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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 12:04PM
#41
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Date Joined:
Apr 20, 2004
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Lack of level 1 - 10 (Heroic) Ki focus implements is lame, since they appear to be the primary magic item for this class. Splitting the article into three parts seemed stupid to me all along.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 12:26PM
#42
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Date Joined:
Jul 29, 2008
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Maybe the Ki focus thing is like the Monk Unarmed Attack implement....you enchant yourself. It does say that it's not an actual object, but a store of mystical power.
"You know spies gamers, a bunch of b*tchy little girls." - Sam Axe
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 12:28PM
#43
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Well, didn't you think for a minute that they didn't intend it to work at-will? They probably didn't even think about Versatile Master, don't be surprised if the compiled version will have a note added that will put a cap of 1/encounter, so that even when you have Versatile Master, you will only be able to apply shroud with it 1/encounter. If they don't do this, half-elves suddenly become not only the best assassins but the best strikers in the game.
I thought that they maybe didn't think of this particular synergy, but I don't see it as that bad. Some feat combinations are more powerful than others. And don't forget that you're stuck with using an at-will for another class if you want to apply additional shrouds, while other assassins would use encounters and dailys in that time.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 12:34PM
#44
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Date Joined:
Apr 20, 2004
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Maybe the Ki focus thing is like the Monk Unarmed Attack implement....you enchant yourself. It does say that it's not an actual object, but a store of mystical power.
It doesn't matter whether it's a physical item, a ritual enhancement, etc. Lack of rules for them makes the article incomplete.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 12:49PM
#45
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Date Joined:
Jan 29, 2008
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And then there's the whole 'replacing damage' thing, which REALLY hurts their status as a strike who can contribute to a fight, and essentially renders the whole ki focus advantage kind of nill. I noticed it when the preview character at gencon showed up, but hoped it was a typo of some sort, as replacing damage is very... bleh.
Oh Content, where art thou?
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 1:53PM
#46
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Date Joined:
Apr 30, 2004
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And then there's the whole 'replacing damage' thing, which REALLY hurts their status as a strike who can contribute to a fight, and essentially renders the whole ki focus advantage kind of nill. I noticed it when the preview character at gencon showed up, but hoped it was a typo of some sort, as replacing damage is very... bleh.
It doesn't replace damage. It is in addition to it. It is worded poorly, but it says the attack deals 1d6 per shroud. It never uses the word "instead" or "replace" ever. Mike Mearls has confirmed this over in a thread on ENWorld.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 1:54PM
#47
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I assumed the shroud lacking "additional" meant to emphasise that the damage isn't related to the normal damage - it hits even with the miss, just a bit weaker (1 shroud to be percise). On the Ki Focus side of things, it would be nice to know what type of implement the Ki Focus qualifies for magic enchantments - that is, it's fine if it pumps up any weapon damage, but I'd like to know how I can give it bonus powers. It doesn't seem to have this sort of thing - you either you the bonus of the Ki Focus or you use the magic weapon's bonus. The idea is that you can get an enhancement bonus on any item. I would assume that it will gain the same enchantments (magic items) that the Monk's Unarmed Magic Fists get in PH3, as long as the Monk gets magic items that can apply to its fists, that is.
A great man once said "If WotC put out boxes full of free money there'd still be people complaining about how it's folded." – Boraxe
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 1:58PM
#48
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Maybe the Ki focus thing is like the Monk Unarmed Attack implement....you enchant yourself. It does say that it's not an actual object, but a store of mystical power.
It doesn't matter whether it's a physical item, a ritual enhancement, etc. Lack of rules for them makes the article incomplete.
I think the intent is to work exactly like Monk Unarmed Strike: the Enchant Magic Item ritual imbues it with magic, so, for example, it can grant you a +1 Flaming Ki Focus. However, the preview is not specific, as the Monk preview was. It would be nice to have that spelled out as it was with the Monk playtest. After that, it either acts as an implement, or grants its enhancement to a mundane weapon, depending on what you need at the time. Edit: I take it back. Mike Mearls, over on ENWorld, says that specific ki foci will be rolled out at some point, and that for now just use whatever weapon enchantment you want, until official rules are available.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 2:11PM
#49
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Date Joined:
Aug 11, 2006
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Well, didn't you think for a minute that they didn't intend it to work at-will? They probably didn't even think about Versatile Master, don't be surprised if the compiled version will have a note added that will put a cap of 1/encounter, so that even when you have Versatile Master, you will only be able to apply shroud with it 1/encounter. If they don't do this, half-elves suddenly become not only the best assassins but the best strikers in the game.
I thought that they maybe didn't think of this particular synergy, but I don't see it as that bad. Some feat combinations are more powerful than others. And don't forget that you're stuck with using an at-will for another class if you want to apply additional shrouds, while other assassins would use encounters and dailys in that time.
All the Dillatte allows you to do is build up to critical mass (4 shouds) a little faster than other races. It doesn't make you do anymore damage vs say a Human Assassin. It never actually applies the damage each time you hit with dillatte. So compair it to a Revenant. Who, at level 1 can have a very similar effect to the half elf, allowing them to apply another shroud. At level 2 though, Revenant steps away from the pure half-elf and progresses down a more incidious path. If say they use a falcion and have Smothering shadow and the two revenenat/assassin feats. 4d4 + 4 (dex) + 4 (con) + 1d8 + 4 (con) + 4d6 = 21-60 points of damage. Add in some effects like Empowered Dark Reaping and the like, and you are very scary. At level 11 add in cull the weak, grab yourself a battle frenzy weapon and you can easily pop an attack like this off during the first or second round of combat. Esspecially if you are able to stay ahead of the rest of the party. Heck, a shifter/revenant focused in this manner could be a very scary combonation. EDIT: With some of the things i've just read before me.. I'm not sure, but i do belive you could do this.. Invoke your shrouds, and attack using the above attack. Which then this gives you an additional 4d6 points of damage, having you go from 21-60 to 25-80 damage.
I'd get along more with people if they didn't jump onto a hyberbole every single time you say something they don't understand.
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4 years ago ::
Sep 11, 2009 - 2:54PM
#50
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Date Joined:
Sep 20, 2004
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The faster you can build up to 4 shrouds, the more damage you do. That is just the math of the game.
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