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For the next game I'm running I am considering just giving out certain feats to anyone who meets the prereqs. I guess I'm wondering if anyone thinks this is a terrible idea and why. I get tired of the entirely formulaic characters when there are so many interesting feats out there, and this should allow characters to branch out. Most of the feats suggested have a penalty to use.
Combat Expertise - isn't a great feat by itself (usually just a gateway) and it has a penalty to actually use.
Power Attack and Deadly Aim - there is a penalty to use these and they are almost a feat tax on melee and ranged combatants.
Vital Strike feats - allows for scaling damage for high BAB, even when hitting a moving target.
Two-Weapon Fighting feats - two-weapon fighting damage on a full attack scales fairly close to the two-handed weapon fighting and it requires feats and it does MUCH less damage against a moving target when he can only make one attack. Why not?
Point Blank Shot - mostly something for the ranged attackers and why shouldn't you do a little more damage up close.
Metamagic Feats - these all have a penalty to use (higher level spell slot) and in some cases no one thinks the penalty is worth the boon especially if you have to spend a feat first.
Heighten, Maximize, Silent, Still, Widen
If you think this is the worst idea ever let me know why. If you think it's great, and should go even further with more freebies, tell me which ones.
Here is a long discussion on exactly this topic.
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Combat Expertise - Wholeheartedly agree. I plan on making this replace the Fight Defensively rules in my games.
Power Attack and Deadly Aim - See above. This should be a basic combat option.
Vital Strike feats - I agree that this should be a function of BAB, not a feat.
Two-Weapon Fighting feats - I would maybe have the normal penalties be -2/-2, and let the feat reduce those penalties to zero. But yes, it should scale with BAB.
Point Blank Shot - I don't think it's a bad idea to give this for free, but maybe have a feat to increase the range? I've never thought of this as all that painful of a feat to take, since archery is a pretty solid tactic.
Metamagic Feats - These just don't work that well. If the only way anyone wants to use something is by getting rid of the cost (spell slot increase) then you need to rework it. I'm honestly of the opinion that they should be dumped, and if someone wants a more powerful effect, they should cast a higher level spell.
Maybe houserule an allotment of free feats? For example: they start out with 3 from this list, and gain an additional feat from this list at 4th, 8th, 12th, etc?
...and perhaps in addition to that, (or in place of?) you could give them free feats at other times; like after/during a really tough battle, or as a result of some special training or research.
I'm just thinking player's shouldn't have unlimited access to all feats that aren't worth a feat. Player's should still earn them in some way.
Here is a long discussion on exactly this topic.
Thank you. This is very helpful.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Here is a long discussion on exactly this topic.Thank you. This is very helpful.
I would add Dodge to this list. It is something that I think every combatant should be able to use... the guy that you're focusing on doesn't get to hit you as easily. Seems simple enough.
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I would add Dodge to this list. It is something that I think every combatant should be able to use... the guy that you're focusing on doesn't get to hit you as easily. Seems simple enough.
Dodge doesn't work that way anymore. Now, it just gives a +1 dodge bonus to AC.
Edit: Ninja'd. Nice avatar, btw, TOZ.:P
Point Blank Shot - I don't think it's a bad idea to give this for free, but maybe have a feat to increase the range? I've never thought of this as all that painful of a feat to take, since archery is a pretty solid tactic.
I'd probably combine PBS and Precise Shot into one feat.
Metamagic Feats - These just don't work that well. If the only way anyone wants to use something is by getting rid of the cost (spell slot increase) then you need to rework it.
Wouldn't the same criticism apply to Vital Strike?
I certainly agree that Heighten Spell should be free. I'm indifferent about the other metamagic feats listed, although it should be noted that Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved rolled most of them into a single metamagic-ish feat called Modify Spell.
I actually really like the idea of adding dodge to the "Free Feat" list, when it come to the dodge feat, the extra 1 AC isn't really a huge deal, though it does help. But they would also have to meet the pre-reqs and not everybody starts with a 13+ dex. The one time boost in AC just shows that dex characters are just that much better at dodging.
The other options that I've always liked for dodge along with the +1 AC is..
1) The ability to roll AC and choose between taking a 10 and a possibly higher roll..
or
2) Combining Dodge/Mobility into a single feat.
While I feel both of those did quite a bit to the dodge feat to make it useful, I feel that simply making Dodge free to anyone who has the pre-reqs for it is a better option. :)
Point Blank Shot - I don't think it's a bad idea to give this for free, but maybe have a feat to increase the range? I've never thought of this as all that painful of a feat to take, since archery is a pretty solid tactic.I'd probably combine PBS and Precise Shot into one feat.
Metamagic Feats - These just don't work that well. If the only way anyone wants to use something is by getting rid of the cost (spell slot increase) then you need to rework it.Wouldn't the same criticism apply to Vital Strike?
I certainly agree that Heighten Spell should be free. I'm indifferent about the other metamagic feats listed, although it should be noted that Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved rolled most of them into a single metamagic-ish feat called Modify Spell.
I'm of the opinion that heighten shouldn't exist and that metamagic should simultaneously apply it's effect AND heighten. (A maximized fireball should be treated as a 6th level spell) ...but I suppose that's a topic for another thread. >.>;
I'm of the opinion that heighten shouldn't exist and that metamagic should simultaneously apply it's effect AND heighten.
I agree 100% with your comments re: metamagic, although I'm not sure why you wouldn't allow someone to prepare a level 4 spell in a level 6 slot and treat it as a level 6 spell (ie. a "free" heighten spell).
I'm of the opinion that heighten shouldn't exist and that metamagic should simultaneously apply it's effect AND heighten.I agree 100% with your comments re: metamagic, although I'm not sure why you wouldn't allow someone to prepare a level 4 spell in a level 6 slot and treat it as a level 6 spell (ie. a "free" heighten spell).
This has always baffled me as well.
My perception is that, while metamagic feats are a nice concept, they actually don't work really well with the Vancian magic system. It works really fine with spell points system, though, as it can be atested if you play D&D Online. As i see, the suggestions here is actually moving metamagic from feats to become an integral part of Magic chapter, is that it?
Oh, just my thought about Dodge: i'm not sure if would become free, but maybe it would get a little oomph, something like increasing dodge bonus to +2 once you reach 10th level, and to +3 at 20th level.
This has always baffled me as well.I'm of the opinion that heighten shouldn't exist and that metamagic should simultaneously apply it's effect AND heighten.I agree 100% with your comments re: metamagic, although I'm not sure why you wouldn't allow someone to prepare a level 4 spell in a level 6 slot and treat it as a level 6 spell (ie. a "free" heighten spell).
my impressions are that 3rd edition's designers were sitting on a fence and were a bit torn between having a complex, self-contained combat system allowing several options, and a basic combat system expendable with particular abilities (similar to Warhammer RPG's concept of skills, which became feats under 3e D&D).
This resulted is an uneasy hybrid, where the default system allows you to do a lot of things inefficiently, with the options of doing it more efficiently with the purchase of feats.
The idea was good (hence the system got very popular), but I use the term 'uneasy' because some feats seem to offer a better version of a basic option that doesn't exist in the default system (Power Attack for example) while other feats seem to offer the basic option without proposing a better, more efficient option (Heightened Spell for example).
Personally, I wish the system was a bit more streamlined, with more 'better' default combat options and less 'bad' option that only become decent with one, two or three feats (like Two-Weapons Fighting for example)
'findel
The idea was good, but I use the term 'uneasy' because some options seem to offer a better version of an option that doesn't exist in the default system (Power Attack for example) while other feats seem to offer the basic option without proposing a better, more efficient option (Heightened Spell for example).
This, to me, raises the question — What would a more efficient option of Heighten Spell look like? Would it be a feat tree off of Heighten, maybe a second feat that gave you +2 DC per Spell Level Increase?
Could you "fix" heighten spell by making that the basic rate of exchange?