Return to PHB: Best Generic Feats?

[tuxgeo]

No consistent theme at all.
Toughness is pretty common, but by no means universal. (If you're going to be hit anyway, it's a great idea to require more hits to put you down.)

Skill Training occurs rarely; multiclassing can sometimes replace it.

Alertness one time, for a laser cleric.
Weapon Proficiency twice: Bastard Sword for a bastard Warlord; and again for a Red Box Halfling Warpriest to use a Short Sword.

(My Hybrid characters use so much PHB2 and PHB3 stuff, including the "Skill Power" feat, that they don't have a lot of feat slots left over for PHB1 feats.)

 

[keterys]

I've never taken any of those feats on any character (and that's a lot of characters!)

I've considered taking Toughness and I've considered Improved Initiative. More the first than the second, but those are both pretty solid. Just always some other feat I found more interesting.

Actually, wait - I think my barbarian had Powerful Charge briefly, before I retrained it. There we go, one of 'em, once.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

I've never taken any of those feats on any character (and that's a lot of characters!)

I've considered taking Toughness and I've considered Improved Initiative. More the first than the second, but those are both pretty solid. Just always some other feat I found more interesting.

Actually, wait - I think my barbarian had Powerful Charge briefly, before I retrained it. There we go, one of 'em, once.

Wow, that's interesting. I know you post analyses here a lot, but I'm not sure how much you actually play. Would you mind sharing with us what feats you normally do take?

 

[keterys]

I play twice a week or so. Couple dozen characters so far - highest is 23rd level, so I'm not sure above that.

Looking at a quick selection of characters:
Swordmage/Wizard: Intelligent Blademaster, Skirmishing Leader, Superior Implement, Enlarge Spell, Weapon Focus, Hybrid Talent, Versatile Expertise, Unarmored Agility, Arcane Familiar
Bard: Improved Majestic Word, Pact Initiate, Versatile Expertise, Acolyte Power, Versatile Master, Majestic Rescue, Vexing Flanker, Improved Valor, Sneak of Shadows, Dual Implement Spellcaster, Heart of the Blade, Initiate of the Faith, Multiclass Mastery, Spirit Talker, Supreme Majesty, Radiant Advantage
Fighter: Soldier of the Faith, Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Focus, Versatile Expertise*, Mounted Combat, Acolyte Power, Soldier of Virtue, Marked Scourge, Honored Foe, Psychic Lock, Wary Fighter
Artificer: Dwarven Weapon Training, Versatile Expertise*, Skirmishing Leader, Resourceful Leader, Arcane Familiar, Dwarven Durability
Invoker: Spirit Talker, Implement Expertise, Mending Spirit, Battle Intuition, Superior Implement, Acolyte Power, Weapon Focus
Warlord: Soldier of the Faith, Saving Inspiration, Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Expertise, Weapon Focus, Risky Charge, Combat Commander, Impetuous Charger, Impaling Spear, Reserve Maneuver, Fight On, Inspiring Breath
Paladin: Versatile Expertise*, Glittergold's Gambit, Bardic Dilettante

* These will get swapped out for new expertises shortly.

So my gotos are multiclasses, superior (weapon prof/implement), weapon focus, expertise.

I play twice a week, DM about twice a week. I help people make characters, too, often enough. So... call it two dozen characters of note (ie, not just 1st level never played)

 

[Prestidigitalis]

I play twice a week or so. Couple dozen characters so far - highest is 23rd level, so I'm not sure above that.

Interesting list. Mine is similar, but I usually find an excuse to squeeze Toughness in at level 8 or 10.

 

[keterys]

Toughness is the one I've been most tempted to get - but whenever I consider it, I watch play for a while to see if it would have made a difference, and it never seems to. The Honored Foe vs Toughness debate was one I did for a while, but Honored Foe is good for very specific instances where I expect I can get _at least_ 10 temp out of it, often 20 or more, so that works out in its favor.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Well, he charging one is god for charging characters, but the only one I consider a must-consider for every character is toughness. Getting a +1 or +2 on healing surge values can be a big improvement to the leader's healing ability, or your between encounters healing.

Of course now, with the essentials one giving you +3 to your healing surge value outright, toughness is less useful.

Overall, at the moment, I would not seriously consider any of them, unless I were building a charger.

 

[Oulak]

Well, I left off all of the "feat tax" feats purposely. They have been discussed to the point where excrutiating boredom is bitching about the dead horse being beaten outside its door.

I meant it in the most non-controversial way, but ruling that out as an option I'd have to change it to improved initiative. I tend to like the controllers, and the difference of +4 initiative on the first round can make a huge difference.

Can I re-vote?

 

[Prestidigitalis]

I meant it in the most non-controversial way, but ruling that out as an option I'd have to change it to improved initiative. I tend to like the controllers, and the difference of +4 initiative on the first round can make a huge difference.

Can I re-vote?

Sure, of course. I just thought it would be interesting to dust off some old feats and see how people feel about them after all this time. Not much point to doing that for feats that have already generated a gazillion comments.

 

[RLBURNSIDE]

keterys

How are you getting +20 temp hps from honored foe? It says you gain wis mod THPs when your challenged or sanctioned enemy damages you. And I thought THPs don't stack with each other. So even with a 30 wisdom and multi into fighter for battlerager, I don't see how it's possible to get that many temps.

If it does stack then my understanding of those rules is completely wrong.