Supplement Four
Mongoose
The Warrior's Companion brings us an alternative for thieves and their Sneak Attack ability. See page 31. That new rule allows Thieves to trade in their Sneak Attack ability for the Dispatching Blow ability.
What is the Dispatching Blow ability? It allows thieves to add 1d6 to damage (and an additional 1d6 per two character levels after the first) provided the thief strikes first on the first round of combat.
In other words, it allows thieves to add 1d6 damage to successful melee attacks on the first round of combat only, when they catch their foe flatfooted.
Huh?
The thieves are already getting that, and more, with the Sneak Attack ability. With the chose Sneak Attack weapon, the thief gets an additional 1d8 damage on successful attacks when the thief strikes first on the first round of combat. And, the Sneak Attack allows the extra damage to be applied when flanking and when catching foes unawares, to boot.
Why in the world would anybody use the Dispatching Blow ability?
Did Bryan Steel read his own words before the book was printed? This is the second major problem that I've found with the rules (where they made no sense).
In order to make Dispatching Blow more attractive, I think it should be associated with a melee weapon, similar to the weapon style selected for Sneak Attack, and the extra damage is 1d10 (plus 1d10 per two levels). After all, the thief can only use this once per combat encounter (can't use it while flanking as with the Sneak Attack), and that's if the thief goes first and catches his foe flatfooted.
If a character doesn't use the selected weapon, then the normal 1d6 is applied to damage.
Thoughts?
What is the Dispatching Blow ability? It allows thieves to add 1d6 to damage (and an additional 1d6 per two character levels after the first) provided the thief strikes first on the first round of combat.
In other words, it allows thieves to add 1d6 damage to successful melee attacks on the first round of combat only, when they catch their foe flatfooted.
Huh?
The thieves are already getting that, and more, with the Sneak Attack ability. With the chose Sneak Attack weapon, the thief gets an additional 1d8 damage on successful attacks when the thief strikes first on the first round of combat. And, the Sneak Attack allows the extra damage to be applied when flanking and when catching foes unawares, to boot.
Why in the world would anybody use the Dispatching Blow ability?
Did Bryan Steel read his own words before the book was printed? This is the second major problem that I've found with the rules (where they made no sense).
In order to make Dispatching Blow more attractive, I think it should be associated with a melee weapon, similar to the weapon style selected for Sneak Attack, and the extra damage is 1d10 (plus 1d10 per two levels). After all, the thief can only use this once per combat encounter (can't use it while flanking as with the Sneak Attack), and that's if the thief goes first and catches his foe flatfooted.
If a character doesn't use the selected weapon, then the normal 1d6 is applied to damage.
Thoughts?
