DEFLECT MELEE ATTACK (GENERAL, FIGHTER) et al rewrite
Each deflection attempt (whether successful or not) uses up an attack of opportunity. This creates a natural limit, so GREATER DEFLECT MELEE ATTACK falls away. The IMPROVED feat allows you to also sacrifice your normal attacks but only as a full attack action. You may only make one attempt to deflect any particular melee attack.
Your opponent is aware of what you are sacrificing and if intelligent enough could take advantage of the situation.
One of the prerequisites for the IMPROVED feat has changed, BAB +8 to Fighter Level 8th as the latter is a prerequisite for Greater Weapon Focus.
DEFLECT MELEE ATTACK (GENERAL, FIGHTER)
You can deflect incoming melee attacks with your selected melee weapon.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Proficiency with selected melee weapon, Weapon Focus with selected melee weapon, Base attack bonus + 4
Benefit: Once per round when you would normally be hit with a melee attack, you may attempt to deflect it so that you take no damage from it. You make an opposed melee attack roll to deflect the melee attack. The deflection attempt, whether successful or not, counts as one attack of opportunity for the round. You must have your chosen melee weapon in hand.
Your opponent is aware of the deflection attempt and sacrifice of an attack of opportunity, but does not know if you are able to make additional attacks of opportunity (i.e. if you have the Combat Reflexes feat).
Special: You can gain Deflect Melee Attack multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new melee weapon. The DM decides whether a melee weapon can be used to Deflect Melee Attacks. Suggested weapons include any type of sword, club, staff, halbard, pike or pole axe.
When combined with the Combat Expertise feat, if you are aware of the attack and have your chosen melee weapon in hand, you may attempt to deflect a melee attack even if flat footed.
A figher may select Deflect Melee Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats (see page 38)
Comment: An opposed melee attack roll is used rather than a Reflex save because the former takes into account all relative combat modifiers, including AC, magic weapon use and size of opponents. If you're an armoured tank of a fighter it is going to be difficult to hit you - but if you are hit, it will be such a good hit that it will be difficult to deflect. On the other hand if you're a naked wizard with only your staff for protection you should be able to deflect the easy strikes…
IMPROVED DEFLECT MELEE ATTACK (GENERAL, FIGHTER)
You can wield your selected melee weapon with such skill that you can deflect multiple melee attacks.
Prerequisite: Dex 15, Deflect Melee Attack, Combat Reflexes, Greater Weapon Focus with selected melee weapon, Fighter level 8th
Benefit: This feat works like Deflect Melee Attack, except you may attempt to deflect a number of melee attacks equal to the number of attacks of opportunity you have in a round (with Combat Reflexes feat this number is equal to 1 + your Dexterity bonus). Each attempt counts as one of your attacks of opportunity for the round. Only one deflection attempt may be made per melee attack.
In addition, you may forfeit any number of your normal attacks as a deflection attempt. You must use a full attack action to forfeit your normal attacks in this manner. You use the appropriate base attack bonus for the opposed melee attack roll. You may choose any combination of forfeited normal attacks or attacks of opportunity during the full attack action.
Your opponent is aware of the deflection attempts and sacrifices of normal attacks and attacks of opportunity, but does not know if you are able to make additional attacks of opportunity.
Special: A figher may select Improved Deflect Melee Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats (see page 38)
Comment: Do you deflect the bugbear and the ogre's attack and allow the hobgoblins to move past you (flanking your position and endangering your wounded companions beyond), or do you take it on the chin in the hope of cleaving the hobgoblins to the ground and getting in a few extra attacks on your tormentors? Such is the stuff of legends … and good roleplaying!
Each deflection attempt (whether successful or not) uses up an attack of opportunity. This creates a natural limit, so GREATER DEFLECT MELEE ATTACK falls away. The IMPROVED feat allows you to also sacrifice your normal attacks but only as a full attack action. You may only make one attempt to deflect any particular melee attack.
Your opponent is aware of what you are sacrificing and if intelligent enough could take advantage of the situation.
One of the prerequisites for the IMPROVED feat has changed, BAB +8 to Fighter Level 8th as the latter is a prerequisite for Greater Weapon Focus.
DEFLECT MELEE ATTACK (GENERAL, FIGHTER)
You can deflect incoming melee attacks with your selected melee weapon.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Proficiency with selected melee weapon, Weapon Focus with selected melee weapon, Base attack bonus + 4
Benefit: Once per round when you would normally be hit with a melee attack, you may attempt to deflect it so that you take no damage from it. You make an opposed melee attack roll to deflect the melee attack. The deflection attempt, whether successful or not, counts as one attack of opportunity for the round. You must have your chosen melee weapon in hand.
Your opponent is aware of the deflection attempt and sacrifice of an attack of opportunity, but does not know if you are able to make additional attacks of opportunity (i.e. if you have the Combat Reflexes feat).
Special: You can gain Deflect Melee Attack multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new melee weapon. The DM decides whether a melee weapon can be used to Deflect Melee Attacks. Suggested weapons include any type of sword, club, staff, halbard, pike or pole axe.
When combined with the Combat Expertise feat, if you are aware of the attack and have your chosen melee weapon in hand, you may attempt to deflect a melee attack even if flat footed.
A figher may select Deflect Melee Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats (see page 38)
Comment: An opposed melee attack roll is used rather than a Reflex save because the former takes into account all relative combat modifiers, including AC, magic weapon use and size of opponents. If you're an armoured tank of a fighter it is going to be difficult to hit you - but if you are hit, it will be such a good hit that it will be difficult to deflect. On the other hand if you're a naked wizard with only your staff for protection you should be able to deflect the easy strikes…
IMPROVED DEFLECT MELEE ATTACK (GENERAL, FIGHTER)
You can wield your selected melee weapon with such skill that you can deflect multiple melee attacks.
Prerequisite: Dex 15, Deflect Melee Attack, Combat Reflexes, Greater Weapon Focus with selected melee weapon, Fighter level 8th
Benefit: This feat works like Deflect Melee Attack, except you may attempt to deflect a number of melee attacks equal to the number of attacks of opportunity you have in a round (with Combat Reflexes feat this number is equal to 1 + your Dexterity bonus). Each attempt counts as one of your attacks of opportunity for the round. Only one deflection attempt may be made per melee attack.
In addition, you may forfeit any number of your normal attacks as a deflection attempt. You must use a full attack action to forfeit your normal attacks in this manner. You use the appropriate base attack bonus for the opposed melee attack roll. You may choose any combination of forfeited normal attacks or attacks of opportunity during the full attack action.
Your opponent is aware of the deflection attempts and sacrifices of normal attacks and attacks of opportunity, but does not know if you are able to make additional attacks of opportunity.
Special: A figher may select Improved Deflect Melee Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats (see page 38)
Comment: Do you deflect the bugbear and the ogre's attack and allow the hobgoblins to move past you (flanking your position and endangering your wounded companions beyond), or do you take it on the chin in the hope of cleaving the hobgoblins to the ground and getting in a few extra attacks on your tormentors? Such is the stuff of legends … and good roleplaying!
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