So here's my issue...
I'm working on a character creation program and what I'm looking for is a weighted list by character class of what feats each class is most likely to pick. Like so...
Fighter
Definitely Pick (Highly valuable)
- Power Attack
- Cleave
- Weapon Focus
Maybe Pick (Valuable in specific cases)
- Quick Draw
- Improved Shield Bash
Unlikely Pick (Not valuable unless for a specific concept)
- Rapid Reload
Wizard
Definitely Pick (Highly valuable)
- Spell Focus
- Craft Wand
Maybe Pick (Valuable in specific cases)
- Empower Spell
- Spell Mastery
Unlikely Pick (Not valuable unless for a specific concept)
- Widen Spell
- Craft Rod
I do realize this is dependent on the concept of the character, but what I'm looking for is what "the most common types" of that particular class would take.
I'm not just looking for this list for a fighter and wizard, but for all PC classes. You don't have to go through the entire list of feats, but within each section (Definitely Pick/Maybe Pick/Unlikely Pick) should be between 10-15 choices.
Any help is GREATLY appreciated.
I would think
Cleric
Definite Pick
Combat Casting
Scribe Scroll
Maybe Pick
Spell focus
Empower Spell
Power Attack
Weapon Focus
Unlikely Pick
Cleave
Two Weapon fighting
Craft Ring
Weapon Finesse
This are the first I thought of...
Barbarian:
Almost always:
Power Attack
Often:
Toughness
Bard:
Almost always:
Arcane Strike
Cleric:
Often:
Combat Casting
Druid:
Almost always:
Natural Spell
Very often:
Spell Focus (Conjuration) -> Augment Summoning
Often:
Combat Casting
Fighter:
Practically Always:
Weapons Focus -> Weapon Specialization ->Greater Weapon Focus -> Greater Weapon Specialization
Often:
Toughness
Improved Critical -> Critical Focus -> at least one of the Critical Feats (Bleeding Critical and Critical Mastery very often)*
* (this is highly dependant on the base critical range of the weapon; weapons with a critical range of '20' wouldn't usually lead to this combo)
Power Attack
Iron Will
Monk:
Almost always:
Improved Natural Attack
Very Often:
Dodge -> Mobility -> Spring Attack
Medusa's Wrath
Often:
Weapon Finesse
Combat Reflexes
Extra Ki
Improved Grapple -> Greater Grapple
Improved Disarm -> Greater Disarm
Paladin:
Often:
Extra Lay on Hands
Extra Channeling
Selective Channeling
Ranger:
TWF Style:
Always:
Two-Weapon Fighting
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Almost always:
Weapon Focus
Improved Critical*
*(this is highly dependant on the base critical range of the weapon; weapons with a critical range of '20' wouldn't usually benefit too much from this feat)
Two-Weapon Rend
Double Slice
Two-Weapon Defense
Often:
Power Attack
Archery Style:
Practically Always:
Manyshot
Rapid Shot
Precise Shot
Very Often:
Deadly Aim
Point Blank Shot
Pinpoint Targeting
Rogue:
Very Often:
Weapon Finesse
Often:
Dodge -> Mobility -> Spring Attack
Sorcerer:
Very Often:
Spell Penetration -> Greater Spell Penetration
Spell Focus -> Greater Spell Focus
Often:
Heighten Spell
Silent Spell
Still Spell
Empower Spell
Combat Casting
Wizard:
Very Often:
Craft Wands
Spell Penetration -> Greater Spell Penetration
Spell Focus -> Greater Spell Focus
Often:
Still Spell
Silent Spell
Combat Casting
These come (obviously) from personal experiences and ideas - YMMV.
Hmm. What about channelling related feats for clerics, or would that be going too specialist in focus for inclusion in a general character generator?
Too specific I think. Try to imagine you're creating a character for a guy who has some experience playing D&D 3.0, but you want to make him a decent character for an upcoming game.
Problem is that many classes have sort of sub specialization. Rogues can do the TWF thing for example or maybe they are stealth specialists or going the improved feint route. Similarly wizards have lots of paths they can follow. Anyhow here's my take on the basic rogue.
Rogue:
Definite
Weapon Finesse (or Rogue Talent or feat at 3rd level)
Skill Focus (Acrobatics)
Maybe
Acrobatic
Improved Initiative
Skill Focus (Stealth)
Stealthy
Two Weapon Fighting
Weapon Focus
Unlikely
Skill Focus (UMD)
Magical Aptitude
+1 on the Improved Initiative feat for the Rogue list. I find few things are more enjoyable for a rogue than a surprise round with a sneak attack followed up by winning initiative and getting to 'go again' whilst an opponent is still flat-footed.
Yeah in combination with high dex it quite often means you go first. Two sneak attacks to start combat is very keen. On that note maybe add Skill Focus (Perception) and/ or Alertness to the rogues Very Desirable list. I've failed way too many perception checks lately.
Any help is GREATLY appreciated.
Fighter:
DP:
weapon focus
weapon spec
power attack
cleave
MP:
point blank shot
critical focus
UP:
brew potion
craft rod
craft staff
forge ring
Rogue:
DP:
improved initiative
weapon finesse
quick draw
MP:
TWF
dodge
combat reflexes
UP:
combat casting
improved counterspell
mounted combat
Cleric:
DP:
combat casting
extra channel
MP:
power attack
turn undead
brew potion
scribe scroll
UP:
forge ring
eschew materials
Hope these help some.
On that note maybe add Skill Focus (Perception) and/ or Alertness to the rogues Very Desirable list. I've failed way too many perception checks lately.
I haven't had as much problem with the failed skill checks, so the feats that give me bonus to skills never fit into the typical builds I made for rogues.
I usually went down the Improved Initiative (strike first) and Weapon Finesse (make sure you hit when you hit first) routes. If it's my home games, we've got Improved Weapon Finesse where you add Dex to damage instead of Str with finessable weapons. Most of my rogues are short sword wielders.
Then it's a matter of what the concept uses or you need based on what keeps getting thrown at you constantly.
If you're doing a random generation, I'd only make some of your feat choices completely random. You may want to consider programming it to randomize it by build or at least certain feat trees or combinations of feats rather than individual ones, then fill in the remaining onesies or twosies with individualized random feats.
If you're doing a random generation, I'd only make some of your feat choices completely random. You may want to consider programming it to randomize it by build or at least certain feat trees or combinations of feats rather than individual ones, then fill in the remaining onesies or twosies with individualized random feats.
Great minds think alike.
I'm working on a character creation program and what I'm looking for is a weighted list by character class of what feats each class is most likely to pick.
I guess I'd start this problem by evaluating what each class excels at and what it's not so good at. I'd say 10 positive and 10 negative things should be good. For instance:
Fighter - Primary Tank
Positives:
+ Good BAB (anything involving BAB is good)
+ Good fort saves (anything involving fort isn't so good)
+ Can be either melee or ranged (melee or ranged feats work)
+ High Strength, high Con (anything involving strength/con helps)
+ Gets bonus feats (feat chains are better, can be completed quicker)
+ Lots of attacks (increasing number of attacks is good)
+ Lots of hit (increasing the chance hits connect is good)
+ Physical skills are useful (Str-based skills and some Dex skills good)
+ Good with Weapons (anything that improves weapons is good)
+ Good with Shields (anything that involves shields is good)
Negatives:
- Expected to take hits (hit point improvement important)
- Expected to avoid hits (AC improvement important)
- Poor reflex/will saves (anything improving reflex/will is good)
- Class abilities not buffed by Wis, Int, Char (anything involving Wis/Int/Char is more difficult to take)
- No magic (nothing involving magic will work)
- Limited mobility in heavy armor (things that increase movement help)
- Low skills (2 + int, skill buffing feats only buff a few class skills)
- Mental skills not so useful (avoid most Wis/Int/Char based skills)
- No way to remove status effects (avoiding/removing status effects is good)
- No base AoE effects (anything increasing the ability to affect multiple targets is good)
Using these guidelines, I'd give a feat a point for each negative/positive trait is helped out by it or a negative point for each trait that hurts it. I'd partition all feats into 3 groups.
Good (gets many points, clearly a good choice for common builds)
Neutral (less points, mixed bag, good for a few builds)
Bad (least points, doesn't work at all, class already gets it)
This is going to take forever to do, but at least it gives you a framework for properly evaluating every feat for every class.
something
Um... yeah, I do appreciate the effort, but I'm not interested in analyzing the game from a mechanical perspective. What I really would like to know is what YOU the PLAYER want from a character. If I get 5 responses all saying that Blind Fighting is just not a worthy feat to pick for your standard character, then it's going to go to the bottom of the list or dropped altogether.