How good is Step Up And Strike?

[Bigguyinblack]

I'm building a Kasathas melee soldier (But with Bombard) and am considering the feats Step Up, and Step Up And Strike.
But I can think of a few issues.

Step up is a reaction. So an enemy could Guarded Step away and while I can step up to them I can't take an opportunity attack. So this is just a useless feat tax.

Step Up And Strike requires a BAB of +6. My current feat plan is
1. Weapon Focus Advanced Melee Weapons
2. Versatile Focus
3. Improved Initiative
4. Enhanced Resistance (Kinetic)
5. Extra Resolve
I could maybe delay Improved Initiative until 7th level and take Step Up at 3rd but that would saddle me with a useless feat for 3 levels.
Alternatively I could delay Extra resolve until 7th level and take Step Up at 5th. But Extra Resolve is pretty good for a frontliner.

Lastly I notice a lot of PC abilities can cause flatfooted. What if it is a common enemy ability? No point in wasting 2 feats if the enemies most likely to provoke use tactics to prevent opportunity attacks.

[HammerJack]

I wouldn't necessarily consider step up to be totally useless for a melee soldier, unless you don't plan on ever taking the accuracy penalty to full attack.

[Suede]

Enhanced Resistance is not a combat feat, you can't take it at 4th level.

[Bigguyinblack]

Hmm but the 2 step up feats are. So Step Up at 4, Enhanced Resistance at 5, Step Up and Strike at 6, and Extra Resolve will have to wait until 7th level.

[Ellias Aubec]

Step up and strike gives you the attack as part of the reaction to step up. You don't need two reactions.

[Mechalibur]

Okay so from what I can tell... the main purpose of Step Up is so that on your next turn you can full attack an enemy if they decided to guarded step away from you (and also helping maintain your bonus from the Coordinated Shot feat). Step Up and Strike also lets you get an Attack of Opportunity in there.

So neither seems useless on its own. Each lets you do something new.