Feats That Shouldn’t Be Feats

[Tequila Sunrise]

Feats That Shouldn’t Be Feats

Some feats are so mundane, or so essential that everyone should get them just for sitting down at the table.

Heighten Spell: If we imagine each wizard spell as a very specific effect with a very specific forcefulness, I guess I can see why wizards might not be able to just boost their DCs by using higher spell slots. But I could argue it both ways. For wizards. For other casters? If I want to blow a high level slot on a lower level spell, why shouldn't the DC be that much higher? Frankly, I don’t see the point in keeping this feat a feat just for the wizard.

Power Attack: [And sundry feats that effectively trade AB for damage.] This becomes a necessary feat at higher levels, due to HP inflation, and the way that AB outpaces AC. If you need an in-game reason to wrap your head around, well, anyone can take a reckless swing right? Right.

Trapfinding: Okay, not a feat, but still very much in the “shouldn’t be” category. Blowing two skill points per level to keep two skills maxed out isn’t enough to even attempt defeating any bizarre trap my DM might throw at me? I need a special class gimmick too? This is like if every monster of 5 HD or higher had “Damage Reduction: Must be a 1st level fighter to bypass.” It’s niche protection taken too far.

Weapon Finesse: I need special training just to aim with my...aim, rather than with brute force? With light weapons only? Get real. Get game! This isn’t a powerful feat; this is a necessary feat for many characters. At least PF doesn’t screw rogues out of WF for two levels, but it’s still a feat slot lost for no good reason.

Comments? Criticism? Disbelief?

 

[Holy Bovine]

Weapon Finesse and Power Attack I agree 100%.

Heighten Spell should just be taken out entirely.

Trapfinding is a little problematical. Open it up to everyone and you may as well never use traps again as you'll have the whole party checking every 5 foot section of dungeon every round forever. At that point traps become pointless dice rolling exercises, imo.

I would add Weapon Focus to the list as well as it seems to only be in existence to forestall getting a good feat. Actually any feat whose sole purpose is to add +X to a die roll/defense should be removed under the 'Boring Feats are BORING' Rule.

 

[Ashtagon]

Track - I need to spend a feat so that the GM can keep the plot on course?

Many of these probably should be left in as feats, but with a clause that essentially says that those classes whose archetypes need them will get them for free. If you are playing another class and want to go against type, spend a feat.

 

[Empirate]

Combat Expertise - fighting defensively sucks so hardcore that it basically isn't an option. CE, on the other hand, might be worth it in some situations (fighting stuff that uses touch attacks, for example). Not enough situations to warrant a feat, though! Also, swinging wildly and defensively, or keeping a bit more of a distance from your melee opponent, should be available in useful form to anyone.

Diehard - every PC should have this by default. This is what separates the heroes from the common people! Keep going until you go under!

Precise Shot - why penalize archery, which is already feat-intense, even more by introducing this meaningless feat tax? "Take this feat or you won't be able to fulfill your core function" feats are badly designed feats!

Spell Mastery - taking this feat sends out entirely the wrong signals to your DM.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I agree with pretty much everything listed so far... Here's what I do with some of them...

Heighten Spell / Spell Mastery - I hadn't really considered this before, primarily because spellcasters don't need any help. Both of these feats are taken only very very rarely in games that I run. They might as well not exist.

Power Attack / Combat Expertise - These are things that anyone can do - to some extent. With no feat, you can do up to a +2 / -2 to whichever. The feat allows up to a +6 / -6 trade off.

Trapfinding - Anyone can attempt to search for traps. Rogues can spot traps.

Weapon Finesse - Light weapons use Dex. One-handed weapons use Str or Dex. Two-handed weapons use Str.

Weapon Focus - scales slightly. is still boring, but what can you do...

Track - Anyone can search for and follow tracks (by being good at the Survival skill) Trackers can do so quickly.

Precise Shot - removes the (very remote) possibility of friendly fire (houserule that I use). Almost no one takes Precise Shot in the games that I run.

 

[Dandu]

Weapon Focus - scales slightly. is still boring, but what can you do...

I think it'd be nice if WF gave a bonus to all weapons you were proficient with instead of just one.

 

[Zireael]

My list of 'feats which shouldn't be feats':

- any of the +x feats
- precise shot
- track

Possibly:
- weapon finesse

Work with little changes:
- power attack
- combat expertise

 

[Greenfield]

I'll add the Non-Lethal Substitution feats to the list. The idea that a Wizard can't train an apprentice without the kid killing things? Killing other apprentices?

We made this a free feat for all spell casters in our games.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Trapfinding is a little problematical. Open it up to everyone and you may as well never use traps again as you'll have the whole party checking every 5 foot section of dungeon every round forever. At that point traps become pointless dice rolling exercises, imo.

They're not, already?

Spell Mastery - taking this feat sends out entirely the wrong signals to your DM.

Ahaha, I forgot it even existed! Yeah, it's one of the few feats that manages to potentially screw over the wizard.

I think it'd be nice if WF gave a bonus to all weapons you were proficient with instead of just one.

Or if the whole Focus tree was a class feature, ala AD&D fighter specialization. Possibly with the warblade's retraining feature included.

But agreed, the Focus tree is lame.

I'll add the Non-Lethal Substitution feats to the list. The idea that a Wizard can't train an apprentice without the kid killing things? Killing other apprentices?

I can't help but imagine a crotchety old mage telling his apprentice "Don't worry, this won't hurt too bad..." as he flings a fireball at the uncertain youngster.

 

[TKDB]

Precise Shot - why penalize archery, which is already feat-intense, even more by introducing this meaningless feat tax? "Take this feat or you won't be able to fulfill your core function" feats are badly designed feats!

Precise Shot, obnoxious feat tax though it is, at least somewhat makes sense -- it wouldn't exactly be easy to avoid friendly fire when shooting at the guy your ally is fighting in melee.

Now, Point-Blank Shot, on the other hand. First off, it's a situational +1 to hit and damage...for a situation where you'd assume that would be the case anyway. Being able to shoot people more easily and with more force from up close is a simple matter of physics, not any special training. And then on top of that, it's a prerequisite for basically every other archery feat in existence. Including Far Shot. Yeah. That makes sense.

(Not to say that Precise Shot isn't a dumb feat that shouldn't be, at the very least, rolled into something else, but there's much lower-hanging fruit in this orchard )