This topic is how to open Battlemaster maneuvers into maneuvers available to the general populace. It's meant to help GMs field the common maneuver questions without left adrift staring at 'Improvise Action' with a brain fart. It's not meant to a) replace Battlemaster, or b) replace regular Attacks by being strictly better.
Houserule: Most Battlemaster maneuvers in the PHB are usable as a generic maneuver -- those that involve your character using any weapon to attack/hit -- just remove the Superiority Die and drop down the attack's damage die (dice) a step, (including up to d2s, minimum 1 damage before mods,).
Namely I was wanting these maneuvers democratized.
Disarming Attack
Distracting Strike
Goading Attack
Lunging Attack
Maneuvering Attack
Menacing Attack
Precision Attack
Pushing Attack
Riposte
Sweeping Attack
Trip Attack
However I do want to exclude Feinting Attack because it would be too easy to pull Advantage reliably, and would pair with terrible consequences to multiclassing shenanigans.
Thoughts? Wording suggestions?
Unfortunately, this ship sailed a long, long time ago: D+D could have been a game in which everyone can do everything, but some people excel at some things more than others, and your class is a short hand for that. But it evolved into one in which your class is a category that identifies what you are able to do, and by implication what others cannot. You've focused here on combat actions, but this reaches into all different areas of character activity.
Any class can allready pick up maneuvers by expending a feat.
And alot of these maneuvers a non Battle Master can do allready. The bettlemaster just gets a chance to now and then get more oomph from their training.
Quote from: Omega;1015780Any class can allready pick up maneuvers by expending a feat.
And alot of these maneuvers a non Battle Master can do allready. The bettlemaster just gets a chance to now and then get more oomph from their training.
If I remember correctly, they get to add, what? A d8? With a small number at level 3? I don't have the PHB handy.
So, thank you for your replies, but all of these are not my goal. I understand the modern paradigm has shifted from 'the unsaid is permitted' to 'the unsaid is forbidden'. But I have no interest in accomodating that paradigm at my table . Also, I don't always use feats, and I don't always use every archetype available.
You naturally mean well, however your solutions are tangential discussions. I don't find these relevant to my tables. (Or fruitful for anyone else interested in similarly tinkering with the system chassis to this end). Please, let's stay on requested task, thanks! :)
Well, if it's as simple as wanting everyone to have them, why not just let them all use it and call it a day? With slight modifications for the ones that only rely on a d8.
I think it is fine to provide PCs in D+D with whatever general abilities you think will be fun at the table. You just have to keep in mind that when you give everyone the abilities that are supposedly reserved for one class, that class loses something in comparison and is devalued. If the 5E designers have done a good job balancing the classes, you will basically make the Battlemaster relatively weaker. If players don't care about that sort of power calculus it doesn't matter. If they do, you won't see any more Battlemasters at your table.
It sounds like you might as well remove the Battlemaster from the game and just distribute his powers to everyone else. At least, that's what it sounds like the net effect will be.
That or just give everyone that one feat with Maneuvers for free and call it a day.
Thing is, don't all of them rely on the d8 or so? Don't have my PHB handy.