I don't know about you; but I really hate Feats which aren't really spectacular besides provide a bit of generic crunch. I'm big on at least SOME tie to fluff with my mechanics; and when I look at Feats that are not all all "Feats" of anything; one of the biggest perpetrators is "Weapon Focus"
+1 to hit with a chosen weapon. Whoop-dee-do! That is so stale and generic it's like eating bread left out in front of a fan for a few hours.
What's even worse is it's a prerequisite for cool feats which actually DO stuff. So to my mind, it's the worst of the worst- it is flavorless and boring; and it's a Feat Tax style feat.
I would like to clarify; I have no problem with class abilities being heavily crunch oriented. With fighters now having Weapon Group bonuses; Weapon Focus is getting exceptionally redundant for them; whom I would argue are the most common purchasers of this feat.
Anyways; my idea is simple. In PF we have introduced "Weapon Tags" for a weapons ability to do various kinds of things. Some weapons even have special mechanics or modifiers. So here is my suggestion: We write up Weapon Focus as an "access" feat. What Weapon Focus does is allow you to use a weapon to its fullest potential by design. This grants you access to the weapons "Focus" ability. Each weapon will have a Focus Ability.
I would like some suggestions on what some focus abilities might be. I'll be reserving the next post for a working list.
Some Design Parameters:
1) The relative power of a Focus ability should be scaled to it's class. A Simple Weapon Focus Ability should be slightly weaker than a Martial Weapon Focus Ability, and so to should an Exotic Weapon Focus Ability be slightly stronger than a Martial one. The reason for this is to provide further distinction to class proficiencies, as well as the fact that your paying a feat for Exotic Weapon Prof.
2) Keep it as simple as possible. Avoid the urge to design entire sub-systems for a weapons focus ability unless ENTIRELY necessary.
3) Don't worry so much about the overall balance of these abilities on your first try. We can always tweak it down or up later after some play-testing and general consensus.
4) Keep in mind these abilities at BEST should border on Extraordinary, but by no means should ever wander into Supernatural territory.
I'll be adding some initial ones later on in the day after my brainstorming session with my players concludes. They suggested I post here to make use of the pool of ideas.
Have at it. Or don't.
-Idle
Reserved for listing.
Maybe look at some of the combat-type traits for ideas.
Things like:
+1 to confirm critical hits
Add critical multiplier to damage to crits
+1 to CMB to trip, disarm, sunder, etc.
+1 to CMD against disarm or sunder attempts
Increase threat range by 1 (maybe only for 19-20 or 18-20 weapons, applies after keen, improved critical, etc.)
Reduce 2-weapon fighting penalty by 1 (maybe only for 1d4 weapon light weapons or 1d6 1-handed weapons, like scimitar (GO DRIZZZZZZT!!!!))
Increase range increment by 10 feet for thrown weapon
Increase range increment by 20 feet for bows and crossbows
+1 to attack rolls when making an Attack of Opportunity