TheSultan
2007-04-12, 07:33 PM
So correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no built in game mechanic for big nasty monsters to casually toss aside significantly smaller assaailants. Picture Stone-giant Baseball where a gnome is the ball.
Playing of off such special attacks as Overrun and Bull-Rush, I've created Swat, followed by an Improved Swat feat, followed by some furthur comments/issues.
Swat
You can attempt a swat attack as a standard action, or as part of a full-attack routine in place of one standard natural weapon attack or with a bludgeoning weapon for which you have taken the Weapon Focus feat. The target of your swat attack must be at least two size categories smaller than you; otherwise the attack is treated as an unarmed attack. (If you have the Improved Swat feat, you may swat targets one size category smaller.) You deal normal damage for the attack that you use to swat, but you do not apply your Strength bonus to damage.
Initiating a Swat: Make an unarmed melee touch attack against your target. This provokes an attack of opportunity from your target as normal for unarmed attacks. (If you have Improved Swat you do not provoke an attack of opportunity.) If the attack succeeds, you and the defender make opposed Strength checks. The defender gets a -2* penalty for every size category he is smaller than you.
If you beat the defender’s Strength check result, you push him back 5 feet, plus an additional 5 feet for each 5 points by which your Strength check result is greater than the defender’s Strength check result. Also, if you win the Strength check and move the defender at least 10 feet, the defender must make a reflex save, DC 15 plus your Str modifier, or be knocked prone. The defender getrs a -2* penalty for every size category he is smaller than you.
You may perform a swat any number of times in a round, but you may not attempt to swat the same target more than once per round.
Special: If you have Improved Unarmed Strike or its equivalent you do not provoke an attack of opportunity when swatting. If you use a natural attack (that is not considered unarmed, such as a slam) to swat you do not provoke an attack of opportunity when swatting.
*I considered -4, but I think that is too steep. Thoughts?
Improved Swat [General, Fighter]
Casually knocking smaller opponents aside is your forte.
Prerequisite: Str 13
Benefit: The DC to resist your swat attack and avoid being knocked prone increases by +2. You may only swat targets at least one size category smaller than you. When making a swat attack, you do not provoke an attack of opportunity against your target.
Normal: You may only swat targets at least two size categories smaller than you. When making a swat attack you provoke an attack of opportunity against your target for making an unarmed attack.
What this adds: The swat ability takes further advantage of a larger creature’s size and reach, being able to move smaller opponents around the board.
Problems/Questions:
1-Any creature gains this ability and with the forced movement it can have some serious consequences to a party: increased attacks of opportunity, everyone but the rogue spending his/her move action to stand up from prone, just another rule to remember.
2-There are a few natural attacks that it would be hard to conceive as capable of swatting: bite, medusa's snakes, etc. Any suggested wording on how to eliminate these attacks from use with swat? See #3.
3-Right now swatting with a weapon is limited to bludgeoning weapons - too restrictive? Example: It's conceivable that a giant could swat with the flat edge of his gargantuan greatsword. Considering this, I've considered changing the opening paragraph to the following (changes italicized):
You can attempt a swat attack as a standard action, or as part of a full-attack routine in place of one standard natural weapon attack or a weapon for which you have taken the Weapon Focus feat. If you use a weapon, the damage type changes to bludgeoning. The target of your swat attack must be at least two size categories smaller than you; otherwise the attack is treated as an unarmed attack. (If you have the Improved Swat feat, you may swat targets one size category smaller.) You deal normal damage for the attack that you use to swat, but you do not apply your Strength bonus to damage.
4-When considered together, points 2 & 3 indicate that swat shouldn't "combine" with specific attacks, but the image of a giant using gnomes for batting practice sticks with me.
Thus, to incorporate the "using a weapon to swat" aspect, should whatever attack-type the swat attack is made with be converted to a standard damage rating for the swatter's size category (i.e. create a swat damage rating)? Perhaps convert to a slam or unarmed attack?
This would allow a Purple Worm to swat with his head or tail and allow the medusa to head-butt a fairy and allow the giant to hit a homerun.
Comments? Erroneous statements? Ideas? Does this concept already exist?
Playing of off such special attacks as Overrun and Bull-Rush, I've created Swat, followed by an Improved Swat feat, followed by some furthur comments/issues.
Swat
You can attempt a swat attack as a standard action, or as part of a full-attack routine in place of one standard natural weapon attack or with a bludgeoning weapon for which you have taken the Weapon Focus feat. The target of your swat attack must be at least two size categories smaller than you; otherwise the attack is treated as an unarmed attack. (If you have the Improved Swat feat, you may swat targets one size category smaller.) You deal normal damage for the attack that you use to swat, but you do not apply your Strength bonus to damage.
Initiating a Swat: Make an unarmed melee touch attack against your target. This provokes an attack of opportunity from your target as normal for unarmed attacks. (If you have Improved Swat you do not provoke an attack of opportunity.) If the attack succeeds, you and the defender make opposed Strength checks. The defender gets a -2* penalty for every size category he is smaller than you.
If you beat the defender’s Strength check result, you push him back 5 feet, plus an additional 5 feet for each 5 points by which your Strength check result is greater than the defender’s Strength check result. Also, if you win the Strength check and move the defender at least 10 feet, the defender must make a reflex save, DC 15 plus your Str modifier, or be knocked prone. The defender getrs a -2* penalty for every size category he is smaller than you.
You may perform a swat any number of times in a round, but you may not attempt to swat the same target more than once per round.
Special: If you have Improved Unarmed Strike or its equivalent you do not provoke an attack of opportunity when swatting. If you use a natural attack (that is not considered unarmed, such as a slam) to swat you do not provoke an attack of opportunity when swatting.
*I considered -4, but I think that is too steep. Thoughts?
Improved Swat [General, Fighter]
Casually knocking smaller opponents aside is your forte.
Prerequisite: Str 13
Benefit: The DC to resist your swat attack and avoid being knocked prone increases by +2. You may only swat targets at least one size category smaller than you. When making a swat attack, you do not provoke an attack of opportunity against your target.
Normal: You may only swat targets at least two size categories smaller than you. When making a swat attack you provoke an attack of opportunity against your target for making an unarmed attack.
What this adds: The swat ability takes further advantage of a larger creature’s size and reach, being able to move smaller opponents around the board.
Problems/Questions:
1-Any creature gains this ability and with the forced movement it can have some serious consequences to a party: increased attacks of opportunity, everyone but the rogue spending his/her move action to stand up from prone, just another rule to remember.
2-There are a few natural attacks that it would be hard to conceive as capable of swatting: bite, medusa's snakes, etc. Any suggested wording on how to eliminate these attacks from use with swat? See #3.
3-Right now swatting with a weapon is limited to bludgeoning weapons - too restrictive? Example: It's conceivable that a giant could swat with the flat edge of his gargantuan greatsword. Considering this, I've considered changing the opening paragraph to the following (changes italicized):
You can attempt a swat attack as a standard action, or as part of a full-attack routine in place of one standard natural weapon attack or a weapon for which you have taken the Weapon Focus feat. If you use a weapon, the damage type changes to bludgeoning. The target of your swat attack must be at least two size categories smaller than you; otherwise the attack is treated as an unarmed attack. (If you have the Improved Swat feat, you may swat targets one size category smaller.) You deal normal damage for the attack that you use to swat, but you do not apply your Strength bonus to damage.
4-When considered together, points 2 & 3 indicate that swat shouldn't "combine" with specific attacks, but the image of a giant using gnomes for batting practice sticks with me.
Thus, to incorporate the "using a weapon to swat" aspect, should whatever attack-type the swat attack is made with be converted to a standard damage rating for the swatter's size category (i.e. create a swat damage rating)? Perhaps convert to a slam or unarmed attack?
This would allow a Purple Worm to swat with his head or tail and allow the medusa to head-butt a fairy and allow the giant to hit a homerun.
Comments? Erroneous statements? Ideas? Does this concept already exist?