Post by Robot on Feb 5, 2017 12:17:32 GMT
Preface
With the announcement of 2.0, I should probably get moving on these again if I want to clear supernaturals some time this year. SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN! Starving fan bases rejoice because I've climbed back into the saddle for another section of book.
Overview
Athlete is the first of the Combat classes in PTU's 1.05 Edition. It provides some strong niche passives and some positioning control as well as the necessary improvements to hit max Power Capability with a trainer. On the other hand of things, many of the options just aren't choices you'd take. All combat classes are fairly straight forward so overviews for the future ones are unlikely. They hit things, typically, while getting other abilities that also let them hit things or somehow support their teammates while hitting things. Combat classes.
Pros
-Athletics is a decent main skill.
-HP Tag works well with any build.
-Class functions well as a defender archetype with improvements to intercept maneuvers for you and your Pokemon.
-High Power Capability, if you're into that.
Cons
-Normal type coverage only.
-Bind and Block accomplish very little other then encourage an enemy to hit you.
-Tier 3 moves are circumstantial for high damage.
-Options provided aren't all good so it isn't ever really a choice when it comes to the variable features.
-Like all combat classes, it is fueled by your singular hitpoint pool, as opposed to the six of your Pokemon. Athlete intentionally makes itself the target with a lot of it's choices, and having your trainer KO'd takes you out of the entirety of a fight. In live this can be several hours, in PbP, days or even weeks.
Base Feature - Give yourself two +1 Combat Stages during training. This was the old Soldier? Feature from 1.04, but unless it's dropping into attacking stats you won't ever really see much return on it. Trainers start out with a BST of 45 and increase at half the rate Pokemon do unless you are grabbing stat points at the trainer rank up milestones. As an example, a level 15 (Pokemon Level 30) Athlete has invested every point in Defense they could; 5 + 5 + 14 = 24 x 1.2 = 28-29 depending on how you round. Your second stat up is boosting a 10, or 15 if you took stats at Level 10, bumping it by 2-3 points. So all in on a stat you're getting about half usefulness out of this feature, but it does help.
Training Regime - Gain static bonuses based on your trained stats. With Combat Maneuvers being mostly garbage, Attack and Special Defense should never be go-to options. Unless the player thought it was somehow funny, I've yet to see an instance where grappling solved anything. I've played along a psychic trip build designed to help allies get AoOs, it was alright, but spending your standard action to knock someone over or tenderly hold them close is a good way to just get your ass beat. The DR when intercepting is very nice, but you shouldn't have to unless you're going into other Combat classes like Roughneck, and Athlete can make it's Pokemon intercept regardless of loyalty at the same level. The Sprint bonus is largely situational, but Twisted Power on Athlete moves has some interesting connotations when paired with any special attacker class.
Coaching - Spend an AP 1/Scene/Pokemon to give a bonus on opposed rolls, increase sprint speed by 50% which works well with abilities like Electrodash but otherwise isn't particularly worth it. The only real reason to take this feature is to get your hands on the ever tasty 'your Pokemon may intercept for anyone regardless of loyalty'. Not to say that intercepting is the best option. You are sacrificing action economy to protect another target, but still likely taking damage. This mechanic is still better done with abilities like Body Guard or Friend Guard, even Blessings. All of these things allow you to protect allies at much less action economy cost. As with all 1/Pokemon/Scene abilities, pairs well with Juggler.
Adrenaline Rush - In a system where healing and tanking have both been systematically nerfed (through statii lowering both defensive stats, and just the overall dislike of healing) an ability that triggers three times a day but requires you to drop under half health doesn't make a lot of sense. Once a scene is already set in the description, and I can't think of too many GMs that are going to shove you into three taxing fights in a single day where combat tends to drag. Makes your +1's into +2s, purges your statuses, and gives you a tick of temporary hp. Pretty good on a full combat build, but fairly deep into athlete. Go for it if you are sure.
Athletic Moves - Tier 1 Strength is pretty much a must, and Slam isn't too shabby either being a DB 8 AC 4 without STAB. Block and Bind I'd leave, especially Block. You can actually accomplish more with a grapple or a push maneuver then you could that particular move. Tier 2 offers some higher damage Scene moves, Extremespeed is always a good pick as a DB 8 super priority, I would personally avoid Take Down unless you're also running Berserker or want to trigger Adrenaline Rush on your own terms. Tier 3 Retaliate and Facade *can* be really strong, but both are situational. In a group game there will always be targets dropping, and with an intercept build you can get a status when you want it though. Mega Kick is just another 'more damage' option, but it has Smite and a push on it.
With the announcement of 2.0, I should probably get moving on these again if I want to clear supernaturals some time this year. SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN! Starving fan bases rejoice because I've climbed back into the saddle for another section of book.
Overview
Athlete is the first of the Combat classes in PTU's 1.05 Edition. It provides some strong niche passives and some positioning control as well as the necessary improvements to hit max Power Capability with a trainer. On the other hand of things, many of the options just aren't choices you'd take. All combat classes are fairly straight forward so overviews for the future ones are unlikely. They hit things, typically, while getting other abilities that also let them hit things or somehow support their teammates while hitting things. Combat classes.
Pros
-Athletics is a decent main skill.
-HP Tag works well with any build.
-Class functions well as a defender archetype with improvements to intercept maneuvers for you and your Pokemon.
-High Power Capability, if you're into that.
Cons
-Normal type coverage only.
-Bind and Block accomplish very little other then encourage an enemy to hit you.
-Tier 3 moves are circumstantial for high damage.
-Options provided aren't all good so it isn't ever really a choice when it comes to the variable features.
-Like all combat classes, it is fueled by your singular hitpoint pool, as opposed to the six of your Pokemon. Athlete intentionally makes itself the target with a lot of it's choices, and having your trainer KO'd takes you out of the entirety of a fight. In live this can be several hours, in PbP, days or even weeks.
Base Feature - Give yourself two +1 Combat Stages during training. This was the old Soldier? Feature from 1.04, but unless it's dropping into attacking stats you won't ever really see much return on it. Trainers start out with a BST of 45 and increase at half the rate Pokemon do unless you are grabbing stat points at the trainer rank up milestones. As an example, a level 15 (Pokemon Level 30) Athlete has invested every point in Defense they could; 5 + 5 + 14 = 24 x 1.2 = 28-29 depending on how you round. Your second stat up is boosting a 10, or 15 if you took stats at Level 10, bumping it by 2-3 points. So all in on a stat you're getting about half usefulness out of this feature, but it does help.
Training Regime - Gain static bonuses based on your trained stats. With Combat Maneuvers being mostly garbage, Attack and Special Defense should never be go-to options. Unless the player thought it was somehow funny, I've yet to see an instance where grappling solved anything. I've played along a psychic trip build designed to help allies get AoOs, it was alright, but spending your standard action to knock someone over or tenderly hold them close is a good way to just get your ass beat. The DR when intercepting is very nice, but you shouldn't have to unless you're going into other Combat classes like Roughneck, and Athlete can make it's Pokemon intercept regardless of loyalty at the same level. The Sprint bonus is largely situational, but Twisted Power on Athlete moves has some interesting connotations when paired with any special attacker class.
Coaching - Spend an AP 1/Scene/Pokemon to give a bonus on opposed rolls, increase sprint speed by 50% which works well with abilities like Electrodash but otherwise isn't particularly worth it. The only real reason to take this feature is to get your hands on the ever tasty 'your Pokemon may intercept for anyone regardless of loyalty'. Not to say that intercepting is the best option. You are sacrificing action economy to protect another target, but still likely taking damage. This mechanic is still better done with abilities like Body Guard or Friend Guard, even Blessings. All of these things allow you to protect allies at much less action economy cost. As with all 1/Pokemon/Scene abilities, pairs well with Juggler.
Adrenaline Rush - In a system where healing and tanking have both been systematically nerfed (through statii lowering both defensive stats, and just the overall dislike of healing) an ability that triggers three times a day but requires you to drop under half health doesn't make a lot of sense. Once a scene is already set in the description, and I can't think of too many GMs that are going to shove you into three taxing fights in a single day where combat tends to drag. Makes your +1's into +2s, purges your statuses, and gives you a tick of temporary hp. Pretty good on a full combat build, but fairly deep into athlete. Go for it if you are sure.
Athletic Moves - Tier 1 Strength is pretty much a must, and Slam isn't too shabby either being a DB 8 AC 4 without STAB. Block and Bind I'd leave, especially Block. You can actually accomplish more with a grapple or a push maneuver then you could that particular move. Tier 2 offers some higher damage Scene moves, Extremespeed is always a good pick as a DB 8 super priority, I would personally avoid Take Down unless you're also running Berserker or want to trigger Adrenaline Rush on your own terms. Tier 3 Retaliate and Facade *can* be really strong, but both are situational. In a group game there will always be targets dropping, and with an intercept build you can get a status when you want it though. Mega Kick is just another 'more damage' option, but it has Smite and a push on it.