User talk:Teh Storm/Lefty (3.5e Trait)

Ratings

	Undead Knave opposes this article and rated it 0 of 4.
	Creates extra work for no real reason, and is either almost always applicable or basically a coin flip for no big difference.

	Sulacu dislikes this article and rated it 1 of 4.
	Or just switch your main hand and off-hand around, I mean what is this? Why do lefties get different mechanics from righties, when the concept of a dominant hand is already implemented in D&D in the first place?

	Leziad dislikes this article and rated it 1 of 4.
	This trait sound very annoying and is at odd with existing game mechanics.

	Ganteka Future opposes this article and rated it 0 of 4.
	Ugh. Ends up causing extra work for the DM. Ends up granting a bonus more often than a penalty, so boo on that as a trait. If this is to be salvaged, someone should just start over fresh with a new article.

The Story

This trait has it's origins in the SCA, whom I loved watching fight. In the tournaments, the rule always is to watch out for the grey birds (the old fighters that had spent twenty years or more in the SCA), and that rule was there for a good reason: they kick your ass! But the lefties always had an edge over everyone, reducing stick and board fighting to stick fighting with fifteen pounds hanging on one side. The lefties always pressed their advantage, but ended up fighting poorly when another lefty was engaging, a they had never practiced shield work and defense as much as we sensible, non-cheater right handed folk had. Thus, while I was reminiscing over this, I thought up this trait.--Teh Storm 07:05, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

How does this feat interact with multi-armed and non-armed creatures? Say, thri-kreen and oozes? Bonus, no bonus, or penalty? - TarkisFlux 14:16, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

It specifically only works with humanoids, but this trait is bad for another reason -- you now have to decide whether every single possible opponent is right- or left-handed. Surgo 16:00, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

Only if you mind the extra prep time. Otherwise, a simple roll of a d10 or DM's fiat is at play. --—Preceding unsigned comment added by Havvy (talk • contribs) at

Really, you have to totally forget the population distribution of left-handers to right-handers and use a d2, otherwise, it's much more of a bonus than anything else, which would be like Weapon Focus 90% of the time with whatever you happen to be using. --Ganteka Future 22:37, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

If half the people are left-handed, then being left-handed isn't interesting and there isn't a right-handed default to practice against --IGTN 01:24, June 17, 2010 (UTC)

To answer some of the above points- first, the preparation issue is only an issue in regards to humaniod melee combatants, as this grants no bonus in fighting at a distance or most monsters, with the possible exception of certain outsiders. Second, if the campaign does revolve around humaniod armies or something to that nature, and a player does take this trait, try this crazy idea that plays out in real life: make half the big name duelists lefties. If a player chooses this trait and the lead villain also has this trait, not only have you presented the set up for a great duel, but then that player will take the melee lead as others try to flank, spell cast, or get some other task done, like rescue the princess or steal the jewels or what ever.--Teh Storm 20:41, June 17, 2010 (UTC)

I feel the need to say that if we're going to go for trying to do a realism thing here, I need to point out that it was also traditional when someone was a lefty to train them out of it. In other words, what you'd end up with with this trait is "You're effectively ambidextrous, but you aren't as good with either hand as most other people are with one hand." which is a very different thing. --Undead_Knave (talk) 02:12, 2 January 2014 (UTC)

Realism

Blah, D&D ≠ realism, blah, and yet I would re-define this as right-handed characters suffering a -1 penalty on AC against melee attacks from left-handed characters, because the effect you speak of stems from an unfamiliarity on the part of right-handers, not some mechanical bonus one has for attacking left-handed. More or less the same effect, but I do think the melee aspect is important. A thrown weapon is thrown weapon. I would also state that characters with a BAB of 6 or more do not suffer from this penalty, presumably having fought a number of left-handed characters, or dual wielders, or just having enough experience that they aren't bothered by the unfamiliarity of attack angles and whatnot. In this case, you gain a short term mechanical advantage against other humanoids, but in the long term you end up with nothing, while other traits retain their benefits. Not sure if that's wholly balanced, but I don't think it's awful. -- Jota 05:06, June 18, 2010 (UTC)

Feinting

Maybe also add +2 to Bluff when feinting in melee against righties, and -2 on Sense Motive against lefty feints?--Tavis McCricket 22:50, June 17, 2010 (UTC)

I'm not so sure about that, because the issue isn't that it is harder or easier to fool a lefty, but that they come from a side that right handed people find awkward to fight in. And lefties get so used to this awkwardness in their opponent that they have trouble fighting in their "proper" arrangement.--Teh Storm 04:07, June 19, 2010 (UTC)

What's funny is that you're reasoning as to why it doesn't fit is basically my reasoning for why it does fit. It's harder to read your opponent when they fight differently than you're used to, hence to bonus when feinting against righties, and the penalty for reading lefties.--Tavis McCricket 06:08, June 19, 2010 (UTC)

Until you consider what a feint actually is. A feint is a basic maneuver that is taught in every form of fighting, a "false attack" that is intended to lead your opponent into making a mistake. Feinting and avoiding being fooled is an experience issue: the more you fight the harder you are to fool. In a lefty vs right hander fight, feint works based on their experience just as with any other maneuver. The problem is their form is cramped, because lefties never learned the "proper" form.--Teh Storm 19:44, June 20, 2010 (UTC)