Feat Problems With PHB II

[Staffan]

I was reading through the plethora of feats that WotC came up with for PHB II and found quite a few that I consider either broken or not worth the paper they are written on:

I don't have the PH2 yet, so I'm just going off your descriptions.

Crossbow Sniper: 1/2 Dex modifier on specific bow damage. Weapon Specialization gives a +2 to damage for one weapon, but it is limited to Fighters. This feat can be more powerful and is not limited to Fighters. A high level 26 Dex PC would do +4 damage with this feat. Even at low level, it is the equivalent to Weapon Specialization, but it can get better as the character increases level. And, it stacks with Weapon Specialization and Greater Weapon Specialization.

Crossbows suck pretty much, as is. You don't get Strength bonus with them, and you don't get multiple attacks. Allowing someone to take a feat to make them a little better doesn't seem that wrong to me.

Shield Ward: Add Shield AC to touch AC and on checks to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, and trip. This is really potent.

Finally something that makes using a shield worthwhile, compared to greatsword.

Weapon Supremacy: +4 versus Disarm, can use normal weapon in Grapple, can add +5 to an attack after first in full round attack, can Take 10 on a single attack roll per round, +1 bonus to AC.

According to your later post, you need to be 18th level to take this feat. At 18th level, wizards are tossing around meteor swarms, wishes, time stops, disjunctions, and banshee wails. Give the fighter SOMETHING to do, won't you?

 

[Mouseferatu]

Rogues often use a single attack in a round because Sneak Attack damage is only usable once per round. This allows them to nearly ensure a hit with it as well.

Where'd you get this idea? Sneak Attack applies any time the proper circumstances are met. A rogue who gets three attacks a round, and is flanking a foe, gets three sneak attacks.

 

[FireLance]

I haven't managed to get a copy of PHB2 yet, so I won't comment on the specifics.

However, I will say that I wouldn't consider a game element stupid or broken simply because it is more powerful than what you could get using the core rules only, or changes the relative power balance of the classes or particular combat styles or specific game effects, or doesn't mesh with my idea of fantasy.

 

[Caliban]

Where'd you get this idea? Sneak Attack applies any time the proper circumstances are met. A rogue who gets three attacks a round, and is flanking a foe, gets three sneak attacks.

Sounds like he's confusing a house rule with a core rule.

 

[SidusLupus]

What's so awful about rogues actually killing things?

They have d6 HD. If someone gets hit by a rogue and sneak attacked, they'll turn on them and rip them a new one for it.

Considering also how many monsters are immune to sneak attack, or fall under the rule that you must be able to reach vital areas to sneak attack them, I don't see the issue.

The weapon mastery feat chain is really nice, and frankly it's about time. The bonuses are huge but only when they're using their designated weapon. Sunder it and see how awesome they are then.

 

[KarinsDad]

Where'd you get this idea? Sneak Attack applies any time the proper circumstances are met. A rogue who gets three attacks a round, and is flanking a foe, gets three sneak attacks.

My bad. Must be confusing it with something else.

 

[KarinsDad]

According to your later post, you need to be 18th level to take this feat. At 18th level, wizards are tossing around meteor swarms, wishes, time stops, disjunctions, and banshee wails. Give the fighter SOMETHING to do, won't you?

Fighters have lots to do at those levels. The problem with the feat is not just that it does so much as it does so much disjointed unrelated stuff.

 

[Nyeshet]

Leap of the Heavens is just the 3e Monk's jumping special made into a feat. As I recall it was removed from the 3.5e Monk due to changes in rules for use of the Jump skill in 3.5e. My only problem with it is that it is available at so low a level. What are the exact requirements for that feat?

Shield Ward should not affect Touch AC unless armor and natural armor also affect Touch AC. Why should having a shield be any more effective against an incorporeal foe? Otherwise it is fine for its level. I'd houserule out the Touch AC bit in my games.

Mad Foam Rager sounds odd as you describe it. Are you sure it would affect an antimagic field? From other descriptions I'd heard of it I presumed it would only delay effects upon the Barbarian himself - not his equipment. So a spell upon a barbarian could be delayed (rather like Delay Poison), or its continued effect could be allowed for a round+ in an AMF, but his items would still be affected as normal by the AMF as they are not the Barbarian. At least, that was how I understood it. Otherwise it is potentially broken.

Elven Spell Lore and Acrobatic Strike sound strong, but they cannot be taken before mid levels, and as I recall both have a high ability score pre-req (Int 17+ for the former). I'll have to think about them, but the first, at least sounds okay so far. If the Tumble check used for Acrobatic Strike is an opposed check then it wouldn't be so bad. I'll have to read up on Tumbling through AoOs. Mobility is likely aided by this, I presume.

Overwhelming Assault, Melee/Ranged Weapon Mastery, and Weapon Supremecy are okay for their levels. Keen Eared Scout should be folded into the Listen check - as perhaps should the other new feats that grant 'new' uses of skills.

Does Water Splitting Stone work against DR #/- or just against DR #/material &/or magic? If it does not affect the former then it would not deal extra damage to barbarians.

Many of the other feats seem fair so far. I'll have my copy of PHB2 in a day or two, so I'll be able to comment more then.

 

[Shellman]

How does a DM counter a rogue?

EZ!

Throw a Rogue up against creatures immune to criticals, usually means no SA!

There is always the achilles heal to every rogue, those darn Will Saves!

 

[Shellman]

The problem with Crossbow Sniper is not really the extra damage. It is the extra range for Sneak Attacks.

A third level Rogue can take it.

I don't think it extends the range for a Rogue's sneak attack, it only extends the weapons range 20 ft. The rogue still has to be within 30 ft of the target to gain the sneak attack.