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I have always liked the idea of specific combat styles focusing on the use of certain weapons. The 3.5 splatbooks had a number of combat style feats, but they weren't exactly flavorful. For my upcoming homebrew campaign, I want to design some combat styles that are tied to specific cultures or ethnic groups (characters that belong to these groups gain the corresponding martial or exotic weapon proficiencies for free).
This is my first try to design combat feats, and I find it very difficult to balance them around the plethora of existing feats. I would like to know if these are balanced: Would you take these feats as a player and would you allow them as a DM? Also, I'm not sure about the requirements (not a big fan of feat trees). I would be grateful for any advice, suggestions, and criticism.
Here is the first series of feats. I plan to do others focussing on axes, sabres, and a few more uncommon weapons.
This combat style focuses on the use of fighting fans.
A rogue may use her Bluff ranks instead of her base attack bonus to meet the prerequisites of these feats and to determine the effect of these feats.
Prerequisites: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fighting fan), Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: When you wield a fighting fan in each hand, reduce the two-weapon-fighting penalty by one. When you make a full attack with two fighting fans, at the beginning of your turn, you may refrain from using your first off-hand attack. Until the beginning of your next turn, you get a +2 shield bonus against all melee attacks. When your base attack bonus reaches +6, and every 5 points thereafter, the shield bonus granted by this feat increases by 1.
Special: You get a bonus on all Bluff checks made to feint in combat equal to the number of Whirling Fans feats you possess.
Prerequisites: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fighting fan), Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +3.
Benefit: Your attacks with the fighting fan deal either piercing or slashing damage. If you hit an opponent more than once per round with a fighting fan, you deal bleed damage equal to the total number of successful attacks in that round (provided the attack dealt at least one point of damage).
Normal: Fighting fans only deal piercing damage.
Special: You get a bonus on all Bluff checks made to feint in combat equal to the number of Whirling Fans feats you possess.
Prerequisites: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fighting fan), Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +5.
Benefit: When wielding two fighting fans, you may deflect one ranged attack per round that would normally hit you. To use this ability, you must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. If you succeed at a feint (Bluff check DC = your opponent's attack roll), the attack is deflected. When your base attack bonus reaches +6, and every 5 points thereafter, you may attempt to deflect one additional ranged attack per round. When you use this feat, you may not make any attacks with your off hand until the end of your next turn. You can deflect ranged attacks generated by natural attacks or spell effects, but not unusually massive ranged weapons (such as boulders or ballista bolts).
Special: You get a bonus on all Bluff checks made to feint in combat equal to the number of Whirling Fans feats you possess.
Prerequisites: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fighting fan), Improved Feint, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +7.
Benefit: When you make a full attack with two fighting fans, at the beginning of your turn, you may refrain from using your first main-hand attack to feint in combat as a free action. If you succeed on your Bluff check, your opponent loses his Dexterity bonus to AC against your next attack (as normal) and you have 20% miss chance (as if from concealment) against your opponent until the beginning of your next turn. When your base attack bonus reaches +11, and every 4 levels thereafter, the miss chance granted by this feat increases by 10%.
Special: You get a bonus on all Bluff checks made to feint in combat equal to the number of Whirling Fans feats you possess.
Prerequisites: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (fighting fan), Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +9.
Benefit: If you are wielding two fighting fans, you can, as a full-round action, combine a full attack with a single move. You may make your attacks at any point during your movement. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.
Special: You get a bonus on all Bluff checks made to feint in combat equal to the number of Whirling Fans feats you possess.
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Since "Style Feats" are already a thing, a different overall category name for these kinds of feats might be a good idea.
As far as balance goes, they don't look particularly ridiculous to me. The precedent is mostly that feats don't generally give these kinds of bonuses (the Dorn-Dergar feat line, for example, makes it easier to use but not necessarily stronger) though, so by that metric they're pretty strong.
I like the "Rogues can use Bluff instead of BAB to meet requirements" bit, because poor Rogues have it rough.
Neato! I like them, and I'm going to use them.
The requirement should be proficiency in fighting fan...
I feel like you should make an actual combat feat for this that serves as a prerequisite for the others. Yes, that's a feat tree, but a very shallow feat tree.
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Overall, I like them. Balance-wise I think you can afford to make the feats a bit stronger than usual since they require a weak weapon. Since many of these are similar to existing two-weapon feats I think we can make some comparisons.
Shield of Silk and Steel seems weak compared to Two-Weapon Defense - the shield bonus is higher and scales, but you have to give up a full BAB attack to get it, which essentially turns your TWF character into a sword-and-board character with fewer feats. I would drop the requirement to give up an attack, and maybe give up on the reduction of attack penalties and/or drop the starting shield bonus to +1 to compensate (I like the scaling). Dropping the off-hand attack requirement also allows this feat to work with Deflecting Flip.
Deflecting Flip is too weak given that Deflect Arrows and Missile Shield work automatically and don't require you to give up attacks. I like the ability to deflect multiple arrows in exchange for sacrificing offense, but I'd drop the bluff check.
Confounding Twist and Dance of Silk and Steel are both very good - Two-Weapon Feint with a miss chance, plus a more flexible version of Pounce (fantastic for a full-attack dependent TWF build). The fighting fan limitation and the load of prerequisites might balance that out, BUT:
I feel like the biggest issue with this style is the number of feats involved. Even assuming that EWP is free, Confounding Twist and Dance of Silk and Steel have 3 and 4 prerequisites each (or 6 for both). Without bonus feats, it will be level 15 before a character can take both. A character would have to invest every non-bonus feat in getting Dance of Silk and Steel in order to get it at level 9 - and even with the Bluff benefit a rogue needs to wait until level 11 because they don't qualify for the prerequisite ITWF until level 9. It is impossible for a character without bonus feats (like a non-human bard) to complete the combat style since that requires at minimum 11 feats and basic advancement grants 10. Consider also that Weapon Finesse would be appropriate for characters with this style, and that's another feat. I expect that this style would only be done well by fighters and maybe human rogues and swashbucklers.
I really like the idea, though, so I might try a few builds this weekend if I have time.
Thanks for all your comments and critique.
Weirdo, I will follow your valuable advice and keep it in mind for the next ones. Concerning prerequisites, I should have mentioned that I houserule Combat Expertise and Weapon Finesse to be standard combat options open to everyone, not feats.
I am not yet satisfied with my first attempt, but hopefully, it will be easier once I have done some more. I plan to stick to the following format:
- a combat style consists of four feats: an offensive one, a defensive one, one focusing on movement, and one focusing on combat maneuvers.
- one basic style feat serves as a prerequisite for the whole feat line. The rest of the feats are primarily tied to BAB. It should be possible to gain the whole line of feats during the first 10 levels, but you shouldn't be forced to take every feat to benefit from the more powerful ones (no 'feat taxes', no 'capstone abilities').
- every feat gives a stacking bonus on a skill or combat maneuver related to the feat line.
Next one will be the sabre. Ideally, in the end there will be one style feat for every fighter weapon group.
Here is the saber style. Please let me know what you think.
Saber
Type: one-handed Melee Proficiency: martial Damage: d8 (P or S) Critical: 19-20/x2
The saber is a sword with a curved, single-edged blade and a pointed tip. It has a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger. The saber is a favorite sidearm of proud nobles, dashing scoundrels and dauntless airship captains.
You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls with a saber that is sized for you, even though it isn't a light weapon.
A rogue may use her ranks in Acrobatics instead of her base attack bonus to meet the prerequisites of these feats.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1, proficient in saber.
Benefit: When you make a full attack, wielding a saber in one hand and nothing in the other, you can make an additional attack with the weapon's hilt. This attack is made at your full base attack bonus -2, deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1d3 + your Strength modifier and scores a critical hit on a natural 20. If you score a critical hit with this attack, your opponent is stunned until the beginning of your next turn.
Special: You get a bonus on all Acrobatics checks equal to the number of Saber Style feats you possess.
Prerequisites: Saber Style, base attack bonus +3, proficient in saber.
Benefit: When you wield a saber in one hand and nothing in the other, you may charge over difficult terrain. Depending on the circumstance, you may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain. If you succeed at an Acrobatics check (DC = opponent's CMD), your opponent is considered flat-footed against your charge attack.
Special: You get a bonus on all Acrobatics checks equal to the number of Saber Style feats you possess.
Prerequisites: Saber Style, base attack bonus +5, proficient in saber.
Benefit: When you wield a saber in one hand and nothing in the other, you can attempt to parry a melee attack against you or an adjacent ally as an immediate action. To parry an attack, you make a disarm combat maneuver check (DC = your opponents CMD). If you succeed, the attack automatically misses. Parrying an attack uses up one of your attacks of opportunity.
Special: You get a bonus on all Acrobatics checks equal to the number of Saber Style feats you possess.
Prerequisites: Saber Style, base attack bonus +7, proficient in saber.
Benefit: When you make a full attack, wielding a saber in one hand and nothing in the other, you may make a disarm, dirty trick or steal combat maneuver as a free action. You may give up one or more attacks to gain a +2 bonus on that combat maneuver check for every attack you gave up.
Special: You get a bonus on all Acrobatics checks equal to the number of Saber Style feats you possess.
Here is the saber style. Please let me know what you think.
Saber
Type: one-handed Melee Proficiency: martial Damage: d8 (P or S) Critical: 19-20/x2
The saber is a sword with a curved, single-edged blade and a pointed tip. It has a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger. The saber is a favorite sidearm of proud nobles, dashing scoundrels and dauntless airship captains.
You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls with a saber that is sized for you, even though it isn't a light weapon.
A rogue may use her ranks in Acrobatics instead of her base attack bonus to meet the prerequisites of these feats.** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **...
Have you thought about not making combat styles feats, rather incorporating them into class abilities of existing fighter or rogue archetypes?
I say this because your 'combat styles' resemble class abilities in regards to their complexity.
While it is true that some of these feats resemble class abilities, I am not exactly interested in creating new archetypes.
First, from a general design perspective, I prefer a more modular approach. Feats are more flexible than class features and they allow players to customize their characters (rather than dictate when they learn which new abilities). Also, learning a combat style should be something that everyone can achieve with sufficient practice.
Second, there already are a lot of feats that allow you to do the basic stuff. You can build a character that focuses on disarming or tripping or feinting ot whatever. My main motivation is to create interesting options for more uncommon weapons that see little use in play (and that will be tied to certain cultures in my game, flavorwise).
I can see that stealing class features is being frowned upon, but some class features are too weak or don't work well (like the duelist's parry ability). If I can salvage them, all the better.
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i love your design philosophy, and it's results.
especially tying each to a skill, then giving +X to that skill, X=number of feats in chain. nice touch.
i agree that you should call these 'techniques' and not 'style' - monks already have 'style' as Seranov said.
i feel Sabre Technique needs another prereq (Combat Reflexes?) and a 5th feat (BAB 9) - it feels incomplete as is. maybe an ability that builds off the parry? like, if you succeed at a parry, you may burn another AoO to make an Acro check redirect the attack to another foe who is currently flanking you too (or would be if you have IUD), resolving that attack against flat AC - call it Friendly Fire or something.
keep it up. and you should consider a google doc, so i can direct my players there too.
cheers
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I like Lunging Charge and Scoundrel's Flourish.
I think Saber Parry should use either an immediate action or an AoO, not both.
I'm not sure about the base Sabre Style feat. Firstly, it doesn't seem as iconic to me as the other three - bashing your opponent with your hilt is something swashbuckling sorts sometimes do, but it doesn't seem like a core part of the technique. Balance-wise, the crit should probably allow a fort save to reduce stunned to staggered.
Concerning prerequisites, I should have mentioned that I houserule Combat Expertise and Weapon Finesse to be standard combat options open to everyone, not feats.
That does make it easier.
I plan to stick to the following format:
- a combat style consists of four feats: an offensive one, a defensive one, one focusing on movement, and one focusing on combat maneuvers.
- one basic style feat serves as a prerequisite for the whole feat line. The rest of the feats are primarily tied to BAB. It should be possible to gain the whole line of feats during the first 10 levels, but you shouldn't be forced to take every feat to benefit from the more powerful ones (no 'feat taxes', no 'capstone abilities').
- every feat gives a stacking bonus on a skill or combat maneuver related to the feat line.
Sounds good. Are you going to revise Whirling Style to have a base? Shield of Silk and Steel would work well for that.
i agree that you should call these 'techniques' and not 'style' - monks already have 'style' as Seranov said.
Alternatively, why not make these work like style feats? The latter have a different three-step format, but otherwise I see no reason not to expand Style Feats to include these kinds of styles - in fact I could see an interesting Master of Many Styles build with Whirling Style and Panther Style, or even Sabre Style and Janni Style.
Thanks again for your comments and critique.
I don't cling to the term 'style' and if you feel it may cause confusion with the existing style feats, I will drop it. Neither am I adverse to Weirdo's suggestion to make these feats work just like other style feats (though at the moment, I don't see a lot of synergy going on there).
Once I have made a few more feat groups, I'll hopefully have a better understanding of how it should work. Then, I can reexamine how these relate to existing feats, what they should or shouldn't allow you to do, and which prerequisites are adequate. At the moment, four feats already seem like a lot for one style, so I will try not to exceed that number.
Concerning the whirling fan style, I have made the first one (shield of silk and steel) the basic feat as weirdo suggested. However, if I were to drop one of the defensive feats to streamline this group with the others, I'd rather keep the missile deflection, since that seems to fit the flavor of fighting fans better.
Concerning the saber style, I am not really satisfied with the basic sabre feat either - it is indeed not that iconic. I will probably remove it and instead introduce a riposte option that builds on the parry feat (successfully parrying allows you to make an attack of opportunity against your opponent). Redirecting an attack, as rainzax suggested, might work as well (though I'd feel bad for stealing from an advanced rogue talent). However, that would be a more advanced feat, so a new basic feat will be required. Lunging charge would fit (it would also give rogues a nice offensive option at the first few levels).
At the moment, I have plans for axes (influenced by viking techniques), clubs/greatclubs (influenced by irish bataireacht), and a reach weapon, not yet sure which one, probably a spear or polearm (influenced by various eastern and western techniques). I could see some light and heavy blades as well. Ranged weapons already require a lot of feats, have rather simple mechanics and are mostly too generic for this concept.
Also, I'm considering an additional bonus for having all the feats belonging to one style. It would represent the mastery of a certain combat style and give players an incentive to take the whole line without forcing them to do so.
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Concerning the saber style, I am not really satisfied with the basic sabre feat either - it is indeed not that iconic. I will probably remove it and instead introduce a riposte option that builds on the parry feat (successfully parrying allows you to make an attack of opportunity against your opponent). Redirecting an attack, as rainzax suggested, might work as well (though I'd feel bad for stealing from an advanced rogue talent). However, that would be a more advanced feat, so a new basic feat will be required. Lunging charge would fit (it would also give rogues a nice offensive option at the first few levels).
Yeah, I'd make Lunging Charge the base, have Parry take an immediate action but not an AoO, and then add a Riposte feat that allows you to make an AoO against someone who misses you in melee (see also Snake Fang).
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also, as the general parry+riposte/redirect mechanic may be a recurring theme for your styles/techniques (this is a popular theme indeed), i would consider looking at all of them first, and use the knowledge of what's out there to inform your creation process. for example, if you add a new parry+riposte/redirect, in addition to basing it on a new skill (a cosmetic change), i would allow the mechanic to trigger under differentiated circumstances - for example, the positioning of the martial artist relative to the opponent(s)/terrain/ally(s) involved.
flag: beware your combats being mostly people acting on other people's turns. ha ha.
finally, i would make a hard choice between style and technique. either keep both the name and basic mechanics of 'style,' or, forge ahead with a new name and new mechanics. if you do the latter, consider making a master of many techniques rogue and/or fighter archetype!
So, I decided to go with the term 'technique', because these feats are not as strongly connected to each other as the style feats are. I also removed most of the feat prerequisites - instead, I made a list of suggested feats that complement a particular technique.
I'm also a bit worried about defensive abilities that intercept an opponent's turn, since that tends to interrupt the game flow. But the alternative would be passive abilities, which are less interesting in my opinion.
Coming next: Axe and Kerambit.
[Description]
Technique Benefits: You get a bonus on all Intimidate checks made to demoralize an opponent in combat equal to the number of Hooked Axe Technique feats you possess. If you possess all Hooked Axe Technique feats, you can take 10 on all Intimidate checks made to demoralize an opponent in combat.
The following feats complement the Hooked Axe technique: Cornugon Smash, Dazzling Display, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Drag, Improved Sunder, Pushing Assault, Shield of Swings, Vital Strike.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +2, proficient in hooked axe.
Benefit: When you make a charge attack with a hooked axe wielded in two hands, you deal double damage. Precision damage and extra damage from weapon special abilities (such as flaming) or feats (such as Vital Strike) is not doubled.
Prerequisites: Furious Charge, base attack bonus +4, proficient in hooked axe.
Benefit: When you suceed at a bull rush maneuver or a sunder combat maneuver, destroying an item held or worn by your opponent, you can make an Intimidate check to demoralize all opponents within 30 feet who can see you. You must wield a hooked axe in two hands to use this feat.
Prerequisites: Furious Charge, base attack bonus +6, proficient in hooked axe.
Benefit: Your attacks with the hooked axe deal either slashing or piercing damage. When you make a full attack with a hooked axe, once per round, you can make a free drag combat maneuver against one opponent of equal size or smaller. After you have successfully carried out your drag combat maneuver, your opponent falls prone.
Prerequisites: Furious Charge, Shield of Swings, base attack bonus +8, proficient in hooked axe.
Benefit: When you use Shield of Swings with a hooked axe, you do not reduce your damage by 1/2. Any opponent you have successfully demoralized using the Intimidate skill can not actively enter a square adjacent to you.
[Description]
Technique Benefits: You get a bonus on all Acrobatics checks made to move through a threatened square without provoking attacks of opportunity equal to the number of Kerambit Technique feats you possess. If you possess all Kerambit Technique feats, you can move at full speed without increasing the DC of this check by 10.
A monk can use his monk level instead of his base attack bonus to meet the prerequisites of these feats. A rogue can use her ranks in Acrobatics instead of her base attack bonus to meet the prerequisites of these feats.
The following feats complement the Kerambit Technique: Combat Reflexes, Disorienting Maneuver, Improved Grapple, Improved Trip, Stand Still.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +2, proficient in kerambit.
Benefit: Every time you hit an opponent with the kerambit, you deal additional damage equal to half the normal weapon damage. Precision damage and extra damage from weapon special abilities (such as flaming) or feats (such as Vital Strike) is not added. Damage reduction (if any) is applied seperately.
Prerequisites: Tiger Claw, base attack bonus +4, proficient in kerambit.
Benefit: When you are grappling an opponent, you can make a combat maneuver check to maintain the grapple as a full-round action (instead of a standard action). If you do, you can use the damage option to make a full attack with the kerambit against the grappled opponent.
Normal: Maintaining a grapple is a standard action. As part of this action, you can inflict damage once with an unarmed strike, a natural attack, or an attack made with armor spikes or a light or one-handed weapon.
Prerequisites: Tiger Claw, base attack bonus +6, proficient in kerambit.
Benefit: After hitting an opponent with a kerambit, you can spend an immediate action to enter an adjacent square occupied by that opponent. You still provoke attacks of opportunity for entering an opponent's square unless you succeed at an Acrobatics check. You can remain in your opponent's square, even if size restrictions would normally prevent you from doing so. As long as you do, your opponent is considered to be squeezing (-4 penalty to attack rolls and AC), though you are not.
Special: A creature that is more than one size category larger or smaller than you is not considered to be squeezing when you share the same square.
Prerequisites: Tiger Claw, base attack bonus +8, proficient in kerambit.
Benefit: Once per round, when you are attacked by an opponent in melee, you can make a counterattack with the kerambit. This attack counts as one of your attacks of opportunity for the round. If your attack roll exceeds your opponent's attack roll, the attack is deflected and you deal damage to your opponent.
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damn these are cool. i like how you delve into the whole feat system before supplementing with your techniques. it's just good design.
can't wait until you create a google-doc so i can tell my players "and you can use any of these >click here<"...
what are the rules for techniques? do they 'activate' as an action or just the moment you pick up the specified weapon? can you use two at a time? you want to be explicit here.
ideas (take or leave):
Whirling Fans - bonus to combat-Performance checks
Saber - +2 subdual damage per feat when using saber 'punch' no -4 penalty
Hooked Axe - possess all feats, when you demoralize you also frighten for 1 round plus normal effect. (not a fan of take 10 for these feats)
Tiger Claw - provided you have sufficient AoO, you make two attacks per opportunity provided the first one hits
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First, this is confusing:
Precision damage and extra damage from weapon special abilities (such as flaming) or feats (such as Vital Strike) is not added.
Do you mean extra damage dice in this case, or is this also meant to exclude damage added by feats like Power Attack and Weapon Specialization, or weapon abilities like Agile (that allow you to add dex to damage)? The former is standard policy. The latter is less powerful but may be needlessly complex and arbitrary (since bonus damage from class features is included).
Furious Charge is too powerful. Spirited Charge has the same effect (assuming it's damage dice that aren't multiplied) but is a capstone that requires two pre-requisite feats and is generally considered a very good or even must-have feat for mounted combat. I would recommend doubling weapon damage dice on a charge instead of doubling str bonus, enhancement bonus, weapon training, smite bonus, etc.
The rest of the Axe Technique feats look good and I especially like Hooking Axe.
Tiger Claw is a bit weird - is that just the weapon die, or are you intending to double damage from strength, enhancement, etc? If the former it's fine but a bit confusing compared to just adding +1 damage (roughly the effect). If the latter it would probably be too good compared to weapon specialization since many characters will have a +4 static bonus to damage by level 4 (when weapon specialization becomes available) through a combination of strength, weapon enhancement, or class features, and Tiger Claw will only get more powerful as the character increases in level.
Tiger Hug should specify that attack rolls are still required for all attacks after the first. Normally when grappling for damage the grapple roll replaces the attack roll, but it would be OP for a single successful grapple to result in all attacks in a full attack automatically hitting.
Tiger Leap & Tiger Strike look good.
damn these are cool. i like how you delve into the whole feat system before supplementing with your techniques. it's just good design.
can't wait until you create a google-doc so i can tell my players "and you can use any of these >click here<"...
what are the rules for techniques? do they 'activate' as an action or just the moment you pick up the specified weapon? can you use two at a time? you want to be explicit here.
Glad you like them. I'll try to put up a google-doc with my next update, though it will still be work in progress.
Since the feats require the use of a specific weapon, they are mutually exclusive (though, admittedly, for some feats it would be hard to justify that they only work with a specific weapon).ideas (take or leave)
I haven't decided yet how significant the synergy bonus of combat technique feats should be, but these are some interesting ideas. I will keep that in mind.
First, this is confusing:
I copied the line from existing feats, but you are correct that it is confusing.
Furious Charge is too powerful.
In my experience, charge is a very attractive option at the first levels, but once you get iterative attacks, you try to avoid it (since you only get a single attack, while your opponent, unless you took him down with one hit, gets a full attack against you (with a reduced AC, nonetheless)). If you have a chance to take your opponent down with a single strike, acting first is more attractive than delaying.
Also, the big advantage of spirited charge is that it can be used in connection with ride-by-attack, which allows you to charge again and again. Furious charge is more situational.That being said, furious charge should probably have a higher level requirement (around BAB +6, when you get your first iterative attack).
Tiger Claw is a bit weird.
Yeah, I'm not satisfied with that one either. Since the kerambit isn't exactly a very powerful weapon, I needed a damage option. I usually do some research on actual/historical fighting techniques when designing these feats, and a wanted to implement the double-cut feature of the kerambit. Would a flurry option (additional attack, -2 penalty on all attack rolls) be a better solution?
Tiger Hug should specify that attack rolls are still required for all attacks after the first.
Good catch! The way it is written, the full attack should probably follow the grapple rules and require an additional grapple check for each attack. Which might be less attractive than a regular full attack. I will try to come up with a better wording.
Thanks again for your helpful comments!
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In my experience, charge is a very attractive option at the first levels, but once you get iterative attacks, you try to avoid it (since you only get a single attack, while your opponent, unless you took him down with one hit, gets a full attack against you (with a reduced AC, nonetheless)). If you have a chance to take your opponent down with a single strike, acting first is more attractive than delaying.
Also, the big advantage of spirited charge is that it can be used in connection with ride-by-attack, which allows you to charge again and again. Furious charge is more situational.
That being said, furious charge should probably have a higher level requirement (around BAB +6, when you get your first iterative attack).
That makes sense, though then you'd need a new base and Fearsome Smash seems a bit specialized for that since it relies on specific maneuvers.
Yeah, I'm not satisfied with that one either. Since the kerambit isn't exactly a very powerful weapon, I needed a damage option. I usually do some research on actual/historical fighting techniques when designing these feats, and a wanted to implement the double-cut feature of the kerambit. Would a flurry option (additional attack, -2 penalty on all attack rolls) be a better solution?
Extra attack with the same weapon, you mean? Yep, sounds good.
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Since the feats require the use of a specific weapon, they are mutually exclusive (though, admittedly, for some feats it would be hard to justify that they only work with a specific weapon).
no small suggestion here. but. what if these feats worked for all weapons in the same weapon group (see Fighter) as the focus weapon, but worked even better for the focus weapon?
for example, the skill synergy concept could only be granted while using the focus weapon.
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what if these feats worked for all weapons in the same weapon group (see Fighter) as the focus weapon, but worked even better for the focus weapon?
I considered this. It would work for some feats, but not for all. I'm also unsatisfied with the way the weapon groups are divided in Ultimate Equipment. Instead, I made an Adapted Technique feat, which allows you to use a certain technique with similar weapons (more or less). Basically, this means that you are forced to pay a feat tax to use a combat technique with a more common weapon. Not sure if that is a good solution.
I made a compiled document that can be found HERE.
I added the hooked lance technique and made several changes to the other techniques, mostly based on the feedback which I got from you guys.
Next up should be some bludgeoning weapons. Hopefully I can come up with more interesting ideas. Then again, I'm not entirely sure if it pays off to explore this concept further. While I learned a lot about game design, I found out that the design space for this kind of feats is rather limited.
Compiled docs! Horray!
Cane Technique and Starknife Technique added.
Still working on Meteor Hammer.