Brutal Hit

Brutal Hit

Prerequisites: STR 13+, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Power Attack, Cleave, Greater Cleave, Improved Critical

Benefit: Increase the critical multiplier of the weapon you have improved critical and greater weapon specialization by one factor (a weapon that deals x2 crits deals x3 crits with this feat). Further, when you roll a natural 20 you threaten a brutal hit, this deals an additional factor of critical damage (for a total of two - x2 becomes x4, x3 becomes x5 and so on). Feats and spells which increase the threat range for critical hits do not increase the threat range for brutal hits.

Special: A fighter may select brutal hit as a fighter bonus feat.

I like it- it's a sweet high-level fighter feat.

Hmm. Whats it mean by 1 factor ? Does a x3 weapon become a x5 weapon (mirroring Keen Edge/Improved crit) or a x4 weapon (one step) ?

Edit - Ah means one step. Clear from the brutal hit example, seems a bit biased against bit crit weapons though, this feat is much better to take with a rapier than a Scythe.

If the +1 crit multiplier stacking with the +2 on a natural 20 ??

a x2 deals x5? og just x4?

I L O V E the feat, i was planning to make some high level fighte feats, and this one just rock.


Remember to put in the discribtion, that it can be chosen as one of the fighters bonus feats

Editted for clarification - each factor is another multiplier. So all your normal crits go up by 1 multiplier. x2 damage becomes x3, x3 becomes x4, x4 becomes x5. Yeah, you could say that favors swords and the like, but increasing the multiplier by a percentage breaks too easily. In a sense, this adds another batch (or two) of damage to an already powerful strike.

Yes, it's crunchy. A fighter with this feat on a greatsword swings for a nasty 9d6+12 damage (remember, greater weap spec is a prereq), and on a brutal hit an astonishing 12d6+15 is dealt - approaching the kind of damage spells deal at this level.

Even a longsword deals a respectable 3d8+12, or 4d8+15 on a brutal hit. It's a hard feat to pass up, but a hard feat to qualify for as well.

Looks suitably balanced and crunch as you say. I'm liking it.

This is how I would do it though I really like this feat...though Metagamers would have a field day using a feat such as this.

Brutal Hit [General, Fighter]
You have become skilled at inflicting more devastating wounds than normal.
Prerequisites: STR 13+, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, Improved Critical
Benefit: A character who takes this feat is able to increase the critical multiplier of a single weapon for which he already has taken improved critical, and weapon specialization by one factor (I.E. a weapon that does x2 on a critical hit, would instead do x3 on a successful critical hit). Feats and spells which normally increase the threat range for critical hits do not increase the threat range for a brutal hit.
Special: A fighter may select brutal hit as one of his bonus feats. This feat may be taken multiples times; each time this feat is taken however it must be for a new weapon for which the character meets the requirements.
Notes: A character that uses this feat must designate when the feat is in use at the beginning of a combat, before initiative is called.

And then add in the next phase using the second half of brutal hits text above

Improved Brutal Hit
Your reputation proceeds you as a brusier, Huzzah!
Prerequisites: Str 15+, Brutal Hit, Greater Weapon Specialization, Power attack, Cleave, Great Cleave.
Benefit: Like brutal hit, your critical modifier with a single weapon for which your character has already taken Greater weapon specialization goes up by two factors (I.E. if you are using a weapon whose critical modifier is x2 it instead becomes a x4 modifier on a successful critical hit). Furthermore on roll of a natural twenty, you threaten a brutal hit, you deal an additional temporary factor of damage (for a total of three factors, a modifier of x2 would become a x5, a x3 a x6 and so on).
Special: A fighter may take this feat as one of his bonus feats provided that he meets the requirements. This feat may be taken multiples times; each time this feat is taken however it must be for a new weapon for which the character meets the requirements.
Notes: A character that uses this feat must designate when the feat is in use at the beginning of a combat, before initiative is called.

Priest_Sidran said:

This is how I would do it though I really like this feat...though Metagamers would have a field day using a feat such as this.

Brutal Hit [General, Fighter]
You have become skilled at inflicting more devastating wounds than normal.
Prerequisites: STR 13+, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, Improved Critical
Benefit: A character who takes this feat is able to increase the critical multiplier of a single weapon for which he already has taken improved critical, and weapon specialization by one factor (I.E. a weapon that does x2 on a critical hit, would instead do x3 on a successful critical hit). Feats and spells which normally increase the threat range for critical hits do not increase the threat range for a brutal hit.
Special: A fighter may select brutal hit as one of his bonus feats. This feat may be taken multiples times; each time this feat is taken however it must be for a new weapon for which the character meets the requirements.
Notes: A character that uses this feat must designate when the feat is in use at the beginning of a combat, before initiative is called.

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I like this version of the feat. I wouldn't use the Improved Brutal Hit feat, however. That's one step too far, IMO. Too much a Metagame in that one. You don't mind if I steal this one for my campaign, do you?

Priest_Sidran said:

Notes: A character that uses this feat must designate when the feat is in use at the beginning of a combat, before initiative is called.

Click to expand...

I like this version of the feats, but I'm not sure why this last bit is in there. Characters don't have to declare when they're using Weapon Focus, Specialization, etc. The effect is just factored into the play.

exempt said:

I like this version of the feats, but I'm not sure why this last bit is in there. Characters don't have to declare when they're using Weapon Focus, Specialization, etc. The effect is just factored into the play.

Click to expand...

That is true...Its more a matter (for me) as a DM to make the players make concious decisions about what they are doing. It is yet another way of keeping metagaming in line, which In my eyes this particular feat set-up is risking. It makes them have to work more for the power.

While I think that the feat should still make the player declare its use, like weapon finesse which this feat is more atuned to, I could see it edited to where it doesn't need to be declared.

I think that these feats in any incarnation would be to tempting for a broken player who was about the thrill of uberpowering his characters.