I am looking to create feats for level 11+ characters which put martials and skill monkeys back on the map as extraordinary abilities. As I see it now, non casters do not suffer in their ability to deal damage so much as they suffer in their ability to keep up with movement rates, skill utility, and unique options as compared to their caster counterparts.
I have been working on some custom feats which will allow expanded options, and have added the Epic Level Handbook conversion from jessejackjones.com to reference high level skill uses.
I am not as much looking for opinions on balance. I will playtest them as I get the chance. I am looking for ideas for more feats of a similar vein.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxt7mtj_p8SleGhwaFNhR0xnbEU/edit?usp=shari ng
Doesn't appear to be loading for me.
EDIT: For some reason it spaces out my link. I will just post what I have in the forum, even though it may be a messier format.
Skill Feats:
Master Acrobat:
Prerequisites: Skill Focus(Acrobatics), Acrobatics 11 ranks.
Benefit: When using acrobatics to tumble or balance, move up to your base speed without penalty. Further, you may tumble to avoid threatened spaces in medium armor.
Legendary Acrobat:
Prerequisites, Master Acrobat, Acrobatics 15 ranks.
Benefit: When using acrobatics to tumble or balance, you may make charge or run without penalty. Further, you may tumble to avoid threatened spaces in heavy armor.
Leap of the Grasshopper:
Prerequisites: Skill Focus(Acrobatics), Acrobatics 11 ranks.
Benefit: When using acrobatics to jump, treat all high jumps as up to ½ skill total in height, limited by your base speed as a total. Further, on horizontal jumps, you can change direction and instead make multiple successive leaps, so long as there is a surface to provide space for the jumps, and the total distance covered does not exceed the horizontal check result, limited by double base movement speed as a move action, or quadruple base land speed as a full round action.
Leap of the Flea:
Prerequisites: Leap of the Grasshopper, Acrobatics 15 ranks.
Benefit: When using acrobatics to jump, treat all high jumps as up to the check result in height, limited to double base speed as a total. Further, on vertical jumps, you can change direction and instead make multiple successive leaps, so long as there is a surface to provide space for the jumps, and the total distance covered does not exceed the base land speed as a move action, or twice the base land speed as a full round action. In this way it is possible to ‘wall jump’ in a single round. If the movement is not ended upon a surface where the leaper can support himself, he falls as per the normal rules.
Wall Crawler:
Prerequisites: Skill Focus(Climb), Climb 11 ranks
Benefit: Gain an extraordinary climb speed equal to base movement rate, but by the end of the turn, completing movement on a surface where you cannot support yourself results in falling as usual.
Vertical Horizon:
Prerequisites: Wall Crawler, Climb 15 ranks
Benefit: Any surface you climb counts as your new center of gravity for as long as you tread upon it. This does not allow you to float to any closest surface, but anchors you in while at least one point of bodily contact remains(this does not include tethers and the like). This does not prevent other consequences of gravity, such as items falling off, blood rushing to the head, nor prevent falling damage if separated from the surface.
Windrunner:
Prerequisites: Run, Character level 11th
Benefit: Once per hour, you may sprint for up to 10 times base speed, if there is no difficult terrain. The movement must be in a straight line.
Lightning Dash:
Prerequisites: Windrunner, Character level 15th
Benefit: Sprint once per minute, ignoring difficult terrain including magical impediments (but not damaging terrain) so long as the beginning and end of the path is not difficult terrain.
Swan Dive:
Prerequisites: Skill Focus(Swim), Swim 11 ranks
Benefit: Ignore falling damage into water. Further, swim at half base movement speed.
Triton’s Call:
Prerequisites: Swan Dive, Swim 15 ranks
Benefit: Hold breath 1 minute per point of constitution score underwater, and swim at base land speed. Further, ignore all penalties for fighting in watery terrain, including half damage from bludgeoning and slashing weapons.
Merchant Prince:
Prerequisites: Skill Focus (Appraise), Appraise: 11 ranks
Benefit: Buy and sell items at a base of 75% each, and reroll twice for any random mark-up or taxation checks if utilized, taking lowest. This can be further altered in a stratified appraise skill usage.
Hand of Midas:
Prerequisites: Merchant Prince, Appraise: 15 ranks
Benefit: By touching an item, you can automatically determine if it is damaged, cursed, intelligent, stolen, fraudulent, or an artifact in nature. Any attempt to convince you otherwise, including magical disguise or enchantment, simply fails.
Glider:
Prerequisites: Skill Focus(Fly), Fly 11 ranks
Benefit: By outstretching any form of large garment, you may glide as per the spell, taking 20 feet of horizontal movement for 5 feet of descent. Further, you treat all falls as half distance. This does not apply if denied dex to AC.
Skyrender:
Prerequisites: Glider, Fly 15 ranks
Benefit: While gliding with the glider feat, you may catch a stream of air that carries you aloft for longer, moving for up to 100 feet horizontally per 5 feet vertically descending, provided that no other actions are taken that round. Further, all falls are treated as minimum damage so long as a large garment can be outstretched after being halved. This does not apply if denied dex to AC.
Saddle Savant:
Prerequisites: Skill Focus: Ride, Ride 11 ranks
Benefit: Transfer all modes and speeds of movement you currently possess (if better), magical or otherwise, to your mount so long as you are atop it. Bonding with a mount in this way takes 10 minutes of practice. Being dismounted immediately removes the benefit, necessitating another 10 minutes to reactivate.
Rooted Rider:
Prerequisites: Saddle Savant, Ride 15 ranks
Benefit: Negate 1 saving throw effect per round targeting your mount using ½ ride check as the bonus against the saving throw DC. Further, confer any immunities, resistances, and adaptations you possess to your mount so long as you are atop it, such as damage reduction, energy resistance, water breathing or similar terrain barriers, etc. Bonding with a mount in this way takes 10 minutes of practice. Being dismounted immediately removes the benefit, necessitating another 10 minutes to reactivate.
Combat Feats
Trample:
Prerequisites: Bull Rush Critical, base attack (or monk level) +11
Benefit: When making a charge action, you can overrun any creature that is at up to one size larger than you between where you begin and end your movement. The creatures take 1d6 points of damage, plus 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier. Targets of the trample can make attacks of opportunity at a –4 penalty. If a target forgoes the attack of opportunity, it can make a Reflex save for half damage. The DC of this save is 10 + 1/2 level + Strength modifier. You can only deal trampling damage to a creature once per round.
Grab:
Prerequisites: Greater Grapple, base attack (or monk level) +11
Benefit: You may now make a grapple check as part of a successful attack with a natural weapon, unarmed strike, weapon with the grappling ability, or so long as you have one free hand.
Trip:
Prerequisites: Tripping Critical, base attack (or monk level) +11
Benefit: You may now make a trip attempt as part of a successful melee attack.
Powerful Build:
Prerequisites: Base attack +11
Benefit: Count as 1 size larger for all beneficial effects related to combat maneuvers, carrying capacity, and qualifying for feats requiring you to be of a certain size.
Immense Stature:
Prerequisites: Base attack +15, Powerful Build
Benefit: Count as 2 sizes larger for all beneficial effects related to combat maneuvers, carrying capacity, and qualifying for feats requiring you to be of a certain size.
Narrow Frame:
Prerequisites: Small or larger size category, Character level 11th
Benefit: Count as 1 size smaller for determining tight quarters, stealth bonuses, and feats requiring you to be of a certain size.
Beanpole:
Prerequisites: Narrow Frame, Character level 15th
Benefit: Count as 2 sizes smaller for determining tight quarters, stealth bonuses, and feats requiring you to be of a certain size.
These look pretty good, I think they will see gameplay in my campaign. Although I have nothing to add for ideas right now I'll go through my notes and see what I can come up with.
Awesome. Let me know how it goes. I am working on more, and will add them as I get them hammered out.
o.O nothing appears to be stopping a character from having both Powerful Build/Immense Stature and Narrow Frame/Beanpole... I can't imagine what that would look like... Could someone show me a picture? Also shouldn't these 4 feats have stat requirements? Str fits Powerful Build/Immense Stature, maybe 13 and 15?
I like the idea of giving more options like these to non-casters but they must be balanced. There are only so many spells you can cast in a day (sure at higher levels you have lots but the limits still there and if you use them at every excuse you will run out) and they can be stopped with dispels, anti-magic fields and such. Feats tend to have no limit to the number of uses per day and cant be blocked by an anti-magic spells. So they should be slightly weaker. That being said, if anyone can learn to be a wizard then surely anyone can pick up some cantrip grade magic by level 11... It would be dispel-able but could be stronger than a non-magical feat. Just a thought.
I do like the feats though...