I was wondering what the rational was for having these two feats have a "swift action" requirement?
And, is that rational still valid?
I cannot really see a reason to put that kind of handicap on these feats.
You either need to dip into a more martial class (barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter or paladin), or spend an additional feat before you can get either of these feats (light and medium armor proficiency).
Am I missing something?
Eldritch Knight maybe?
Oh, but the lvl10 ability also require a swift action, then yes, nobody will take these feats.
I was wondering what the rational was for having these two feats have a "swift action" requirement?
And, is that rational still valid?
I cannot really see a reason to put that kind of handicap on these feats.
You either need to dip into a more martial class (barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter or paladin), or spend an additional feat before you can get either of these feats (light and medium armor proficiency).Am I missing something?
Jason hates meleers. It is clear now with the attempt of combat feats activability in alpha and the over use of swift and other actions is reticulated. Arcane strike is also a swift action.
These feats are looking like the old bait and switch. They look good at first, but the have lost all their stack-ability
Eldritch Knight maybe?
Oh, but the lvl10 ability also require a swift action, then yes, nobody will take these feats.
You are correct, the feats should always be active at like 5% and always active. The feat does not function as is.
Well as stands now you could cast one spell while using armor. If the swift action part went away you could have the armor cast a spell, then quicken cast another spell...
Not sure if it matters though.
Well as stands now you could cast one spell while using armor. If the swift action part went away you could have the armor cast a spell, then quicken cast another spell...
Not sure if it matters though.
How exactly does the armor cast a spell?
|
I think the swift action requirement is perfectly fine.
It means an armor-wearing wizard has to expend a little more time and effort to cast a spell. That's it. If they want to rush off a quiekened spell, they take the ASF chance. No big deal.
I believe that spellcasters deserve a few more choices for utility feats, but this one seems fine to me.
|
Jason hates meleers. It is clear now with the attempt of combat feats activability in alpha and the over use of swift and other actions is reticulated. Arcane strike is also a swift action.
I don't think the evidence supports your accusation here. I have seen a lot of love for a lot of classes, including the melee. Are they perfect? Probably not, but then what is?
I think the swift action requirement is perfectly fine.
It means an armor-wearing wizard has to expend a little more time and effort to cast a spell. That's it. If they want to rush off a quiekened spell, they take the ASF chance. No big deal.
I believe that spellcasters deserve a few more choices for utility feats, but this one seems fine to me.
Most wizards use magical items to obtain high level AC (often as high as can be obtained by wearing magical armor). They can wear these items all the time (in town, in the bath, etc...). There is no weight penalty. There is no armor check penalty on dex and str skills.
Caster level for bracers of armor is 7th, regardless of the enhancement, with the best possible being +8 to AC.
Between them, the feats only account for an arcane spell failure (ASF) of 20% or less. Without Mithral, that is a chain shirt (+4 to AC) and with mithral is elven chainmail (+5 to AC). If you add in a shield, your armor choice drops fast, if at all possible, depending on the shield.
Caster level for armor is dependent on the enhancement (3 times the enhancement). For that chain shirt to match those bracers of armor +8, would need a caster level of 12.
As stated, it takes 4 feats to get that 20% reduction in ASF (or 2 feats and a level dip). It seems to be rather steep to also add in that they only work as swift actions.
Jason hates meleers. It is clear now with the attempt of combat feats activability in alpha and the over use of swift and other actions is reticulated. Arcane strike is also a swift action.
These feats are looking like the old bait and switch. They look good at first, but the have lost all their stack-ability
I see what you mean. There are improvements to the classes in general, but the useful abilties are being toned down and carefully controlled all across the board.
For example, anybody else notice how it's bad to use a shield with Weapon Finesse now? Anybody else wonder why?
-Matt
I was wondering what the rational was for having these two feats have a "swift action" requirement?
And, is that rational still valid?
I cannot really see a reason to put that kind of handicap on these feats.
You either need to dip into a more martial class (barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter or paladin), or spend an additional feat before you can get either of these feats (light and medium armor proficiency).Am I missing something?
I agree, Dodge, Arcane Strike, these feats, Eldritch Knights 10th level ability, quicken... there is way too much going on here competing for that swift action and people just won't take these feats.
Worse when people do take them it's going to be a PITA keeping track of the spell failure or AC as it fluctuates every round due to how that swift action is used. In general swift action bonuses are pretty bad for gameplay as far as I'm concerned. It's the sort of thing which players and DMs are going to forget about all the time.
Well as stands now you could cast one spell while using armor. If the swift action part went away you could have the armor cast a spell, then quicken cast another spell...
Not sure if it matters though.
How exactly does the armor cast a spell?
Sorry I missed a comma.
should read:
If the swift action part went away you could have the armor , cast a spell , then quicken cast another spell...
Well as stands now you could cast one spell while using armor. If the swift action part went away you could have the armor, cast a spell, then quicken cast another spell...
Not sure if it matters though.
Not sure if you are objecting to the idea or not. If you are, could you lay out your reasons?
Well my thoughts are a bit scattered right now but I'll try:
So far I remember the following costing a swift action:
Barbarian rage features
Paladin LoH self healing
Arcane Strike
Arcane Armor training & mastery
Quicken Spell
Monk Ki Powers
Turning Smite
All of these are something that somehow boosts abilities a character already has.
Therefore I think that AAT and AAM should stay on that list. It makes characters consider their resources (which swift actions are) and make decisions. Not a bad thing considering how useful these abilities are.
Jason hates meleers. It is clear now with the attempt of combat feats activability in alpha and the over use of swift and other actions is reticulated. Arcane strike is also a swift action.
I don't think the evidence supports your accusation here. I have seen a lot of love for a lot of classes, including the melee. Are they perfect? Probably not, but then what is?
I didn't notice this post till now, so sorry. In alpha he made improved shield bash a combat feat, which means you couldn't use any other combat feat with it. He made precise shot and point blank also combat feats. Now we have dodge, cleave, and other feats like this one for the thread.
Power attack and combat expertise are nerfed, clearly, and these are the key feats for a standard melee type, so thus all melee types have been nerfed.He has done his best to secretly nerf the melee types through core feats, but make it look better to start. A lot of magic items use swift actions so forget using them and dodging or casting a spell in armor, or preforming an arcane strike in the same round.