Initiators and You

[Bucky]

Do you like and play initiator classes?

If no, then what reasons do you have for not using them?

If yes, then do you believe there any shortcomings or flaws?

I like initiator classes. I do not play initiator classes because my DM banned them after my first one.

Do you think the initiator system is overly complicated and difficult to use?

If yes, then in what ways is it flawed?

This banning was the direct result of how easy it is to get better than 3d6* damage dice on a strike at level 1. I was one-shotting level appropriate enemies even after the DM ruled that my one-handed discipline weapons couldn't be used two-handed during a strike.

Accordingly, the obvious flaw is that level 1 strikes and stances do too much damage.

I didn't get into the 'overly complicated' part because that character was killed with prejudice at a low level, before getting any decent counters; playing with only one stance and a small maneuver library is fairly straightforward. However, I'd be more concerned about complexity if I were trying to loop maneuvers as a Warlord.



*I didn't go higher than 3d6+lots on that character. But a Black Seraph out of the box can go as high as 4d6+1d8 (+ 1.5*Str) using only level 1 maneuvers, enough to routinely one-shot most CR2 monsters.

Which of the following things would you like to see more of?

Insufficient data. But I'm not fond of 'MORE STUFF' as a design principle; I'd rather see utility modded into existing maneuvers.