Hey guys, just wondering how many [if any] of you have experimented with making certain feats like Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Combat Expertise, etc. default character abilities that anyone with a certain strength score, BAB, or whatever can just do. I'm considering going this route for an upcoming e8 Mythic campaign just to sort of get the action going sooner and allow for a bit more flexibility, though I also don't want to fall into a trap. A lot of people see these feats as taxes, others don't, but any opinions or experiences are welcomed!
I'm currently about 60/40 in favor of printing this with my other house rules, but it's a tough call.
Thanks!
What I would do is give the players a list of bonus feats and they can pick 1 for free. Usually include stuff like: Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Combat Expertise, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus. If you want a slightly higher level include Spell Penetration, Spell Focus, and Precise Shot. I don't think I'd give them all away. Would it break the game if you did, probably not, but I think its unnecessary, especially for an E8, as they get loads of bonus feats, assuming your running it traditionally.
Right. I've considered that that may be one way to do it, and I think it'd probably turn out to be pretty similar. And I will be running e8 pretty traditionally, so they will be getting a ton of feats. I just want to see if anyone's got experience with having a whole bunch of these feats be basic mechanics. Since they're capped off I thought it might be a way for these characters to have a bit more versatility without using up feats, but then again the cautious part of me hidden in the back of my brain says there's a reason for feat trees...
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Power Attack and its relatives are all free in my campaigns, as is Heighten Spell, which simply applies automatically when appropriate.
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I give the bonus of Combat Expertise for free, then I modified the combat Expertise feat to something different.
Combat Expertise - Req. Int 13, Add half of you intelligence bonus to you CMB/CMD, minimum of 1.
Power Attack and its relatives are all free in my campaigns, as is Heighten Spell, which simply applies automatically when appropriate.
How has that worked out for you? Do players take advantage of it or just take it in stride? It's been looking to me like it would open up options more quickly, so players are getting into certain builds a bit quicker. There might be some potential for abuse, but I don't really see any. It seems natural to be able to do what Power Attack, Deadly Aim, etc. do so long as you've got the BAB and ability scores for it, and Heighten Spell also seems like something you should just be able to do.
I'd love to hear how it's received at your table(s)!
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The Elephant in the Room Feat Tax Rules are a pretty common house rule that incorporates most of what's talked about in this thread. I've played with them, and they don't really break the game. Mostly they just give melee combatants more options in combat. Rarely is it a flat out bonus.
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These are rules our group has been using for years and have caused no issues
The three feats, Power Attack, Deadly Aim and Combat Expertise are no longer feats but combat 'options' that any character, NPC or monster may use at any time they choose. Characters count as having these feats for the purpose of qualifying for other feats and abilities.
The feats Weapon Finesse and Piranha Strike no longer exists and any character, NPC or monster may use their dexterity modifier in place of their strength modifier with any 'finessable' weapon. Characters count as having these feats for the purpose of qualifying for other feats and abilities.
The feats Two-Weapon Fighting and Vital Strike automatically upgrade into their Improved and Greater versions when the requisite BAB and DEX score is reached, they count as themselves AND the Improved and Greater versions once the requisite BAB is reached for the purpose of qualifying for other feats and abilities.
ANY Improved Combat Maneuver feat now automatically scales into it's Greater version when the BAB prerequisites are reached and counts as both feats for other prerequisites. Performing combat maneuvers now only provoke AoO's from a failed combat maneuver attempt.
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Some good ideas here. Too dang bad I already have my house rules for my new campaign printed and bound professionally (one of my players works part time for Troll Lord Games).
We have also 'bundled' up some of the item crafting feats.
Which ones have you bundled?
You say you don't want to fall into a trap, but I can't really see how that would happen.
I am a supporter of feats like Power Attack and Combat Expertise being inherit abilities, as well as attempts to bundle feat chains like Vital Strike or Improved Disarm, along with a host of other house rules with the common goals of giving players more options and making different choices equally viable. With all that said, any changes like this will make a character more versatile and more potent.
So if you have to crank up the heat a little to challenge such characters, so what? Do it.
I guess you might run into a situation where one player takes significant advantage of such rules and other players do not.
But if you have one player who's making the game less enjoyable for the other players, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to sit down and talk with them about pulling it back a notch or two.