KotC 2 Update

[BlueSalamander]

I've posted some dungeon pictures in the private forum: http://www.heroicfantasygames.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=407

[BlueSalamander]

Some recent additions and changes I made to the design:

- added a weapon list in the weapon-groups page, as well as a damage by size chart

- added a summary of the functions of each ability, in the page for PC races.

- added a list of most negative effects and how to remove them, in the spell-school page.

- in the feats page, added some feats like Battle Cunning, and made feats like Improved Bull Rush or Improved Trip better.

- Ranger, Rogue and Paladin will access spells at level 2, and their caster level will be equal to their level

- death knight will access sneak attack earlier, and conviction will also give a hp bonus based on Int.

- barbarian will get improved uncanny dodge earlier. He will have tower shield proficiency and two bonus feats.

- the fighter's superior two-weapon fighting feat will remove all penalties.

- removed Telekinetic Manoeuvre, Psychokinesis, Death Urge, Mass Death Urge, Touch of Fatigue, Greater Bestow Curse, the deaf condition. They're either too complicated to implement, or not interesting gameplay-wise.

- added Malison (wizard and cleric spell) and Greater Gust of Wind (wizard and druid spell).

[Tiavals]

I must say I'm extremely impressed by these changes. You've made it so I could easily imagine myself using any of the weapons in the game, even a fighter with a mace! In normal OGL this is certainly not the case. Well, honestly, some of the bows seem weak. Recurve and Great bow are maybe too weak compared to Longbow and Warbow. Greatbow has less damage and crit than warbow, but only +1 to hit comparatively. Recurve bow has slightly better average damage, but worse crit than Longbow, and slightly better range. I'd personally never take recurve or great bow, I think. They don't really add anything to the Bow-class.

There's something funky about the spears. While the normal spear seems very powerful(better crit than longsword, but lower damage, and set-against-charge), the trident seems very weak. Less crit than longsword, but better disarm and set against charge. Now, theoretically it's okay, but in practice I don't think I'd be using disarm and set against charge with the same character, so it isn't that great. The flail on the other hand has both trip and disarm bonuses, which are fairly synergetic. Halberd has the same problem. If the spear weapons had a passive bonus against charging, then they'd be good, but since you have to use an action to ready for a charging opponent(instead of, say, shooting with a bow), they seem fairly weak. That's just me though, better get other opinions.

The rest of the changes and information seem very good. I mean, you can actually make an elven fighter that's very useful, thanks to the Battle Cunning feats. A rapier or such weapon is good when they have high dex and int, meaning weapon finesse and good critical damage.

Most superb. I'm once again getting really excited.

[BlueSalamander]

Thanks for the feedback

Recurve and Greatbow are maybe too weak compared to Longbow and Warbow

Maybe but the Greatbow has been created from the Longbow exactly as I created the Katana out of the Longsword: increase the average damage by 1 point and reduce the critical multiplier (or critical range) by one. For Recurve, you get a slightly lower average damage than with Greatbow, but in exchange you get a slightly longer range and a more reliable damage distribution. So I guess Longbow, Greatbow and Recurve are about the same.

Now for Warbow, Waraxe and Triple Flail, I make the assumption that a penalty of 1 on attack roll should be equivalent to a gain of 2 on damage. That's what you get with OGL feat Power Attack when you wield a two-handed weapon. I could make weapons with a penalty of 2 but I figure that would be too much of a hindrance.
On that basis, I gave Warbow a score of 6 versus 5.5 for all the other bows so you're quite right that it has something more than the other bows
Explanation for the score of 6: 7 is the average damage + 1 from critical multiplier one step higher than normal - 2 for the attack penalty converted into damage.

So yeah Warbow does seem to have an edge, but then again sometimes you really need all the attack bonus you can get, to pull off a difficult hit like a slaying arrow on a spider Queen. In that situation, and if you don't care about the range or damage distribution shape, you have the choice between Shortbow, Longbow and Greatbow.
You prefer Shortbow and Longbow but I think I would take Greatbow as I would rather do a little more damage on all attacks than a lot more damage on a critical. So I guess some people would prefer Greatbow, like I do. Also, not all weapons will be available at all times. Warbow may not exist in villages. Or you may have found a magical Longbow, but not a magical Warbow.

There's something funky about the spears.

Again, you've found a score difference! You're awesome.
I scored Trident 5.5 and Spear 6. But for one-handed weapons I accept a score of 5.5 or 6. All the one-handed weapons have a score of either 5.5 or 6.
I figure it's okay if some weapons in the same handle category are very slightly better or weaker. You spotted this difference because they're two one-handed weapons side by side. Personally I have a little bias in favour of doing more damage (as with Greatbow) so maybe I would take Trident over Spear, assuming the character has Improved Disarm. For underwater combat, Trident and Spear are fine weapons because of the piercing damage. Among one-handed piercing weapons, Trident has the highest damage average. But yeah if you don't use Disarm, a Spear makes more sense.

One thing I can do to make these bonuses more useful, is to also apply them when you're targeted by a disarm, trip or sunder. So if you use a Trident as primary weapon, you'd get +2 on your opposed roll when an enemy tries to disarm you. How does that sound?

If the spear weapons had a passive bonus against charging, then they'd be good, but since you have to use an action to ready for a charging opponent(instead of, say, shooting with a bow), they seem fairly weak

Actually you still deal double damage if you're doing the attack as an attack of opportunity. So if you manage to catch someone charging, you get the bonus even if you haven't set ready versus approach. Granted, it doesn't happen if it's your character that they're charging against.
Are you saying that a character with a Spear weapon should get a bonus of 2 on his AC versus a charging opponent? That could be added and that would make sense I think.

you can actually make an elven fighter that's very useful, thanks to the Battle Cunning feats. A rapier or such weapon is good when they have high dex and int, meaning weapon finesse and good critical damage.

Good point! I think that the semi casters will be worthy characters too, with the high caster level. A Paladin's heal will cure as much as a Cleric's heal. And Harm will deal as much damage as if cast by a cleric.

To simplify character creation I reduced all ability requirements to 13 and there's a chart at the end of the Feats page.

[Tiavals]

I see your point about the bows. I suppose allowing the player to choose is a lot better than forcing the choice on him.

I like both the ideas that spears give passive defence against disarm(or perhaps trip?) or against charges. It would make them more worthwhile. But maybe a bit too "strong" for mages and such who wouldn't use them in combat, just to enjoy the defence bonus.

Then again, if the quarterstaff gave such bonuses, it would explain why mages often have them.

Would be good for other people to give their opinion about this. Passive defence bonuses might be too strong, after all.

[Waterd103]

Something that worries me is that i see lots of weapons, maybe you said it somewhere, how you are gonna do with the specialization problem? There is something horrible in games that is, maxing out the use of X weapon on feats, and then finding not such a weapon. Are you removing the feats?, drops are gonna be feat based? I know you are removing crafting which was a solution (despite it creates other problems). Or you depend on module maker telling the player, what weapons he is gonna find in his world?

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Something that worries me is that i see lots of weapons, maybe you said it somewhere, how you are gonna do with the specialization problem? There is something horrible in games that is, maxing out the use of X weapon on feats, and then finding not such a weapon. Are you removing the feats?, drops are gonna be feat based? I know you are removing crafting which was a solution (despite it creates other problems). Or you depend on module maker telling the player, what weapons he is gonna find in his world?

http://www.heroicfantasygames.com/FWE/Pages/FWE_WeaponGroups.htm

Weapons are grouped. I presume Focus and Specialisation feats cover a whole group instead of only 1 weapon.

Or something like this, covering all 2H weapons:
Two-Handed Weapon Expertise: +1 to damage with all two-handed weapons and with one-handed weapons wielded with two hands. Req: Str 13.

[Tiavals]

At the present, the fighter feats say:

Greater Attack Focus: Another +1 bonus to attack rolls with all weapons. Requires Fighter level 8 and Attack Focus.

Damage Focus: +2 bonus to damage with all weapons. Requires Fighter level 4.

Greater Damage Focus: Another +2 bonus to damage with all weapons. Requires Fighter level 12, Greater Attack Focus, Damage Focus.

Which I think is splendid.


The feat available to all says:
Attack Focus: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with all weapons, including manufactured weapons, natural weapons, ranged weapons and all touch attacks.

[BlueSalamander]

About Warbow, one thing I could do is reduce the damage to 1d12, that way its score would be exactly the same as with the other bows.
Only thing is, 2d6 is more attactive than 1d12.

I'll have Spears deal double damage vs charging and give +2 on AC vs charging.
But you will get these advantages only if you have the Spears proficiency, which Wizards do not receive from the start.

I'll have disarm, trip and sunder bonuses apply to both the use against an enemy and the defence against a corresponding move by an enemy on your character.
But you'll get these bonuses only if you have the right proficiency.

I suppose Quarterstaff could give a bonus to trip too.

To gain proficiency with a weapon, you will need to pick the feat Weapon Group Proficiency and select the appropriate weapon group.

The feats that improve fighting ability: Attack Focus, Greater Attack Focus, Damage Focus, Greater Damage Focus, and Improved Critical will apply to all weapons in all weapon groups. After all, we want melee characters to get better, compared to Clerics, Druids and Wizards.

[Tiavals]

Sounds most reasonable. I guess rangers would use spears a lot, if it works like in KOTC1, that you don't draw missile or melee weapons. But then again, spear has always been a hunter's weapon so I guess it fits.