is CRE8's equivalent of the Factotum's Cunning Knowledge ability.)

Kit: Bodyguard
(Among other benefits:)
When an opponent you threaten attacks an ally of yours (and the attack does not include you), you may shift as an opportunity action. If you are adjacent to the target of the attack, you may expend Momentum to shift into the target's space (the target may shift to any unoccupied adjacent space); the attack targets you rather than your ally.

Fortuna
2010-02-24, 03:59 AM
Here's a way to explain an action economy cost: rather than standing back and giving your opponent a breather, you are deliberately turning down opportunities and openings which you would otherwise have exploited. You remain a threat, you don't slow your movement, but you become more defensive while you attempt to find your "zone".