Exception [Feat]

[Technik4]

Exception [Feat]
You are the one who breaks the rules, the one that cannot be forseen.
Prerequisite: Any feat that can only be taken once for a specific thing or once period, Max Skill Ranks - 9.
Benefit: You may take the prerequisite feat again, as long as you meet any of its prerequisites again as well. Any bonuses stack.

Example 1: You have weapon focus and weapon spec longsword. You take exception. Now you may take weapon focus again (and it stacks) and then you can take exception again. Finally you may take weapon specialization again for long sword. 6 feats, total bonuses +2 to hit, +4 damage. Note, exception is not a fighter feat.

Example 2: You have improved initiative, you take exception and then take improved initiative again. 3 feats, total bonus +8 to initiative. Note, there are feats which provide a +2 inititiative, +2 skill bonus, so technically in this case you are losing out on power/feat.

Example 3: You have Skill Focus - Tumble. You take exception, you may take Skill Focus - Tumble again. 3 feats, total bonus +4 (usually eratted to +6). Note, taking skill focus and 2 feats with a +2 tumble, +2 whatever net you +7 tumble and 2 more +2s.

Example 4: You have Spell Focus - Evocation and Greater Spell Focus - Evocation. You take Exception, then Spell focus, then exception, then greater spell focus. 6 feats, +8 DC to one school.


Ok, obviously examples 1 and 4 arent properly covered by taking more feats. This is more of a monty-haulish feat, but I can see awarding it to a player who really deserves it. I know its at least a little broken with weapon spec, and possibly very broken with spell foci, but is it fixable or just a bad idea?

Technik

 

[Crothian]

Seems fine to me. When Exception is taken does the character have to specify what feat is the exception?

 

[Technik4]

As written - I'm not sure. My intention - yes. Note it cant be taken until 5th level, so by that point you may well know what it is you want the exception for.

Technik

 

[Crothian]

It's also possible to have a few feats that can't normally stack by then as well. So, there could be reason to have it choosen at the time of taking this feat.

 

[the Jester]

I think I like it... You can duplicate epic feats for all practical effects, but it takes ~ three feats to do so. Hm, not too bad... it's worth thinking over.

Some uses of it might be extremely outrageous (such as improved initiative). What do you think about tying the max skill ranks prereq to the bonus that the feat gives you so that a feat that gives you a +1 can be doubled up at lower levels while a +4 bonus would require you to be higher level to double it up.

 

[Technik4]

Max Ranks

The only reason I tied it to max ranks was to insure that extremely low level characters aren't exceptional in the way of feats (most really dont have the number of feats to use it anyway). I think tying it to max ranks is a good idea, Im just afraid it may get more complicated than it already is.

Oh, and I think I found a way to prevent examples 1 and 4 (to some extent). Simply make exception a feat you can only take once.

In the case of the rogue who wants to take exception - Improved initiative, youre right it is powerful, but assuming a human rogue it will take him until 9th level to achieve it (improved init at 1st, exception at 6th, improved init again at 9th). So theres 3 levels of it not paying off..however for fighters it is obviously more useful (also for wizards, even though it is not a metamagic feat). They can probably time it so they only have exception for about 1 level before they can take the next feat.

Which brings me to another idea. What if when you took exception, you could gain another feat, but the next time you would gain a feat, you dont. In this way, its just as useful for any character class (not necessarily one that gets a lot of feats), but you still pay the price (which is stiff).

Technik

PS- Love those story hours

 

[Stalker0]

I think the feat is a fine idea, and frankly I think it should be possible to have more specilized character concepts. I mean, if a person wants to be the quickest, most reactive person on the planet (mult. improved init) then go for it. Its going to cost you a whole lot, and you won't have feats for anything else, but go for it.

 

[Hashmalum]

Oh, and I think I found a way to prevent examples 1 and 4 (to some extent). Simply make exception a feat you can only take once.

No problem. I'll just take Exception -- Exception, then...

 

[Technik4]

Haha, I like it, you cannot take exception again, except if you take it as an exception. This makes it possible to be double speced, but very difficult, imagine the feats:

Wpn Focus
Wpn Spec
Except-Focus
Wpn Focus
Except-Except
Except-Spec
Wpn Spec

7 feats for +1 to hit and +2 damage. If youre crazy enough to do it, you can have it. All the exceptions arent fighter feats so even assuming a human fighter

4th- Focus, Spec, 4 other feats
6th- Except-Focus, Focus
8th- Another feat
9th- Except-Except
12th- Except-Spec, Spec

Even a human fighter would only have 5 other feats total, most of them with a low BAB, and he wouldnt be able to get imp crit till 14th! I'd definitely allow it, that shows some serious dedication.

Anyone want to help word the feat more precisely? I think it gets its point across but its confusing.

Technik