Ask a Simple Question - Get a Simple Answer

I've noticed that Streetwise makes a good Survival/Wilderness knowledge skill too as where you'd be using one you'd very rarely be using the other.

Interesting point.

should there maybe be a handful of addendums made to the skill descriptions in the players handbook, outlining alternate skill applications in different settings?

Possibly more of a PH's guide thing (wow, that still exists? I haven't even thought about it in forever). But a lengthy description of skill applications is probably for the best.

Yeah, adding something that says you should LET your players be cleaver when they use a skill stat in an abnormal way that makes logical sense, should be both allowed and in some ways I'd say rewarded.

Since apparently I'm commenting on rules stuff anyway, I'm gonna bring up to topic of Dazzling Performance's d8 crit effect again. As has already been discussed, it's way too unreliable to be a proper crit effect and needs to be changed.

It doesn't need a huge change. Just something like the enemy doesn't gain/lose pips and the attack is chosen randomly from their list instead of the monster getting to choose.

Gah, how have we not fixed that yet? You're totally right. In fact, I'll do that right now.

....

Why did you just ruin Bucaneer Blaze and Dazzling Performance?

There was no reason to change DP's d10 special, it was nice and good and was honestly the best thing going for it. Also the new one forces the GM to show the players the monster combat talents which ruins the fun for both sides. Whoops, missed the bit about random.

Really? Since when do we really care about dazing monsters? It's not exactly super great. Though the new d8 special for DP is still way better than the old one.
Edit 3: To clarify. As far as I'm aware the biggest deal about Dazing is that it screws with the use of Minor actions and Gather Energy. Neither of which players can count on monsters having. Aside from that is just gives vulnerability 2 which is not exactly inspiring of awe, considering the number of sources already available to grant things small number vulnerability with.

For Bucaneer Blaze though that's... just cruel. At least make it like a 50/50 chance of stunning or something.
Edit: Alternately make the stun target random enemy.

Edit: Yeah so like, why not leave the old version of DP's d10 special as it was and make that new d10 one the new d8 one?

1) Stunning on a d8 was ridiculously overpowered, so it was going to come down hard. I'd be fine with making it a 50% chance to stun though. That's probably a lot less powerful than the current version. Blocking the enemy from using minor actions, free actions, reactions or interrupts *and* slapping vulnerability 2 on them is a huge advantage. A 50% chance of stun is a lot weaker, so I'd be fine with that.

2) Actually, the DM could easily roll the die to determine what the special move for the monster was behind the screen and telling the player what happens. This shows no more information to the players than the monster just using its attacks like normal.

3) The 50% chance of stun isn't something that I like en masse, but I wasn't too worried about it. However, the 'copy an enemy's move' special would be a bit too much on a d8, so I popped it to d10 and then the d10 version needed a slight power cut. Dazing instead of stunning makes it more balanced. I'm not a fan of stunning in general, because it can lock down one side of the game from playing entirely - which is a lot more damaging to fun than the DM rolling a number at random and telling you what attack you get to use.

Edit to your edit: Definitely considered that, still considering it, but the new d10 seems a bit too powerful as a d8. Well, we could always give it a try and see what happens, it's just a 2.5% difference in probability of being triggered.

I'd say we give it a whirl as a d8 and see what happens... and like... hope that we actually have enough people using Dazzling Performance (I've got one character who does and it was basically because "if I ever am gonna, this'd be the one so... why not I guess") to provide a decent sample size.

Agreed. I've made the swap. It's now edited in the errata thread. =)

You left BB as children in the streets crying dazed though. =P

It's dazed (save ends) now, which is an even more powerful effect and combos with people that like to put penalties to saving throws on enemies or do similarly nasty things with save ends effects. Stunning is far too powerful, and frankly I'm pretty sure making it a 50% chance to stun would feel worse to players than a 100% chance to daze (save ends). Triggering a special and then getting nothing feels terrible. I''d rather give a guaranteed lesser effect than half a chance of a more powerful one. Especially when that effect is one prone to breaking if it's not handled correctly, and doesn't lead to as much fun for both sides of the table.

I still feel that dazing is a rather weak effect and, well it doesn't really mesh well. I mean, Crippling Blow is the one for people who care about throwing around bunches of save ends.

Ah, ok how about this, to more fit the general theme of BB ... and be less sad than just Daze (save ends).
Deal 1d6 damage to target creature and all adjacent creatures and that creature is dazed (save ends).

Edit: Other random ideas.
Target enemy loses 2 pips and is Dazed (save ends).

Target enemy suffers Dazed and Ongoing damage 2 (save ends both).
Edit 2: Though this last one is weird and really if you want that, you probably took Crippling Strike really.

Cool, but at that point it's definitely overpowered. Since dazing puts vulnerability 2 on the guy, that alone creates an absurd amount of damage compared to other 8s if your allies focus fire on the guy. 4 allies making one attack on a dazed creature deal 8 damage from the vuln alone, which is more than the 5.5 average of Be Prepared's 8. Add the fact that it's (save ends), meaning it can stick around, be further abused from minor action attacks, interrupt/reaction/free attacks, conjurations or things like Crescendo and the fact it prevents the enemy from responding via free actions, interrupts or reactions... And Dazed (save ends) is one of the most powerful 8 specials around already.

Hmmm, well it's certainly good if you have a team full of Where It Hurts, Despair, and cheap fast damage dealers. And really, that part has ways of applying vulnerability anyway and is going to prefer Crippling Strike most of the time.

It feels like it's sorta breaking theme I guess? Also it's such a large change in both power and where it's useful that I think it might suffer outright rejection of change from people. (Though, I dunno, that's just a guess.)

Personally, I'd rather the 50/50 or random enemy target stun for my characters who have BB. Obviously that's gonna vary from party to party and person to person though. Really, I think this is one of those things where you're gonna want more opinions before committing to the change.

Personally I don't see the issue here. I found the d8 Stun as out of place for that special... It was odd to me and I perosnally never cared to try to trigger it. But I find the idea of sending off a save ends Daze... Is a cool idea.

Ok so, was talking to Yawnmon on Skype on this subject and we had this... almost painfully obvious idea I can't believe I didn't think of sooner that fits BB's theme better and steps on Crippling Strike's toes less.

Free Fireball.

To be more precise, have BB's d8 be: Deal 1d8 damage to target creature and each creature adjacent to the target.

It's simple, combos well with the d10 crit effect, and has the low but hilarious potential to spiral off into repeating itself until you've fireballed everything in sight, the drapes twice. It's also comparable in potential insanity with DL's new d8 effect (where you could Fireball your way into a Fire Giant in three simple steps if you're lucky).

Hey, quick question, If an ally falls unconscious, do they lose save ends effects like vulnerability? I can't find that in the manual.

Ramsus wrote:Free Fireball.
To be more precise, have BB's d8 be: Deal 1d8 damage to target creature and each creature adjacent to the target.

A free +1 move? That's not exactly that interesting, and in fact is considerably weaker than what we have. Free Fireswath, though, might be heading in the right direction.
However, I'm still on the side of Dazed. Considering the fact it stops the enemy from using Innterrupts, minors, or Reactions, AND has vul 2, and personally my enemies' combat involves quite a few of those. ANd I like to imagine a comically large cannonball landing on the enemies head and dazing them XD

SilentBelle wrote:

Videocrazy wrote:

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:It's the person who would have gone next before the swap. After that, initiative proceeds as normally.

Using the same setup then:

Monster 1
Ally 1
Monster 2
Monster 3
Ally 2
Ally 3
Monster 4

If Monster 2 swaps with Monster 3, who goes next? From the wording of the previous answer, it sounds like Monster 3 goes next. More importantly, if the ability these monsters have is a +pip move, could they shuffle themselves around indefinitely as a way to build up PiPs? ((The players aren't likely to appreciate this at any rate, but I still feel it's worth asking.))

Actually, to me it looks like monster 2 would get to go again. Essentially monster 3 would lose out on a turn.

Except, when you take Dan's statement:

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:It's the person who would have gone next before the swap. After that, initiative proceeds as normally.

It clearly states that the person who would have gone next before the swap (Monster 3) goes next. Following that, the initiative order proceeds as normal (which goes to Monster 2 again).

Basically, the question boils down to "What happens when the creature who would have gone next is one of the creatures moved in the initiative order?"

Edit: Also, regarding Heart of Courage, if you're making an opposed check and the aggressor rolls a 30 or above, does it trigger? If so, it creates an odd situation where them rolling a 30-34 creates an easier difficulty than them rolling a 26-29.

Hey, does the use of 'true seeing' allow one to see through 'Alter Ego' or the changeling equivalent?

Z2 wrote:Hey, quick question, If an ally falls unconscious, do they lose save ends effects like vulnerability? I can't find that in the manual.

No, they do not.

Gather Energy allows you to take two Standard Actions on the same turn.

Am I correct in assuming that they need not be different actions? Could I use, for instance, Way Too Tough twice on the same turn?

Grey Pen wrote:Gather Energy allows you to take two Standard Actions on the same turn.

Am I correct in assuming that they need not be different actions? Could I use, for instance, Way Too Tough twice on the same turn?

Yes...