Well Jason,
For the most part, I love the tweaks and changes in Alpha 1.1 but I have to say Combat Feats is the one section that jumped out at me as counter to the design goals of the Pathfinder RPG:
- Improve the Game
- Add Options
- Compatibility
Even with the removal of chaining, I still find some of the feats that got lumped into this one problematic (Dodge and Mobility stand out to me).
Instead of just b!~$%in' about it, here is some thoughts that came to me before my cats put on the meow parade to be fed this morning:
- 1. Combat Feats should be adding options to feats of a feat path, especially capstone feats (e.g. Spring Attack). Note, I do not consider Whirlwind Attack a capstone feat because you don't use most of the prereq feats as part of it.
2. If feats in a feat path are being considered for inclusion as combat feats because they are broken consider reducing their power instead of making them a Combat Feat (e.g. Mobility). You can always make the full version powered one a combat feat.
3. Further limits on Combat Feats should fit the type of Combat Feat it is. Examples:
~~a) BAB requirements for physical attack and CL for spell related feats (your must be this level before using this power).
~~b) Limited use number of uses per day or per combat.
~~c) Power up, you must use X feat/ability/spell in a prior round to activate the feat for that combat. Whether these stay on after power up or have be reactivated each time dependent on the ability.
4. If you want to keep feats from other feats paths separate from each other, list them in the feat requirements (e.g. I don't want Spring Attackers to use Power Attack feats).
So, let's make an example of Spring Attack.
First thing I would do is make Dodge and Mobility [General] feats again and make them always on. If mobility is too powerful, then reduce the bonus given and make the power version a Combat Feat.
Dodge [General]
You have learned a defensive stance that allows to you easily react to your opponents.
Prerequisite: Dex 13.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC in combat so long as you have your Dexterity bonus to Armor class (if any) and you don’t move more than 5 feet.
Special: A fighter may select Dodge as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Dodge Mastery[General]
You have mastered a defensive stance that allows to you easily react to your opponents.
Prerequisite: Dodge.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus per 5 levels/HD to your AC in combat so long as you have your Dexterity bonus to Armor class (if any) and you don’t move more than 5 feet.
Special: A fighter may select Dodge Mastery as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Mobility [General]
You have learned the art of dodging and weaving while seeking advantageous ground in combat.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge.
Benefit: You get a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
Special: A fighter may select Mobility as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Mobility Mastery [General]
You have mastered the art of dodging and weaving while seeking advantageous ground in combat.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility.
Benefit: You get a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
Special: A fighter may select Mobility as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Duck and Weave [Combat]
You are able to combine Dodge and Mobility into a potent combination that allows you to move and drop into your defensive stance after it.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Mobility Mastery.
Benefit: You do not provoke any attacks of opportunity due to movement this round and you retain your Dodge or Dodge Mastery AC bonus after moving more than 5 feet. You still lose your dodge bonus if you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any).
Normal: Normally you provoke any attacks of opportunity when moving into or out of threatened areas and moving more than 5 feet negates a dodge bonus to AC from Dodge and Dodge Mastery feats.
Spring Attack [Combat]
You can deftly move up to a foe, strike, and withdraw before he can react.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: You pick a target and can move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from your selected target. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.
Special: If you have the Mobility Mastery feat you may move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity due to your movement. If you have Duck and Weave feat you retain your Dodge or Dodge Mastery AC bonus after moving more than 5 feet.
Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack.
Devastating Spring Attack [Combat]
You can deftly move up to a foe, make a devastating series of strikes, and withdraw before he can react.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +9.
Benefit: You pick a target and can move up to your speed and make a full melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from your selected target. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.
Special: If you have the Mobility Mastery feat you may move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity due to your movement.
Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack, nor make a full attack.
Bounding Spring Attack [Combat]
You can deftly move a long distance up to a foe, make a strike, and withdraw before he can react.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +9.
Benefit: You pick a target and can move up to double your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from your selected target. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.
Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack.
To me this keeps the essence of the original feats while adding a layer to it that makes it special. Most monsters that have dodge and/or mobility wouldn't require a change in tactics to run. The feat path of Spring Attack builds upon itself but allows non-fighters to use it pretty well.
In Service,
Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus
I made a change to the feats to simplify them and make them a little more coherent.
Dodge [General]
You have mastered a defensive stance that allows to you easily react to your opponents.
Prerequisite: Dex 13.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC in combat. You gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to your AC every 5 levels/HD. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load, nor move more than 5 feet. A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
Special: A fighter may select Dodge as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Mobility [General]
You have learned the art of dodging and weaving while seeking advantageous ground in combat.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge.
Benefit: You get a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
Special: A fighter may select Mobility as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Mobility Mastery [General]
You have mastered the art of dodging and weaving while seeking advantageous ground in combat.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility.
Benefit: You do not provoke any attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose this ability.
Special: A fighter may select Mobility as one of his fighter bonus feats.
Duck and Weave [Combat]
You are able to combine Dodge and Mobility into a potent combination that allows you to move and drop back into your defensive stance after it.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Mobility Mastery.
Benefit: You do not provoke any attacks of opportunity due to movement and you retain your dodge bonus(es) to AC from the Dodge feat before and after moving more than 5 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. You still lose your dodge bonus if you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any).
Normal: Normally you provoke any attacks of opportunity when moving into or out of threatened areas and moving more than 5 feet negates a dodge bonus to AC from Dodge and Dodge Mastery feats.
Spring Attack [Combat]
You can deftly move up to a foe, strike, and withdraw before he can react.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: You pick a target and can move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from your selected target. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.
Special: If you have the Mobility Mastery feat you may move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity due to your movement. If you have the Duck and Weave feat you retain your dodge bonus to AC bonus from the Dodge feat before and after moving more than 5 feet.
Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack.
Devastating Spring Attack [Combat]
You can deftly move up to a foe, make a devastating series of strikes, and withdraw before he can react.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +9.
Benefit: You pick a target and can move up to your speed and make a full melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from your selected target. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.
Special: If you have the Mobility Mastery feat you may move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity due to your movement.
Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack, nor make a full attack.
Bounding Spring Attack [Combat]
You can deftly move a long distance up to a foe, make a strike, and withdraw before he can react.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +9.
Benefit: You pick a target and can move up to double your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from your selected target. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.
Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack.
In Service,
Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus
Ugh,
I forgot to fix the feat type for Mobility Mastery... it should be [Combat] for this to make sense.
Mobility Mastery [Combat]
You have mastered the art of dodging and weaving while seeking advantageous ground in combat.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility.
Benefit: You do not provoke any attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose this ability.
Special: A fighter may select Mobility as one of his fighter bonus feats.
With the previous post and this fix the feat path should make more sense.
Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus
I find the above feat "paths" far superior to the combat feats as they are. If combat feats are going to have the one per round limit, then the category should be reserved for the more powerful/complex actions.
When I get home from work, I think I'll cook up something similar for the ranged attack feats, and possibly add them here, as I think bow/thrown weapon users suffer greatly from reduced options in pathfinder.
Anyways, Kudos to Saracenus.