legend combat?

[DamonJynx]

I would re-write it:

Swashbuckler
Requirements: DEX 15 or higher, any Fencing Combat Style at 90% or higher, Acrobatics at 75% or higher
Hero Points: 12
Duration: Continuous

All Acrobatics checks have their difficulty grade reduced by one, i.e. Difficult (-20%) becomes Routine (0), Routine becomes Simple (+20%) and so on. When armed with a light melee weapon you may recalculate your damage modifier using DEX+INT.

Which is a nice simple way of achieving the desired result without adding a lot of complexity.

**Edit** or better yet, "Acrobatics checks to perform feats of daring, swinging from chandeliers or rigging, performing stunts in conjunction with the Outmanoeuvre action and so on, receive a +20% bonus."

 

[Bilharzia]

That and dex+int as a damage modifier doesn't make any sense. STR+((SIZ+DEX)/2) maybe.

I disagree, using DEX+INT to calculate the DM in this instance makes perfect sense. The character is intelligent enough and quick enough to recognise weakness' in his opponents defense and take full advantage of them - it isn't a case of how hard you hit, more a case of knowing where to hit and how quickly you can strike for maximum effect.

The problem with this is that INT is already factored into combat because it determines the number of Combat Actions - INT+DEX/2 - damage modifier isn't the same thing, hence you can have a very slow and stupid but very hard hitting giant, and a fast moving but not as hard hitting small guy - who nevertheless is very likely going to generate some advantageous Combat Maneuvers for himself because the giant is likely to be low on Combat Actions.

Inventing strange rules exceptions seems (to me) to be counter-productive when the rules already cater for the effect you're trying to achieve.

 

[DamonJynx]

stuff...

I see your point, but the idea behind this discussion is to give 'swashbuckler' type characters a suitable Heroic Ability. Surely a precise strike should cause more damage than a normal one?

What about this then:

Swashbuckler
Requirements: DEX 15 or higher, any Fencing Combat Style at 90% or higher, Acrobatics at 75% or higher
Hero Points: 12
Duration: 1 Action

Receive a +20% bonus to your next Acrobatics check OR gain the use of the Bypass Armour Combat Manoeuvre on a non-critical success.

 

[Bilharzia]

the idea behind this discussion is to give 'swashbuckler' type characters a suitable Heroic Ability.

You're right and your version of the swashbuckler ability is much closer in power to other similar abilities already in Legend, but then there's already a swashbuckler-ish ability in the rules:

Duellist
Requirements: DEX 15 or higher, any 1H Combat Style at 90% or higher
Hero Points: 10
Duration: One melee round
Mastery of your chosen duelling weapon allows you, for brief moments, to react with blinding
speed. As a free act you can invoke this ability to grant yourself a single extra Combat Action for
that round. This extra CA may only be used for attacks or parries.


That said I'm biased against using heroic abilities at all because they really do seem like 'Feats' from D&D and isn't something I like in RQ/Legend, since with high enough skill and the right tactics and use of CMs you can pull off crazy stunts - as long as you have the skill and a bit of luck.

 

[DamonJynx]

That said I'm biased against using heroic abilities at all because they really do seem like 'Feats' from D&D and isn't something I like in RQ/Legend, since with high enough skill and the right tactics and use of CMs you can pull off crazy stunts - as long as you have the skill and a bit of luck.

True and I mostly agree with that sentiment, it's just a shame an 'official' Swashbuckler HA wasn't included in the book (PoL). Perhaps it should have the duellist HA as its only pre-requisite and just give the bonus to acrobatic stunts as the attack option is covered already.