Why is Shot on the Run and Spring Attack so costly?

[FEADIN]

To add: Flyby attack doesn't protect you from AO, you have to take Improved FA.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yes, you can still partly counter it with ready actions; but a character built around spring attack will likely have a more powerful single attack in mind when building the character - the spring attacker can utilize their specialty (whatever that is), while the opponent does not gain a full attack against the spring attacker. In that sense, it does not get less useful after level 6, because while you're denying yourself a full attack, you're also denying the enemy a full attack.

Flyby attack is likely made the way it is because the designers didn't, at the time of writing Flyby Attack, think very many PCs would be capable of permanent flight. Flyby Attack is much superior to both Spring Attack and Shot on the Run, as it allows any standard action to be performed in the middle of a move, such as Book of 9 Swords maneuver, a spell, an Awesome Blow (a favourite of dragons), etc. It is basically a monster feat (as evidenced by its location), so it may be that the designers didn't think very hard on how it would work if a PC took it.

Sounds reasonable. In games that allow Bo9S, Spring Attack should be easier to get since the ability to deny full attacks is less damaging to enemies. And you're not able to use a strike maneuver with spring attack, so no issues there.

To add: Flyby attack doesn't protect you from AO, you have to take Improved FA.

So what if a Spring Attack feat without the AoO protection were created? Would it be ok if it had no prereqs at all? Flyby only requires flight, and still lets you use any standard action with it. A level 1 Spring Attack that still provokes sounds balanced at least without running some thought experiments on how to break it first...

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

To add: Flyby attack doesn't protect you from AO, you have to take Improved FA.

Improved FA also has Dodge and Mobility as prereqs. Pretty hefty.

 

[Runestar]

Of course, AoOs aren't necessarily an issue if the monster making them has reach.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Improved FA also has Dodge and Mobility as prereqs. Pretty hefty.

However, if the PCs don't have access to Fly, improved fly-by attack is pretty powerful!

 

[Elethiomel]

Of course, AoOs aren't necessarily an issue if the monster making them has reach.

Or if it is using an entirely different standard action than an attack. For instance a breath weapon, a SLA, or a spell.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The ability to find the optimal position to unleash the breath weapon (or other special ability or spell) then reposition for defense is very powerful. So powerful that it may well be worth sucking up the AoOs when one lacks Improved Flyby Attack.

 

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Honetsly, to an optimized character feats are cheap. If a feats prereqs are just feats then its not a problem. So I confess my antipathy.

Some prereqs are on feats are different and actually had to fulfill. But usually the benefit isn't worth it so people don't concentrate on those oddballs