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Is there a feat out there that will allow a PC to do any of the following?
1. Decrease damage to increase attack rolls (like the opposite of Power Attack)?
or
2. Lose one or more iterative attacks to increase the primary attack roll?
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No. But there is weapon focus.
There is also Furious Focus, which negates the penalty from Power Attack on your first attack in a round.
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No. But there is weapon focus.
There is also Furious Focus, which negates the penalty from Power Attack on your first attack in a round.
There is also Possessed Hand for +1 to-hit and +1 damage
If you are okay with using 3.5/homebrewing something...
Paradigm Concepts had a feat in their Arcanis line called Heedless Assault, that increased attack rolls by penalizing armor class.
IIRC, which I may not, it was +1 to hit for -2 to AC, the bonus must be equal to BAB or less, bonus maxed out at +5.
Is there a feat out there that will allow a PC to do any of the following?
1. Decrease damage to increase attack rolls (like the opposite of Power Attack)?
or
2. Lose one or more iterative attacks to increase the primary attack roll?
Not a feat, but there is a monk archetype that allows you to sacrifice your flurry for something more significant. I don't recall the the archetype (maybe flowing monk?) but I think the ability is called "water splitting stone" or somesuch. I don't know if it increases your attack, or just damage.
Similarly, though it's a damage thing instead of attack thing, there's the Vital Strike feats.
I know that's not exactly what you're looking for, but that's a thing.
If you want a limited use of improved attack bonus, and are willing to trade iteratives (and other stuff) to get it, you can probably multiclass as as single level (or two) of sorcerer, wizard, or magus, or something with the only spell you know (or only one you ever care about) being true strike.
If you take those two traits (currently they stack by RAW, even if they probably aren't intended to) that allow you to reduce the metamagic feat cost, or perhaps grab a rod, you could look into quickening them. Alternatively, if you're a rogue, grab, I think, the minor magic rogue trick (or whatever it is to get the first level spell; I'm not sure, off the top of my head if this is allowed).
This would make you an extremely mobile single-strike character - you use a swift action to soup up your strike, do your one strike with an extra +20, then move action to do whatever (probably Acrobatics [tumble] like mad, if you're a melee rogue).
Similarly, this would make an awesome assassin-type character. Study for death attack (or studied target, if something like a Slayer), swift true strike, totes hit the target for serious.
The other listed options are also solid.
Similarly, focusing on anything that allows Dex-attack without necessarily going for Dex-to-damage and then ignoring anything beyond minimal strength to wield your weapon/armor choice will automatically build a character who can hit well, but doesn't harm much.
What's your end goal? What do you have to work with so far?
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There's also Strike True, from Paths of the Righteous. ^_^
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2. Lose one or more iterative attacks to increase the primary attack roll?
Is the primary attack the one people worry about too much? Usually it is the highest one, and almost a shoe in at higher levels (at least if you are full BAB).
Usually, people look for ways to make the 2nd and 3rd iteratives more likely to hit. Those are the dicey ones.
2. Lose one or more iterative attacks to increase the primary attack roll?Is the primary attack the one people worry about too much? Usually it is the highest one, and almost a shoe in at higher levels (at least if you are full BAB).
Usually, people look for ways to make the 2nd and 3rd iteratives more likely to hit. Those are the dicey ones.
I actually figured he wasn't an Best-Base-Attack'er - something like a rogue or assassin could have a hard time landing hits on decent AC foes, so I figured it could be something like that.
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On the other hand, there is some logic in sacrificing accuracy attacks that probably would have missed to make sure you're landing the first attack (Second Chance/Improved)
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Possible feat chain for 1 accurate and damaging attack:
Weapon Focus at BAB +1
Power Attack at BAB +1
Furious Focus at BAB +1
Vital Strike at BAB +6
Now you've given up iteratives for 1 accurate and damaging attack. If you have to move + attack and cannot get a full attack in, this is actually not that bad, especially with a 2H weapon and good Strength.
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Play a magus,
Arcane Pool -> enhancement bonus to weapon
Accurate Strike
Arcane Accuracy
Blade Tutor's Spirit
Maxwell Dresden
Human (Tian-Dan) magus (myrmidarch) 5 (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 56, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 9)
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +10
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 43 (5d8+15)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +6
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 katana +5 (1d8+10/18-20) or
. . augmented katana +12 (1d8+15/18-20)
Special Attacks arcane pool (+2, 4 points), magus arcana (arcane accuracy[UM]), spell combat, spellstrike
Magus (Myrmidarch) Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +7)
. . 2nd—bladed dash, mirror image
. . 1st—blade tutor's spirit, rime frostbite[UM] (2), shield
. . 0 (at will)—arcane mark, detect magic, light
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Statistics
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Str 20, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 9
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Arcane Strike, Furious Focus[APG], Power Attack, Rime Spell[UM], Weapon Focus (katana)
Traits magical lineage, seeker
Skills Acrobatics +3, Climb +8, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Perception +10, Spellcraft +10, Swim +8, Use Magic Device +7
Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Tien, Varisian
SQ ranged spellstrike
Other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 katana[UC], augmented katana[UC], belt of giant strength +2, cloak of resistance +1, magus starting spellbook, 1,900 gp
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Accuracy +2 (Su) 1 Arcane Pool: +2 to attack rolls until the end of your turn.
Arcane Pool +2 (4/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Furious Focus If you are wielding a weapon in two hands, ignore the penalty for your first attack of each turn.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Ranged Spellstrike (Su) Spellstrike can be channeled through ranged attacks.
Rime Spell Spell with the cold descriptor also entangles creatures if the spell damages them
Spell Combat (Ex) Use a weapon with one hand at -2 and cast a spell with the other.
Spellstrike (Su) Deliver touch spells as part of a melee attack.
Katana is used two-handed on turns spell combat is not used, one handed with non-proficiency penalty when using spell combat.
Katana is augmented with Arcane Pool to +3. As an alternate, augment to +2 keen.
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Opening round: spell combat -> Frostbite, deliver as a touch attack.
Second round on, use katana two-handed.
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Prebuffs: Shield + Blade Tutor's Spirit
Blade Tutor's Spirit will reduce any attack penalties by -2 at this point, scaling with level. Shield gives a decent AC until you can access heavier armor.
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Continued advancement: Both weapon training and armor training come online over the next few levels, along with heavier armor. Weapon Specialization and Exotic Weapon Proficiency are acquired depending on personal priorities. You will want a Headband of Vast Intelligence for additional accuracy and eventually pick up the Accurate Strike arcana.
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Sorry for the slow response time. Thanks for all of the idea, which are useful. I was not aware of Second Chance at all.
What's your end goal? What do you have to work with so far?
I'm running a game at 17th, and I was looking for ways that lower level enemies could sacrifice damage or iterative attacks to increase their likelihood of hitting the PCs. Nothing game breaking by any means. It is just the PCs are sporting some high AC's, which is fine, but total invulnerability isn't fun either. I've just noticed that this group of players likes the big battles with many enemies on the field.
There are certainly other ways around high AC, it was just a thought I had as to whether I may be missing some other mechanic or feat that allowed this. It's kind of hard to keep up with all the feats out there.
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It's called Aid Another, and Aid Another attempts stack.
Aid Another
In melee combat, you can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If you're in position to make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat, you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll against AC 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to AC against that opponent's next attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack.
You can also use this standard action to help a friend in other ways, such as when he is affected by a spell, or to assist another character's skill check.
In this way, hordes of low level NPCs can still be a threat (even if they don't do lots of damage). 8 guys surround 1 PC. 7 of them can give a +14 to hit to the 1 remaining NPC.
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It's called Aid Another, and Aid Another attempts stack.
In this way, hordes of low level NPCs can still be a threat (even if they don't do lots of damage). 8 guys surround 1 PC. 7 of them can give a +14 to hit to the 1 remaining NPC.Aid Another
In melee combat, you can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If you're in position to make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat, you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll against AC 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to AC against that opponent's next attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack.
You can also use this standard action to help a friend in other ways, such as when he is affected by a spell, or to assist another character's skill check.
Outflank also seems like a great method in that case too.
Teamwork feats are much better for GM's, since he can tailor a dozen characters into having the same feats in a fight. Also, who cares if you are ruining your build- it is a trash mob that is meant to get wiped out with varying degrees of effort.
Anyway, Outflank gives an extra +2 when flanking, giving you a total of +4 to attack. Perfect for minions that are a few CR behind the party. Just throw a bunch in and make them prioritize flanking.
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Thanks!
I've been using Outflank occasionally. Just wanted to see if there was anything else. I especially agree that I don't care too much about minion builds to a degree. They are speed bumps to the BBEG.
I'm also not sure why I was thinking that Aid Other didn't stack.
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Nets are also good. They entangle you, which causes -4 dex (or -2 AC). And since they target touch AC, they are highly effective against almost anything regardless of level.
It also prevents charges, and forces casters to make concentration checks. It can be a relatively minor thing for most high level PCs to get out of... but that means they waste actions to do so. You can afford to have a net using minion that doesn't do anything else- the party doesn't have as much slack for a guy wasting time.
so nets and flank tactics- the kobold way.
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Debuffs and Aid Other are your friend for lower level NPCs. Stack a few conditions, such as entangled (i.e. the rimed frostbite) and have the NPC's aid each other. If one of the NPC's is a witch, bard, shaman or skald they can seriously lower PC AC while boosting NPC attacks.
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Unless the iteratives need a 20 to hit, you're almost certainly better off using those multiple attacks. For example, if your goon has two similar attacks needing 14 and 19 to hit, the statistically average damage is identical to one needing a 12.
This changes if the second attack does less damage, such as for a claw-claw-bite routine or TWF.
In terms of how feats can sacrifice attacks for bonuses to hit, consider Skill Focus (Acrobatics) as it lets the character use a move action to flank more easily or stand on a table for +1 to hit. There are probably a range of similar tactical options that are enabled or enhanced by feats.
Actually, TWF is the obvious anti-feat for what you want. Drop the dagger and 2-hand the longsword. Take Furious Focus instead.