Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

[Ice9]

The recent "D&D to HERO" thread made me think about converting a few characters, just to see what they ended up looking like, but I've hit a snag. Attacks of Opportunity, in D&D, are extra attacks that can be made outside the character's normal turn, in response to certain actions by the opponent (such as moving past, retreating, casting a spell, firing a bow, and so forth). All characters armed with a melee weapon can make them, although some are definitely better at it.

 

Now usually, I would just chalk this up to a difference in system and not specifically convert it. But one of the characters I'm converting is heavily focused on AoOs. He has the following abilities:

* Combat Reflexes - Take five AoOs each round instead of one.

* Standstill - On a successful attack, give up the damage to stop the opponent's movement (just their current movement - it's only useful on AoOs or readied attacks).

* Weapon with Reach - Many foes provoke an AoO just for moving up to attack.

 

This is a pretty big part of the character's combat style - it's what allows him to hold a chokepoint, or prevent incoming foes from reaching the rest of the party. So I'd like to convert it in a form where it can still do those things.

 

 

I've thought about the following options for the AoOs themselves:

 

* Naked Advantage: Trigger (when foe in reach provokes an AoO, no action, auto-reset; +1) for up to X points of melee weapons, Limited Power (only up to 5x a phase; -0).

Works pretty much identically, but it's a pretty big advantage over a warrior that doesn't have this. In D&D, the difference is a bit less extreme, because everyone has at least one AoO and multiple attacks / round are more common anyway.

 

* +X SPD, Limited Power (only for readied actions to take AoOs; -?)

Limited SPD is always tricky to adjudicate, and it also doesn't allow him to hold off anywhere near 5 people at once.

 

* Naked Advantage: Constant, Area of Effect (4m Radius; Selective) for up to X points of melee weapons, Limited Power (only on foes provoking an AoO, up to 5/phase; -?)

Similar to the first method, but avoids the somewhat uncomfortable auto-reset Trigger.

 

 

As for Standstill:

 

* Entangle (X DEF; 1 BODY), Instant (-1/2), Does not Drop DCV (-1/4?), Limited Range (equal to weapon's reach; -1/4)

Fairly straightforward (DEF can be fairly low, just high enough that movement velocity doesn't casual-break it). The only problem is - how does it interact with the AoOs? Whatever AoO method is used needs to also apply to doing this. Does Not Drop DCV is probably not a large limitation, because the Entangle is Instant anyway, only lasting long enough to halt movement for that phase.

 

 

The effect I'm looking for is - you try to move past this guy, or charge him with a short weapon, and you're going to get smacked and/or stopped in place. But he's not a god of combat - while his zone-control skills are specialized and certainly better than a run of the mill soldier, and he excels in the right situation, he's not supposed to be much above to other veteran warriors in general.

 

So, do the ideas above seem on the right track, or am I going too far? And if so, then how would you build this?

[Lucius]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

I like the idea of the Area Effect.

 

Instead of Entangle, consider either a Dispel Movement or a Change Environment that forces a roll to move.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Palindromedary of Opportunity

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

Not speaking to your specific question, but here are a couple of suggestions on ways to do Attacks of Opportunity in the HERO System if you want to:

 

AoO

[Ice9]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

Instead of Entangle, consider either a Dispel Movement or a Change Environment that forces a roll to move.

Change Environment sounds perfect actually - the ability has a Reflex save in D&D, so I guess that would be a DEX roll.

 

Not speaking to your specific question, but here are a couple of suggestions on ways to do Attacks of Opportunity in the HERO System if you want to

Looks like we're on the same wavelength with the Trigger version. Since it can apply to either standard attacks or the Standstill attack, is there an advantage appropriate for being able to choose which version to use (ex: Can attack the first enemy through the door normally, then Standstill the second), or would it make more sense for the Standstill power to have the Trigger advantage itself, separately?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

You should probably consider a multipower of various "AoO" stunts. If they all have the same modifier(s), such as an identical trigger, you can even take it on the multipower itself, and then not have to explicitly take it on the slots which makes for a more compact write up.

 

You can take pretty much whatever power / ability you like and apply a trigger to it, so the only real limiters are concept, cost, and GM discretion.

 

In other words, if you want an Entangle for your standstill effect, you can put a trigger on an Entangle and call it an AoO stunt.

 

As far as the polearm bit, I would probably approach that as a stretching scenario vs an AoE usually to just modify the character's reach. But on the other hand if you want a true AoE effect (your AoO stunt affects everything in an area) you can go that route as well.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

Your Area of Effect AoO looks good. The only change I would make would be to apply Selective to it so your character has to make a to-hit roll against anyone coming into his Zone of Control.

 

I would resolve the Standstill ability with a simple block mechanic. But instead of OCV vs OCV, I would probably do OCV vs DCV to halt their movement. Possibly throw in a STR contest, but I'm not sure if this is appropriate. It might be best to run this as you would the Cover maneuver. Your character makes the attack roll but doesn't actually hit. If the opponent attempts to move anyway, they get hit. If they stop moving, they won't get hit.

 

Attacks of Opportunity has been covered on these message boards many times and I do believe most players come away using a Naked Trigger advantage for this effect.

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

For standstill AoO what about clinging? Its used to hold people without a grab-like when you punch the sludge monster, then your fist gets stuck.

[Maccabe]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

I'd say make AoO an Optional Combat Maneuver something like Sweep or Targeting a Hex (Area of Effect the hexes directly if front of you.) Move By might also work.

Originally I was thinking making it a Talent but then only a few people would have it and IIRC in D&D 3.5 AoO was open to everyone.

[Lucius]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

I would resolve the Standstill ability with a simple block mechanic. But instead of OCV vs OCV, I would probably do OCV vs DCV to halt their movement. Possibly throw in a STR contest, but I'm not sure if this is appropriate. It might be best to run this as you would the Cover maneuver.

 

Cover manuever - great idea.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary has me covered

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Unusual Combat Style - Attacks of Opportunity

 

For a 'hard' conversion, I would probably do AoOs as the Triggered advantage on an attack, with the trigger being whatever actions provoke AoOs. Standstill would be a linked Transparent To Damage Entangle that only prevents movement.

 

For a 'soft' conversion, I'd make anything that provokes AoO's have the Concentration limitation, which works better within HERO's extant rulesframe IMHO.