Hi all,
I was thinking over one of my characters, trying to make the feats I wanted fit in the levels I had. Personally, I've previously though feats should be stronger and I have a number of houserules I plan to implement if I ever run a home game.
This thought just occurred to me, and I'm wondering what everyone thinks of the implications: give everyone bonus feats like the fighter. I'd probably not limit it to just combat feats. Would it be too much? Many feats already have BaB and level restrictions, but I think it might allow for more interesting character abilities, and maybe some of the less-optimal feats would see more use. Obviously I'd have to add feats to any monsters/NPCs if it were to happen.
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I think it would be better to remove or merge some feats or prerequisites rather than give extras. I'd rather give the weak feats more punch, or make them options available to everyone, rather than add more decision-making to character generation.
For example, Vital Strike could easily just grant an extra weapon die of damage each time your BAB increases by 6 (and would be a more worthwhile feat that way), Spinning Throw and Improved Ki Throw could be combined, and the feat tax prerequisites on maneuver feats aren't much fun.
That's what I'd pondered before, though I haven't taken the time to figure out exactly how, since I don't plan to run a game any time soon.
I agree with the maneuver feats though. I liked the suggestions I've read to make power attack/combat expertise/weapon finesse innate abilities, and combine the improved maneuver feats into 2 or 3. Probably best to keep the greater feats separate though.
I suppose this idea would be simpler to implement, if you had experienced players.
Yes, it would be bad for the fighter. But then again, the fighter has a lot of problems already!
I didn't think about casters. Maybe just do this for the martials, or less feats for casters.
Yes, it would be bad for the fighter. But then again, the fighter has a lot of problems already!
I didn't think about casters. Maybe just do this for the martials, or less feats for casters.
You could give them based on BAB, though that has some issues in terms of the fact that the rogue gets them on the 3/4 rate, same as the cleric.
Alternatively giving them based on spellcasting could be a way to do it. So a Non-caster, such as the Rogue, Fighter and Monk, who need the change the most (as well as the Cav and the Barbarian, who admittedly aren't as needing of it, the barbarian due to the fact that he's already pretty good, and the Cav due to the fact that his problem can't really be fixed by feats). Then the Paladin and Ranger get slightly less, followed by the 6-level casters who get less still, and then the full casters get no bonus.
I think it would be better to remove or merge some feats or prerequisites rather than give extras. I'd rather give the weak feats more punch, or make them options available to everyone, rather than add more decision-making to character generation.
For example, Vital Strike could easily just grant an extra weapon die of damage each time your BAB increases by 6 (and would be a more worthwhile feat that way)... and the feat tax prerequisites on maneuver feats aren't much fun.
I think this would be the better option: more feats that scale like Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Power Attack, and Skill Focus.
Consolidate the feat chains based on BAB that do the same thing, just better (if a feat requires additional feats in the prerequisites, keep it separate, though): Improved Disarm gives additional effects of Greater Disarm at +6 BAB (combine Improved Feint and Improved Trip with Greater Feint and Greater Trip in the same fashion), combine Wind Stance and Lightning Stance (20% at +6 BAB and 50% at +11 BAB, or set it to scale at 40% at +11 BAB and +60% at +16 BAB), combine Cleave and Great Cleave (extra attacks kick in at +4 BAB), combine Improved Bull Rush and Greater Bull Rush (same fashion as Improved Disarm), combine Improved Sunder and Greater Sunder (same fashion as Improved Disarm), combine Two-Weapon Fighting with Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (additional off-hand attacks kick in at +6 and +11 BAB), combine Vital Strike with Improved Vital Strike and Greater Vital Strike (increase damage at +11 and +16 BAB).
Combine Improved Dirty Trick and Greater Dirty Trick, Improved Drag and Greater Drag, Improved Reposition and Greater Reposition, Improved Steal and Greater Steal, Shot on the Run and Parting Shot, Second Chance and Improved Second Chance.
Combine Cleaving Finish and Improved Cleaving Finish (since Cleave and Great Cleave are combined), Deathless Initiate with Deathless Master and Deathless Zealot, Devastating Strike and Improved Devastating Strike (don't combine with Vital Strike, however), Dimensional Assault and Dimensional Dervish (don't combine the other feats in the chain, though), Final Embrace Horror and Final Embrace Master (don't combine with Final Embrace, though), Impaling Critical and Improved Impaling Critical, Moonlight Stalker and Moonlight Stalker Feint (don't combine with Moonlight Stalker Master, though), Net Adept and Net Maneuvering (don't combine with the other feats in the chain, though), Nightmare Fist and Nightmare Weaver (don't combine with Nightmare Striker, though; adding a status effect without a separate feat is too powerful, IMO), Rending Fury and Improved Rending Fury (don't combine Greater Rending Fury, though; adding a status effect without a separate feat is too powerful, IMO), Snap Shot with Improved Snap Shot and Greater Snap Shot, Stalwart and Improved Stalwart, Twin Thunders and Twin Thunders Flurry (don't combine with Twin Thunders Master, though; adding a status effect without a separate feat is too powerful, IMO), Whip Mastery with Improved Whip Mastery and Greater Whip Mastery.
Combining feat chains based on skill ranks, such as Blind-Fight with Improved Blind-Fight and Greater Blind-Fight, Improved Stonecunning and Stone Sense, Haunted Gnome with Haunted Gnome Assault and Haunted Gnome Shroud, Siege Engineer and Master Siege Engineer (don't combine with Siege Gunner, though), would also make sense. So does combining Blighted Critical with Greater Blighted Critical, as well as Sap Adept with Sap Master.
The style feat chains should probably still require separate feats, as each feat in the chain provides different benefits, rather than just improving on earlier feats in the chain. Also, don't just lump together combinations of feats or feat chains (like Critical Focus) where each feat is relatively unrelated in the effects (such as Shield Slam and Shield Master) or are based on specific class levels.