Ooo Coup de Grace setups. Here is a mostly unedited log (single Lnet snippet pared) of how I do it. Note that I don't WT APPRAISE in it; this is because after so many years of playing the 'huehue how long can i keep this boost going' game, most mobs I can pretty much eyeball remaining health and status. Also of note, I don't really need to bust out the big guns on bandits, hence the lower AS.
[Outlands Manor, Exterior]
A rotted modwir overhang protects the west entrance of the manor house. The door itself is made of oaken heartwood and appears to be firm and solid. Rusted helms, aventails, and other bits of armor lie scattered about, as well as a pile of broken weapons.
Obvious paths: north, south, northwest
You spy a carefully concealed inflated pouch on the path just ahead of you!
A human thief suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
A human rogue suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
A human thief suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
A halfling thug suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
>stance offensiveYou move into an offensive stance, ready for battle.
>mstrikeYou concentrate intently, focusing all your energies.
With instinctive motions, you weave to and fro striking with deliberate and unrelenting fury!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a halfling thug!
AS: +519 vs DS: +338 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +25 = +249
... and hit for 59 points of damage!
Right arm ripped from socket at the elbow!
The thug's katar falls to the ground.
The halfling thug is knocked to the ground!
The halfling thug is stunned!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human thief!
AS: +519 vs DS: +366 with AvD: +36 + d100 roll: +94 = +283
... and hit for 115 points of damage!
Blow cracks a rib and punctures a lung.
Breathing becomes a challenge.
The human thief is stunned!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human rogue!
AS: +519 vs DS: +358 with AvD: +44 + d100 roll: +74 = +279
... and hit for 94 points of damage!
Weapon arm removed at the shoulder!
The rogue's bastard sword falls to the ground.
The human rogue is stunned!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human thief!
AS: +519 vs DS: +344 with AvD: +44 + d100 roll: +78 = +297
... and hit for 119 points of damage!
Body pulped to a gooey mass.
Watch where you step!
[You have 18 kills remaining.]
The human thief falls to the ground and dies.
Your series of strikes and ripostes leaves you off-balance and out of position.
Roundtime: 10 sec.
[ MStrike Cooldown: +0:01:00, 0:01:00 remaining. ]
A human rogue stands there, dazed and confused.
R>loot
...wait 1 seconds.
R>loot
You search the human thief.
You discard the thief's useless equipment.
He didn't carry any silver.
He had nothing else of value.
A human thief decays into compost.
>attYou swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a halfling thug!
AS: +519 vs DS: +288 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +31 = +305
... and hit for 56 points of damage!
Left elbow smashed into a thousand pieces.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
R>cman coup
You move towards the halfling thug to finish him off, but he isn't injured enough to be susceptible to a coup de grace.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
R>squint
You squint.
Misjudge! I was probably off by maybe a handful of HP, but I wanted to get le ball rollingR>att
...wait 1 seconds.
A human thief stands there, dazed and confused.
>attYou swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a halfling thug!
AS: +519 vs DS: +269 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +54 = +347
... and hit for 81 points of damage!
Feint left spins the halfling thug around!
Jagged slash to lower back.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
You feel recovered from your whirlwind flurry of strikes.
A human rogue stands there, dazed and confused.
R>cman coup
[Roll result: 199 (open d100: 85) Bonus: 13]
You lunge towards the halfling thug, intending to finish him off!
You slam your hand-and-a-half sword into the side of his face with all your might!
Blood pours out of the halfling thug's nose and ears as pieces of jawbone protrude from his cheek!
[You have 17 kills remaining.]
The halfling thug rolls over and dies.
The heady flush of your spectacular kill makes you feel invigorated!
A nearby human thief looks a little bit more wary after that display!
A nearby human rogue looks a little bit more wary after that display!
Roundtime: 8 sec.
R>loot
You search the halfling thug.
You discard the thug's useless equipment.
He didn't carry any silver.
He had nothing of interest.
A halfling thug decays into compost.
>ambushYou swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human thief!
AS: +552 vs DS: +332 with AvD: +36 + d100 roll: +80 = +336
... and hit for 96 points of damage!
Solid strike caves the human thief's skull in, resulting in instant death!
[You have 16 kills remaining.]
The human thief falls to the ground and dies.
Roundtime: 6 sec.
You feel fully energetic again.
R>loot
You search the human thief.
You discard the thief's useless equipment.
He didn't carry any silver.
He had nothing else of value.
A human thief decays into compost.
>attYou swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human rogue!
AS: +552 vs DS: +328 with AvD: +44 + d100 roll: +83 = +351
... and hit for 110 points of damage!
Lucky shot rips through bone and muscle sending shield arm flying.
The rogue's reinforced shield falls to the ground.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
A human rogue stands there, dazed and confused.
R>cman coup
A human rogue loses the wary look about him.
[Roll result: 219 (open d100: 95) Bonus: 13]
You lunge towards the human rogue, intending to finish him off!
You slam your hand-and-a-half sword into the back of his head with all your might!
Brain matter now decorates the area!
[You have 15 kills remaining.]
The human rogue falls to the ground and dies.
The heady flush of your spectacular kill makes you feel invigorated!
Roundtime: 8 sec.
R>cman coup
...wait 8 seconds.
R>loot
You search the human rogue.
You discard the rogue's useless equipment.
He didn't carry any silver.
He had nothing else of value.
A human rogue decays into compost.
>stance defYou move into a defensive stance, ready to fend off an attack.
lil' bit of walkin' around etc[Outlands Manor, Tower]
A large, oil-coated chute constructed of iron plates narrows as it pierces the floor near the chamber's southern wall. Two stove-in barrels lie in the southeast corner of the room, well away from the shallow brazier built into the floor in the room's center. Heavy chains dangle from a set of pulleys mounted to the ceiling above the brazier. A small fireplace is built into the portion of the west wall that backs onto the floor's western chamber.
Obvious exits: north, east, south, west
You spy a set of carefully concealed metal jaws just as you are about to step on them!
A human rogue suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
A human thief suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
A human rogue suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
A half-elven thief suddenly jumps out of the shadows!
>stance offensiveYou move into an offensive stance, ready for battle.
A human rogue swings a broadsword at you!
AS: +408 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +18 + d100 roll: +45 = +64
A clean miss.
A human rogue swings a bastard sword at you!
AS: +393 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +13 + d100 roll: +16 = +15
A clean miss.
>mstrikeYou concentrate intently, focusing all your energies.
With instinctive motions, you weave to and fro striking with deliberate and unrelenting fury!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a half-elven thief!
AS: +558 vs DS: +340 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +45 = +306
... and hit for 71 points of damage!
Hard blow breaks the femur!
The half-elven thief is knocked to the ground!
The half-elven thief is stunned!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human rogue!
AS: +558 vs DS: +349 with AvD: +44 + d100 roll: +63 = +316
... and hit for 85 points of damage!
Right leg mangled horribly.
The human rogue is knocked to the ground!
The human rogue is stunned!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human thief!
AS: +558 vs DS: +341 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +7 = +267
... and hit for 55 points of damage!
Deep, bloody slash to the human thief's right thigh!
The human thief is knocked to the ground!
The human thief is stunned!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human rogue!
AS: +558 vs DS: +317 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +82 = +366
... and hit for 110 points of damage!
Blow to stomach rearranges some organs!
The human rogue is stunned!
Your series of strikes and ripostes leaves you off-balance and out of position.
Roundtime: 10 sec.
[ MStrike Cooldown: +0:01:00, 0:01:00 remaining. ]
A human rogue lies there, dazed and confused.
R>att
...wait 1 seconds.
R>att
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human rogue!
AS: +558 vs DS: +287 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +26 = +340
... and hit for 74 points of damage!
Whoosh! Several ribs driven into lungs.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
A human rogue stands there, dazed and confused.
You feel fully energetic again.
R>cman coup
[Roll result: 296 (open d100: 172) Bonus: 13]
You lunge towards the human rogue, intending to finish her off!
You slam your hand-and-a-half sword into the side of her chest with all your might!
Rib bones are now visible. Bits and pieces of lung are too!
[You have 14 kills remaining.]
The human rogue falls to the ground and dies.
The heady flush of your spectacular kill makes you feel invigorated!
A nearby half-elven thief looks a little bit more wary after that display!
A nearby human rogue looks a little bit more wary after that display!
A nearby human thief looks a little bit more wary after that display!
Roundtime: 8 sec.
[TownCrier]-GSIV:Newsby: (17:16:09)
A human thief stands up with a grunt.
R>mstrike
You concentrate intently, focusing all your energies.
With instinctive motions, you weave to and fro striking with deliberate and unrelenting fury!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a half-elven thief!
AS: +559 vs DS: +259 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +3 = +346
... and hit for 95 points of damage!
Lucky shot rips through bone and muscle sending left leg flying.
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human rogue!
AS: +559 vs DS: +267 with AvD: +44 + d100 roll: +9 = +345
... and hit for 114 points of damage!
Lucky shot rips through bone and muscle sending left leg flying.
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human thief!
AS: +559 vs DS: +320 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +91 = +373
... and hit for 81 points of damage!
Quick, powerful slash to the human thief's right knee!
A human thief falls to the ground grasping his mangled right leg!
The human thief is stunned!
Your series of strikes and ripostes leaves you off-balance and out of position.
Roundtime: 10 sec.
[ MStrike Cooldown: +0:01:00, 0:01:00 remaining. ]
A human rogue swings a broadsword at you!
You evade the attack by a hair!
A half-elven thief swings a longsword at you!
With extreme effort, you beat back the attack with your sword!
R>loot
You search the human rogue.
You discard the rogue's useless equipment.
She didn't carry any silver.
She had nothing else of value.
A human rogue decays into compost.
>ambushYou swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human thief!
Unable to focus clearly, the human thief blindly blocks the attack!
Roundtime: 6 sec.
A human thief loses the wary look about him.
A half-elven thief loses the wary look about him.
A human rogue loses the wary look about him.
In an awe inspiring display of combat mastery, a human rogue engages you in a furious dance macabre, spiralling into a blur of strikes and ripostes!
A human rogue swings a broadsword at you!
AS: +338 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +18 + d100 roll: +11 = -40
A clean miss.
A human rogue swings a broadsword at you!
AS: +338 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +18 + d100 roll: +41 = -10
A clean miss.
A human rogue swings a broadsword at you!
AS: +338 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +18 + d100 roll: +30 = -21
A clean miss.
A human rogue swings a broadsword at you!
AS: +338 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +18 + d100 roll: +84 = +33
A clean miss.
R>squint
You squint.
A half-elven thief swings a longsword at you!
AS: +380 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +17 + d100 roll: +10 = +0
A clean miss.
R>ambush
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human thief!
AS: +559 vs DS: +236 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +28 = +394
... and hit for 91 points of damage!
Hard blow to the human thief's ear!
Deep gash and a terrible headache!
Roundtime: 6 sec.
A half-elven thief swings a longsword at you!
With extreme effort, you beat back the attack with your sword!
Ambush to the head didn't cut it, so may as well refresh..R>cman coup
[Roll result: 201 (open d100: 85) Bonus: 13]
You lunge towards the human thief, intending to finish him off!
You make a vicious slash with your hand-and-a-half sword at his torso!
Massive blow leaves the human thief cleaved in half!
[You have 13 kills remaining.]
The human thief rolls over and dies.
The heady flush of your spectacular kill makes you feel invigorated!
A nearby half-elven thief looks a little bit more wary after that display!
A nearby human rogue looks a little bit more wary after that display!
Roundtime: 8 sec.
You feel recovered from your whirlwind flurry of strikes.
A half-elven thief swings a longsword at you!
AS: +347 vs DS: +407 with AvD: +17 + d100 roll: +15 = -28
A clean miss.
A human rogue swings a broadsword at you!
At the last moment, you parry the blow with your sword!
R>mstrike
You concentrate intently, focusing all your energies.
With instinctive motions, you weave to and fro striking with deliberate and unrelenting fury!
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a half-elven thief!
AS: +559 vs DS: +228 with AvD: +43 + d100 roll: +74 = +448
... and hit for 148 points of damage!
Wicked slash slices open the half-elven thief's chest!
Heart and lungs pureed!
Sickening!
[You have 12 kills remaining.]
The half-elven thief rolls over and dies.
You swing a cross-hilted hand-and-a-half sword at a human rogue!
AS: +559 vs DS: +246 with AvD: +44 + d100 roll: +92 = +449
... and hit for 135 points of damage!
Blow ruptures the stomach!
[You have 11 kills remaining.]
The human rogue rolls over and dies.
Your series of strikes and ripostes leaves you off-balance and out of position.
Roundtime: 7 sec.
[ MStrike Cooldown: +0:01:00, 0:01:00 remaining. ]
As for the CMs..:
You are a Master at Arms of the Warrior Guild.| Skill name | Mnemonic | Ranks |
| Mighty Blow | mblow | 2 |
| Sunder Shield | sunder | 4 |
| Specialization I | wspec1 | 5 |
| Coup de Grace | coupdegrace | 5 |
| Weapon Bonding | bonding | 5 |
| Combat Mobility | mobility | 2 |
| Combat Toughness | toughness | 2 |
| Staggering Blow | sblow | 3 |
| Parry Mastery | pmastery | 3 |
| Griffin's Voice | griffin | 1 |
| Executioner's Stance | executioner | 3 |
It's one of those reasons why I don't turn on COMBAT BRIEF, so I can watch their HP. Bandits seem to have approximately 250-300 HP, give or take a few- so at around 150 damage dealt, with Rank 5 Coup de Grace, they basically become an example to their squad to change profession. Notice too that the ~30 seconds of morale penalty on any surviving bandits (along with the damage from my opening salvo) keeps their AS pretty low- particularly the last few successes, with a 39 and 40 bonus respectively.
As I've also found, most hunting areas have a 'bait' creature. So in my experience there, it's been dybbuks in Bonespear, heralds in the Citadel, yeti on the Krag Slopes, minotaur magi in the Labyrinth, hilariously deserved Illoke Elders in the Bowels, IIRC it was vaespilons in Plane 5, and currently I've been using lurks (plentiful) and fanatics (grudge vs. dispelling mobs) in the Sanctum, though that's a far dicier place to try it in, because 8 seconds of hard RT is ripe for a giant swarm to immediately descend- and stamina intensive, because to properly set them up, they have to be in stacked RT or they'll break the stun. It's a bit of a mean time and stamina investment where both are at a major premium vs never-ending swarms that literally travel in packs (see: stuck in mstrike RT as six+ lurks mosey in).
So really, other than some circumstantial uses (grudge gibbing certain mobs), it's more of a minigame challenge/novelty than an actual hunting tactic- like a lot of the CML, unfortunately. Still fun though.
-james, bristenn's player
| You think to yourself, "FFF-" |
| A giant white bunny hurls a powerful lightning bolt at you! |
| You evade the bolt by a hair! |
