Ability swap for Powers feat

[Soopervilin]

Ok, so the idea for my character is quite simply a cleric with a longbow as a primary weapon (think Rosa from FFIV). With the way powers and classes are built, that doesn't really work for a cleric, or even a cleric/ranger without taking all the multiclass power-swap feats and possibly sacrificing paragon path.

I'm not sure if it's been suggested elsewhere on the forums, but I've come up with what I think is a reasonable way to get around the limitations on class powers. I put together a feat, and then compared it to some other class powers, and in my mind it gives a bit more flexibility when creating a character, without being overpowered.

Without further ado, I give you the feat:

Back Row Combatant
All your [primary] class encounter and daily attack powers with a Weapon keyword that use a melee weapon and your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls now use a ranged weapon and your Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls [or Strength for heavy thrown, of course].
Any effects that occur on a hit still apply with the target's square as the origin. Any effects that occur independently of a hit still apply normally [Some powers may need slight rewording to fit this.]

The idea is that it takes a primarily melee class and gives it the option of being ranged, for the sake of variety and creativity. I looked at several different melee classes and, to me at least, it doesn't seem unbalanced. Keep in mind that ranged attacks at melee provoke opportunity attacks. Several powers have an effect on a hit that benefit an ally within X squares of the attacker, this feat would change that to an ally within X squares of the target.

I really just want to get some opinions of this as a "homebrew" feat for further class customization, so everyone go nuts and post your thoughts.


One example of a power that would be affected is Healing Strike.

Healing Strike (as normal)
Encounter * Divine, Healing, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier radiant damage, and the target is marked until the end of your next turn. In addition, you or one ally within 5 squares can spend a healing surge.

Healing Strike (with the feat)
Encounter * Divine, Healing, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action Ranged weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier radiant damage, and the target is marked until the end of your next turn. In addition, you** or one ally within 5 squares of the target can spend a healing surge.

**Obviously the attacker would have to be within 5 squares to benefit from this power.


EDIT: How about if this feat was limited to the leader classes (Cleric, Warlord and I suppose Bard), and renamed to "Lead from the rear"? Since the Bard doesn't have any Strength based melee weapon attack powers, it wouldn't apply. I think this version removes the potential overpower for other melee classes.

 

[fissionessence]

This is an interesting idea, but I'd be worried that a lot of melee powers (and the classes they're associated with) are balanced with the assumption that you have to get into the midst of enemies to use them. Healing Strike is actually a prime example of this.

I would probably make the feat transform one power of your choice in the way you described . . . but then that doesn't really fix the problem you have.

~

 

[CapnZapp]

Sorry, but already the (overly honest?) name "Back row combatant" gives arise to suspicions this is merely an attempt to gain the benefits of a melee fighter without actually taking the risks involved.

But that could simply be a poor name choice...

In 4E, if you want to be a ranged combatant, that archetype is covered by the ranger class. So perhaps you should start from the archer build, and work from there, adding Cleric multiclassing instead?

The feat itself is probably abusable (but I haven't actually done any deep analysis) and I do not think it's a great idea, TBH. Better to work with the system than against it...

In the end it boils down to the fact that 4E is unapologetic about the facts that the class choice for playing certain archetypes can be quite rigid and narrow. If you have a ranged combatant in mind, archer-Ranger* it is.

*) Or perhaps a PHB2 class, I don't know.

 

[Soopervilin]

I've tried various ranger/cleric builds and none of them really accomplish the goal I'm after, which is quite literally to emulate a favorite character from a classic video game (White Mage Rosa from Final Fantasy IV for those who don't want to read the original post). The Bard class could work if it had greater healing potential.

I guess my perspective is that it's rather silly to have the party's primary healer on the front line to more effectively heal those also on the front line.

One somewhat related thing that caught my attention: There's a weapon enhancement, Medic's Weapon, that applies to any weapon (including ranged) with a property and power that benefit only those classes that can use Channel Divinity Powers. That's just the Paladin, Cleric and Invoker, as far as I know, and none of them have a ranged weapon attack other than RBA....so why make it an enhancement that can go on ranged weapons?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, another alternative is to make a feat parallel to Melee Training for ranged weapon attacks. That would do basically the same sort of thing for ranged weapons that MT does for melee weapons. Instead of DEX being the 'must have' stat for them, you can shift your to-hit bonus to another stat. Granted this works only for RBA, but then again most classes don't really have any powers that would benefit from use with a ranged weapon attack anyhow. It would be more a way of giving characters an option to use a bow once in a while, or even make a character that can fight competently either with a bow or with a sword. I don't think it steps on Archer Ranger much because no other build is going to really get close to a purpose built archer with the various ranger archery powers.

 

[Soopervilin]

I thought about a "Ranged Training" feat as well, but that doesn't really address the issue. Right now, Healing Strike and Strengthen the Faithful are the big examples, and as written they're both melee weapon powers. That means if you want to be a dedicated healer cleric, then you must be melee, which puts you on the front line to get the most out of healing powers, essentially saying "You must expose yourself to danger to be a better healer/leader" and that makes no sense to me. If you look at the cleric class, there are very few encounter and daily powers with Weapon and Healing keywords, but all of them are strength based and melee or close burst/blast attack.

From the warlord's perspective, sure you could easily function very well as a melee combatant, but on the other hand, you could also function as a general (and generals typically don't place themselves on the front line). It's not too farfetched to imagine a military leader of sorts standing behind his troops, inspiring them to keep fighting and throwing javelins/hammers/etc to assist their attacks.

 

[Sadrik]

I think what you are hearing is, no. 4e is not robust enough to facilitate your concept without throwing a monkey wrench into the sports car.

I think you have it right and at the cost of a feat it is good. It would be interesting to have cleave work with a bow. I like it.

 

[Soopervilin]

I think what you are hearing is, no. 4e is not robust enough to facilitate your concept without throwing a monkey wrench into the sports car.

I think you have it right and at the cost of a feat it is good. It would be interesting to have cleave work with a bow. I like it.

Cleave wouldn't work with this feat as it only applies to encounter/daily powers and if you check the edit portion of the OP it would also only apply to Leader classes (Cleric and Warlord are the only leaders using Strength based melee).

Reworking the feat...

Lead from the Rear
Prerequisites: Cleric or Warlord
All of your Cleric or Warlord melee encounter attack powers (and/or daily?) become ranged and use the appropriate ability score modifier for attack and damage rolls (Dex for normal ranged, Str for heavy thrown). Effects that take place on a hit still occur, but with the target's square as the origin. Effects that take place regardless of a hit still occur as normal.