Aside from Expertise, what are the most commonly acknowledged feat-tax feats?

[Nifft]

paragon defenses and epic defenses.

Yep. Expertise (in all its incarnations) plus these two.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Stuntman]

If you are playing a hybrid character, Hybrid Talent is considered a feat tax because it is just so good.

 

[Shin Okada]

If you are playing a hybrid character, Hybrid Talent is considered a feat tax because it is just so good.

That is different. "Feat Tax" here means feats which almost all the PCs (must) take anyway.

Hybrid Talent feat is just for Hybrid characters. And depend on build of each characters, they may take 1 (or even 0) - many Hybrid Talent feats. And those feats are there to keep game balance between hybrid characters and non-hybrid characters.

On the other hand, Expertise and Paragon/Epic defense are made to "compensate" the flaw of the game mechanic. Without those feats, PC attack bonus and Defenses increase much slower than those of monsters, especially at epic level.

 

[FrozenChrono]

I'd include any class specific feat that a member of that class needs to take to keep up or that virtually every member of that class takes because of how powerful it is relative to any other feat for them. Hybrid Talent is going to be taken by almost every Hybrid character, and almost all of those are going to be taking it at level one with a few holding off maybe til 2 or 4.

These "class specific feat tax" cases aren't as wide ranging as the generic ones like expertise and defenses but are still worth noting as the original poster is looking for any "feat taxes"

 

[Turtlejay]

The commonly agreed on feat taxes would be Expertise, Paragon Defenses, and Robust Defenses. I think many would consider the multiclass Power Swap feats to be feat taxes, especially if you are Paragon multiclassing.

I think it would be best to try the game RAW before you fiddle with it too much.

Jay

 

[Jhaelen]

If one is just beginning the game, one should just try the game. Frankly, I doubt the entire feat-tax idea.

Ditto.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Chain for Con Shamans/Con and Cha Starlocks/Str and Wis Rangers can be considered a feat tax. I award it for free in my games.

EDIT: Also, melee training for some Swordmages, Paladins and Battleminds.

Cha-based Paladins don't need Melee Training. There's an At Will in divine power that counts as a melee basic attack. And there's a school of thought that says swordmages don't want to be sticky.

 

[yesnomu]

Cha-based Paladins don't need Melee Training. There's an At Will in divine power that counts as a melee basic attack. And there's a school of thought that says swordmages don't want to be sticky.

They do if they want two other at-wills, like Ardent and Enfeebling Strike. Virtuous Strike is ok, but at least in heroic it's worth taking Melee Training to avoid it.

A Swordmage might or might not want to keep melee opponents adjacent, but they definitely don't want ranged enemies to be able to shoot their friends freely, and threatening OAs is the simplest way to do that. Pressing an archer against a wall is a good way to control them without your mark, which is nice since you only get one (in heroic, anyway) for the entire enemy group.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Depends what you want from your Paladin. Yes, there is a small gap where Melee Training (Charisma) is worth it. But my first level encounter power sanctions everything. My second level utility sanctions everything. Ardent Strike is therefore only useful for charges or for hanging onto foes late on in a combat (or for charging) - and the autodamage from sanction may not be pretty, but I can Enfeebling Strike then swap the mark over if I want to hold two targets for a while. Yes, Melee Training for a non-human paladin is nice at mid-late heroic to expand your toolbox (humans just take all three from Ardent, Enfeebling, and Virtuous). But after Weapon Expertise there are several other feats you want that are also pretty nice (starting with multiclass feats) - and by L11 you not only have paragon feats to take, you have four encounter powers, limiting the times you'll need Ardent Strike. Therefore while I'd call it a solid feat from levels 2-10 for non-human paladins, I certainly wouldn't call it mandatory.

 

[Stalker0]

I might go with backstabber for the rogue, haven't seen one yet that doesn't take that feat. All the rogue balance arguments always include it as well.