Essential Feats?

[JoeGKushner]

Quickened spell eh?

Anyone have any good stories about it? I haven't seen any PC in my game use it and i've already picked my feats for the new few selections and it isn't on there.

 

[Synchronicity]

Quicken Spell is very nice once you reach the higher levels. Problem is, if you take it before 11th, you're wasting your time. I personally wouldn't take it until 13th at the earliest. I got good use out of it as a high level cleric with some quickened healing spells, and as a wizard with quickened Scorching Ray. However, I don't have any 'gee-whiz' stories where it was king of the hill; for me, Quicken Spell is useful, but not necessary.

 

[fusangite]

And it also depends on the level of the character. I mean fusangite mentions Combat Casting; at high levels (where you usually have enough skill ranks),[ Combat Casting isn't a "must have" feat for me although it is helpful at low-levels (and even then, I have second doubts getting it or not because of its short-lived use, unless I'm a Gish-type spellcaster that involves going into melee often).

Just to defend my obsession with this feat, the level at which it ceases to be useful is 18th, assuming a Con of 14 and maxed-out skill ranks (DC24[15+9th level]=21 [ranks]+2 [Con]+1 [minimum roll]). Of course, even if you're creating an 18th level sorceror, the feat still might be worth taking to free up 4 skill ranks.

 

[Thanee]

I cannot think of a single reasonable concept, where I would ever want to pick Combat Casting over Skill Focus (Concentration).

Quicken Spell is incredibly powerful for (fighting) clerics from 9th level onwards (at 9th it's more like ok-ish, since the cost is still pretty high to lose one of the highest level slots).

It's also very good for wizards, especially since they can get it as their 5th level bonus feat, if they are not into item creation.

It's really one of the most powerful metamagic feats (about on par with Empower Spell).

Bye
Thanee

 

[drnuncheon]

Ah, Combat Casting. Forgive me; I'm just going to rant for a moment. Combat Casting is a terrible feat. I loathe it with a burning passion. I mean, look at the mechanics; it's a feat which gives you a +4 to Concentration checks for casting defensively.

...Hmm. Yes, I could take that...or I could take Skill Focus [Concentration], which gives a +3 to Concentration checks all the time. That's universally better.

Not if the only time you make Concentration checks is when you cast defensively. Plenty of DMs only remember to ask for Concentration then.

To be fair, the feat was originally designed when Skill Focus only gave a +2, and it was much better in comparison there.

J

 

[Li Shenron]

Improved Initiative isn't a must have, but I would always take it if I had a character with Sneak Attack.

Unfortunately there are some really essential feats, and those are the ones who make the root of a feat chain. Feat chains are a nice idea, but not when every archer HAS to take Point Blank Shot for almost any other archery feat. It just reduces the variability between characters (and sometimes the prerequisite feats aren't even ever used).

 

[fusangite]

Not if the only time you make Concentration checks is when you cast defensively. Plenty of DMs only remember to ask for Concentration then.

To be fair, the feat was originally designed when Skill Focus only gave a +2, and it was much better in comparison there.

J

Quite right. I agree on both fronts, people should not my initial post recommended Skill Focus (Concentration) or Combat Casting. But it's still my view that any caster worth his salt will have one or the other.

 

[The Shaman]

IMO, must-have feats heavily depend on character stereotype. There are no feats that I consider must-have for all characters.

Quoted because I couldn't say it any better myself.

I've yet to repeat a feat sequence with a player character as each character (so far at least) has been unique from one another.

As far as feats I like, I'm fond of Heroic Surge - it's one I give to key non-player characters and one of these days I'll build a player character that takes it.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Improved Initiative isn't a must have for PCs. But, for DMs who really want some encounter to go his way, giving it to a bunch of NPCs can be fun--especially if the DM rolls separate initiatives for the NPCs, or picks feat-tweaked monsters.

For example, take Alertness, Iron Will, and Track away from some trolls, and give them Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes, and Skill Focus (Tumble). Then, take away some of their skill points to Listen and Spot, and dump them into Tumble. Now you've got trolls that get the jump on the party, maneuver in, perhaps without provoking AoOs, and set themselves up to take full advantage of both their reach and Combat Reflexes.

Dave

 

[Thanee]

But it's still my view that any caster worth his salt will have one or the other.

I've never really needed it (and never taken it either). Sure, at low levels the chance to lose a spell with a failed check is still quite high, but then you simply do not use defensive casting but one of the other options, like 5-foot step, or just take a hit with a move action, if you really can't get away otherwise, or my favorite, not get into such a position in the first place (sometimes in a small party and in some situations you have no choice, of course).

At moderate levels, the DC is already so easy, that you pretty much always beat it, even without the feat. At 11th level now, I have +17 in Concentration, this means reliable casting of up to 3rd level spells, or take a small risk to cast a higher level spell. And I do not even have a 2,500 gp item, which grants +5 to Concentration (subject to DM's approval, of course).

Bye
Thanee