New Feat: Strafe

[Victim]

Strafe

You can use your speed and skill at flight to sweep your breath weapon along your path.

Requirements: Breath weapon ability, Flyby Attack, Flight speed

The area of your breath weapon attack changes based on your speed. The width of the breath weapon area remains the same, while length becomes the total distance moved in a straight line during your action. The surface being Strafed must be within normal breath weapon range - a dragon that breathes a cone ft 50 long must be not be more than 50 ft above ground level to strafe creatures on the ground. Using this feat leaves you staggered for one round. Your movement provokes AoO normally. Using this feat is a standard action and counts as using your breath weapon.
Normal (cone)
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Dragon:***********
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Strafe (cone)

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Dragon:-------------------------------------------------> Dragonmoved)
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(the area directly underneath the dragon is also affected)

 

[las]

looks ok.

 

[Claude Raines]

Since the area of the breath weapon is greatly increased, I would expect the damage to go down since no one person would feel the brunt of the breath weapon. Maybe the damage should be something on the order of 1/4 total/no damage for failed/successful save.

 

[graydoom]

Since the area of the breath weapon is greatly increased, I would expect the damage to go down since no one person would feel the brunt of the breath weapon. Maybe the damage should be something on the order of 1/4 total/no damage for failed/successful save.

I think this is a good idea, but it might be better to make it 1/2 on failed save, 1/4 on successful save (to give those with Evasion a use for their ability versus strafing dragons).

 

[Victim]

I made the creature staggered after using the feat so they essentially lose a move equivalent action "catching their breath" after such a violent exhalation. Since creatures without Hover need to spend a MEA to remain in flight, using this feat can cost you the next action.

As an alternative, I thought about making the feat cost additional breath weapon uses to use, so that a dragon would need to recharge for 2d4 or 3d4 rounds instead of 1d4.

However, reducing the damage or save DC would also be appropriate. The save DC would apply to more breath weapon attacks like shadow dragon energy drain.