A few observations on the feat list, etc. I see it’s not popular, and a lot of posters don’t like the featification of a large number of skills and class abilities. But let’s try to make the most of it: What works for you, and what doesn’t? And how would you fix what doesn’t?
Here’s my list.
1. A number of feats initiate contests. Trip Attack, Shove, Disarming Attack, Bull Rush are all specialty combat maneuvers where it becomes your STR vs. your opponent’s ability. In this category we could add Taunt (where it’s your CHA) and (out of combat) Pick Pockets.
SUGGESTED FIX: Because it becomes a straight-up skill challenge (and often the defender has a choice of which ability he or she defends with), I feel all of these should just be optional combat moves, no feat required. A feat should let you add your skill die to the roll.
2. A number of feats grant proficiencies:
a. Precise shot and Polearm training (grant weapon proficiencies). These are of most benefit for Clerics and Rogues. Druids, Wizards, and Monks also benefit, though it seems less likely these classes would invest a feat to do so.
SUGGESTION: I like the pole-arm tree, and would like to see similar developments for underappreciated weapons. Crossbows and slings particularly, but maybe also a net-and-trident feat, or a feat that boosts the DC on the bola, or one that made the spear a reach weapon (Lunge does this already, I guess).
b. Open Locks, Disarm Traps (grant thieves’ tool proficiencies). The wording suggests that these activities can be attempted untrained. The feat lets you add your skill die to the roll. That’s a good balance, even if it does require the featification problem discussed elsewhere.
c Hide in Shadows (grants proficiency in Sneak skill and 10 foot low-light vision). Anyone can try to hide in a heavily obscured area, and Sneak lets you add your skill die to a Dex check. This feat lets you hide in all lightly obscured areas as well. It therefore overlaps completely with the racial hiding benefits from being a wood elf (lightly obscured by nature or weather) or a Halfling (creature one size larger than you).
SUGGESTION: My reading of the Halfling ability implies an unstated rule. Creatures can hide behind other creatures “of a sufficient size” but this is undefined. I think the implicit rule is you can normally hide behind someone “two size categories larger than you”. The Halfling ability means that it’s only one size category larger, which is a real benefit if you happen to be small. Regardless, the Hide in Shadows feat still eclipses this racial ability.
3. There are some weird feats in this list. Mimic and Read Lips seem the oddest to me, granting weird edge-case abilities. But maybe there are campaigns where everyone goes around reading lips.
4. Some feats need a tighter or clearer wording.
a. Hafted Weapon. Does the double weapon created by this feat also have reach? It would seem so, but it should be explicit.
b. Charge. “As an action, you can move up to your speed and make a single melee attack. You cannot move any farther during the same turn.” The last sentence raises some questions:
Can you move farther in the same turn if your movement has preceded the action? Presumably yes, but this could be read to suggest this is all the movement in the turn you are allowed. Can you be moved (by an opponent) when attacked? Again, presumably yes (it’s not granting immobility). The sentence seems designed only to stop you using your move after a charge, so you can’t move your full move, attack, and your full move again (though you can move, move again and attack.) Is that what others see too?
5. Specialties are less constraining than they were.
Specialties offer a suggested feat tree, but players are not even required to take the first feat suggested if they qualify for another. So if my rogue takes Two-Weapon Defense as his first feat, that does mean my chosen Specialty is “Two-Weapon Fighter” but there are no further constraints on my feat selection.
In fact, the only purpose the optional rule (Choosing Feats on your own. “At your DM’s discretion…”) serves is to allow for the initial feat choice to be a feat that does not appear on any of the specialty lists (like Mimic and Read Lips).
SUGGESTION: There is no need for Choosing Feats on your own to be only at the DM’s discretion. Players can choose a Specialty as a template if they wish, or they can just choose a feat from the list.
6. Backgrounds are less constraining than they were.
Backgrounds offer a trait, and suggest four skills and some starting equipment. As with the Specialties, this allows new players a frame to get going if they want it, but the only actual mechanical benefit one chooses is the trait.
I’ll admit I really like the traits. I want to play a rogue who conducts temple services (with the Priest background). I want to play a wizard who has a military rank (with the Soldier background). I want to play a dwarven cleric with a False Identity (Charlatan), or a Knight’s Station (Knight), or who’s a Noted Performer (Minstrel), or a Bad Reputation (Thug) – all of those sound like great fun. I think the most successful jewel thieves are not the ones who know Thieves’ Cant (Thief background) nor those with a bad reputation (Thug background), but those who can blend among a city’s populace because they are the Salt of the Earth (Commoner background). But all of these look ready to tell great stories.
Thanks for bearing with me. I’d appreciate any feedback or thoughts you might have. If this is the way things are going (not entirely clear that’s so; but if…), what feats catch your eye?
Here’s my list.
1. A number of feats initiate contests. Trip Attack, Shove, Disarming Attack, Bull Rush are all specialty combat maneuvers where it becomes your STR vs. your opponent’s ability. In this category we could add Taunt (where it’s your CHA) and (out of combat) Pick Pockets.
SUGGESTED FIX: Because it becomes a straight-up skill challenge (and often the defender has a choice of which ability he or she defends with), I feel all of these should just be optional combat moves, no feat required. A feat should let you add your skill die to the roll.
2. A number of feats grant proficiencies:
a. Precise shot and Polearm training (grant weapon proficiencies). These are of most benefit for Clerics and Rogues. Druids, Wizards, and Monks also benefit, though it seems less likely these classes would invest a feat to do so.
SUGGESTION: I like the pole-arm tree, and would like to see similar developments for underappreciated weapons. Crossbows and slings particularly, but maybe also a net-and-trident feat, or a feat that boosts the DC on the bola, or one that made the spear a reach weapon (Lunge does this already, I guess).
b. Open Locks, Disarm Traps (grant thieves’ tool proficiencies). The wording suggests that these activities can be attempted untrained. The feat lets you add your skill die to the roll. That’s a good balance, even if it does require the featification problem discussed elsewhere.
c Hide in Shadows (grants proficiency in Sneak skill and 10 foot low-light vision). Anyone can try to hide in a heavily obscured area, and Sneak lets you add your skill die to a Dex check. This feat lets you hide in all lightly obscured areas as well. It therefore overlaps completely with the racial hiding benefits from being a wood elf (lightly obscured by nature or weather) or a Halfling (creature one size larger than you).
SUGGESTION: My reading of the Halfling ability implies an unstated rule. Creatures can hide behind other creatures “of a sufficient size” but this is undefined. I think the implicit rule is you can normally hide behind someone “two size categories larger than you”. The Halfling ability means that it’s only one size category larger, which is a real benefit if you happen to be small. Regardless, the Hide in Shadows feat still eclipses this racial ability.
3. There are some weird feats in this list. Mimic and Read Lips seem the oddest to me, granting weird edge-case abilities. But maybe there are campaigns where everyone goes around reading lips.
4. Some feats need a tighter or clearer wording.
a. Hafted Weapon. Does the double weapon created by this feat also have reach? It would seem so, but it should be explicit.
b. Charge. “As an action, you can move up to your speed and make a single melee attack. You cannot move any farther during the same turn.” The last sentence raises some questions:
Can you move farther in the same turn if your movement has preceded the action? Presumably yes, but this could be read to suggest this is all the movement in the turn you are allowed. Can you be moved (by an opponent) when attacked? Again, presumably yes (it’s not granting immobility). The sentence seems designed only to stop you using your move after a charge, so you can’t move your full move, attack, and your full move again (though you can move, move again and attack.) Is that what others see too?
5. Specialties are less constraining than they were.
Specialties offer a suggested feat tree, but players are not even required to take the first feat suggested if they qualify for another. So if my rogue takes Two-Weapon Defense as his first feat, that does mean my chosen Specialty is “Two-Weapon Fighter” but there are no further constraints on my feat selection.
In fact, the only purpose the optional rule (Choosing Feats on your own. “At your DM’s discretion…”) serves is to allow for the initial feat choice to be a feat that does not appear on any of the specialty lists (like Mimic and Read Lips).
SUGGESTION: There is no need for Choosing Feats on your own to be only at the DM’s discretion. Players can choose a Specialty as a template if they wish, or they can just choose a feat from the list.
6. Backgrounds are less constraining than they were.
Backgrounds offer a trait, and suggest four skills and some starting equipment. As with the Specialties, this allows new players a frame to get going if they want it, but the only actual mechanical benefit one chooses is the trait.
I’ll admit I really like the traits. I want to play a rogue who conducts temple services (with the Priest background). I want to play a wizard who has a military rank (with the Soldier background). I want to play a dwarven cleric with a False Identity (Charlatan), or a Knight’s Station (Knight), or who’s a Noted Performer (Minstrel), or a Bad Reputation (Thug) – all of those sound like great fun. I think the most successful jewel thieves are not the ones who know Thieves’ Cant (Thief background) nor those with a bad reputation (Thug background), but those who can blend among a city’s populace because they are the Salt of the Earth (Commoner background). But all of these look ready to tell great stories.
Thanks for bearing with me. I’d appreciate any feedback or thoughts you might have. If this is the way things are going (not entirely clear that’s so; but if…), what feats catch your eye?
