DEX Bonus to damage feat

[Tetsubo]

I was reading the -Dawnforge- book -Ages of Legend- last night and found an interesting feat. It allows your DEX modifier as a damage bonus to finessable melee weapons. The prerequisites are DEX 15 and the Weapon Finesse feat. Does this seem balanced?

I rather like the idea...

 

[Kirin'Tor]

Probably not. The reason my group quit playing d20 star wars was the weapon style (feat) that let you add dex to 'saber damage. Makes for too much munchkiny goodness.

It makes the swashbuclker the ultimate character, single stat dependance: AC, Attack, Damage, & 1 (of only 3) Saves.


Just too good, IMO.


edit: esp. be ware of that kind of ability in a point buy game, if players know it is available ahead of time. Look for more warrior-elves than ever before: 20 potential dex (18 points +2 racial) and enough points left over to have a good enough con to be a front-liner.

 

[Imruphel]

I use it IMC with a further restriction that it doesn't apply to creatures immune to critical hits.

 

[dagger]

There is an Improved Weapon Finesse feat in Heroes of High Favor: Elves, by Bad Axe Games.


Requires Weapon Finesse and BAB +6

 

[Hammerhead]

I have a feat in my game that's similar, Dex to damage, although a Str penalty still applies. Requires Weapon Finesse and BAB +3. It really encourages Dex heavy characters, which was a good thing in my game given its flavor. If you're trying for a more medieval knights with greatswords idea, I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[the Jester]

I've got a similar homebrewed feat imc; I don't think anyone has taken it yet.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I was reading the -Dawnforge- book -Ages of Legend- last night and found an interesting feat. It allows your DEX modifier as a damage bonus to finessable melee weapons. The prerequisites are DEX 15 and the Weapon Finesse feat. Does this seem balanced?

The basic idea isn't too bad. I'd bump up the prereqs, though, to include a BAB of +6 or +7.

Iron Heroes has a similar feat, though the prerequisites are steeper (effectively requiring a BAB +7 and Weapon Finesse). Of course, four of the feats in the Weapon Finesse chain grant +1d6 of sneak attack, stacking with all other dice of sneak attack.

Of course, IH has a trio of feats that allow, respectively, using Int for all attack rolls, using Int and Dex/Str for attack rolls, and adding Int to damage (in addition to normal damage).

 

[Bront]

Weapon Finesse is still a Weak feat, so this makes it a bit more viable. Basicly, you're letting a character who is using an inferior weapon damage wise (a finesse weapon), and using a different stat to allow him to hit with it, and requiring he give up a feat, something that most characters don't get manny of anyway. And, since your dex is likely higher than your strength, you're still doing less damage, since you don't get as high a damage bonus, than if you had a high strength.

Now, I would adjust this so that Strength Penalties still apply. If you're realy worried, make it BAB +4, which means most people get it at 6th level. Seems fairly balanced at that point.

Also, don't forget, a warrior with a low strength still can't carry much either, so there is still a use for strength.

 

[comrade raoul]

A balanced version--which also nicely models the classic single-rapier swashbuckler and offers a neat parallel to two-handed weapons--limits the benefit to single-weapon styles, like so:

Improved Weapon Finesse
Prerequisites: Weapon Finesse, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: With a light weapon, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may add your Dexterity bonus to damage rolls. You can't use this feat if you attack with your off-hand, or wield a shield.