I have been talking with some of my players and have been reading the forums, and I decided to come up with my own house ruled feats. The goal being to get rid of some of the feat taxes and possible over sites, and I just wanted people's suggestions on these.
OK I think this will be my final draft of feat changes:
Feats:
Spell mastery can be taken by any class that prepares arcane spells, for example the Magus, or Witch.
Double Bane is no longer a feat, but a class feature, just as a paladin can use two uses of divine bond to apply to both weapons, two uses of bane can be used to apply to both weapons.
http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qwv
All feats, except furious focus, no longer require Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack and Combat Expertise as prerequisites.
Combat Maneuvers and unarmed strike no longer provoke attack of opportunities.
Modified feats:
Combat Archery:
Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot are now one feat that counts as both.
Combat Maneuver Mastery 'x':
Prerequisite: BAB 6
When you take this feat you get the +4 to your CMB, a +2 to your CMD, and what ever bonus the 'greater' offers.
Special: Classes that get their HD to their BAB for maneuvers qualify for the 'greater' feat for the selected maneuver only when you have 6 levels in that class.
Quick Draw:
It is the same except, you can also sheath your weapon as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Mounted Combatant:
Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery are both one feat. Classes getting any of these feats as bonus feats may instead select this feat any other Mounted Combat Feats they qualify for.
Cavalry Training:
Prerequisite: Mounted Combat
Trample, and Ride-by Attack are both one feat. Classes getting any of these feats as bonus feats may instead select this feat any other Mounted Combat Feats they qualify for.
Physical Training:
Endurance and Diehard are now one feat.
Dancing Blade:
Weapon Finesse and Agile Maneuvers are now one feat. You also apply Dex to damage with this feat.
Protector:
Bodyguard and In Harms Way are now one feat giving you both options.
Two-Weapon Basics:
Two-Weapon Fighting and Double Slice are now one feat.
Vital Strike:
When you take Vital Strike you gain Improved Vital Strike is gained at BAB 11, and Greater Vital Strike BAB 16.
Dazing spell:
You can modify a spell to daze a creature damaged by the spell. When a creature takes damage from this spell, they become dazed for a number of rounds equal to the original level of the spell. If the spell allows a saving throw, a successful save negates the daze effect. If the spell does not allow a save, the target can make a Will save to negate the daze effect. If the spell effect also causes the creature to become dazed, the duration of this metamagic effect is added to the duration of the spell. Spells that do not deal damage do not benefit from this feat. This metamagic feat can only affect a maximum number of creatures equal to the original level of the spell. For example, a Dazing Fireball can only daze up to 3 creatures that were affected by the Fireball. This feat adjusts the spells total level by +3.
Improved Counterspell:
Benefit: When counterspelling, you may use a spell of the same school that is one or more spell levels higher than the target spell. once per day you may perform a counterspell attempt as an immediate action, instead of a readied action. When you have 10 caster levels, you may use this ability an additional time per day.
Greater Cleave:
As a standard action, you can make a single attack at your full base attack bonus with a -2 penalty on the attack roll against all foes within reach. When you use this feat, you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class until your next turn.
I would stongly suggest against combining feats. it could create over powered PCs..
On the other hand I kinda like the inherent feats based on ability scores. While it would be giving free feats how often would they be used by classes that dont focus on those specific ability scores.
My plan is that Monsters would also gain access to these combined feats, if they already have one of the inherent bonus feats then I will give them another feat.
Feats:Basic Archery:
Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot are now one feat that counts as both.
This seems fine.
Combat Maneuver Mastery 'x':
Improved/Greater are now one feat that can be gained when the 'improved' version is met.
The improved X has requirements really low, and the Greater give too much, imho, to let it taken at 1st level.
Quick Draw:
It is the same except, you can also sheath your weapon as a swift action.I am debating on whether or not this should provoke an AoO. I think it should.
Hmmm. Sheate a weapon is a bit more complicated, in combat, than draw one. I suggest, instead of sheate as swift, to make sheate to not provoke AoO.
Mounted Soldiery:
Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Trample, and Ride-by Attack are all one feat. Classes getting any of these feats as bonus feats may instead select this feat any other Mounted Combat Feats they qualify for.OK this one seems weird, but really, how often does someone even use mounted anything in Pathfinder? There are other feats in the mounted combat chain so why not give room for them rather then trying to focus all on mounted and 'woops, were in a dungeon now, I can't bring my horse'.
You have a point, but really, this seems really too much.
Physical Training:
Endurance and Diehard are now one feat.
Seems fine.
Dancing Blade:
Weapon Finesse and Agile Maneuvers are now one feat.
Hmmm. I'm in doubt on this. I don't know why, but this make me feel weird.
Protector:
Bodyguard and In Harms Way are now one feat.
You mean that now you have both options.
Others:
Dazing spell:
To be honest I don't know what to do with it, I I don't like dazing spell so I won't allow it.
So why do you bother? Anyway, why you don't like it?
Power Attack:
You gain this automatically when get have an inherent Str 13 (belts/headbands/magic/etc do not count. However manuals do)
Why magic items do not count? A belt of str +X could take you above Str 13, and it's used to be more effective in combat. So why a magic item that supposedly improve your combat ability does not improve your combat ability? Unless in your campaign two characters with same Str but one of those with magic item are really different in combat, or magic items works weird, I don't see the point.
Dodge:
You gain this automatically when get have an inherent Dex 13 (belts/headbands/magic/etc do not count. However manuals do)Run:
You gain this automatically when get have an inherent Con 13 (belts/headbands/magic/etc do not count. However manuals do)Combat Expertise:
You gain this automatically when get have an inherent Int 13 (belts/headbands/magic/etc do not count. However manuals do)
See above. In the case of combat expertise, this going to be more bad: a headband gives you even skill ranks, but not combat expertise?
Master Craftsman:
You gain this automatically when get have 5 ranks in the related craft skill. E.g. "Craft Arms and Armor/Craft Blacksmith" or "Craft Wounderous/Craft Leather, Cloaks, etc. which ever fit"
Aka "Let anyone create magic items without any effort"?
I really dislike that.
Why magic items do not count? A belt of str +X could take you above Str 13, and it's used to be more effective in combat. So why a magic item that supposedly improve your combat ability does not improve your combat ability? Unless in your campaign two characters with same Str but one of those with magic item are really different in combat, or magic items works weird, I don't see the point.
I don't count magic items other then the manuals (and wish) because they are not inherent bonuses to a stat. Inherent bonuses are only gained from leveling up every 4 levels and the base stats you start with at level 1. Also I don't allow feats to be taken if you have to use a magic item to qualify for it, example, I don't allow Greater Two-Weapon Fighting to be taken if you have to use a Belt of Incredible Dexterity to get it since if you lose the belt you lose the feat.
After I showed you a post where SKR stated that he felt players should be allowed to do exactly that; and also agrees that players can take feats that they "sometimes qualify for" provided that they only benefit from that feat during the times they do qualify. (Such as a druid taking improved natural attack for one of his wild shapes). Hence the reason why belts and headbands are specifically noted as being permanent bonuses after the 24 hour mark. You are meant to be able to use them that way. The rules were specifically written to allow it.
It goes back to my original view on the thing, I really don't think belts or other magic effects should count to letting you take the feat, especially since you don't lose feats from things such as Enervation. If I were to allow belts and other 'permanent' magic items to give feats I would also have to say that ability drain or permanent level drain would mean you don't have access to it.
Also about the Druid thing, yeah I was wrong about it, druids are innately proficient in natural attacks, so they could take the feats without issue in my mind.
Mounted Soldiery:
Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Trample, and Ride-by Attack are all one feat. Classes getting any of these feats as bonus feats may instead select this feat any other Mounted Combat Feats they qualify for.OK this one seems weird, but really, how often does someone even use mounted anything in Pathfinder? There are other feats in the mounted combat chain so why not give room for them rather then trying to focus all on mounted and 'woops, were in a dungeon now, I can't bring my horse'.
*Edit: depending on feedback it might be better to split this into two feats, Mounted Combat and Mounted Archery as one, and Trample and Ride-by Attack as a second.
That seems like way too much to put into one feat. I totally get the "dungeon = no horse" complaint, but I don't think that's a good reason to go with an over-the-top buff. If you're in a non-stop dungeon crawl then no one (except small-sized characters with medium mounts) is going to get mounted feats anyways, and for campaigns with lots of outdoors fights it's going to become a no-brainer combat feat.
Vital Strike:
When you take Vital Strike you gain Improved Vital Strike is gained at HD 11, and Greater Vital Strike HD 16.
This is my house-rule, as well.
Dazing spell:
To be honest I don't know what to do with it, I don't like dazing spell so I won't allow it to be taken.
Eh, metamagic feats in general are haphazardly balanced.
Power Attack:
You gain this automatically when get have an inherent Str 13 (belts/headbands/magic/etc do not count. However manuals do)
I'm really conflicted about power attack and deadly aim. On the one hand, they're blatant feat taxes and any full BAB character effectly must have one of them. On the other hand, they're quite powerful so allowing them as freebies is a very noticable balance shift.
I would like to do one for each stat, but I just can't think of one that would fit Cha. I am thinking Cosmopolitan or Antagonize for Cha.
Antagonize is badly written; I wouldn't allow it. Cosmopolitan is pretty weak.
How about additional traits? It fits that a charismatic character would have a somewhat richer background.
Master Craftsman:
You gain this automatically when get have 5 ranks in the related craft skill. E.g. "Craft Arms and Armor/Craft Blacksmith" or "Craft Wounderous/Craft Leather, Cloaks, etc. which ever fit"
I'd rephrase this slightly: "when you select this feat, you may immediately select one appropriate crafting feat which it applies to".
I'd sooner give weapon finesse for free than any of the above feats you mentioned (except perhaps run, which is definitely not PC material). I'd recommend giving "improved counterspell" for free. It's a rare day that a spellcaster will ever attempt to counterspell, but on the odd occasion it comes up this lets them actually pull it off.
A friend brought up a good suggestion.
Whirlwind Attack* Dex 13, Combat Expertise, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +4
This shouldn't be based on spring attack line, but rather on the cleave line. Since what does spring attack have to do with a whirlwind?
I am not sure what the settings should be, but I am thinking:
Whirlwind Attack* Str 13, Power attack, Great Cleave, base attack bonus +4
If I were to allow belts and other 'permanent' magic items to give feats I would also have to say that ability drain or permanent level drain would mean you don't have access to it.
For ability drain, sure, that's how it works. The ability counts as lower, you cannot use a feat. Level drain just gets you -x on things. The only permanent thing is the penalty (you never loose class lvls).
Ontopic, feats:
Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot are now one feat that counts as both.
I'd rather remove Point Blank Shot as basis for most Archery feats. Things like Parting Shot and Snap Shot i see working of it, but not the most of the others. Precise Shot could replace Point Blank as base feat for all others.
Combat Maneuver Mastery 'x':
Improved/Greater are now one feat that can be gained when the 'improved' version is met.
*Edit: You do not gain the bonuses of 'greater' until you have 6 HD
I'd keep BAB +6, rather than &HD (applies to your other edits also). I'd also remove Combat Expertise/Power Attack as prerequisites (not sure if you already did, just a suggestion).
Quick Draw:
It is the same except, you can also sheath your weapon without provoking an attack of opportunity.Mounted Combatant:
Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery are both one feat. Classes getting any of these feats as bonus feats may instead select this feat any other Mounted Combat Feats they qualify for.Lancer:
Trample, and Ride-by Attack are both one feat. Classes getting any of these feats as bonus feats may instead select this feat any other Mounted Combat Feats they qualify for.Physical Training:
Endurance and Diehard are now one feat.Dancing Blade:
Weapon Finesse and Agile Maneuvers are now one feat.Protector:
*Edited Bodyguard and In Harms Way are now one feat giving you both options.Vital Strike:
When you take Vital Strike you gain Improved Vital Strike is gained at HD 11, and Greater Vital Strike HD 16.
No comment, liking these.
Two-Weapon Basics:
Two-Weapon Fighting and Double Slice are now one feat.
Two-Weapon Fighting already requires a lot of feats...
I'd make two-w. basic feat and then made Improved, Greater and Double Slice a single following feat.
Also checkout Kirthfinder on this forum.
So I am thinking of these changes:
Change the prereqs on whirlwind attack to use the cleave line:
Whirlwind Attack: Prerequisites Dex 13, Power attack, Cleave, base attack bonus +4
I am tempted to remove Combat Expertise and Power attack as a requirement for Combat Maneuver Mastery 'x', and replacing it with Dex 13 for the ones needing Combat Expertise, and Str 13 for the ones needing Power attack.
But I'd like to hear people's thoughts and ideas on this.
I would like to make improved counterspell something worthwhile. The Arcanist has an ability to do it as an immediate but spend a higher spell level. And one of my players suggested a similar ability for counterspell. Where you can use an immediate action to counter a spell once per day, and you can take the feat again at 7th, 13th, and 19th level.
So I am thinking something like this:
Improved Counterspell:
Benefit: When counterspelling, you may use a spell of the same school that is one or more spell levels higher than the target spell. once per day you may perform a counterspell attempt as an immediate action, instead of a readied action. When you have 10 caster levels, you may use this ability an additional time per day.
I'd make two-w. basic feat and then made Improved, Greater and Double Slice a single following feat.
Also checkout Kirthfinder on this forum.
That gives a lot for a single feat, I split up my original mounted combat idea into two different feats for that reason. Also I decided to not give any feats away for free. Except master craftsman which I don't really think should have been a feat in the first place. (that and even with master craftsman making magic items would be hard due to not having spells, thus adding several +5s to the craft check).
Well I think I have my list of rules. Thank you for all the help and suggestions.