I've lately fought against a Grey Dwarven Fighter/Weaponmaster using Knockdown, and sincerely exploiting the power of the feat for PvP.
First he uses invisibility (potion) to approach the opponent, runs and when he's there uses Knockdown immediately and as soon the opponent is on the floor, he always lands critical hits (Weaponmaster feature IIRC). When you get up again, he uses Knockdown again and hits you again when you are down. This mostly only takes 6-8 rounds and you are dead without having cast a single spell or swung a single time against him.
One possibilty I'd see is maybe to use See Invisiblity to spot him before he reaches you. If you are unlucky you are still already down on the floor before you are able to cast your first spell or swing your first attack. I guess only True Seeing stops these power-builders from doing that - but then be quick and be a powerful spellcaster - I guess any other class will die anyway. Fireball 18:08, 26 March 2007 (PDT)
Possible Solutions[]
Knockdown will not and should not be removed from NWN2, because it exists in d20 SRD and supplement rules as an actual feat:
Knock-Down (General) Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +2, Improved Trip, Str 15. Benefit: Whenever you deal 10 or more points of damage to your opponent in melee, you make a trip attack as a free action against the same target.
If Knockdown is to be changed, simply make it closer to the above description. 169.231.1.197 16:32, 11 April 2007 (PDT)
- I think Knockdown in NWN2 is basically the same as Trip in PnP D&D. Widow maker 16:34, April 20, 2010 (UTC)
Possible Fixes[]
I. Remove it altogether, as Bioware removed Sap from the early incarnations of NWN1 because it was deemed to break game balance.
II. Assuming that prone animations will not be implemented, which is the most likely scenario, simulate the Trip and Prone circumstance as follows:
- The attacker makes a melee touch attack that draws an Attack of Opportunity. The attacker can avoid the Attack of Opportunity by selecting the Improved knockdown feat.
- If knocked down, the target automatically and immediately springs back up. The attacker gets an Attack of Opportunity against the springing target.
- For the rest of the round in which he/she was knocked down, the target gets to attack and cast spells, but takes penalties of -4 to AC and -4 to attack in melee (PnP prone penalties), Since Knockdown is also sort of a fill-in for PnP Grapple, the target must succeed on a Concentration check against DC 20 + spell level to succesfully cast a spell.
Announced Pre-patch information[]
(quoting Obsidian's Community Coordinator, Rob McGinnis, on the upcoming patch 1.07):
Ok, I'll give away the whole surprise:
Knockdown will have two changes to it. The first change is that it will get a two-round cooldown. That will be in 1.07.
The other part, which may not have made the cutoff for 1.07 (but I think it did), is that knockdown will require a touch attack.
Combat Expertise[]
and the target cannot defend itself (it loses, for instance, combat expertise bonuses).
I think I/CE (or other combat modes) remain active when prone. Not sure though. GFallen (talk) 21:47, February 22, 2013 (UTC)
Propsed description
Knockdown
Type of feat
General
Prerequisite
None
Required for
Improved knockdown
Specifics
A character with this feat can attempt a special knockdown attempt, which does not cause damage but may occassionally provoke an attack of opportunity. A character may only knock down creatures that are one size larger than itself or less. The attacker makes an Opposed d20 Skill check modified by his strength bonus, and the difference between his creature size and the target creature size times 4. Against the defender's d20 modified by the better of his strength or dexterity bonus. If the attacker meets or beats the defender's check, the defender is knocked down. Prone characters cannot attack for the remainder of the round and attackers receive a +4 attack bonus against prone opponents in melee (with the next flurry of attacks) but a -4 penalty to attack with a ranged weapon.
Use
Selected
Special
Monks are granted this feat at 6th level and a Wolf animal companion will receive this feat at 1st level.
Note
Requires a melee touch attack which excludes Natural, Shield, Armor and Shield Bonuses This feat has a 12 second cooldown after each attempt The oppposed skill check is not modified by spells such as Enlarge Person and or Reduce Person. Spells, such as foundation of stone and storm avatar will confer immunity to knockdown. Parry and Mirror Image can be effective counter measures. Contrary to the Game Manual, prone targets will not be considered flat-footed by default.
D&D Note
This feat in NWN2 works somewhat differently than in D&D. These deviations are necessary to adapt D&D to a computer roleplaying game.
NWN2 Tip
This feat is not recommended before 3 attacks per round and then only for characters with high Strenght (17 + 1 per 2 levels)
Gameplay
Creatures are only Prone during the round of the knockdown and will recover at the end of the round. Therefore it is most effective when used early in the round against a target which has low dexterity and strength, commonly spell casters. However, some spell casters may have defensive spells that protect against this feat. Ragimund (talk) 02:38, November 25, 2018 (UTC) difficult to confirm and maybe just conjecture; when wielding a Tower Shield and attempting Knockdown the odds maybe improved for the attacker but not so for the defender. The delay in the target becoming prone after the knockdown attack, is due to the target becoming prone after the animation of falling. Which will make the prone bonus apply to the next flurry of attacks.
Incorporated your notes to the main page Raelind (talk) 23:49, April 7, 2020 (UTC)