Let's assume the current approach to feats is going to stay. Here are some thoughts on selected feats in the current package, and a few suggestions along the way:
Arcane Archer.
* Is targeted particularly to Elf Clerics and Mages, but that could easily be fixed.
* SUGGESTION: should be reworded so the ability applies to any weapon with the "Ammunition" property -- that way it can be used with crossbows or even (flavour!) slings.
* Paladin spell lists have very little that can benefit form this feat; Rangers have Fog Cloud and Silence, but those spells have a range of 100' in any case.
Arcane Initiate
* SUGGESTION: needs to specify whether or not there is a spellbook involved. I presume not (and that the parallel with Sorcerer will be clearer when we see the next version of that class)
Lucky
* I like that this doesn't overshadow a halfling's luckiness (though Alert does overshadow the abilities of elves an half-elves).
Polearm Master
* This is a fun option, that I would hope would see a lot of use.
* SUGGESTION: Because this feat creates the only double weapons now, a definition of double weapons is needed (particularly, specifying that each end counts as a light weapon).
* And while we're at it, we simply must have a reduction in the damage done by a quarterstaff - 1d10 is ridiculous compared to 1d6 for a spear. The damage seems designed to allow it to remain a viable choice next to the Glaive and Halberd for characters with this feat, but it is silly for those without it. Perhaps with a quarterstaff, one has the possibility of disarming (and see 5 below)
Shield Master and Dual Wielder.
* This should be a cool, flavourful feat, but as is it is limited in comparison to dual wielder.
* Shield Master lets you add the Shield's defensive bonus to spells, and you can dual wield a buckler 1d4 (+1 AC) and another light weapon (e.g. short sword 1d6).
* Dual wielder lets you dual wield a short sword 1d6 (and now +1AC) and any non-light one-handed weapon (e.g. the simple Mace 1d8).
* adding the ability of (last pack's Interposing Shield or Hold the Line) would help make Shield Master something worth taking.
* Fun dual-wielding possibilities include "(War)Hammer and Sickle" and (for the dextrous) "Rapier and Whip".
Stealthy:
* Introduces a non-scaling expertise die. Sets a precedent for others elsewhere.
Tough
* I wish there were something more adaptive to this -- it just doesn't seem desirable to me. Are people hurting for lack of ht points?
Thrown Weapons Master.
* Yay! Since both the net and the trident are thrown weapons, Next now supports the Retiarius! I'm so pleased at this -- it's a fun combo conceptually, even if not optimal.
* My reading of the rules for Thrown weapons suggests that the net (and bolas) can be used as a melee weapon as well -- you can still hold on to your net while attacking with it.
SUGGESTION: I presume that this would allow the attacker to add a STR bonus, but I think this should be clarified.
* SUGGESTION: I'd also like a slight re-wording of the third benefit ("If you have a thrown weapon in each hand…") allowing you to use TWF "to make either a ranged or a melee attack with both weapons." (since one-handed thrown weapons do a max of 1d6, I don't see this a s a problem).
As I look over the last pack's feats, here's what I see missing, that I'd want back.
1. Find familiar. I expect this will become a 1st level spell (as it was when I was a lad), or a class feature of certain Mage traditions.
2. A catch-all Metamagic Feat. There's no metamagic yet, but I expect it will come.
3. A catch-all Charisma feat: natural charm, taunting, unflappability.
4. An antimagic feat: I really liked the previous pack's Purge Magic, and think it and something like Defensive Ward would be a nice choice -- especially for non-spellcasters -- like a barbarian, sluffing off the effects of a spell (once) as he stalks the Mage.
5. Disarm. While there is no feat, there are still references to disarm in the DM Guidelines, suggesting that an attempt to disarm an opponent is a straightforward STR vs. DEX contest. That means it's something anyone can do, and (especially against spell casters, who now have a much higher DC on spells from objects in their hands) it will be a regular trick. Some sort of limit on it (tying it to a Fighter path, or perhaps to the Fencing Master feat, or as suggested above to the Polearm feat) seems important (cue Grima Wormtongue: "His staff. I told you to take the wizard's staff.")
SUGGESTION: Add some limit to the possibility to Disarm, by granting the ability specifically to a class or feat. Also specify whether you can pick up a disarmed weapon that has dropped to the floor without penalty in the same turn, or if you can stop someone else from doing so (this could simply be in Use an Item rules, saying that anyone within reach or a melee opponent picking up something or drawing a weapon takes an action.)
Arcane Archer.
* Is targeted particularly to Elf Clerics and Mages, but that could easily be fixed.
* SUGGESTION: should be reworded so the ability applies to any weapon with the "Ammunition" property -- that way it can be used with crossbows or even (flavour!) slings.
* Paladin spell lists have very little that can benefit form this feat; Rangers have Fog Cloud and Silence, but those spells have a range of 100' in any case.
Arcane Initiate
* SUGGESTION: needs to specify whether or not there is a spellbook involved. I presume not (and that the parallel with Sorcerer will be clearer when we see the next version of that class)
Lucky
* I like that this doesn't overshadow a halfling's luckiness (though Alert does overshadow the abilities of elves an half-elves).
Polearm Master
* This is a fun option, that I would hope would see a lot of use.
* SUGGESTION: Because this feat creates the only double weapons now, a definition of double weapons is needed (particularly, specifying that each end counts as a light weapon).
* And while we're at it, we simply must have a reduction in the damage done by a quarterstaff - 1d10 is ridiculous compared to 1d6 for a spear. The damage seems designed to allow it to remain a viable choice next to the Glaive and Halberd for characters with this feat, but it is silly for those without it. Perhaps with a quarterstaff, one has the possibility of disarming (and see 5 below)
Shield Master and Dual Wielder.
* This should be a cool, flavourful feat, but as is it is limited in comparison to dual wielder.
* Shield Master lets you add the Shield's defensive bonus to spells, and you can dual wield a buckler 1d4 (+1 AC) and another light weapon (e.g. short sword 1d6).
* Dual wielder lets you dual wield a short sword 1d6 (and now +1AC) and any non-light one-handed weapon (e.g. the simple Mace 1d8).
* adding the ability of (last pack's Interposing Shield or Hold the Line) would help make Shield Master something worth taking.
* Fun dual-wielding possibilities include "(War)Hammer and Sickle" and (for the dextrous) "Rapier and Whip".
Stealthy:
* Introduces a non-scaling expertise die. Sets a precedent for others elsewhere.
Tough
* I wish there were something more adaptive to this -- it just doesn't seem desirable to me. Are people hurting for lack of ht points?
Thrown Weapons Master.
* Yay! Since both the net and the trident are thrown weapons, Next now supports the Retiarius! I'm so pleased at this -- it's a fun combo conceptually, even if not optimal.
* My reading of the rules for Thrown weapons suggests that the net (and bolas) can be used as a melee weapon as well -- you can still hold on to your net while attacking with it.
SUGGESTION: I presume that this would allow the attacker to add a STR bonus, but I think this should be clarified.
* SUGGESTION: I'd also like a slight re-wording of the third benefit ("If you have a thrown weapon in each hand…") allowing you to use TWF "to make either a ranged or a melee attack with both weapons." (since one-handed thrown weapons do a max of 1d6, I don't see this a s a problem).
As I look over the last pack's feats, here's what I see missing, that I'd want back.
1. Find familiar. I expect this will become a 1st level spell (as it was when I was a lad), or a class feature of certain Mage traditions.
2. A catch-all Metamagic Feat. There's no metamagic yet, but I expect it will come.
3. A catch-all Charisma feat: natural charm, taunting, unflappability.
4. An antimagic feat: I really liked the previous pack's Purge Magic, and think it and something like Defensive Ward would be a nice choice -- especially for non-spellcasters -- like a barbarian, sluffing off the effects of a spell (once) as he stalks the Mage.
5. Disarm. While there is no feat, there are still references to disarm in the DM Guidelines, suggesting that an attempt to disarm an opponent is a straightforward STR vs. DEX contest. That means it's something anyone can do, and (especially against spell casters, who now have a much higher DC on spells from objects in their hands) it will be a regular trick. Some sort of limit on it (tying it to a Fighter path, or perhaps to the Fencing Master feat, or as suggested above to the Polearm feat) seems important (cue Grima Wormtongue: "His staff. I told you to take the wizard's staff.")
SUGGESTION: Add some limit to the possibility to Disarm, by granting the ability specifically to a class or feat. Also specify whether you can pick up a disarmed weapon that has dropped to the floor without penalty in the same turn, or if you can stop someone else from doing so (this could simply be in Use an Item rules, saying that anyone within reach or a melee opponent picking up something or drawing a weapon takes an action.)
