Homebrew Sword School: Patient Storm

[konate]

Patient Storm

Patience is a virtue. This is taught to many, but very few actually practice it. Those who take up the Patient Storm discipline work to train this trait, waiting for the absolutely perfect moment to strike with their maneuvers.



Those of the Patient Storm use Perception as their key skill, reading their enemy's motives and positioning, determining when their weakest moment is. Ordinary weapons are used for Patient Storm - simple, one-handed weapons that can be used to help prop oneself up when they wish to stand still. Patient Storm is often used by tower guards and defensive stations, practiced for the day when their patience will be rewarded.



If you enter a Class Track that allows you to take Iron Heart, you may take Patient Storm instead, removing Iron Heart from that class track permanently.

Name	Cost	Effect
Level 1: Apprentice
Weapon (Ordinary)	-	Use Ordinary weapons with your martial maneuvers.
Action (Aim)	-	Use Aim actions in martial maneuvers. Any attack-related advantages applied to this special attack are applied to the attack that benefits from the aim bonus. That attack may not be a Special Attack.
Level 2: Initiate
Stolen Thunder	(-2)	You must use a Reaction action, in addition to other actions, to use this attack.
Charged Blade	2	This attack gains Reach and may target an enemy a number of meters away equal to your Martial Adept level.
Level 3: Journeyman
Skill test (Perception)	(-1)	As part of this attack, make a Perception test against the static defense of the target. If it fails, the attack fails.
Booming Blade	3	As part of this attack, you can force a target within reach to make a TN 20 Constitution save. If they fail, they are Blinded and Deafened until the beginning of your next turn.
Level 4: Master
Mastery (Eye of the Storm)	-	If you did not attack in the previous round, you gain +10 to your Static Defense.
Energy Buildup	2*	If this attack hits, it deals an additional +1 damage for each round that has passed since your last attack this scene.
Level 5: Grandmaster
Lightning Leap	5	As part of this special attack, you teleport up to your speed in meters towards the target. You deal 3k2 E damage to everyone whose space you would have passed through as part of this teleportation.

[konate]

After reviewing core sword schools, I modified the capstone and the level 3 ability to work off of other action types. I also rebalanced the capstone to be more in line with expected power level.

[ScrapyardDragon]

I don't know what universe anyone ever thought booming blade being completely detached from any sort of attack roll was okay game design, and at tn-20 for such a nasty effect there being no way to avoid it besides having high con or praying you get lucky, with something that can be casually thrown out every turn.

[konate]

Jan 25, 2023 3:04:12 GMT -6 ScrapyardDragon said:

I don't know what universe anyone ever thought booming blade being completely detached from any sort of attack roll was okay game design, and at tn-20 for such a nasty effect there being no way to avoid it besides having high con or praying you get lucky, with something that can be casually thrown out every turn.

This may have just been an oversight on my part, as well as lack of testing.

Do you think a TN 15 would be better, "on hit", or both?

[GuardianTempest]

Make it similar to Shocking in that the target needs to be wounded, or at least make it resolve AFTER the attack so the target can at least parry/dodge.

[ScrapyardDragon]

Jan 25, 2023 7:44:33 GMT -6 konate said:

Jan 25, 2023 3:04:12 GMT -6 ScrapyardDragon said:

I don't know what universe anyone ever thought booming blade being completely detached from any sort of attack roll was okay game design, and at tn-20 for such a nasty effect there being no way to avoid it besides having high con or praying you get lucky, with something that can be casually thrown out every turn.

This may have just been an oversight on my part, as well as lack of testing.

Do you think a TN 15 would be better, "on hit", or both?

I personally would make it both. specifically, only able to go off on the target hit by the main attack. However, I could see the TN 20 remaining if the cost of the advantage was increased, though its hard for me to say precisely by how much, probably no more than 2 though.