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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 7:15PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Jul 17, 2008
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One Theme I'd very much would like to see included is the Martial Artist Theme.
The Martial Artist Theme should grant access to Feats based on real-life (or inspired by Hollywood) fighting styles like the five Kung-Fu styles (Crane, Monkey, Mantis, Tiger and Viper), Aikido, Taek-Won-Do, Capoeira, Thai Kick-Boxing, regular Boxing, Sumo and regular Wrestling. Did I forget any?
The Monk class provides a bunch of KI-powered abilities like the 1E and 3E Monk classes but it should also grant access to the Martial Artist Theme as a bonus Theme.
The Fighter class should also grant access to the Martial Artist Theme as one of its bonus Martial themes.
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 7:26PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Sep 25, 2008
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I'd rather see such a theme be universal so any class can take it. How do you know my frail-looking wizard isn't a master of jujitsu?
D&D Experience Level: Relatively new
First Edition: 4th
Known Editions: 4th, 3.5
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Magic Experience Level: Fairly skilled
First Expansion: 7th Edition
Play Style: Very Casual
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 7:34PM
#3
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Date Joined:
May 19, 2011
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Sorceror+Martial Arts Theme=Iron Fist?
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 7:39PM
#4
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I'd rather see such a theme be universal so any class can take it. How do you know my frail-looking wizard isn't a master of jujitsu?
Making it a universal theme is a practical necessity. How do you make a ninja if not by giving the rogue the martial arts theme?
Why Mechanics-Alignment Integration is Bad
Show
so why even play a fighter if you can play the paladin the exact same way behaviorally and get added power to boot. "Paladin" is about accepting better game-enhancing mechanics at the price of more rigid in game behavior.
Really? So it goes something like this?
Fighter: "I want to be a paladin."
NPC: "Really?"
Fighter: "Yes."
NPC: "Very well." Starts reading from a holy book while still in-character "Do you accept having to choose and stick to the lawful good alignment, eventhough neither of us actually knows that it exists or what it is?"
Fighter: "I do."
NPC: "Do you reject good game balance because you accidentally rolled a high Charisma?"
Fighter: "What?"
NPC: "I don't know what it means either."
Fighter: "Oh. Umm, ok I do."
NPC: "In the name of all that is metagamey and broken, accept these better game enhancing mechanics."
Fighter: "These what?"
NPC: "Just get out there and try to fulfill a million different people's notion of good while not violating and part of any of them."
So the system is designed such that every single hit needs to be described to avoid confusion? Here's a scenario. The players are nudists, everybody in the world are nudists, it's not weird, it's totally normal in this land. They are naked and they fight drakes taking damage throughout, but healing up with surges. Later they meet the guy who raised the drakes.
Part 1: I didn't describe any of the hits. What does he see?
Part 2: Lets say I described the drakes as biting the players, yet they healed up. What does he see?
D20 Modern Toon PC Race.
Mecha Pilot's Skill Challenge Emporium.
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 7:55PM
#5
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Sounds like more than one theme.
Maybe this is one reason fighters might end up with two themes. I could see a brawler/martial artist theme (do decent damage with unarmed attacks) and another fighting style them (a mobile martial artist, who perhaps specialized in Flying Kick attacks, and a more stationary martial artist who focuses on tripping or grapples).
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 8:25PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2009
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It's going to be interesting to see how far the design team take themes. If the playtest rules are any indication then it looks like they will keep them fairly simple with only an additional feat adding to the flavor of the character.
I'm hoping that they will evolve further or otherwise I'm not sure how you would create a cavalier or an illusionist or a swashbuckling pirate subclass from themes and backgrounds alone. We'll have to wait and see, perhaps they'll just add a bunch of subclasses to the DDI material.
The cover of the 1st edition Player’s Handbook by artist D.A. Trampier. A motley crew of adventurers, the bloodied bodies of lizard men, the hint of arcane malevolence surrounding the idol, the daring thieves prying the jewels from the statue. This is arguably the most iconic piece of art in all of RPGdom.
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 8:34PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Sep 25, 2008
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It's going to be interesting to see how far the design team take themes. If the playtest rules are any indication then it looks like they will keep them fairly simple with only an additional feat adding to the flavor of the character.
I'm hoping that they will evolve further or otherwise I'm not sure how you would create a cavalier or an illusionist or a swashbuckling pirate subclass from themes and backgrounds alone. We'll have to wait and see, perhaps they'll just add a bunch of subclasses to the DDI material.
You seem to misunderstand how themes work.
Instead of picking feats as you level up, you pick a theme at first level, and as you level up your theme grants you your feats.
D&D Experience Level: Relatively new
First Edition: 4th
Known Editions: 4th, 3.5
---
Magic Experience Level: Fairly skilled
First Expansion: 7th Edition
Play Style: Very Casual
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 8:58PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2009
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It's going to be interesting to see how far the design team take themes. If the playtest rules are any indication then it looks like they will keep them fairly simple with only an additional feat adding to the flavor of the character.
I'm hoping that they will evolve further or otherwise I'm not sure how you would create a cavalier or an illusionist or a swashbuckling pirate subclass from themes and backgrounds alone. We'll have to wait and see, perhaps they'll just add a bunch of subclasses to the DDI material.
You seem to misunderstand how themes work.
Instead of picking feats as you level up, you pick a theme at first level, and as you level up your theme grants you your feats.
No I understand that but one feat every number of levels doesn't seem to be particularly interesting, it is after all just a feat tree. I would like to see several elements to themes, somewhat like what was contained in the 2E Complete Fighter's Handbook. That series included character kits, and each kit had several elements to it including advice on playing the role, secondary skills, proficiencies, and special benefits and hindrances.
So I would like to see themes include a couple of feats and or skills when taking it, plus some role playing advice defining the character's role, and some limitations or hindrances placed on the character.
The cover of the 1st edition Player’s Handbook by artist D.A. Trampier. A motley crew of adventurers, the bloodied bodies of lizard men, the hint of arcane malevolence surrounding the idol, the daring thieves prying the jewels from the statue. This is arguably the most iconic piece of art in all of RPGdom.
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 9:09PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Oct 11, 2009
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It's going to be interesting to see how far the design team take themes. If the playtest rules are any indication then it looks like they will keep them fairly simple with only an additional feat adding to the flavor of the character.
I'm hoping that they will evolve further or otherwise I'm not sure how you would create a cavalier or an illusionist or a swashbuckling pirate subclass from themes and backgrounds alone. We'll have to wait and see, perhaps they'll just add a bunch of subclasses to the DDI material.
You seem to misunderstand how themes work.
Instead of picking feats as you level up, you pick a theme at first level, and as you level up your theme grants you your feats.
Ditto.
I wouldn't mind seeing each of the styles mentioned by the OP (and any additional styles not specifically mentioned) each be their own theme; with associated feats that represent the different types of attacks and special abilities granted by those styles.
For example, the Ninja theme would start with a base feat (Ninjitsu?), which would represent the basic attack(s) that a student would know; then successive feats would add better, more powerful/specialized attacks and, eventually, even the supernatural features that are commonly attributed to ninjas). Although this would result in certain feats that have prerequisites, and that may be something they are trying to avoid.
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13 months ago ::
May 30, 2012 - 9:19PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2009
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It's going to be interesting to see how far the design team take themes. If the playtest rules are any indication then it looks like they will keep them fairly simple with only an additional feat adding to the flavor of the character.
I'm hoping that they will evolve further or otherwise I'm not sure how you would create a cavalier or an illusionist or a swashbuckling pirate subclass from themes and backgrounds alone. We'll have to wait and see, perhaps they'll just add a bunch of subclasses to the DDI material.
You seem to misunderstand how themes work.
Instead of picking feats as you level up, you pick a theme at first level, and as you level up your theme grants you your feats.
Ditto.
I wouldn't mind seeing each of the styles mentioned by the OP (and any additional styles not specifically mentioned) each be their own theme; with associated feats that represent the different types of attacks and special abilities granted by those styles.
For example, the Ninja theme would start with a base feat (Ninjitsu?), which would represent the basic attack(s) that a student would know; then successive feats would add better, more powerful/specialized attacks and, eventually, even the supernatural features that are commonly attributed to ninjas). Although this would result in certain feats that have prerequisites, and that may be something they are trying to avoid.
But how would one feat at 1st level make you a credible ninja character? What I"m saying is I think you need more elements in order create the subclass. Maybe themes are not appropriate for subclasses like the ninja or swashbuckler.
The cover of the 1st edition Player’s Handbook by artist D.A. Trampier. A motley crew of adventurers, the bloodied bodies of lizard men, the hint of arcane malevolence surrounding the idol, the daring thieves prying the jewels from the statue. This is arguably the most iconic piece of art in all of RPGdom.
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