Shattered Kingdoms

The GD thread on griffon swashbucklers got me thinking about another possible innate for griffons. I think it'd be fun, and give griffon physical classes a needed lift.

Aerial combat

Griffons in flight can use their speed to good effect in combat. Using their momentum, they can do extra damage with their talons. Martially trained griffons can also deliver spears and polearms with great force. Quick aerial turns help dodge both blows and spells.

But to use these techniques to full effect, griffons have to fly at their best speed. While this is exhausting, griffons who train in rapid movement develop excellent stamina.

Mechanics:
* Large bonus to reflex with smaller bonuses to dodge and damage with select weapons.
* Bonus increases with movement speed. (x1, x2, x3)
* No bonus while not flying.
* Training the MV stat gives griffons five times the usual effect.
* Gives bonus to certain Hammer ability based on motion.

This gives griffon barbarians and scouts in particular a little more offensive power and durability. They can also use their extra attribute trains for MV. (Non-hybrid griffons often have more stat points than they can use well at GM.) The movement bonus is big, but necessary to noticeably affect a high-level griffon's movement point pool.

The large reflex bonus helps griffons better get by with a minimum of magic protection. That lets them focus on other spell-resistance lines. At the same time, griffons are still going to be much more vulnerable to spells than a well-equipped human. Griffons do need their weaknesses too.

I'm not sure how the Hammer synergy would work, not that I could discuss it here anyway. But griffons tend to be better off in tribunals, for the protective spells. This ability should work well with both good-aligned cabals, making them more appealing options.

Eh, griffons are good enough for what they are.

Good for wings!!!!

Good ideas, but griffons don't really need a boost IMO.

sleeper

Eh, no way. Griffons are fine IMO, and another easy mode buff is unnecessary.

I think it's a logical idea that would be a nice boost.

I wonder how many of the "I just say no to griffon-boost idea" people have ever tried to play a griffon as a serious character. They're tough lower levels, but they'll break your heart trying to survive on a level playing field at the higher levels.

I played a high level, fairly high profile griffon for about six months, so yeah, I'd say I know a little bit about what I'm saying.

Your biggest problem is that you never want to die, and that was my biggest problem too. I had just come off a character I had played for a year that had been successfully PKed less than five times, and went to a griffon that seemed incredibly fragile at high levels. Then I was like, "Oh wait, to get max stats and have my killing power back to 100% all I need is a storebought weapon and shield, as well as silver bracers and silver pendants from Sith".

Griffons die a fair bit and are quite fragile, sure. But they are the kings of getting back on their feet with no worries.

Griffons have no need of such a huge boost. Their lack of ability to wear equipment and thus have much in the way of saving throws is more than offset by their inflated stats and innate toughness. Griffons can be incredibly powerful at GM, there are a few out there at the moment that are doing more than fine on the PK field. Although their abilities are augmented with certain cabals skills.

Sure, if something like this were added:

Aim mid

You hack a wing off of a burly male griffon and he falls to the ground.

AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ADD THIS
ADD THIS