Falcon's Eye: ToB precision archery

dspeyer · 03-18-2010, 11:15 AM

This is a result of the Refactoring ToB archery thread which is itself an outgrowth of the Age of Warriors thread. It is a remix of Fax's Falling Star and I_got_this_name's True Arrow with additions by DracoDei and myself. You do not need to know any of those threads to evaluate this discipline.

Falcon's Eye
Everyone has a weak spot. The key is to find it and put something pointy there, preferably from a safe distance.

This is the archery school of precision. If there is a single scale missing on a dragon's stomach, a Falcon's Eye adept will find it. Many practitioners of Falcon's Eye also study Shadow Hand, to better strike from hiding without fear of retribution. Others prefer to stand behind ramparts. They do not call this cowardice, merely sense: they are not there to be wounded, but to deal wounds (and death).

Key Skill: Search
Weapons: Bows, Crossbows (including hand crossbows), Rays
Classes: Swordsage, Warblade, Spirit Archer, Thousand-Arrow Archer, Pragmatist, Dreaming Lotus Assassin

level 1
Hawk's Eyes Stance - increase range, accuracy, and damage.
Hobbling Shot Strike - Slow an enemy's movement
Marksman's Shot Strike - Reduce range penalties and inflict bonus damage
Stance of Accuracy Stance - Recieve bonus to ranged damage for repeated attacks

level 2
Disarming Shot Strike - Disarm at a distance
Blindside Boost - cause opponent to become flat-footed

level 3
Skirmisher's Stance Stance - Gain +1 to hit, +1d6 damage when moving
Unerring Shot Strike - Ranged attack ignores cover, concealment, weather
Sure Shot Strike - one arrow gains +20 to hit and deals extra damage
Take Aim Strike - resolve one arrow as touch attack

level 4
Silver Sparrow Shot Strike - Make a Search check to inflict double damage
Assasin's Preperation Other - Spend 18 seconds lining up a shot for a bonus to attack and damage.
Sniper's Stance - Suffer only a -5 penalty to hide checks after shooting.

level 5
Blindstrike Strike - blind opponent with successful attack
Horizon Seeker Strike - Attack ignores range and deals +4d6 damage
Mithral-eyed Accuracy Boost - Attacks ignore concealment and magical barriers
Interception Strike - Shoot down incoming missile

level 6
Starlight Hail Boost - Make ranged attacks as touch attacks, critically hit more
Sublime Marksmanship Stance - Ignore all concealment and less than total cover

level 7
Eagle's Eye Boost - Aim at a target with a Search check to make attacks as touch attacks, do 2d6+IL bonus damage
Perfect Sniper Strike - Search check to ignore range penalties and magical barriers, inflict +15d6 to flat-footed enemy

level 8
Diamond-edged Cascade Boost - Arrows fire through targets, inflict 2d6+IL bonus damage
Golden Sparrow Shot Strike - Search check to inflict quadruple damage
Supreme Focus Stance - Initiate an extra boost per round

level 9
Doom Arrow Strike - Search check to inflict 100 extra damage

Details:

Spoiler

PairO'Dice Lost · 03-19-2010, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Assasin's Preperation

You spend 18 seconds carefully studying a target, searching for the most vulnerable point. At the end of this time, make a search check. Add the result of this check to your next ranged attack roll against the target, and twice the result to the damage roll for that attack.

It's faaaaar too easy to cheese out skill checks to add 2*skill result to something; a skillmonkey picking this up via Martial Study would be too good, and even basic skill optimization would make a martial adept love this maneuver. I'd suggest making it only 1/2 result to attack and 1 * result to damage.

Quote:

Diamond-edged Cascade

A bodyguard leaps in front of your target to shield him from the arrows you have loosed on him, and takes the hits, but he takes them in vain: they pierce through his body and continue on past him into his charge.

During the duration of this boost, all ranged attacks you make inflict 2d6 bonus damage, plus one point of additional bonus damage per initiator level. Additionally, whenever one hits a creature, it continues onward to hit the next creature in the same line, using the same attack roll as the original target, but inflicting damage according to a new roll (including all bonuses). Each previous target grants a stacking +4 cover bonus to AC to the creature being hit. Objects stop these projectiles.

For simplicity's sake, it would be easier to keep the same damage roll, or at least give the option to keep it to speed things up.

Quote:

Disarming Shot

When you initiate this maneuver, make a ranged touch attack roll with your weapon against the target. If this hits, use the same result in a disarm attempt; ranged weapons are always considered one-handed, even if used with two hands.

"If this hits, use the same result in a disarm attempt" should probably be rephrased as "If this hits, make a free disarm attempt against the target."

Quote:

Doom Arrow

Make a search check against your target's armor class, then make a single ranged attack. If the search check succeeds and the ranged attack hits, it inflicts an extra 100 points of damage. If the check failed, your attack is at a -2 penalty.

Strike of Perfect Clarity is considered to be among the weaker 9th-level maneuvers, and it doesn't require a skill check or inflict a penalty. I'd suggest incorporating a Search check by making the damage equal to 50 + check result or something similar.

Quote:

Golden Sparrow Shot

As part of this maneuver, make a Search check with a DC equal to the target's AC. If you succeed, make an attack roll; if it hits, you deal quadruple normal ranged damage. If the attack is a critical hit, stack the multipliers as normal. You cannot take the shot on a failed search check.

Comparing this to Diamond Nightmare blade, you should still be able to make the attack if you fail the check, but at some minor penalty.

Quote:

Sure Shot

With a moment of focus, you pinpoint with deadly accuracy the best location to hit your opponent. As part of this maneuver, you make a single ranged attack. This attack is made at your highest attack bonus, and you receive a +20 to hit with this attack. If this attack hits, you deal an additional 4d6 points of damage.

I'd suggest making the attack bonus an insight bonus; it fits conceptually, plus that way it doesn't stack with things like true strike, the sniper gish's favorite spell.

Quote:

Take Aim

With a moment of focus, you find a chink in your opponent's armor that is large enough for you to get a series of arrows through. As part of this maneuver, you make a full-attack with a ranged weapon. These attacks are resolved as touch attacks and deal an additional 2d6 points of damage per arrow.

Having both this maneuver and Eagle's Eye are kind of redundant, plus the boost (4 levels higher than this one) requires a check where this one does not. Might want to rethink one of the two.

DracoDei · 03-19-2010, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

It's faaaaar too easy to cheese out skill checks to add 2*skill result to something; a skillmonkey picking this up via Martial Study would be too good, and even basic skill optimization would make a martial adept love this maneuver. I'd suggest making it only 1/2 result to attack and 1 * result to damage.

The to-hit stuff may or may not be too much, but Diamond Mind already has a 2xConcentration Check Damage maneuver, and that is as a standard action.

PairO'Dice Lost · 03-19-2010, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DracoDei

The to-hit stuff may or may not be too much, but Diamond Mind already has a 2xConcentration Check Damage maneuver, and that is as a standard action.

The to-hit is indeed what does it--adding in the bonus to attack lets you do things like Power Shot for full or otherwise add in things that penalize your attack bonus in exchange for something else. If it only added the damage (or was a higher level, which might be a better option in this case) it wouldn't be nearly as bad.

EDIT: Yes, it does take 3 full-round actions instead of a standard, but the kind of character focusing on this discipline is likely to be an ambushing, attack-from-hiding sort to begin with, so they'd be likely to pick up abilities that added on bunches of damage in exchange for to-hit penalties on the assumption that their targets would be flat-footed and unaware most of the time.

EDIT EDIT: Hmm. Perhaps I'm overreacting just a tad. Basing judgement of the ability on a likely playstyle not intrinsic to the ability itself isn't a good idea. Consider that objection withdrawn.

dspeyer · 03-20-2010, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

For simplicity's sake, it would be easier to keep the same damage roll, or at least give the option to keep it to speed things up.

Probably true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

"If this hits, use the same result in a disarm attempt" should probably be rephrased as "If this hits, make a free disarm attempt against the target."

That's not the same thing, as yours calls for a second attack roll. Why is that better? Or is the original phrasing unclear in a way I'm not seeing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

Strike of Perfect Clarity is considered to be among the weaker 9th-level maneuvers, and it doesn't require a skill check or inflict a penalty. I'd suggest incorporating a Search check by making the damage equal to 50 + check result or something similar.

50+check could well be lower than 100, especially if custom skill-boosting items aren't available. Maybe 4 time check result?

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

Comparing this to Diamond Nightmare blade, you should still be able to make the attack if you fail the check, but at some minor penalty.

Sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

I'd suggest making the attack bonus an insight bonus; it fits conceptually, plus that way it doesn't stack with things like true strike, the sniper gish's favorite spell.

I doubt many people would try to stack them (generally one is enough, and there's no benefit to exceeding ac by a lot), but sure, insight sounds reasonable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

Having both this maneuver and Eagle's Eye are kind of redundant, plus the boost (4 levels higher than this one) requires a check where this one does not. Might want to rethink one of the two.

They're similar, but not redundant. Take aim lets you fire one arrow. Eagle Eyes lets you fire as many arrows as youcan in a full round. You can even combine it with an Iron Rain strike.

PairO'Dice Lost · 03-20-2010, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dspeyer

That's not the same thing, as yours calls for a second attack roll. Why is that better? Or is the original phrasing unclear in a way I'm not seeing.

Ah, I see what you're going for now; I wasn't quite sure what you meant by that, since a disarm attempt uses a regular attack roll instead of a touch attack. In that case, I'd phrase that as "If this hits, make an immediate disarm attempt, using the result of your touch attack as your opposed attack roll" or similar.

Quote:

50+check could well be lower than 100, especially if custom skill-boosting items aren't available. Maybe 4 time check result?

Doesn't have to be exactly 50+ (just pulling a number out of the air), but [result] + X or [result] * X or similar would work. 4*result should be fine; damage should average out to about the same as Time Stands Still.

dspeyer · 03-22-2010, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

Ah, I see what you're going for now; I wasn't quite sure what you meant by that, since a disarm attempt uses a regular attack roll instead of a touch attack. In that case, I'd phrase that as "If this hits, make an immediate disarm attempt, using the result of your touch attack as your opposed attack roll" or similar.

Huh? A regular attack roll and a touch attack roll are the same roll. The difference is what AC they're against, which doesn't matter for opposed rolls.

PairO'Dice Lost · 03-22-2010, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dspeyer

Huh? A regular attack roll and a touch attack roll are the same roll. The difference is what AC they're against, which doesn't matter for opposed rolls.

I know, but there are some maneuvers which use a touch attack to establish contact (e.g grapple), while the disarm attack simply specifies an opposed roll. I thought your intention was to require a touch attack for contact and then make a regular disarm attempt, which means they'd need to make both a touch attack (to hit) and a regular attack (opposed).

dspeyer · 03-23-2010, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PairO'Dice Lost

I know, but there are some maneuvers which use a touch attack to establish contact (e.g grapple), while the disarm attack simply specifies an opposed roll. I thought your intention was to require a touch attack for contact and then make a regular disarm attempt, which means they'd need to make both a touch attack (to hit) and a regular attack (opposed).

Ya know? On second thought: let's drop the touch attack. It makes hardly any difference.

Make a disarm attempt with a ranged attack. Treat your weapon as one handed. You do not risk being disarmed in return, nor do you provoke attacks of opportunity that using a ranged weapon would not normally provoke.

PairO'Dice Lost · 03-23-2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dspeyer

Ya know? On second thought: let's drop the touch attack. It makes hardly any difference.

Make a disarm attempt with a ranged attack. Treat your weapon as one handed. You do not risk being disarmed in return, nor do you provoke attacks of opportunity that using a ranged weapon would not normally provoke.

Much nicer.

dspeyer · 03-23-2010, 01:13 AM

Results of our discussion here so far:

Diamond-edged Cascade
Falcon's Eye (Boost)
Level: 8
Prerequisite: Three Falcon's Eye maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of Turn

A bodyguard leaps in front of your target to shield him from the arrows you have loosed on him, and takes the hits, but he takes them in vain: they pierce through his body and continue on past him into his charge.

During the duration of this boost, all ranged attacks you make inflict 2d6 bonus damage, plus one point of additional bonus damage per initiator level. Additionally, whenever one hits a creature, it continues onward to hit the next creature in the same line, using the same attack roll as the original target. Each previous target grants a stacking +4 cover bonus to AC to the creature being hit. Objects stop these projectiles.

Disarming Shot
Falcon's Eye (Strike)
Level: 2
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Ranged Attack
Target: One Creature

You send an arrow into an enemy's weapon, knocking it clear from his hand

Make a disarm attempt with a ranged attack. Treat your weapon as one handed. You do not risk being disarmed in return, nor do you provoke attacks of opportunity that using a ranged weapon would not normally provoke.

Doom Arrow
Falcon's Eye (Strike)
Level: 9
Prerequisite: Four Falcon's Eye maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 1 range increment
Target: 1 creature

You let your entire will flow into a single shot; focus your entire existence into a single arrow. Nothing exists in the universe except you, your arrow, and your target, and time itself waits for you to aim.

Make a search check against your target's armor class, then make a single ranged attack. If the search check succeeds and the ranged attack hits, add 4 times the check result to your damage. If the check failed, your attack is at a -2 penalty.

Sure Shot
Falcon's Eye (Strike)
Level: 3
Prerequisite: One Falcon's Eye maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Weapon range
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

With a moment of focus, you pinpoint with deadly accuracy the best location to hit your opponent. As part of this maneuver, you make a single ranged attack. This attack is made at your highest attack bonus, and you receive a +20 insight bonus to hit with this attack. If this attack hits, you deal an additional 4d6 points of damage.

Idea from the Iron Rain thread:

Interception
Falcon's Eye (Strike)
Level: 5
Prerequisite: Three Falcon's Eye maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: One range increment
Target: One incoming attack

You shoot down one incoming ranged attack before it can reach its target. Because ranged attacks generally do not remain in flight for multiple actions, this maneuver is usually used as a readied action. While the interception must occur within one range increment, the initiator of the shot-down attack can be anywhere. Make an opposed attack roll. If yours is higher, the attack is stopped.

You may intercept any projectile less than 10 times the weight of your own ammunition. Attempts to intercept heavier projectiles fail. You may also intercept magical effects, so long as they are visible and require or sometimes require an attack roll. For example, eldritch blast always requires a roll, and fireball sometimes does, so they can be blocked, but chain lightening does not, and cannot be. For magical effects, you take a -5 penalty to your attack roll. If you succeed, the spell effects the arrow instead of the intended target. Usually this just destroys the arrow, but some spells have other effects (for example, fireball detonates with normal strength centered on the arrow). You choose where along the spell's path the interception occurs (within one range increment of you).

Weight of projectiles in pounds for creatures of various sizes:

	small	medium	large	huge
arrow	0.075	0.15	0.3	0.6
crossbow bolt	0.05	0.1	0.2	0.4
sling bullet (lead)	0.25	0.5	1	2
sling pebble (stone)	0.125	0.25	0.5	1
Dart	0.25	0.5	1	2
Javelin	1	2	4	8
Knife	0.5	1	2	4
Shurukin	0.25	0.5	1	2
Thrown Rock	1.25	5	20	80
Balista Bolt	40	80	160	320

dspeyer · 03-23-2010, 01:16 AM

I hit the wrong button and accidentally deleted the first post. I copied and pasted it out of another browser tab, but lost most of the formatting. Is there any way to revert to the original?

PairO'Dice Lost · 03-23-2010, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dspeyer

I hit the wrong button and accidentally deleted the first post. I copied and pasted it out of another browser tab, but lost most of the formatting. Is there any way to revert to the original?

Not that I know of, unfortunately.

DracoDei · 03-23-2010, 01:39 AM

I tend to make text-file backups as insurance against stuff like that...