Some Homebrew Tome Style Feats...
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Judging__Eagle
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SunTzuWarmaster
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How is this for one?
Parry-Master [Combat]
You use your weapon(s) for more than just attacking
PreReq - Natural attack of some kind
0 - When someone makes a melee attack on you in combat, you may make a Parry attack as an AoO, where the DC of this attack is the AC that the attack would have hit +4. This provokes an AoO on failure if you do not have Edge on your opponent, and makes the attack miss you when you succeed.
1 - You may make a parry attack on a ranged attack as well as a melee attack (but not a magical ranged attack such as a scorching ray).
6 - If a Parry attack is successful, you may make an AoO against the person you Parried.
11 - You do not provoke AoOs on failure (your AoO is still wasted)
16 - ?
Parry-Master [Combat]
You use your weapon(s) for more than just attacking
PreReq - Natural attack of some kind
0 - When someone makes a melee attack on you in combat, you may make a Parry attack as an AoO, where the DC of this attack is the AC that the attack would have hit +4. This provokes an AoO on failure if you do not have Edge on your opponent, and makes the attack miss you when you succeed.
1 - You may make a parry attack on a ranged attack as well as a melee attack (but not a magical ranged attack such as a scorching ray).
6 - If a Parry attack is successful, you may make an AoO against the person you Parried.
11 - You do not provoke AoOs on failure (your AoO is still wasted)
16 - ?
Last edited by SunTzuWarmaster on Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Parry-master seems weak-sauce to me.
+6 & 11 need to be combined but to to the limit of their AOOS.
+11 - parry magical Rays
+16 deflect to a new target, using your own roll or original roll? I don't know?
~
yeah, +16 is definitely an unknown but that's the best I can come up with.
+6 & 11 need to be combined but to to the limit of their AOOS.
+11 - parry magical Rays
+16 deflect to a new target, using your own roll or original roll? I don't know?
~
yeah, +16 is definitely an unknown but that's the best I can come up with.
Ancient History wrote:We were working on Street Magic, and Frank asked me if a houngan had run over my dog.
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SunTzuWarmaster
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Interesting that we came to similar conclusions (I did look around for a parry feat before making mine). Trying to come up with a feat for a level 10 smaurai (1 monk, sam 9), because I just doubled up on Subtle Cut.
I have monk 1, which allows for the 20% miss chance and the "you may trip or disarm people that try to hit you". However, currently facing issues with monsters such as a Hydra. Hydras are untrippable, undisamable, and have big enough numbers to hit my AC (TWF puts it below average). I have good saves, crazy offense, parry magic, spell resistance, and 3 lines of defense. "Big, powerful monster" negates all but my AC, and I've been forced to actually carry a shield. Feat suggestions?
I have monk 1, which allows for the 20% miss chance and the "you may trip or disarm people that try to hit you". However, currently facing issues with monsters such as a Hydra. Hydras are untrippable, undisamable, and have big enough numbers to hit my AC (TWF puts it below average). I have good saves, crazy offense, parry magic, spell resistance, and 3 lines of defense. "Big, powerful monster" negates all but my AC, and I've been forced to actually carry a shield. Feat suggestions?
Has anyone put together RoW-style feats for casters? I noticed that Races of War says that, in addition to [Combat] and [Skill] feats, there are supposed to be [Metamagic] feats that scale with the highest-level spell you can cast.
I took a quick stab at putting some together...
Spell Focus [Metamagic]
To you, everything looks like a nail.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: Select one school of magic. Whenever you cast a spell of that school, its save DC is increased by 2.
1: Your understanding of your school surpasses your peers. When you cast a spell of your focused school, you gain a +2 bonus to any attack rolls involved, and if the spell does damage, that damage is increased by 1 per caster level.
3: You intuitively understand the similarities between spells of your focused school. If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell from your focused school to cast a spell you know of the same school and equal or lower level. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know two additional spells of that school for each level of spells you can cast.
6: When you cast a spell from your focused school, you gain a +5 bonus to the caster level check to overcome spell resistance.
9: If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell to cast a spell you know from your focused school of an equal or lower level. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know every core spell from that school that is on your class list.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different school of magic.
Bottomless Magic [Metamagic]
Some people rely on other abilities when their spells run out. Others...don't.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: If one of your spells is interrupted for any reason, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended.
1: You have one additional spell slot, which can hold a spell of any level you are able to cast.
3: Spell slots that are 3 or more spell levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast are not expended when you cast a spell from them (thus, you can cast them an unlimited number of times).
6: When you cast a spell, if it is completely negated by spell resistance, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended. You do not gain this benefit if the spell successfully affects any target or generates any lasting effect, even if one or more targets are protected by spell resistance.
9: When you cast a spell that allows a save, if every target makes a successful save, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended, even if the spell still has a partial effect. If the spell potentially allows a save at any time other than the moment it is cast, you may not use this ability.
Timeless Magic [Metamagic]
Some wizards try to live a long time. You try to live more in the same amount of time.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: You may cast a spell with a 1-round casting time as a standard action (the spell goes off immediately).
1: You may concentrate to maintain a spell as a swift action (instead of a standard action). You may still only maintain one spell at a time.
3: You may double the duration of any spell you cast, unless the duration is instantaneous, concentration, or permanent.
6: Spells at least 5 levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast may be considered quickened, even if your casting style doesn't normally allow you to quicken spells.
9: You may concentrate to maintain a spell as a free action.
Stealth Magic [Metamagic]
You hold your cards close to your chest. It makes it harder to tell when you pull one out of your sleeve.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: The Spellcraft DC to identify any spell you cast is increased by 5.
1: You can whisper the verbal components of your spells, with little chance of being heard. You do not gain this benefit on any spells that could not be affected by the Silent Spell metamagic.
3: People don't usually see your spells coming. Whenever one of your spells requires an attack roll, the target is treated as being flat-footed, and therefore loses her dexterity bonus to AC (unless she has uncanny dodge).
6: Your spells don't have magic auras (and thus aren't detectable via detect magic), unless you want them to.
9: You can get spells past peoples' defenses in sneaky ways. When you cast a spell that requires a save, you can change the save required to any type you want.
Combat Casting [Skill]
You find that sharp pieces of metal flying by your head do wonders for your concentration.
This is a Skill feat that scales with your ranks in Concentration.
Benefits: You can perform spell somatic components with a hand that is holding a weapon, wand, or similar, and you need not hold material components or foci if they are on your person; thus, you do not usually need a free hand to cast spells. (This does not negate spell failure due to armor.)
4: You receive a +3 bonus on attempts to cast a spell or spell-like ability defensively.
9: You can deliver a touch spell using any weapon with which you are proficient, including a ranged weapon. This requires a touch attack or ranged touch attack and inflicts no damage or other effects, except those applied by the spell. If you use a ranged weapon, the spell is expended even if you miss.
14: When someone provokes an attack of opportunity within 30' of you, you may cast a spell on them instead of making an attack. You can only use a spell whose casting time is a standard action or less.
19: You may deliver a touch spell using a weapon and still inflict normal damage and other effects for the weapon. If you choose to do this, you must make a regular attack, rather than a touch attack. If you use a ranged weapon, the spell is expended even if you miss. This requires a standard action, even if the spell's casting time is less than that.
Elemental Mastery [Skill]
Some people strive for wealth, knowledge, or power. Others just want to see the world burn.
This is a Skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
Benefits: Choose one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). You may treat any spell you cast as if it had Energy Substitution (using that type) applied to it, even if you did not prepare it that way.
4: Whenever you inflict energy damage of your selected type, the affected creature must make a Reflex Save (DC 10 + CHA + half your level) or suffer an appropriate affliction. Acid: sickened for 2 rounds; Cold: slowed for 1 round; Electricity: knocked down; Fire: set on fire; Sonic: deafened for 1 minute. If you inflicted the damage with a spell, the DC is calculated using your casting attribute instead of CHA.
9: You have Resistance 10 against your chosen energy type.
14: When you inflict energy damage of your selected type, you ignore the first 5 points of the target's energy resistance, and the damage cannot be reduced to less than half by energy resistance or immunity.
19: You are immune to your chosen energy type.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different energy type.
I took a quick stab at putting some together...
Spell Focus [Metamagic]
To you, everything looks like a nail.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: Select one school of magic. Whenever you cast a spell of that school, its save DC is increased by 2.
1: Your understanding of your school surpasses your peers. When you cast a spell of your focused school, you gain a +2 bonus to any attack rolls involved, and if the spell does damage, that damage is increased by 1 per caster level.
3: You intuitively understand the similarities between spells of your focused school. If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell from your focused school to cast a spell you know of the same school and equal or lower level. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know two additional spells of that school for each level of spells you can cast.
6: When you cast a spell from your focused school, you gain a +5 bonus to the caster level check to overcome spell resistance.
9: If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell to cast a spell you know from your focused school of an equal or lower level. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know every core spell from that school that is on your class list.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different school of magic.
Bottomless Magic [Metamagic]
Some people rely on other abilities when their spells run out. Others...don't.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: If one of your spells is interrupted for any reason, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended.
1: You have one additional spell slot, which can hold a spell of any level you are able to cast.
3: Spell slots that are 3 or more spell levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast are not expended when you cast a spell from them (thus, you can cast them an unlimited number of times).
6: When you cast a spell, if it is completely negated by spell resistance, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended. You do not gain this benefit if the spell successfully affects any target or generates any lasting effect, even if one or more targets are protected by spell resistance.
9: When you cast a spell that allows a save, if every target makes a successful save, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended, even if the spell still has a partial effect. If the spell potentially allows a save at any time other than the moment it is cast, you may not use this ability.
Timeless Magic [Metamagic]
Some wizards try to live a long time. You try to live more in the same amount of time.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: You may cast a spell with a 1-round casting time as a standard action (the spell goes off immediately).
1: You may concentrate to maintain a spell as a swift action (instead of a standard action). You may still only maintain one spell at a time.
3: You may double the duration of any spell you cast, unless the duration is instantaneous, concentration, or permanent.
6: Spells at least 5 levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast may be considered quickened, even if your casting style doesn't normally allow you to quicken spells.
9: You may concentrate to maintain a spell as a free action.
Stealth Magic [Metamagic]
You hold your cards close to your chest. It makes it harder to tell when you pull one out of your sleeve.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: The Spellcraft DC to identify any spell you cast is increased by 5.
1: You can whisper the verbal components of your spells, with little chance of being heard. You do not gain this benefit on any spells that could not be affected by the Silent Spell metamagic.
3: People don't usually see your spells coming. Whenever one of your spells requires an attack roll, the target is treated as being flat-footed, and therefore loses her dexterity bonus to AC (unless she has uncanny dodge).
6: Your spells don't have magic auras (and thus aren't detectable via detect magic), unless you want them to.
9: You can get spells past peoples' defenses in sneaky ways. When you cast a spell that requires a save, you can change the save required to any type you want.
Combat Casting [Skill]
You find that sharp pieces of metal flying by your head do wonders for your concentration.
This is a Skill feat that scales with your ranks in Concentration.
Benefits: You can perform spell somatic components with a hand that is holding a weapon, wand, or similar, and you need not hold material components or foci if they are on your person; thus, you do not usually need a free hand to cast spells. (This does not negate spell failure due to armor.)
4: You receive a +3 bonus on attempts to cast a spell or spell-like ability defensively.
9: You can deliver a touch spell using any weapon with which you are proficient, including a ranged weapon. This requires a touch attack or ranged touch attack and inflicts no damage or other effects, except those applied by the spell. If you use a ranged weapon, the spell is expended even if you miss.
14: When someone provokes an attack of opportunity within 30' of you, you may cast a spell on them instead of making an attack. You can only use a spell whose casting time is a standard action or less.
19: You may deliver a touch spell using a weapon and still inflict normal damage and other effects for the weapon. If you choose to do this, you must make a regular attack, rather than a touch attack. If you use a ranged weapon, the spell is expended even if you miss. This requires a standard action, even if the spell's casting time is less than that.
Elemental Mastery [Skill]
Some people strive for wealth, knowledge, or power. Others just want to see the world burn.
This is a Skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
Benefits: Choose one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). You may treat any spell you cast as if it had Energy Substitution (using that type) applied to it, even if you did not prepare it that way.
4: Whenever you inflict energy damage of your selected type, the affected creature must make a Reflex Save (DC 10 + CHA + half your level) or suffer an appropriate affliction. Acid: sickened for 2 rounds; Cold: slowed for 1 round; Electricity: knocked down; Fire: set on fire; Sonic: deafened for 1 minute. If you inflicted the damage with a spell, the DC is calculated using your casting attribute instead of CHA.
9: You have Resistance 10 against your chosen energy type.
14: When you inflict energy damage of your selected type, you ignore the first 5 points of the target's energy resistance, and the damage cannot be reduced to less than half by energy resistance or immunity.
19: You are immune to your chosen energy type.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different energy type.
the problem if i remember with metamagic ROW feats was that they gave too much power to wizards & Codzillas.
Take Spell focus. At SL3 - you have an insane amount of spells and are even more versatile than most of the other Tome classes again.
SL9 that's compounded to crazytown.
Bottomless magic's sl1 in itself gives you the ability to have any extra spell you want. again extra versatility over the tome classes. a no-no.
Bottomless magic Sl3 - means you are killing things from range with infinite fireballs after a while. Illusions are going off like crazy. and don't even get me started on TK hi-jinks.
BM sl6 & 9: I'm not terribly certain what to think of them. This is either OK or bad just like SL1 & 3. it allows too much versatility because of no lack of resources. If this means the spell slot is not wasted, jeesus friging crist --. yeah.
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Timeless magic is meh. It's just an amalgam of existing metamagics. But again. I'll address why I think this style of metamagic shouldn't be what should be used in the game. at least what I feel is appropriate.
Stealth magic sl3: no?
~~
meh. before I go too deep into this stuff. there was a thread a while ago where K made a decent point that metamagics shouldn't put on more number effects, they need to put on visual effects. they need to pop up the enemies and explode out two spaces. or teleport you away in a blast or someone else. or somethign along those lines. a quicken spell or a +5 to this effect is just boring and it's just a numbers game and when you are already playing in a game where the tome characters have been built to be on par with the spellcasters, if you build more metamagics to add on to their power, you see where this leads.
Take Spell focus. At SL3 - you have an insane amount of spells and are even more versatile than most of the other Tome classes again.
SL9 that's compounded to crazytown.
Bottomless magic's sl1 in itself gives you the ability to have any extra spell you want. again extra versatility over the tome classes. a no-no.
Bottomless magic Sl3 - means you are killing things from range with infinite fireballs after a while. Illusions are going off like crazy. and don't even get me started on TK hi-jinks.
BM sl6 & 9: I'm not terribly certain what to think of them. This is either OK or bad just like SL1 & 3. it allows too much versatility because of no lack of resources. If this means the spell slot is not wasted, jeesus friging crist --. yeah.
--
Timeless magic is meh. It's just an amalgam of existing metamagics. But again. I'll address why I think this style of metamagic shouldn't be what should be used in the game. at least what I feel is appropriate.
Stealth magic sl3: no?
~~
meh. before I go too deep into this stuff. there was a thread a while ago where K made a decent point that metamagics shouldn't put on more number effects, they need to put on visual effects. they need to pop up the enemies and explode out two spaces. or teleport you away in a blast or someone else. or somethign along those lines. a quicken spell or a +5 to this effect is just boring and it's just a numbers game and when you are already playing in a game where the tome characters have been built to be on par with the spellcasters, if you build more metamagics to add on to their power, you see where this leads.
Ancient History wrote:We were working on Street Magic, and Frank asked me if a houngan had run over my dog.
So, spellcasters are already powerful and the solution is to...make magic-related feats objectively worse than melee ones?
I mean, I realize that's not quite what you're saying, and even if it was, that might be easier than the alternative of making casters and non-casters inherently balanced, but it seems really...icky.
Admittedly, I don't have much experience (especially at high levels) and my impressions may be slanted by the fact that I can't read up on spells that aren't in the SRD, and so I tend to think in terms of wizards having about 4-5 spells per level in a single school (or less, if they haven't learned them all).
However...the goals of "give meaningful abilities," "don't bump the numbers," and "don't increase versatility" sound mutually exclusive to me. If you're not allowed to be better at what you already do, and you're not allowed to do more things, how exactly are feats supposed to make you better?
Also, what does "TK" refer to in this context?
I mean, I realize that's not quite what you're saying, and even if it was, that might be easier than the alternative of making casters and non-casters inherently balanced, but it seems really...icky.
Admittedly, I don't have much experience (especially at high levels) and my impressions may be slanted by the fact that I can't read up on spells that aren't in the SRD, and so I tend to think in terms of wizards having about 4-5 spells per level in a single school (or less, if they haven't learned them all).
However...the goals of "give meaningful abilities," "don't bump the numbers," and "don't increase versatility" sound mutually exclusive to me. If you're not allowed to be better at what you already do, and you're not allowed to do more things, how exactly are feats supposed to make you better?
Are infinite fireballs a major problem at level 11+? Are you concerned that the Conduit from the Tome of Fiends can already do that at level 5 by picking the fire sphere 3 times? And couldn't a wizard with access to the wish economy do it without a feat by wishing for arbitrary numbers of 3rd-level pearls of power?A_Cynic wrote:Bottomless magic Sl3 - means you are killing things from range with infinite fireballs after a while. Illusions are going off like crazy. and don't even get me started on TK hi-jinks.
Also, what does "TK" refer to in this context?
Last edited by Manxome on Sat Sep 27, 2008 5:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SunTzuWarmaster
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Guyr Adamantine
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Screw Deadly Aura. A feat that only adds a bunch of damage dice just sucks both in flavor and concept. I'm scraping it up, in hope of doing better. Again, influenced by Anime.
Spirit Pressure [Skill]
Your focus and mental sturdiness makes your foes quake in fear, feel diziness, and is potentially harmful to pregnant women.
Concentration Ranks:
0+: Any time you would make an Intimidate check, you may instead make a Concentration check and use that result.
4+: When you initiate a Duel of Wills (Tome of Battle, page 27) or try to intimidate a foe, the penalty your adversary suffers from a failure is augmented by one per four ranks you have in the Concentration skill.
9+: You may now Intimidate all opponents adjacent to you in a single action. You only roll once, and all opponents resist your attempt individually.
You may Intimidate in combat as a move action, and may spend a move action each round after having successfully Intimidated a foe to extend his condition for one more round.
14+: You may Intimidate in combat anyone to which you have Line of Sight, in a single action.
You may Intimidate in combat as a swift action, and may spend a swift action each round after having successfully Intimidated a foe to extend his condition for one more round.
19+: Any opponent you succesfuly Intimidate is also Staggered.[/b]
Spirit Pressure [Skill]
Your focus and mental sturdiness makes your foes quake in fear, feel diziness, and is potentially harmful to pregnant women.
Concentration Ranks:
0+: Any time you would make an Intimidate check, you may instead make a Concentration check and use that result.
4+: When you initiate a Duel of Wills (Tome of Battle, page 27) or try to intimidate a foe, the penalty your adversary suffers from a failure is augmented by one per four ranks you have in the Concentration skill.
9+: You may now Intimidate all opponents adjacent to you in a single action. You only roll once, and all opponents resist your attempt individually.
You may Intimidate in combat as a move action, and may spend a move action each round after having successfully Intimidated a foe to extend his condition for one more round.
14+: You may Intimidate in combat anyone to which you have Line of Sight, in a single action.
You may Intimidate in combat as a swift action, and may spend a swift action each round after having successfully Intimidated a foe to extend his condition for one more round.
19+: Any opponent you succesfuly Intimidate is also Staggered.[/b]
Last edited by Guyr Adamantine on Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Quantumboost
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That feat's wording is... kinda weird. The way I read it, you're dumping ranks in Concentration to be able to replace... your Concentration checks with Intimidate checks. That seems pretty much entirely counterproductive, since you could presumably just dump those ranks in Intimidate.
If you actually intened to make this a Concentration feat and not an Intimidate feat, the 0-rank power should probably read "Any time you would make an Intimidate check, you may instead make a Concentration check and use that result."
BALANCE ASSESSMENT
With the "not dumping ranks into two skills" applied, you get nonmagical doom as a move action at 6th level, a 5-yard AoE version of doom at will as that same move action at 11th level, and at level 16 you get slow at will that lasts one round.
Since you have to be in melee to use the abilities granted by the feat (Intimidate only affects targets you threaten), I'll assume that you're playing a melee character.
At 6th, if you're full-BAB this is a tradeoff between your secondary attack and a single-target debuff. Seems fine at that point. As a cleric-BAB without TWF you may as well use this if you're already in a good position.
At 11 this becomes a tradeoff between two extra attacks and mostly the same debuff. You can hit two people of lower level with it, but it quickly loses effectiveness with more targets. With four targets it's effectively like the normal Intimidate check you were making at 3rd level. It's probably more worth your while to take the two extra attacks and get whatever effects you can off them (and if you're a Monk, you could just *have* a fear aura stance instead).
At 16th you're trading several attacks which presumably do pretty awesome things (Sneak Attack/Death Attack damage, Monk slam attacks, Samurai autocrits). As a caster (or UMDer), you should be casting quickened slow from a wished up scroll instead. You can even affect more people and people not right next to you.
So the effect might be a potentially valid choice at around 6th-7th level, but loses its luster pretty quickly after that.
If you actually intened to make this a Concentration feat and not an Intimidate feat, the 0-rank power should probably read "Any time you would make an Intimidate check, you may instead make a Concentration check and use that result."
BALANCE ASSESSMENT
With the "not dumping ranks into two skills" applied, you get nonmagical doom as a move action at 6th level, a 5-yard AoE version of doom at will as that same move action at 11th level, and at level 16 you get slow at will that lasts one round.
Since you have to be in melee to use the abilities granted by the feat (Intimidate only affects targets you threaten), I'll assume that you're playing a melee character.
At 6th, if you're full-BAB this is a tradeoff between your secondary attack and a single-target debuff. Seems fine at that point. As a cleric-BAB without TWF you may as well use this if you're already in a good position.
At 11 this becomes a tradeoff between two extra attacks and mostly the same debuff. You can hit two people of lower level with it, but it quickly loses effectiveness with more targets. With four targets it's effectively like the normal Intimidate check you were making at 3rd level. It's probably more worth your while to take the two extra attacks and get whatever effects you can off them (and if you're a Monk, you could just *have* a fear aura stance instead).
At 16th you're trading several attacks which presumably do pretty awesome things (Sneak Attack/Death Attack damage, Monk slam attacks, Samurai autocrits). As a caster (or UMDer), you should be casting quickened slow from a wished up scroll instead. You can even affect more people and people not right next to you.
So the effect might be a potentially valid choice at around 6th-7th level, but loses its luster pretty quickly after that.
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SunTzuWarmaster
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Sunderer
You break things. Other peoples things.
0 - Your sundering attempts do not provoke an AoOs.
1 - You gain a +4 bonus on opposed Sunder rolls.
6 - You gain the Sundering Cleave ability (you make make a Cleave attack as an AoO following a successful sunder).
11 - Your weapons are considered to have the Sharpness property from Book of Gears.
16 - You may attempt a Sunder or Ranged Sunder as part of an attack once per round.
You break things. Other peoples things.
0 - Your sundering attempts do not provoke an AoOs.
1 - You gain a +4 bonus on opposed Sunder rolls.
6 - You gain the Sundering Cleave ability (you make make a Cleave attack as an AoO following a successful sunder).
11 - Your weapons are considered to have the Sharpness property from Book of Gears.
16 - You may attempt a Sunder or Ranged Sunder as part of an attack once per round.
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Guyr Adamantine
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Thanks!Quantumboost wrote:That feat's wording is... kinda weird. The way I read it, you're dumping ranks in Concentration to be able to replace... your Concentration checks with Intimidate checks. That seems pretty much entirely counterproductive, since you could presumably just dump those ranks in Intimidate.
If you actually intened to make this a Concentration feat and not an Intimidate feat, the 0-rank power should probably read "Any time you would make an Intimidate check, you may instead make a Concentration check and use that result."
Thanks for the feedback. I modified the feat a bit, considered how too expensive a cost actions are at higher level.BALANCE ASSESSMENT
With the "not dumping ranks into two skills" applied, you get nonmagical doom as a move action at 6th level, a 5-yard AoE version of doom at will as that same move action at 11th level, and at level 16 you get slow at will that lasts one round.
Since you have to be in melee to use the abilities granted by the feat (Intimidate only affects targets you threaten), I'll assume that you're playing a melee character.
At 6th, if you're full-BAB this is a tradeoff between your secondary attack and a single-target debuff. Seems fine at that point. As a cleric-BAB without TWF you may as well use this if you're already in a good position.
At 11 this becomes a tradeoff between two extra attacks and mostly the same debuff. You can hit two people of lower level with it, but it quickly loses effectiveness with more targets. With four targets it's effectively like the normal Intimidate check you were making at 3rd level. It's probably more worth your while to take the two extra attacks and get whatever effects you can off them (and if you're a Monk, you could just *have* a fear aura stance instead).
At 16th you're trading several attacks which presumably do pretty awesome things (Sneak Attack/Death Attack damage, Monk slam attacks, Samurai autocrits). As a caster (or UMDer), you should be casting quickened slow from a wished up scroll instead. You can even affect more people and people not right next to you.
So the effect might be a potentially valid choice at around 6th-7th level, but loses its luster pretty quickly after that.
Last edited by Guyr Adamantine on Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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SunTzuWarmaster
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Judging__Eagle
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Spell Focus: as you know, the official gives +1 DC, and especially with that not being the sole benefit of the feat here, I'm not sure if it should be changed. Might wanna say "hit point damage". I'd suggest nerfing the benefits: for preparation casters, the new spell needing to be lower-level than the old; for spontaneous, 1 extra spell/level at 3 and 2/3 at 9 instead of all core.
Bottomless Magic: fine except for 3, which isn't workable in any way, shape, or form. Find something else.
Timeless Magic: given that concentration-duration effects tend to be awesome, I'd stick with Iaimeki's Combat Casting 9 (especially given that Timeless Magic 9 seems to have no limit on number of spells). Timeless Magic 3 doesn't seem too crazy for 1, I'd suggest putting on 3 the ability to delay spell activations (roughly as per the noncore feat Delay Spell - I'll supply details on demand). Maybe drop the adjustment on 6 to 4 levels so we can declare Quicken Spell dead (in that case, of course the text would have to not refer to it), and hand Combat Casting 14 to Timeless Magic 9. Why? See below ...
Stealth Magic: 1 could be Silent Spell itself. As for 3, I don't see the normal results as especially worrying, but I'd bet there's some retarded exploit for it not having any sort of check if you pile enough books (a likely to be actual example: on some subset of hitting flat-footed opponents, automatically threatening criticals with +1 multiplier - I'm sure you see where this goes) - a possible replacement might be to allow a ranged feint (if anyone cares, the RoW feint writeup doesn't suggest it's limited to melee anymore, BTW; also, remember of course that feinted =/= flat-footed, if you feel it matters) as part of casting, might word it like Zen Archery +6. 6: in this case, I think no check's bad in itself - maybe a caster level check against 15 + your own to notice the aura? 9: I'd say it's too much variance, as well as denying character resources - what'd you say about it flipping only either the base save or the ability score (we'd choose now, not leave an open choice for creation/play)?
Combat Casting: 4's basically Iaimeki's Combat Casting 0, and 9 and 19 basically overlap with Zen Archery +6, so we have 0 and 14 - 0 might, dunno, be folded on Iaimeki's 0, or it could be folded with Still Spell in a martial spellcaster feat. As for 14, see above; but, in any case, I think it should be restricted to spells, say, 2 levels lower than maximum. What this actually would end with's your feat no longer existing ...
Elemental Mastery: 4 should read "if the effect that inflicted the damage was a spell or already required a save, you can use your key spellcasting ability or the ability used for the save DC instead of Charisma".
Oh, yeah (no, it's not a feat): TK, in any context I can remember, stands for "telekinesis".
Bottomless Magic: fine except for 3, which isn't workable in any way, shape, or form. Find something else.
Timeless Magic: given that concentration-duration effects tend to be awesome, I'd stick with Iaimeki's Combat Casting 9 (especially given that Timeless Magic 9 seems to have no limit on number of spells). Timeless Magic 3 doesn't seem too crazy for 1, I'd suggest putting on 3 the ability to delay spell activations (roughly as per the noncore feat Delay Spell - I'll supply details on demand). Maybe drop the adjustment on 6 to 4 levels so we can declare Quicken Spell dead (in that case, of course the text would have to not refer to it), and hand Combat Casting 14 to Timeless Magic 9. Why? See below ...
Stealth Magic: 1 could be Silent Spell itself. As for 3, I don't see the normal results as especially worrying, but I'd bet there's some retarded exploit for it not having any sort of check if you pile enough books (a likely to be actual example: on some subset of hitting flat-footed opponents, automatically threatening criticals with +1 multiplier - I'm sure you see where this goes) - a possible replacement might be to allow a ranged feint (if anyone cares, the RoW feint writeup doesn't suggest it's limited to melee anymore, BTW; also, remember of course that feinted =/= flat-footed, if you feel it matters) as part of casting, might word it like Zen Archery +6. 6: in this case, I think no check's bad in itself - maybe a caster level check against 15 + your own to notice the aura? 9: I'd say it's too much variance, as well as denying character resources - what'd you say about it flipping only either the base save or the ability score (we'd choose now, not leave an open choice for creation/play)?
Combat Casting: 4's basically Iaimeki's Combat Casting 0, and 9 and 19 basically overlap with Zen Archery +6, so we have 0 and 14 - 0 might, dunno, be folded on Iaimeki's 0, or it could be folded with Still Spell in a martial spellcaster feat. As for 14, see above; but, in any case, I think it should be restricted to spells, say, 2 levels lower than maximum. What this actually would end with's your feat no longer existing ...
Elemental Mastery: 4 should read "if the effect that inflicted the damage was a spell or already required a save, you can use your key spellcasting ability or the ability used for the save DC instead of Charisma".
Oh, yeah (no, it's not a feat): TK, in any context I can remember, stands for "telekinesis".
Hans Freyer, s.b.u.h. wrote:A manly, a bold tone prevails in history. He who has the grip has the booty.
Huston Smith wrote:Life gives us no view of the whole. We see only snatches here and there, (...)
brotherfrancis75 wrote:Perhaps you imagine that Ayn Rand is our friend? And the Mont Pelerin Society? No, those are but the more subtle versions of the Bolshevik Communist Revolution you imagine you reject. (...) FOX NEWS IS ALSO COMMUNIST!
LDSChristian wrote:True. I do wonder which is worse: killing so many people like Hitler did or denying Christ 3 times like Peter did.
Oh, someone still cares about these! Yeah, I was actually already thinking about some of those changes.
Also, you actually can get +2 to your DC with SRD feats, it just takes two feats to do it instead of one (Greater Spell Focus). And there's another SRD feat that actually gives +2 to DCs, but it's used for special abilities instead of spells.
Now, as I said, it may be that casters are just too powerful and you want to kick them in the nuts every chance you get, but if we're pretending that feats are actually supposed to be just as valuable to casters as to martial characters, then I think the convention is clearly that +1s are not tolerated.
So maybe the feats end up looking more like this?
Spell Focus [Metamagic]
To you, everything looks like a nail.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: Select one school of magic. Whenever you cast a spell of that school, its save DC is increased by 2. This bonus does not stack with any other feats.
1: Your understanding of your school surpasses your peers. When you cast a spell of your focused school, you gain a +2 bonus to any attack rolls involved, and any creatures that take HP damage from a spell of your focused school on the round the spell is cast take additional damage equal to your caster level or three times the spell's level, whichever is less.
3: You intuitively understand the similarities between spells of your focused school. If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell from your focused school to cast a spell you know of the same school that is at least one level lower. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know one additional spell of that school for each level of spells you can cast.
6: When you cast a spell from your focused school, you gain a +4 bonus to the caster level check to overcome spell resistance. This bonus does not stack with any other feats.
9: If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell to cast a spell you know from your focused school that is at least one level lower. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know two additional spells of that school for each level of spells you can cast (instead of one from the level 3 ability).
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different school of magic.
Bottomless Magic [Metamagic]
Some people rely on other abilities when their spells run out. Others...don't.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: If one of your spells is interrupted for any reason, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended.
1: You have one additional spell slot, which can hold a spell of any level you are able to cast.
3: You may restore one expended daily spell slot with a 15-minute ritual. If you prepare spells, this also fills the slot with any spell it can normally hold.
6: Your casting attribute counts as being 4 points higher for purposes of determining bonus spells (this will usually give you one extra spell slot each at half of your spell levels).
9: If you use one of your spells in a counterspelling attempt, or if one of your spells is counterspelled, your spell slot is not consumed.
Timeless Magic [Metamagic]
Some wizards try to live a long time. You try to live more in the same amount of time.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: You may cast a spell with a 1-round casting time as a standard action (the spell goes off immediately).
1: You may double the duration of any spell you cast, unless the duration is instantaneous, concentration, or permanent.
3: When you cast a spell with a duration of concentration (or concentration + X rounds), you may cause the spell's effects to persist one additional round after you cease concentrating.
6: If a spell at least 5 levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast normally has a casting time of one round or less, you may cast it as a swift action.
9: You may cast a spell and maintain concentration on another with the same action, but you must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell levels of both spells) or lose both.
Stealth Magic [Metamagic]
You hold your cards close to your chest. It makes it harder to tell when you pull one out of your sleeve.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: The Spellcraft DC to identify any spell you cast is increased by 5. Someone using detect magic, arcane sight or a similar spell must succeed on a caster level check to detect the magic auras of your spells (DC 10 + your caster level).
1: You can ignore the verbal components of your spells, as if they were affected by the Silent Spell metamagic (no effect on spells that cannot be modified by Silent Spell).
3: Your spells catch people off-guard. The targets of your spells cannot use Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Improved Evasion, or Slippery Mind to resist them.
6: You may perform the somatic components of your spell with a hand that is also holding an object if you succeed on a Sleight of Hand check, DC 10 + spell level (failure means you lose the spell). Opponents must make a Spot check that beats your Sleight of Hand result in order to identify the spell based on its somatic component (and since it's probably silent, that's likely the only option). This ability does not negate arcane spell failure due to armor.
9: You can get spells past peoples' defenses in sneaky ways. Whenever someone attempts a saving throw against one of your spells using their highest save, they must use their median save instead, unless you choose otherwise.
Elemental Mastery [Skill]
Some people strive for wealth, knowledge, or power. Others just want to see the world burn.
This is a Skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
Benefits: Choose one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). You may treat any spell you cast as if it had Energy Substitution (using that type) applied to it, even if you did not prepare it that way.
4: Whenever you inflict energy damage of your selected type, the affected creature must make a Reflex Save (DC 10 + CHA + half your level) or suffer an appropriate affliction. Acid: sickened for 2 rounds; Cold: slowed for 1 round; Electricity: knocked down; Fire: set on fire for 1 round (as Alchemist's Fire); Sonic: deafened for 1 minute. If the effect that inflicted the damage was a spell or already required a save, you can use your key spellcasting ability or the ability used for the save DC instead of Charisma.
9: You have Resistance 10 against your chosen energy type.
14: When you inflict energy damage of your selected type, you ignore the first 5 points of the target's energy resistance, and the damage cannot be reduced to less than half by energy resistance or immunity.
19: You are immune to your chosen energy type.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different energy type.
Combat Casting: Cut due to the existence of Iaimeki's version.
Also, I did some brainstorming for some non-spell-related feats, partly inspired by the fact that there's a few skills for which there are no skill feats in the PDF.
Climb and Jump are of course problematic to balance in a game where flight is available from a spell or a feat starting at level 5. You want something that still feels like climbing or jumping, and yet it has to be worth spending a feat and a bunch of skill ranks on at high levels.
Mountaineer [Skill]
Other people get vertigo just by looking at you.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Climb.
Benefits: You gain a +3 bonus to climb checks. You don't take armor check penalties to climb checks.
4: You may climb one-handed with a -5 penalty. If you don't move during a round, you may use both hands for other tasks if you succeed on a climb check (normal DC for the wall/slope; failure means you fall).
9: You gain a climb speed equal to half your land speed.
14: You may move across a surface of any incline as easily as if it were horizontal (including walking on the bottoms of ceilings and the like). You may substitute your climb check for a balance check if you use one hand to steady yourself.
19: You gain a +4 bonus to tripping or to resist being tripped. You may substitute your climb check for your reflex save.
Super Jump [Skill]
You leap tall buildings in a single bound.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Jump.
Benefits: You gain a +3 bonus to jump checks. You don't take armor check penalties to jump checks.
4: You suffer no penalties for jumping without a running start. Any penalties to your jump for having a speed less than 30 feet are reduced by half.
9: You suffer no speed penalties for crossing difficult terrain. You may move across water, rotted wood, or other surfaces that do not support your weight with no penalties and no chance of falling through as long as you move at least 20 feet each round. When you attempt a high jump, you may use the DC for a long jump of the same distance, but the vertical distance moved still counts against your speed.
14: As a move action, you may move a distance in feet equal to 10 + your jump modifier in a straight line in any direction (including vertically), even if you have no surface to jump off of. You may choose to hover in mid-air at any time, but anything that grounds a flying creature also works against you.
19: When taking a 5-foot step, you may move 10 feet (in a straight line) with a DC 40 jump check. You may take 5-foot steps while hovering, and may choose to move vertically when you take a 5-foot step.
The Knowledge skills are a tough case simply because they hardly do anything...at all. So my brainstorming tended to go off in directions only tangentially related to the actual skill.
Mystic [Skill]
The workings of magic are no secret to you.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Arcana) checks. Knowledge (Arcana) is always a class skill for you.
4: With a DC 20 Knowledge (Arcana) check, you can cast detect magic as a spell-like ability. You may substitute your Knowledge (Arcana) check for the Spellcraft check to identify a school of magic based on its aura.
9: You gain spell resistance equal to 5 + your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
14: With a DC 30 Knowledge (Arcana) check, you can cast dispel magic as a spell-like ability.
19: Any weapon, armor, or shield you use is considered magical, and benefits from a +5 enhancement bonus at all times (unless they already have a better enhancement bonus).
Architect [Skill]
You understand the intricacies of artificial structures.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) checks. Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) is always a class skill for you.
4: When within arm's reach of any artificial terrain (such as a worked floor, wall, pillar, etc.), you can take a move action to give yourself a +4 circumstance bonus in resisting bull rush, trip, hold down, and lift maneuvers until you leave your current space.
9: Your attacks ignore hardness less than your Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) skill modifier.
14: When within arm's reach of any artificial terrain (such as a worked floor, wall, pillar, etc.), you can give yourself cover against all attackers for one round with a DC 30 Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) check. This is a free action usable once per round.
19: You are expert at using terrain to your advantage. You may substitute your ranks in Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) for your BAB for purposes of bull rush, grapple, and trip maneuvers.
Delver [Skill]
You spend a lot of time in dungeons. Certain habits inevitably result.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Dungeoneering).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Dungeoneering) checks. Knowledge (Dungeoneering) is always a class skill for you.
4: You receive a +3 dodge bonus to AC and saves against traps.
9: The first time you see a cursed item, you immediately know it is cursed if you pass a Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check with a DC of 10 + the item's caster level (this check is rolled secretly, of course). You may suppress the cursed effects of an item for one day with a Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check, DC 10 + item's caster level (if you fail, the curse activates as if you had attempted to use the item), but the curse reasserts itself if anyone but you attempts to use the item.
14: You automatically know if there is an armed trap within 300 feet of you, but do not know its nature or exact location.
19: You unerringly know the shortest navigable route to daylight at all times.
World Traveler [Skill]
The entire world is your home.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Geography).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Geography) checks. Knowledge (Geography) is always a class skill for you.
4: You and your traveling companions constantly benefit from an endure elements effect.
9: You receive a +10' competence bonus to your land speed.
14: Anyone attempting to use Survival to track you must beat you in an opposed check against your Knowledge (Geography).
19: With a DC 40 Knowledge (Geography) check, you can cast greater teleport as a spell-like ability.
Historian [Skill]
Your awareness of antiquated minutiae is staggering.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (History).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (History) checks. Knowledge (History) is always a class skill for you.
4: You gain the Bardic Knowledge ability of a Bard, using your character level instead of class level. If you already have Bardic Knowledge, you may roll it once for each source and take the best result.
9: Almost everything figures into history somehow. You may substitute your Knowledge (History) check for any other Knowledge check, but you suffer a -10 penalty when doing so (you do not count as untrained).
14: Once per day as a free action, you may attempt a DC 35 Knowledge (History) check to gain knowledge as if you had used legend lore.
19: Historical context and examples give you insight into many fields. You receive a +2 insight bonus on all skill checks. Yes, all of them. For simplicity, that includes Knowledge (History) checks.
Local Color [Skill]
You get friendly with the locals everywhere you go.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Local).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Local) checks. Knowledge (Local) is always a class skill for you. Additiionally, you are considered to have local knowledge for any area you have been in for any length of time. When you arrive in a new land, your ranks in Knowledge (Local) "catch up" at the rate of one per day as long as you are able to spend at least one hour per day listening to gossip.
4: Your understanding of local economy generally allows you to barter all goods for their full price, as if they were trade goods. However, there are still some items that absolutely no one in a region will want.
9: Your local contacts help you find services you need. You can get a local caster (if one exists) to cast a core cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard spell for you, but this takes one hour per caster level (plus the casting time of the spell), you must pay any component or XP costs, the caster level must be at least 5 less than your ranks in Knowledge (Local), and the spell must not entail any significant risk to the caster. At your DM's option, more exotic spells or services may be available.
14: With one day and a DC 30 Knowledge (Local) check in an appropriate milieu, you can make contacts with access to wishes or similar abilities and obtain the effects of one wish each day thereafter (while in that area), as long as the wish carries no XP cost and isn't likely to attract the wrath anything with a CR greater than your level - 5. No, you can't use this wish on the spur of the moment while out adventuring.
19: With one day and a DC 35 Knowledge (Local) check in a suitable milieu, you can convert planar currency into any other type of planar currency (your choice). For every 5 full points by which you exceed the DC, the time required is reduced by one step from one day to 4 hours to 2 hours to 1 hour to 30 minutes to 15 minutes.
Environmentalist [Skill]
You embrace the great outdoors.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Nature).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Nature) checks. Knowledge (Nature) is always a class skill for you.
4: While in a vegetated area, you can entangle an adjacent foe for one round with a move action and a Knowledge (Nature) check, DC 10 + target's STR + target's level or CR.
9: You can enhance your body's self-healing abilities. With a full-round action, you may perform a trance that restores HP equal to half your ranks in Knowledge (Nature). This action requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity.
14: You gain Scent.
19: With a DC 35 Knowledge (Nature) check, you can cast tree stride as a spell-like ability.
Feral Spirit [Skill]
You are at home only when you're not in a home.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Nature).
Benefits: Your natural armor is increased by 1.
4: You gain a natural bite, a sting, or two claws appropriate to a creature of your size as natural weapons.
9: You gain Scent.
14: You gain a +15' competence bonus to your land speed.
19: You gain DR 5/Wood and Fast Healing 1.
Regal [Skill]
Your studied grace gives you a regal demeanor.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Nobility).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Nobility) checks. Knowledge (Nobility) is always a class skill for you.
4: You seem above common conflict. You are protected by a constant sanctuary effect (save DC 8 + INT + half your ranks in Knowledge: Nobility). If this effect is ended for any reason (such as when you attack), you may renew it with a five-minute ritual.
9: Others obey you instinctively. With a DC 20 Knowledge (Nobility) check, you may cast command as a spell-like ability.
14: You never flinch. You are immune to fear effects.
19: With a DC 35 Knowledge (Nobility) check, you may cast greater command as a spell-like ability.
Undead Hunter [Skill]
You kill things that are already dead.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Religion).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Religion) checks. Knowledge (Religion) is always a class skill for you.
4: As a swift action, you may emit a flash that inflicts light damage equal to half your ranks in Knowledge (Religion) against undead and creatures specifically vulnerable to light within 10' (undead that are also specifically vulnerable to light, such as vampires, take double damage).
9: Your attacks can score critical hits against undead, and they are not immune to your sneak attacks. If you target an undead creature with an effect that it would be immune to due to the involvement of a Fortitude save, it merely receives a +5 bonus to the save instead. None of these effects apply to undead with a CR greater than your ranks in Knowledge (Religion).
14: You may substitute your Knowledge (Religion) check for Bluff, Hide, or Move Silently checks made against undead.
19: Any undead that you kill are permanently destroyed and cannot regenerate or be reanimated by any means short of DM fiat.
Profound Presence [Skill]
Just being near you is a religious experience.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Religion).
Benefits: You gain a +1 bonus on all charisma-based skill checks.
4: Adjacent allies gain a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage (you do not).
9: As a swift action, you may emit a searing aura that inflicts 2d6 light damage against all creatures within 10 feet of you (except yourself).
14: Once per round as a free action, you may designate a target within 60 feet. If the targeted creature meets your gaze within the next round, it must make a Will save (DC 8 + CHA + half your ranks in Knowledge (Religion)) or be dazed for one round.
19: You gain heal 1/day as a quickened spell-like ability.
Cosmologist [Skill]
You understand the big picture.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (The Planes).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (The Planes) checks. Knowledge (The Planes) is always a class skill for you.
4: As a swift action, you may grant yourself energy resistance to one energy type equal to half your ranks in Knowledge (The Planes), or damage resistance equal to half your ranks that only applies to attacks with an alignment of your choice, including the attacks of creatures with that alignment subtype. This effect lasts for one round.
9: Your attacks count as having any alignment you wish for purposes of penetrating DR. You may change this alignment as a free action.
14: With a DC 30 Knowledge (The Planes) check, you can cast dismissal as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to your character level. The save DC is INT-based.
19: With a DC 40 Knowledge (The Planes) check, you can cast plane shift as a spell-like ability.
Scholar [Skill]
Knowledge is power.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in your highest Knowledge skill.
Benefits: If your knowledge check to identify an opponent gives a result of at least 15 + the foe's CR, you have The Edge against that opponent until its CR increases.
4: You may take 10 on knowledge skill checks.
9: You are adept at identifying monsters' weaknesses. With a swift action and an appropriate knowledge check (DC 15 + creature's CR), for 5 rounds, you gain either a +2 insight bonus to attack and damage against a creature or a +2 insight bonus to the save DC of any save you force it to make (your choice which). You may not take 10 on this check.
14: When you make a successful knowledge check using the 9-rank ability of this feat, your attacks also ignore the target creature's DR and hardness for 5 rounds.
19: All your attacks have a doubled critical threat range.
Someone in my play group was interested in the possibility of fighting with more than two weapons (mostly for things with lots of arms, I think). I thought that simply extending the benefits of RoW two-weapon fighting to an arbitrary number would probably be broken, and so...
Multi-Weapon Fighting [Combat]
You are pointy in all directions.
This is a combat feat that scales with your base attack bonus.
Prerequisite: Must have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat.
Benefits: Whenever you make an attack or full-attack action, you may Feint once with each weapon you do not use in the attack.
+1: You have the Edge against opponents whose BAB plus number of wielded weapons (including natural weapons) is less than yours.
+6: Whenever you make an attack or full-attack action, you may make a number of attacks with your tertiary weapon equal to the number of attacks you are afforded with your primary weapon.
+11: You gain two extra attacks of opportunity each round for each weapon you wield beyond your second, these attacks of opportunity must be made with the corresponding weapons.
+16: Whenever you make an attack or full-attack action, you may make a number of attacks with your fourth weapon equal to the number of attacks you are afforded with your primary weapon.
Also, various additional stuff:
Jack of All Trades [General]
You know how to do a completely implausible number of things.
This is a general feat that scales with your character level.
Benefits: You suffer no penalties for being untrained in a skill.
1: You retroactively gain 1 extra skill point per level (4 at 1st level). All skill points gained from this feat must be spent after you have spent other skill points gained for the same level, and cannot be used to raise a skill above your cross-class maximum rank.
6: You immediately gain 1 rank in every core skill. For any skill where this would put you above your normal maximum ranks, you gain 1 extra skill point instead (subject to limitations given above).
11: All core skills are considered class skills for you. Your synergy bonuses for having 5+ ranks in a skill are all doubled.
16: You benefit from a +5 competence bonus to one skill at all times; you may change which skill as a swift action, but may only select a skill in which you have at least one rank.
Ghostly Visage [General]
People think you've already got one foot in the grave. They're right.
This is a general feat that scales with your character level.
Benefits: You may reroll your miss chance due to a target's incorporeality.
1: When you attack or are targeted by an attack, you may take an immediate action to cause the attack to be resolved as if you were incorporeal, except that non-magical attacks still have a 50% chance to hit you (as if they were magical). You must use this ability before the attack roll is made. You may not use this ability if you are denied your DEX bonus to AC.
6: You gain lifesense, allowing you to locate living creatures within 60' as blindsense and sense the strength of their life force as if you had cast deathwatch.
11: You may pass through solid objects as if incorporeal, but may not end your movement inside of one (if you do so by accident, you are shunted to the nearest open space and take 1d6 damage per 5' traveled).
16: You are healed by negative energy as if undead (this does not interfere with any existing ability to be healed by positive energy). You do not lose XP when resurrected.
Trickery [Combat]
You pull all sorts of crazy crap to get a leg up in combat.
This is a combat feat that scales with your base attack bonus.
Benefits: As a swift action, you may give yourself a +3 dodge bonus to AC, a +4 dodge bonus to one save of your choice, or resistance 4 against one energy type of your choice. This effect lasts one round.
+1: You gain a +4 bonus to your Feint attempts.
+6: Your BAB counts as one point higher for purposes of determining The Edge.
+11: As an immediate action, you may force one opponent in your threatened range about to make a d20 roll to roll twice and take the lower result.
+16: When you make a saving throw, you may take an immediate action to use your highest save bonus instead of the normal save type.
There! That should warrant a tl;dr...
Well, Races of War goes on this big rant about how +1 bonuses are actually insulting, because they're less than the difference between rolling well and rolling poorly on your starting stats, and you could plausibly forget you even have it, and if you made your die rolls secretly you might not even notice its effects over the course of a campaign.Bigode wrote:Spell Focus: as you know, the official gives +1 DC, and especially with that not being the sole benefit of the feat here, I'm not sure if it should be changed.
Also, you actually can get +2 to your DC with SRD feats, it just takes two feats to do it instead of one (Greater Spell Focus). And there's another SRD feat that actually gives +2 to DCs, but it's used for special abilities instead of spells.
Now, as I said, it may be that casters are just too powerful and you want to kick them in the nuts every chance you get, but if we're pretending that feats are actually supposed to be just as valuable to casters as to martial characters, then I think the convention is clearly that +1s are not tolerated.
Well, there's a level one spell that seems to disguise magic auras that doesn't allow for any check unless you use identify or a similar effect, so I didn't think that that would be an enormous effect, but I suppose the spell only works on items...Bigode wrote:Stealth Magic: ... 6: in this case, I think no check's bad in itself - maybe a caster level check against 15 + your own to notice the aura?
So maybe the feats end up looking more like this?
Spell Focus [Metamagic]
To you, everything looks like a nail.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: Select one school of magic. Whenever you cast a spell of that school, its save DC is increased by 2. This bonus does not stack with any other feats.
1: Your understanding of your school surpasses your peers. When you cast a spell of your focused school, you gain a +2 bonus to any attack rolls involved, and any creatures that take HP damage from a spell of your focused school on the round the spell is cast take additional damage equal to your caster level or three times the spell's level, whichever is less.
3: You intuitively understand the similarities between spells of your focused school. If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell from your focused school to cast a spell you know of the same school that is at least one level lower. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know one additional spell of that school for each level of spells you can cast.
6: When you cast a spell from your focused school, you gain a +4 bonus to the caster level check to overcome spell resistance. This bonus does not stack with any other feats.
9: If you prepare spells, then you may lose any prepared spell to cast a spell you know from your focused school that is at least one level lower. If you already cast spontaneously, then you know two additional spells of that school for each level of spells you can cast (instead of one from the level 3 ability).
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different school of magic.
Bottomless Magic [Metamagic]
Some people rely on other abilities when their spells run out. Others...don't.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: If one of your spells is interrupted for any reason, any resources used to power that spell (spell slots, material components, XP, etc.) are not expended.
1: You have one additional spell slot, which can hold a spell of any level you are able to cast.
3: You may restore one expended daily spell slot with a 15-minute ritual. If you prepare spells, this also fills the slot with any spell it can normally hold.
6: Your casting attribute counts as being 4 points higher for purposes of determining bonus spells (this will usually give you one extra spell slot each at half of your spell levels).
9: If you use one of your spells in a counterspelling attempt, or if one of your spells is counterspelled, your spell slot is not consumed.
Timeless Magic [Metamagic]
Some wizards try to live a long time. You try to live more in the same amount of time.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: You may cast a spell with a 1-round casting time as a standard action (the spell goes off immediately).
1: You may double the duration of any spell you cast, unless the duration is instantaneous, concentration, or permanent.
3: When you cast a spell with a duration of concentration (or concentration + X rounds), you may cause the spell's effects to persist one additional round after you cease concentrating.
6: If a spell at least 5 levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast normally has a casting time of one round or less, you may cast it as a swift action.
9: You may cast a spell and maintain concentration on another with the same action, but you must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell levels of both spells) or lose both.
Stealth Magic [Metamagic]
You hold your cards close to your chest. It makes it harder to tell when you pull one out of your sleeve.
This is a Metamagic feat that scales with the highest-level spell you can cast.
Benefits: The Spellcraft DC to identify any spell you cast is increased by 5. Someone using detect magic, arcane sight or a similar spell must succeed on a caster level check to detect the magic auras of your spells (DC 10 + your caster level).
1: You can ignore the verbal components of your spells, as if they were affected by the Silent Spell metamagic (no effect on spells that cannot be modified by Silent Spell).
3: Your spells catch people off-guard. The targets of your spells cannot use Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Improved Evasion, or Slippery Mind to resist them.
6: You may perform the somatic components of your spell with a hand that is also holding an object if you succeed on a Sleight of Hand check, DC 10 + spell level (failure means you lose the spell). Opponents must make a Spot check that beats your Sleight of Hand result in order to identify the spell based on its somatic component (and since it's probably silent, that's likely the only option). This ability does not negate arcane spell failure due to armor.
9: You can get spells past peoples' defenses in sneaky ways. Whenever someone attempts a saving throw against one of your spells using their highest save, they must use their median save instead, unless you choose otherwise.
Elemental Mastery [Skill]
Some people strive for wealth, knowledge, or power. Others just want to see the world burn.
This is a Skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
Benefits: Choose one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). You may treat any spell you cast as if it had Energy Substitution (using that type) applied to it, even if you did not prepare it that way.
4: Whenever you inflict energy damage of your selected type, the affected creature must make a Reflex Save (DC 10 + CHA + half your level) or suffer an appropriate affliction. Acid: sickened for 2 rounds; Cold: slowed for 1 round; Electricity: knocked down; Fire: set on fire for 1 round (as Alchemist's Fire); Sonic: deafened for 1 minute. If the effect that inflicted the damage was a spell or already required a save, you can use your key spellcasting ability or the ability used for the save DC instead of Charisma.
9: You have Resistance 10 against your chosen energy type.
14: When you inflict energy damage of your selected type, you ignore the first 5 points of the target's energy resistance, and the damage cannot be reduced to less than half by energy resistance or immunity.
19: You are immune to your chosen energy type.
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times. Its effects do not stack; instead, each instance of the feat applies to a different energy type.
Combat Casting: Cut due to the existence of Iaimeki's version.
Also, I did some brainstorming for some non-spell-related feats, partly inspired by the fact that there's a few skills for which there are no skill feats in the PDF.
Climb and Jump are of course problematic to balance in a game where flight is available from a spell or a feat starting at level 5. You want something that still feels like climbing or jumping, and yet it has to be worth spending a feat and a bunch of skill ranks on at high levels.
Mountaineer [Skill]
Other people get vertigo just by looking at you.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Climb.
Benefits: You gain a +3 bonus to climb checks. You don't take armor check penalties to climb checks.
4: You may climb one-handed with a -5 penalty. If you don't move during a round, you may use both hands for other tasks if you succeed on a climb check (normal DC for the wall/slope; failure means you fall).
9: You gain a climb speed equal to half your land speed.
14: You may move across a surface of any incline as easily as if it were horizontal (including walking on the bottoms of ceilings and the like). You may substitute your climb check for a balance check if you use one hand to steady yourself.
19: You gain a +4 bonus to tripping or to resist being tripped. You may substitute your climb check for your reflex save.
Super Jump [Skill]
You leap tall buildings in a single bound.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Jump.
Benefits: You gain a +3 bonus to jump checks. You don't take armor check penalties to jump checks.
4: You suffer no penalties for jumping without a running start. Any penalties to your jump for having a speed less than 30 feet are reduced by half.
9: You suffer no speed penalties for crossing difficult terrain. You may move across water, rotted wood, or other surfaces that do not support your weight with no penalties and no chance of falling through as long as you move at least 20 feet each round. When you attempt a high jump, you may use the DC for a long jump of the same distance, but the vertical distance moved still counts against your speed.
14: As a move action, you may move a distance in feet equal to 10 + your jump modifier in a straight line in any direction (including vertically), even if you have no surface to jump off of. You may choose to hover in mid-air at any time, but anything that grounds a flying creature also works against you.
19: When taking a 5-foot step, you may move 10 feet (in a straight line) with a DC 40 jump check. You may take 5-foot steps while hovering, and may choose to move vertically when you take a 5-foot step.
The Knowledge skills are a tough case simply because they hardly do anything...at all. So my brainstorming tended to go off in directions only tangentially related to the actual skill.
Mystic [Skill]
The workings of magic are no secret to you.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Arcana) checks. Knowledge (Arcana) is always a class skill for you.
4: With a DC 20 Knowledge (Arcana) check, you can cast detect magic as a spell-like ability. You may substitute your Knowledge (Arcana) check for the Spellcraft check to identify a school of magic based on its aura.
9: You gain spell resistance equal to 5 + your ranks in Knowledge (Arcana).
14: With a DC 30 Knowledge (Arcana) check, you can cast dispel magic as a spell-like ability.
19: Any weapon, armor, or shield you use is considered magical, and benefits from a +5 enhancement bonus at all times (unless they already have a better enhancement bonus).
Architect [Skill]
You understand the intricacies of artificial structures.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) checks. Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) is always a class skill for you.
4: When within arm's reach of any artificial terrain (such as a worked floor, wall, pillar, etc.), you can take a move action to give yourself a +4 circumstance bonus in resisting bull rush, trip, hold down, and lift maneuvers until you leave your current space.
9: Your attacks ignore hardness less than your Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) skill modifier.
14: When within arm's reach of any artificial terrain (such as a worked floor, wall, pillar, etc.), you can give yourself cover against all attackers for one round with a DC 30 Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) check. This is a free action usable once per round.
19: You are expert at using terrain to your advantage. You may substitute your ranks in Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) for your BAB for purposes of bull rush, grapple, and trip maneuvers.
Delver [Skill]
You spend a lot of time in dungeons. Certain habits inevitably result.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Dungeoneering).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Dungeoneering) checks. Knowledge (Dungeoneering) is always a class skill for you.
4: You receive a +3 dodge bonus to AC and saves against traps.
9: The first time you see a cursed item, you immediately know it is cursed if you pass a Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check with a DC of 10 + the item's caster level (this check is rolled secretly, of course). You may suppress the cursed effects of an item for one day with a Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check, DC 10 + item's caster level (if you fail, the curse activates as if you had attempted to use the item), but the curse reasserts itself if anyone but you attempts to use the item.
14: You automatically know if there is an armed trap within 300 feet of you, but do not know its nature or exact location.
19: You unerringly know the shortest navigable route to daylight at all times.
World Traveler [Skill]
The entire world is your home.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Geography).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Geography) checks. Knowledge (Geography) is always a class skill for you.
4: You and your traveling companions constantly benefit from an endure elements effect.
9: You receive a +10' competence bonus to your land speed.
14: Anyone attempting to use Survival to track you must beat you in an opposed check against your Knowledge (Geography).
19: With a DC 40 Knowledge (Geography) check, you can cast greater teleport as a spell-like ability.
Historian [Skill]
Your awareness of antiquated minutiae is staggering.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (History).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (History) checks. Knowledge (History) is always a class skill for you.
4: You gain the Bardic Knowledge ability of a Bard, using your character level instead of class level. If you already have Bardic Knowledge, you may roll it once for each source and take the best result.
9: Almost everything figures into history somehow. You may substitute your Knowledge (History) check for any other Knowledge check, but you suffer a -10 penalty when doing so (you do not count as untrained).
14: Once per day as a free action, you may attempt a DC 35 Knowledge (History) check to gain knowledge as if you had used legend lore.
19: Historical context and examples give you insight into many fields. You receive a +2 insight bonus on all skill checks. Yes, all of them. For simplicity, that includes Knowledge (History) checks.
Local Color [Skill]
You get friendly with the locals everywhere you go.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Local).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Local) checks. Knowledge (Local) is always a class skill for you. Additiionally, you are considered to have local knowledge for any area you have been in for any length of time. When you arrive in a new land, your ranks in Knowledge (Local) "catch up" at the rate of one per day as long as you are able to spend at least one hour per day listening to gossip.
4: Your understanding of local economy generally allows you to barter all goods for their full price, as if they were trade goods. However, there are still some items that absolutely no one in a region will want.
9: Your local contacts help you find services you need. You can get a local caster (if one exists) to cast a core cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard spell for you, but this takes one hour per caster level (plus the casting time of the spell), you must pay any component or XP costs, the caster level must be at least 5 less than your ranks in Knowledge (Local), and the spell must not entail any significant risk to the caster. At your DM's option, more exotic spells or services may be available.
14: With one day and a DC 30 Knowledge (Local) check in an appropriate milieu, you can make contacts with access to wishes or similar abilities and obtain the effects of one wish each day thereafter (while in that area), as long as the wish carries no XP cost and isn't likely to attract the wrath anything with a CR greater than your level - 5. No, you can't use this wish on the spur of the moment while out adventuring.
19: With one day and a DC 35 Knowledge (Local) check in a suitable milieu, you can convert planar currency into any other type of planar currency (your choice). For every 5 full points by which you exceed the DC, the time required is reduced by one step from one day to 4 hours to 2 hours to 1 hour to 30 minutes to 15 minutes.
Environmentalist [Skill]
You embrace the great outdoors.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Nature).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Nature) checks. Knowledge (Nature) is always a class skill for you.
4: While in a vegetated area, you can entangle an adjacent foe for one round with a move action and a Knowledge (Nature) check, DC 10 + target's STR + target's level or CR.
9: You can enhance your body's self-healing abilities. With a full-round action, you may perform a trance that restores HP equal to half your ranks in Knowledge (Nature). This action requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity.
14: You gain Scent.
19: With a DC 35 Knowledge (Nature) check, you can cast tree stride as a spell-like ability.
Feral Spirit [Skill]
You are at home only when you're not in a home.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Nature).
Benefits: Your natural armor is increased by 1.
4: You gain a natural bite, a sting, or two claws appropriate to a creature of your size as natural weapons.
9: You gain Scent.
14: You gain a +15' competence bonus to your land speed.
19: You gain DR 5/Wood and Fast Healing 1.
Regal [Skill]
Your studied grace gives you a regal demeanor.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Nobility).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Nobility) checks. Knowledge (Nobility) is always a class skill for you.
4: You seem above common conflict. You are protected by a constant sanctuary effect (save DC 8 + INT + half your ranks in Knowledge: Nobility). If this effect is ended for any reason (such as when you attack), you may renew it with a five-minute ritual.
9: Others obey you instinctively. With a DC 20 Knowledge (Nobility) check, you may cast command as a spell-like ability.
14: You never flinch. You are immune to fear effects.
19: With a DC 35 Knowledge (Nobility) check, you may cast greater command as a spell-like ability.
Undead Hunter [Skill]
You kill things that are already dead.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Religion).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (Religion) checks. Knowledge (Religion) is always a class skill for you.
4: As a swift action, you may emit a flash that inflicts light damage equal to half your ranks in Knowledge (Religion) against undead and creatures specifically vulnerable to light within 10' (undead that are also specifically vulnerable to light, such as vampires, take double damage).
9: Your attacks can score critical hits against undead, and they are not immune to your sneak attacks. If you target an undead creature with an effect that it would be immune to due to the involvement of a Fortitude save, it merely receives a +5 bonus to the save instead. None of these effects apply to undead with a CR greater than your ranks in Knowledge (Religion).
14: You may substitute your Knowledge (Religion) check for Bluff, Hide, or Move Silently checks made against undead.
19: Any undead that you kill are permanently destroyed and cannot regenerate or be reanimated by any means short of DM fiat.
Profound Presence [Skill]
Just being near you is a religious experience.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (Religion).
Benefits: You gain a +1 bonus on all charisma-based skill checks.
4: Adjacent allies gain a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage (you do not).
9: As a swift action, you may emit a searing aura that inflicts 2d6 light damage against all creatures within 10 feet of you (except yourself).
14: Once per round as a free action, you may designate a target within 60 feet. If the targeted creature meets your gaze within the next round, it must make a Will save (DC 8 + CHA + half your ranks in Knowledge (Religion)) or be dazed for one round.
19: You gain heal 1/day as a quickened spell-like ability.
Cosmologist [Skill]
You understand the big picture.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in Knowledge (The Planes).
Benefits: You receive a +3 bonus on Knowledge (The Planes) checks. Knowledge (The Planes) is always a class skill for you.
4: As a swift action, you may grant yourself energy resistance to one energy type equal to half your ranks in Knowledge (The Planes), or damage resistance equal to half your ranks that only applies to attacks with an alignment of your choice, including the attacks of creatures with that alignment subtype. This effect lasts for one round.
9: Your attacks count as having any alignment you wish for purposes of penetrating DR. You may change this alignment as a free action.
14: With a DC 30 Knowledge (The Planes) check, you can cast dismissal as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to your character level. The save DC is INT-based.
19: With a DC 40 Knowledge (The Planes) check, you can cast plane shift as a spell-like ability.
Scholar [Skill]
Knowledge is power.
This is a skill feat that scales with your ranks in your highest Knowledge skill.
Benefits: If your knowledge check to identify an opponent gives a result of at least 15 + the foe's CR, you have The Edge against that opponent until its CR increases.
4: You may take 10 on knowledge skill checks.
9: You are adept at identifying monsters' weaknesses. With a swift action and an appropriate knowledge check (DC 15 + creature's CR), for 5 rounds, you gain either a +2 insight bonus to attack and damage against a creature or a +2 insight bonus to the save DC of any save you force it to make (your choice which). You may not take 10 on this check.
14: When you make a successful knowledge check using the 9-rank ability of this feat, your attacks also ignore the target creature's DR and hardness for 5 rounds.
19: All your attacks have a doubled critical threat range.
Someone in my play group was interested in the possibility of fighting with more than two weapons (mostly for things with lots of arms, I think). I thought that simply extending the benefits of RoW two-weapon fighting to an arbitrary number would probably be broken, and so...
Multi-Weapon Fighting [Combat]
You are pointy in all directions.
This is a combat feat that scales with your base attack bonus.
Prerequisite: Must have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat.
Benefits: Whenever you make an attack or full-attack action, you may Feint once with each weapon you do not use in the attack.
+1: You have the Edge against opponents whose BAB plus number of wielded weapons (including natural weapons) is less than yours.
+6: Whenever you make an attack or full-attack action, you may make a number of attacks with your tertiary weapon equal to the number of attacks you are afforded with your primary weapon.
+11: You gain two extra attacks of opportunity each round for each weapon you wield beyond your second, these attacks of opportunity must be made with the corresponding weapons.
+16: Whenever you make an attack or full-attack action, you may make a number of attacks with your fourth weapon equal to the number of attacks you are afforded with your primary weapon.
Also, various additional stuff:
Jack of All Trades [General]
You know how to do a completely implausible number of things.
This is a general feat that scales with your character level.
Benefits: You suffer no penalties for being untrained in a skill.
1: You retroactively gain 1 extra skill point per level (4 at 1st level). All skill points gained from this feat must be spent after you have spent other skill points gained for the same level, and cannot be used to raise a skill above your cross-class maximum rank.
6: You immediately gain 1 rank in every core skill. For any skill where this would put you above your normal maximum ranks, you gain 1 extra skill point instead (subject to limitations given above).
11: All core skills are considered class skills for you. Your synergy bonuses for having 5+ ranks in a skill are all doubled.
16: You benefit from a +5 competence bonus to one skill at all times; you may change which skill as a swift action, but may only select a skill in which you have at least one rank.
Ghostly Visage [General]
People think you've already got one foot in the grave. They're right.
This is a general feat that scales with your character level.
Benefits: You may reroll your miss chance due to a target's incorporeality.
1: When you attack or are targeted by an attack, you may take an immediate action to cause the attack to be resolved as if you were incorporeal, except that non-magical attacks still have a 50% chance to hit you (as if they were magical). You must use this ability before the attack roll is made. You may not use this ability if you are denied your DEX bonus to AC.
6: You gain lifesense, allowing you to locate living creatures within 60' as blindsense and sense the strength of their life force as if you had cast deathwatch.
11: You may pass through solid objects as if incorporeal, but may not end your movement inside of one (if you do so by accident, you are shunted to the nearest open space and take 1d6 damage per 5' traveled).
16: You are healed by negative energy as if undead (this does not interfere with any existing ability to be healed by positive energy). You do not lose XP when resurrected.
Trickery [Combat]
You pull all sorts of crazy crap to get a leg up in combat.
This is a combat feat that scales with your base attack bonus.
Benefits: As a swift action, you may give yourself a +3 dodge bonus to AC, a +4 dodge bonus to one save of your choice, or resistance 4 against one energy type of your choice. This effect lasts one round.
+1: You gain a +4 bonus to your Feint attempts.
+6: Your BAB counts as one point higher for purposes of determining The Edge.
+11: As an immediate action, you may force one opponent in your threatened range about to make a d20 roll to roll twice and take the lower result.
+16: When you make a saving throw, you may take an immediate action to use your highest save bonus instead of the normal save type.
There! That should warrant a tl;dr...
Of course, since yours are actually important for fixing systemic holes.Manxome wrote:Oh, someone still cares about these!
Accuse me of being incoherent if that's the case, but don't accuse me of having the same viewpoint as the others: if I had it, I'd have left those for dead. As for "The Failure of Feats", I've read it and can more or less agree, including the bonus size issue; but, in that case, we're actually talking about a +3 DC bonus to a school, and I say it's more powerful than it should because: a) 1 school sometimes' all one actually uses (it's entirely possible with conjuration and transmutation at least), and b) the most powerful example of a +3 bonus I can recall's Combat School, and even that assumes a category of weapons that isn't always available, while "spells from a school" are available in any circumstance other than those that're so blatantly "screw the casters" that I don't think they should be taken into account. So, less than +3's too little, I put it that +3 to that particular number's too much: find something other than a number to put on that place - I do apologize for not being able to supply any ideas myself ATM. Lastly, for a guy who likes consistency like you (and I say that in nothing other than a positive tone), it's hilarious to burn a strawman: I talked about ... Spell Focus, not Greater Spell Focus.Manxome wrote:Well, Races of War goes on this big rant about how +1 bonuses are actually insulting, because they're less than the difference between rolling well and rolling poorly on your starting stats, and you could plausibly forget you even have it, and if you made your die rolls secretly you might not even notice its effects over the course of a campaign.
Also, you actually can get +2 to your DC with SRD feats, it just takes two feats to do it instead of one (Greater Spell Focus). And there's another SRD feat that actually gives +2 to DCs, but it's used for special abilities instead of spells.
Now, as I said, it may be that casters are just too powerful and you want to kick them in the nuts every chance you get, but if we're pretending that feats are actually supposed to be just as valuable to casters as to martial characters, then I think the convention is clearly that +1s are not tolerated.
Not everything that D&D did should've been done, e.g. the excess of absolutes. Also, remember than identify's an effect that people often use for some kinds of task, while yours won't have any counter.Manxome wrote:Well, there's a level one spell that seems to disguise magic auras that doesn't allow for any check unless you use identify or a similar effect, so I didn't think that that would be an enormous effect, but I suppose the spell only works on items...
Don't worry, you're above it. You'll certainly pardon me for not commenting on them now, of course. Oh, yeah: I'd also recommend the original A Rough Sketch of Skill Feats since there was some extra stuff there, and Fixing Metamagic for a divergent PoV.Manxome wrote:There! That should warrant a tl;dr...
Last edited by Bigode on Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hans Freyer, s.b.u.h. wrote:A manly, a bold tone prevails in history. He who has the grip has the booty.
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brotherfrancis75 wrote:Perhaps you imagine that Ayn Rand is our friend? And the Mont Pelerin Society? No, those are but the more subtle versions of the Bolshevik Communist Revolution you imagine you reject. (...) FOX NEWS IS ALSO COMMUNIST!
LDSChristian wrote:True. I do wonder which is worse: killing so many people like Hitler did or denying Christ 3 times like Peter did.
Actually, there are many RoW feats that give only a +2 bonus on a d20 roll of some kind (Combat School, Elusive Target, Command, Expert Tactician, Murderous Intent, Two-Weapon Fighting...). I assumed that the +3 in "The Failure of Feats" was a typo; the first two bonuses on Spell Focus are intended to (loosely) resemble Combat School.Bigode wrote:As for "The Failure of Feats", I've read it and can more or less agree, including the bonus size issue; but, in that case, we're actually talking about a +3 DC bonus to a school, and I say it's more powerful than it should because: a) 1 school sometimes' all one actually uses (it's entirely possible with conjuration and transmutation at least), and b) the most powerful example of a +3 bonus I can recall's Combat School, and even that assumes a category of weapons that isn't always available, while "spells from a school" are available in any circumstance other than those that're so blatantly "screw the casters" that I don't think they should be taken into account. So, less than +3's too little, I put it that +3 to that particular number's too much: find something other than a number to put on that place - I do apologize for not being able to supply any ideas myself ATM.
I apologize if I put words into your mouth; I merely wanted to clarify that the bonus being given here isn't larger than what was possible to accumulate under core rules, merely bigger than what you could get for one feat under core rules. I think that's an important distinction, because it means that while you can save resources for other stuff, the theoretical maximum save DC isn't any higher (at least not past level 3 or so, and with the caveat that there could always be a loophole I haven't noticed).Bigode wrote:Lastly, for a guy who likes consistency like you (and I say that in nothing other than a positive tone), it's hilarious to burn a strawman: I talked about ... Spell Focus, not Greater Spell Focus.
I wouldn't think people would often use identify on items with no magic auras, but the revised version above only works against "detect magic, arcane sight, and similar spells," and it involves a caster level check.Bigode wrote:Not everything that D&D did should've been done, e.g. the excess of absolutes. Also, remember than identify's an effect that people often use for some kinds of task, while yours won't have any counter.
Thanks, I'll take a look at those.Bigode wrote:Oh, yeah: I'd also recommend the original A Rough Sketch of Skill Feats since there was some extra stuff there, and Fixing Metamagic for a divergent PoV.
No need to apologize, was just poking.Manxome wrote:I apologize if I put words into your mouth; I merely wanted to clarify that the bonus being given here isn't larger than what was possible to accumulate under core rules, merely bigger than what you could get for one feat under core rules. I think that's an important distinction, because it means that while you can save resources for other stuff, the theoretical maximum save DC isn't any higher (at least not past level 3 or so, and with the caveat that there could always be a loophole I haven't noticed).
But in D&D there's little such thing as "maximum resource stacking", so "individual resource size" matters a lot ... just like in Perilous, which I'd like to study in deeper detail.They might use it before finding the item has no aura, IIRC. Not sure why restrict what it works against, though.Manxome wrote:I wouldn't think people would often use identify on items with no magic auras, but the revised version above only works against "detect magic, arcane sight, and similar spells," and it involves a caster level check.
Hans Freyer, s.b.u.h. wrote:A manly, a bold tone prevails in history. He who has the grip has the booty.
Huston Smith wrote:Life gives us no view of the whole. We see only snatches here and there, (...)
brotherfrancis75 wrote:Perhaps you imagine that Ayn Rand is our friend? And the Mont Pelerin Society? No, those are but the more subtle versions of the Bolshevik Communist Revolution you imagine you reject. (...) FOX NEWS IS ALSO COMMUNIST!
LDSChristian wrote:True. I do wonder which is worse: killing so many people like Hitler did or denying Christ 3 times like Peter did.
What, my last post not worth responding to? Anyway, I wish to note the following abilities were killed and might prove interesting for something else: conserving resources used on resisted spells, delaying spell activations, feinting as part of spells, opportunity spells. Also, the fact that you're keeping the older versions instead of editing them out's very good, but I'd suggest that you spoiler-block them.
Next. The non-stacking bonuses might be typed to something, and one could determine all those bonuses to go to that same type. I'd recommend Bottomless Magic 3 to be restricted to up to 2 levels lower than maximum, and 9 doesn't seem useful enough. In Timeless Magic 6, are you keeping -5 levels just because it leaves level 1, or something else? Stealth Magic 0: why not just resist "spells that detect auras"? Elemental Magic 0 ideally wouldn't refer to an old feat, 9 and 19 might be too late (before anyone says people can use them to get immunity against all energy - they already can, I think K said people don't even need this feat to do it anyway, and someone who takes this feat multiple times takes a serious offnsive hit even in comparison to people taking official feats that aren't redundant).
If you read "A Rough Sketch of Skill Feats", you saw some ideas that might be useful for Climb and Jump. Also, if I tell you that something's not useful enough, keep in mind that, having read them in detail, I find the same about some of their effects too.
Mountaineer: in short, all that you gain through level 11's related to ... walking.
Super Jump: I'm far from sure of it being good enough in general; meanwhile, you might wanna round the feet (I assume) at 14.
Delver: at level 16, the shortest route to daylight's teleporting "a lot above" and using as many feather falls as needed.
Since speed bonuses aren't breaking any RNG, and especially if land-only, might fail to be good even if stacked (not a certainty), I don't think the ones from feats that aren't large should be typed.
Historian: bardic knowledge doesn't actually do anything, it's a piece of GM pity with DCs that happen to be more arbitrary than for Knowledge, so you might just ditch it with 9 existing. Talking about that one, I might suggest lowering the penalty to -15, so that it still caused a penalty after nullifying the Knowledge (History) item (assuming a +10 from Iaimeki rather than a +30 from BoG: let's at least pay some semblance of respect to the RNG) I'd certainly have if I had that feat. And to whoever might say a History item can't be awesome: fvck you. 19: watch me care about a bunch of +2's.
Local Color: I'm not sure Knowledge (Local) should exist or be a single skill, but whatever. 4: might use "as long as anyone in the region is interested in the goods in question" instead of the second sentence. 9: I dunno, it seems like it might generate high-level spellcaster (or a pile of staffs) outta nothing in some regions - I'd ditch it. 14: "in an area with significant occupation of participants in the wish economy" instead of "appropriate"; as for "not while adventuring", might try something like "must visit contact, and it takes time". 19: same on "suitable".
Environmentalist 9: people're already into CLW wands out of combat and using it sure as hell isn't a combat action. Scent might actually come at 9.
Feral Spirit: shouldn't have put scent in 2 feats, I think (seemingly, just cut it off Environmentalist) ... DR 5 might be interesting, but natural AC +1 and fast healing 1?
Undead Hunter 4: too little - I don't see entire ranks as being too much even for level 1, as it'll only pay off if you let yourself be surrounded, much like the better color spray. 14: not sure - not that it's unbalanced, but that it might encourage unidimensionality. 19: GM fiat does whatever it wants anyway - but it might have a real way to solve, maybe destroying the hunter's soul?
Profound Presence 0: oh, no. 4: no to little bonuses, but the idea's good - maybe some DR (they ignore pain near you)? 9: how dare you offer me nonscaling damage? 19: I might give it thrice, but that's kinda minor (anyway, one might worry about overlap with the marshal, I dunno; sure they'd gain better by level 19 if it existed, as per Frank himself: combat resurrection - I suppose actually better than revivify, check the psionic version in case of doubt, it's the same except for a XP cost and being noncore).
Cosmologist 4: I hear the knight's designating you her enemy. Prepare to deal damage.
Multi-Weapon Fighting +6 and +16: if TWF was balanced, it's hard to believe those are too - multi-weapon fighting doesn't add extra penalties and the feat cost seems to pale compared to extra series of BAB attacks. +9 might also help break the considered-broken-by-some AoO specialist samurai even further (while one might argue that's solely iaijutsu's fault, I don't even know what to do with so many AoOs aside from using it anyway). So, in the end, I think making this be TWF++ won't fly in any way.
Jack of All Trades 6: given that presumably 0 was meant to allow untrained checks for anything, why care about having 1 rank in each skill (I'm aware that if you do your math, it folds back into extra skill points for, say, picking an extra maxed skill, but if that was the intent at all, just give extra skill points again - not that I'd actually recommend it, for variation's sake)?
Ghostly Visage 16: almost positive it's late.
Trickery 0: the resistance doesn't scale and overlaps with Cosmologist, and even AC/save make the monk not care he doesn't have a class ability for it and designate your anyway - watch out for free weekend on negative energy plane with no save (fortunately, the return ticket will work if you have one, unlike with the calling gate).
Next. The non-stacking bonuses might be typed to something, and one could determine all those bonuses to go to that same type. I'd recommend Bottomless Magic 3 to be restricted to up to 2 levels lower than maximum, and 9 doesn't seem useful enough. In Timeless Magic 6, are you keeping -5 levels just because it leaves level 1, or something else? Stealth Magic 0: why not just resist "spells that detect auras"? Elemental Magic 0 ideally wouldn't refer to an old feat, 9 and 19 might be too late (before anyone says people can use them to get immunity against all energy - they already can, I think K said people don't even need this feat to do it anyway, and someone who takes this feat multiple times takes a serious offnsive hit even in comparison to people taking official feats that aren't redundant).
If you read "A Rough Sketch of Skill Feats", you saw some ideas that might be useful for Climb and Jump. Also, if I tell you that something's not useful enough, keep in mind that, having read them in detail, I find the same about some of their effects too.
Mountaineer: in short, all that you gain through level 11's related to ... walking.
Super Jump: I'm far from sure of it being good enough in general; meanwhile, you might wanna round the feet (I assume) at 14.
Delver: at level 16, the shortest route to daylight's teleporting "a lot above" and using as many feather falls as needed.
Since speed bonuses aren't breaking any RNG, and especially if land-only, might fail to be good even if stacked (not a certainty), I don't think the ones from feats that aren't large should be typed.
Historian: bardic knowledge doesn't actually do anything, it's a piece of GM pity with DCs that happen to be more arbitrary than for Knowledge, so you might just ditch it with 9 existing. Talking about that one, I might suggest lowering the penalty to -15, so that it still caused a penalty after nullifying the Knowledge (History) item (assuming a +10 from Iaimeki rather than a +30 from BoG: let's at least pay some semblance of respect to the RNG) I'd certainly have if I had that feat. And to whoever might say a History item can't be awesome: fvck you. 19: watch me care about a bunch of +2's.
Local Color: I'm not sure Knowledge (Local) should exist or be a single skill, but whatever. 4: might use "as long as anyone in the region is interested in the goods in question" instead of the second sentence. 9: I dunno, it seems like it might generate high-level spellcaster (or a pile of staffs) outta nothing in some regions - I'd ditch it. 14: "in an area with significant occupation of participants in the wish economy" instead of "appropriate"; as for "not while adventuring", might try something like "must visit contact, and it takes time". 19: same on "suitable".
Environmentalist 9: people're already into CLW wands out of combat and using it sure as hell isn't a combat action. Scent might actually come at 9.
Feral Spirit: shouldn't have put scent in 2 feats, I think (seemingly, just cut it off Environmentalist) ... DR 5 might be interesting, but natural AC +1 and fast healing 1?
Undead Hunter 4: too little - I don't see entire ranks as being too much even for level 1, as it'll only pay off if you let yourself be surrounded, much like the better color spray. 14: not sure - not that it's unbalanced, but that it might encourage unidimensionality. 19: GM fiat does whatever it wants anyway - but it might have a real way to solve, maybe destroying the hunter's soul?
Profound Presence 0: oh, no. 4: no to little bonuses, but the idea's good - maybe some DR (they ignore pain near you)? 9: how dare you offer me nonscaling damage? 19: I might give it thrice, but that's kinda minor (anyway, one might worry about overlap with the marshal, I dunno; sure they'd gain better by level 19 if it existed, as per Frank himself: combat resurrection - I suppose actually better than revivify, check the psionic version in case of doubt, it's the same except for a XP cost and being noncore).
Cosmologist 4: I hear the knight's designating you her enemy. Prepare to deal damage.
Multi-Weapon Fighting +6 and +16: if TWF was balanced, it's hard to believe those are too - multi-weapon fighting doesn't add extra penalties and the feat cost seems to pale compared to extra series of BAB attacks. +9 might also help break the considered-broken-by-some AoO specialist samurai even further (while one might argue that's solely iaijutsu's fault, I don't even know what to do with so many AoOs aside from using it anyway). So, in the end, I think making this be TWF++ won't fly in any way.
Jack of All Trades 6: given that presumably 0 was meant to allow untrained checks for anything, why care about having 1 rank in each skill (I'm aware that if you do your math, it folds back into extra skill points for, say, picking an extra maxed skill, but if that was the intent at all, just give extra skill points again - not that I'd actually recommend it, for variation's sake)?
Ghostly Visage 16: almost positive it's late.
Trickery 0: the resistance doesn't scale and overlaps with Cosmologist, and even AC/save make the monk not care he doesn't have a class ability for it and designate your anyway - watch out for free weekend on negative energy plane with no save (fortunately, the return ticket will work if you have one, unlike with the calling gate).
Hans Freyer, s.b.u.h. wrote:A manly, a bold tone prevails in history. He who has the grip has the booty.
Huston Smith wrote:Life gives us no view of the whole. We see only snatches here and there, (...)
brotherfrancis75 wrote:Perhaps you imagine that Ayn Rand is our friend? And the Mont Pelerin Society? No, those are but the more subtle versions of the Bolshevik Communist Revolution you imagine you reject. (...) FOX NEWS IS ALSO COMMUNIST!
LDSChristian wrote:True. I do wonder which is worse: killing so many people like Hitler did or denying Christ 3 times like Peter did.
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SunTzuWarmaster
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- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
Yea, that is solely iaijutsu's fault. One attack is awesome because it can be used for trips and grabs and stuff. 8 attacks or so as an immediate action is crazy. The saving grace of it, however, is that all of those attacks SUCK, as I'm finding out. They are made at normal plusses with almost no extra damage source (no Kiai!).
I know some people don't believe it, but level 19 does exist (I'm totally on board with saying 21 doesn't). I also know some people are wont to say "it's crazy town", but even if it's not excessive (which I'm far from sure about), it's kinda unidimensional and might even end subutilized ... anyway, are you actually telling me you have problems with killing people with 8 attacks, sometimes plus full attack? Not that it's impossible, but I think you aren't trying (not to say you necessarily should).SunTzuWarmaster wrote:Yea, that is solely iaijutsu's fault. One attack is awesome because it can be used for trips and grabs and stuff. 8 attacks or so as an immediate action is crazy. The saving grace of it, however, is that all of those attacks SUCK, as I'm finding out. They are made at normal plusses with almost no extra damage source (no Kiai!).
Hans Freyer, s.b.u.h. wrote:A manly, a bold tone prevails in history. He who has the grip has the booty.
Huston Smith wrote:Life gives us no view of the whole. We see only snatches here and there, (...)
brotherfrancis75 wrote:Perhaps you imagine that Ayn Rand is our friend? And the Mont Pelerin Society? No, those are but the more subtle versions of the Bolshevik Communist Revolution you imagine you reject. (...) FOX NEWS IS ALSO COMMUNIST!
LDSChristian wrote:True. I do wonder which is worse: killing so many people like Hitler did or denying Christ 3 times like Peter did.
Drunken master: ignorable, but the BAB prerequisite looks intended for a crap monk. Standard actions can be used as move since forever, drink like a devil requires a move. Technically, you'd have to list Str/Dex/Con and Int/Wis/Cha. The drink limit period's unspecified - would be easier to just say "1h/drink to a maximum of ...". Slam should be listed separately or at least said to be obtained at 1 (BTW, is it intended to only be available while drunk?). Mean drunk: capping use on AoOs doesn't limit other sources of extra attacks, and characters broken with AoOs probably were so even without this ability - so you might consider lifting the cap, or limiting use to just BAB attacks. Noxious breath: don't make anyone have to figure out where the marilith's head is; scaling by drinks' a non-starter; scent doesn't give a Survival bonus - just make a fixed Fortitude penalty (say, -4). Delete evil breath (RNG? What's that?) and word vile breath's ignoring of mettle properly. Painkiller: "half damage from all sources". Funny drunk: again improper scaling, abilities that require you to fail might not see much use, and this seems to hit allies. Drunken savant: reword the bonus as +2/drink - technically, they fail to stack as written. "Where'd he go now?": people struck by someone else haven't stopped being in combat with you - what's the intended result? Recuperating coma's OK at level 6 (I think), but definitely needs to get better before 15. More liquid power: does that mean learning 1 or 2 extra spells? Definitely use Con & Cha for DCs right from the start.
Hans Freyer, s.b.u.h. wrote:A manly, a bold tone prevails in history. He who has the grip has the booty.
Huston Smith wrote:Life gives us no view of the whole. We see only snatches here and there, (...)
brotherfrancis75 wrote:Perhaps you imagine that Ayn Rand is our friend? And the Mont Pelerin Society? No, those are but the more subtle versions of the Bolshevik Communist Revolution you imagine you reject. (...) FOX NEWS IS ALSO COMMUNIST!
LDSChristian wrote:True. I do wonder which is worse: killing so many people like Hitler did or denying Christ 3 times like Peter did.