Dazzling Display question

[Douglas Muir 406]

So, Dazzling Display: "While wielding the weapon in which you have Weapon Focus, you can perform a bewildering show of prowess as a full-round action. Make an Intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 30 feet who can see your display."

Okay, that seems reasonable. It's a decent but not overwhelming debuff. A bard can max ranks in Intimidate and roll d20 +bard level +6-8 against a DC of 10 +hit dice/2 +Wis bonus. A second level bard facing a pack of ghouls, for instance, will be rolling at +8-9 to hit DC 13. Hell, he'll have a decent chance of giving a CR 14 adult red dragon (DC 21) the shaken condition for one round... not that it's going to help much.

The feat's effectiveness is limited by being a full-round action (not that the bard is going to be doing anything useful with his silly rapier anyhow, but still), limited duration (as per Intimidate, 1 round + 1 for every 5 by which you beat the DC) and, most of all, limited range -- 30 feet doesn't get you very far.

So, my question: say you wanted a feat that built on this. Not one of the performance feats that make the audience love you, but one that just makes your debuff better. Something like this:

Awesome Display

Prerequisites: Dazzling Display, Intimidate 10 ranks or more.

Benefit: As per Dazzling Display, but the range is doubled to 60', and your foes keep the shaken condition for one additional round.

Unbalanced, or plausible?

Doug M.

[Are]

It seems a little weak for a 2-feat chain, in my opinion. Perhaps instead of increasing the duration of the shaken condition, Awesome Display could cause the foes to become frightened or stunned for 1 round? Although, that may be too good.

[Magicdealer]

try shatter defenses for a better debuff that is along the "dazzling display" feat chain.

[AmosTrask32]

It is important to remember that the duration of shaken from Intimidate is 1 round +1 for every 5 by which you beat the DC. Dazzling Display will rarely cause a well-matched foe to be shaken for more than a round, but if you're a level 10 bard facing a mob of torch-wielding peasants, that shiny rapier dancing through the air is going to leave them pretty nervous for the next 5-6 rounds.

Magicdealer is correct, however. The ultimate goal of Dazzlng Display in game is usually to set up for action which require a shaken foe, like SHatter Defenses+Deadly Stroke or, (my most favorite) the rage power Terrifying Howl, which causes all Shaken foes withing 30 feet to become Panicked.

If your Linnorm Kings Barbarian chief doesn't have a Savage Skald cohort howling terrifying chants and banging his axe, he's missing out. A barbarian's howl scattering foes that have been unnerved by a Dazzling Display is a beautiful thing.

I don't think you need a new feat, unlimited use per day AoE shaken is a great ability.

Also see the Thug rogue archetype for a way to send your foes running the other way when you flash steel.