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I'm putting together a one-shot adventure where the players are pregen monsters without any equipment. The monsters are getting tweaked from their native stat blocks, but the biggest change is probably in their feats.
What feats would people recommend I trade out on the following monsters, and for what feats should I look at instead?
Marilith
Bleeding Critical, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Improved Critical (longsword), Improved Disarm, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword)
Elder Air Elemental
Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved InitiativeB, Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Weapon FinesseB
Adult Silver Dragon
Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lighting Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite)
Noble Efreeti
Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (scorching ray), Toughness
Beholder
Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (ray)
Some of those feats, like Flyby Attack, Hover, and Multiattack, are iconic to how the monster fights. Personally, I'd recommend leaving the feats as is, but if you insist on removing feats from them, then I'd consider removing the "less-iconic" feats like Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Power Attack, Bleeding Critical, etc.
What feats would you suggest adding in their place?
AvalonXQ wrote: What feats would you suggest adding in their place? I’d suggest leaving the feats alone tbh.
As a DM I have made changes to feat selection on the grounds I am making a challenging and interesting encounter for the party. That said, it looks like you are creating the monsters above for the PCs to play, yes? Would it not be best to let them choose them for the roles they expect them to fill for the individual player? If not, here is what I got:
Marilith
Bleeding Critical, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Improved Critical (longsword), Improved Disarm, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword)//drop the critical feats as they are limited in scope and bleed is only effective once the opponent has been dealt with. I would also drop improved disarm unless the player likes that sort of thing. It is not very useful against a wide array of monsters. Improved critical is iffy, it can be substituted for with magic, or even a spell for short term use. Some folks like it because it frees up the limited number of feats they get for something else by enchanting the weapon instead. Replacements, ability focus (Crushing Coils) to increase DC, unconscious opponents are no longer threats; multi weapon defense (this one requires giving the creature a 2 point bump in DEX); any spell like ability metamagic (more if you want to do away with other combat abilities)
Elder Air Elemental
Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved InitiativeB, Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Weapon FinesseB//drop cleave it is practically useless at the levels you are looking at and no one really lines up for it anyway, iron will, I am sure there is something better than a +3 to a save, improved initiative, you got a high enough bonus without it, and weapon finesse, your strength is high enough to do this. replacements, ability focus (whirlwind) to increase the DC; improved bull rush, prereq for; awesome blow, knock your opponents around, and improved natural attack to increase damage die
Adult Silver Dragon
Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lighting Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite)//drop hover, your fly skill does this without even a roll, iron will and lightning reflexes, there is a lot you can get for better results, and weapon focus (bite), again there are better things. replacements any breath weapon modification you allow, if not then ability focus (breath weapon) to increase DC; any metamagic for the spells (maybe change the spells too). this one is the hardest because it is assumed the dragon will fight using its stuff too.
Noble Efreeti
Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (scorching ray), Toughness//drop combat casting, concentration is high enough this should not be a worry (plus casters do not belong in positions that need this as PCs), deceitful, unnecessary skill bumps, and toughness, got enough HPs, better use for feats. replacements, metamagic spell like abilities; this guy is kind of a one trick pony as a fire based creature
Beholder
Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (ray)//drop flyby attack, great fortitude, and iron will, this creature is not a melee participant, his biggest threat is the number of special attacks he can make. replacements, I lack access to this one's ability set, so this may not be optimal, ability focus to bump his DCs on critically low rays, or quicken spell like ability so it can shoot more rays a round.
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