new condition: unbalanced or off-balance [Archive] - Wizards Community

new condition: unbalanced or off-balance [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mandemon
05-26-04, 12:47 AM I propose a new character condition. When a character has not fallen but has not been able to recover his balance--in a variety of situations--he loses his Dex bonus to AC and is cannot add his Strength bonus to his damage rolls (nor can he add his Dex bonus to his damage rolls when using a Fierce weapon). I call this condition "unbalanced". (Should some people think this means mentally unbalanced, which all DnD players are anyway :mage: , this condition can be called "off-balance".)

A number of things can cause a character to become unbalanced. For example, in a new type of attack action (in place of any single attack, at the current attack bonus), a grapple can pull a person off balance temporarily even if the grappler grasps only a single limb. (A humanoid would usually end up being forced to bend forward at the waist while his opponent pulls one of his arms forward and he has to try to brace himself.) As practiced in some martial arts systems, the grappler immediately gets another attack at the same attack bonus, but the grappled creature can attempt to break free after the grappler's attack or whenever it can attempt a move action.

A bull rush can force a creature onto a narrow catwalk, to the edge of a cliff, or up against a wall. This is a rather classic example historically and in literature and movies, but there is little explanation in the PHB on its effect, other than the rushed character finding himself in a new position. (Especially when trying to capture someone alive or with his equipment intact, this is often done specifically to keep one's opponent off balance. The chance to push the opponent over the edge of a cliff, etc. is often a secondary benefit, especially as the falling character can grapple his opponent and pull him down as well, provided he has the opportunity to attempt a grapple.) He must attempt a balance check (opposed by the highest attack roll of any adjacent opponent within the last round) each round or be unbalanced for 1 round.

This is still very much a work in progress. I would appreciate any constructive comments.
DragonWatcher
05-26-04, 10:18 PM I like it. It seems to be a middleground between being tripped (or otherwise knocked prone), and fighting normally. I would make an Improved Unbalance feat that allows for an attack after a successful Unbalance attempt (a la Improved Trip).

My only suggestion is to make the balance check a move equivalent action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. It takes considerably less effort to regain balance than it does to stand from prone (and you can continue to defend yourself as you regain balance). That said, I would not make it a free action because it does take some measure of effort to regain one's balance (and since it requires a skill check, it can fail as well).

Honestly, it might be good to just use the system provided for trip attacks to unbalance an opponent. They all make sense (ie: if you grab an opponent to yank them off balance and fail, they might pull you off balance instead). It would also leave you with significantly less work to make sure that the system is balanced.

All in all, though, I like the idea, and the flavor. Let me know how it winds up working in play. :)
eclipticavatar
05-28-04, 01:05 PM Write this up more official-like. :)

Easier to weed out the problems that way.
Mandemon
05-28-04, 01:23 PM I was thinking along similar lines. A creature would have to take a move action to escape the grapple or to recover its balance. Otherwise, if beginning or ending its turn on a space smaller than its size normally requires (a 5' x 5' space for most medium-sized humanoids), the creature would have to make a balance check once when entering the space or (as long as not unbalanced) as a free action once per round at the beginning of its turn.

I think Improved Grapple would be more appropriate in most cases than Improved Trip. A feat to become prone, or to sidestep a bull rush, as opposed to being pushed into a certain location such as over a cliff, would be a good idea. Would the bull rusher keep right on going?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mandemon 05-26-04, 12:47 AM	I propose a new character condition. When a character has not fallen but has not been able to recover his balance--in a variety of situations--he loses his Dex bonus to AC and is cannot add his Strength bonus to his damage rolls (nor can he add his Dex bonus to his damage rolls when using a Fierce weapon). I call this condition "unbalanced". (Should some people think this means mentally unbalanced, which all DnD players are anyway :mage: , this condition can be called "off-balance".) A number of things can cause a character to become unbalanced. For example, in a new type of attack action (in place of any single attack, at the current attack bonus), a grapple can pull a person off balance temporarily even if the grappler grasps only a single limb. (A humanoid would usually end up being forced to bend forward at the waist while his opponent pulls one of his arms forward and he has to try to brace himself.) As practiced in some martial arts systems, the grappler immediately gets another attack at the same attack bonus, but the grappled creature can attempt to break free after the grappler's attack or whenever it can attempt a move action. A bull rush can force a creature onto a narrow catwalk, to the edge of a cliff, or up against a wall. This is a rather classic example historically and in literature and movies, but there is little explanation in the PHB on its effect, other than the rushed character finding himself in a new position. (Especially when trying to capture someone alive or with his equipment intact, this is often done specifically to keep one's opponent off balance. The chance to push the opponent over the edge of a cliff, etc. is often a secondary benefit, especially as the falling character can grapple his opponent and pull him down as well, provided he has the opportunity to attempt a grapple.) He must attempt a balance check (opposed by the highest attack roll of any adjacent opponent within the last round) each round or be unbalanced for 1 round. This is still very much a work in progress. I would appreciate any constructive comments.
DragonWatcher 05-26-04, 10:18 PM	I like it. It seems to be a middleground between being tripped (or otherwise knocked prone), and fighting normally. I would make an Improved Unbalance feat that allows for an attack after a successful Unbalance attempt (a la Improved Trip). My only suggestion is to make the balance check a move equivalent action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. It takes considerably less effort to regain balance than it does to stand from prone (and you can continue to defend yourself as you regain balance). That said, I would not make it a free action because it does take some measure of effort to regain one's balance (and since it requires a skill check, it can fail as well). Honestly, it might be good to just use the system provided for trip attacks to unbalance an opponent. They all make sense (ie: if you grab an opponent to yank them off balance and fail, they might pull you off balance instead). It would also leave you with significantly less work to make sure that the system is balanced. All in all, though, I like the idea, and the flavor. Let me know how it winds up working in play. :)
eclipticavatar 05-28-04, 01:05 PM	Write this up more official-like. :) Easier to weed out the problems that way.
Mandemon 05-28-04, 01:23 PM	I was thinking along similar lines. A creature would have to take a move action to escape the grapple or to recover its balance. Otherwise, if beginning or ending its turn on a space smaller than its size normally requires (a 5' x 5' space for most medium-sized humanoids), the creature would have to make a balance check once when entering the space or (as long as not unbalanced) as a free action once per round at the beginning of its turn. I think Improved Grapple would be more appropriate in most cases than Improved Trip. A feat to become prone, or to sidestep a bull rush, as opposed to being pushed into a certain location such as over a cliff, would be a good idea. Would the bull rusher keep right on going?