Two New, Painful Combat Manuevers [Rules]

[sbarrie]

Just a couple of new manuevers I'll be offering my players next game.

Scamper
{Requirement: Lightfooted}
If an unarmored character carrying thirty pounds or less is wounded in combat, they may immediately make a Withdraw action on the next initiative segment. They may not do this in response to an attack of opportunity or during the surprise round, nor may they take their normal intiative between receiving damage and Withdrawing. This changes their initiative for the rest of the combat. Other combat actions may change their initiative later. A character may not Scamper again for a full round.

Example: Septimar has rolled an initiative of 30, and Harn has an initiative of 18. On 30 Septimar charges Harn and misses. On 18 Harn strikes Septimar for 11 points of damage. Using Scamper, Septimar Withdraws 60' on 17, but may not act again until segment 17 of the following round.


Unkillable
{Requirements: Steely Gaze and Diehard}
A character who has just survived a Massive Damage Check may on their next initiative make an Intimidate check as a free action against all opponents within 30 feet. Opponents against whom this check is successful are Shaken. A character who Withdraws or otherwise leaves combat on their next initiative may not also use Unkillable.

Normal: Using Intimidate in combat is a move action that affects one opponent.

 

[Arkobla Conn]

The second isn't bad...but I wonder at the first one...

 

[Trodax]

Unkillable is very cool, I like it.

Scamper I don't know about; don't have the normal rules for withdrawing in front of me, so I can't really say.

 

[sbarrie]

Scamper is pretty useless in one-on-one combat, since you would normally go before your opponent anyway. In group combat it can allow you to:

• 
  1) Get away from the combat before a second opponent wallops you.
  2) Make room for your allies.

Of course, it probably means your allies will have to take on more of the burden of the fight. It's not intended for bold Cimmerians and mighty Nordheimers, but rather for treacherous Zamorians and cunning Picts. I considered adding the requirement "Reputation: Coward" to it, but I figured if someone uses it too much, I'll just change their reputation for them...

Withdraw is just a double move that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity for leaving the first "square". It is a full round action.

And I should have titled this thread [Houserules], not [Rules], I guess...

 

[Sutek]

Plus if you have to Withdraw through the squares of additional enemies, this only works in very specific circumstances, and then a bit too well. I can't recll what Lightfooted allows, but it seems like all Scamper ought to afford the user is a DV bonus when making a Withdraw against any AoOs. That's what I'd change it too. Maybe Scamper allows the character to add WIS, INT bonus or DEX bonus again to his DV for avoiding blows as he tries to run away. I like the idea of WIS bonus to DV personally.

 

[Anonymous]

Scamper seems broken to me. It allows you a free withdrawl action that doesn't cost you anything but a lower inititave on the next round? Seems like the positive far out weighs the very small negative.

 

[sbarrie]

Scamper seems broken to me. It allows you a free withdrawl action that doesn't cost you anything but a lower inititave on the next round? Seems like the positive far out weighs the very small negative.

I think the big negative to Scamper is the "no armor" limitation. If you're in combat without armor, you need all the positives you can get.

Another way to look at it is that it allows you to improve your initiative during combat, but you must be wearing no armor, get hit, and then your first action must be a Withdraw.

Does it still seem too powerful? I didn't think it was strong enough to make a good feat.