Fighter Feat Chain - Grand Mastery

[Broken Fang]

We have been thinking about a new feat chain for the fighter. This is what we have, each lower feat requires all the feats above it. The main thing is it makes other classes take Weapon Specialization (therefore having to multi to ftr) to get Improved Critical...kinda makes sense though we thought. It also provides more feats past 10th level.

Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization
Improved Critical
Weapon Master: BAB 11+, adds an additional +2 to hit and +1 damage (total +3/+3)
High Master: BAB 14+, increases weapon die type by one
Grand Master: 17+, increases critical range by one (after effects of improved critical and keen weapon)

Not sure if we should switch the abilities of High Master and Grand Master...not sure which adds more power at these levels.

Please let me know what you all think?

 

[hong]

We have been thinking about a new feat chain for the fighter. This is what we have, each lower feat requires all the feats above it. The main thing is it makes other classes take Weapon Specialization (therefore having to multi to ftr) to get Improved Critical...kinda makes sense though we thought. It also provides more feats past 10th level.

Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization
Improved Critical
Weapon Master: BAB 11+, adds an additional +2 to hit and +1 damage (total +3/+3)
High Master: BAB 14+, increases weapon die type by one
Grand Master: 17+, increases critical range by one (after effects of improved critical and keen weapon)

Not sure if we should switch the abilities of High Master and Grand Master...not sure which adds more power at these levels.

Please let me know what you all think?

I never was a great fan of the X Master abilities from 2E's munchbooks, so I don't see a need to resurrect them. Fighters in 3E have lots of other ways to kick booty than simple generic plusses.

I would prefer feats tailored to individual weapons. Alternatively, consider using the OA rules for mastering styles of martial arts to come up with distinct styles for different weapons. This would add quite a bit of individuality and flavour to each weapon master -- for example, a master with the spear might get a 10 ft deep threatened area, a master with the sword might get an additional iterative attack, while one with the staff might get bigger damage dice. You get the idea.

 

[taotad]

Hong has right.

You don't have to invent a new ability for each weapon though. It might be enough to simply divide the weapons into categories and figure out the common ground for them:
Slashing, bludgeoning and piercing maybe?
Or reach, good critical, good damage, cheap making?

Just some ideas to take you out of a rather large workload.

 

[Buddha the DM]

THose ideas look a lot like what my brother came up with. I also had posted his ideas to the boards some time ago.

 

[Broken Fang]

Yes, but since a Fighter is already a master of every weapon...he can use all martial and simple at the same BAB, why not go the easy route.
Feats for each individual weapon or weapon type could be interesting but I'm not sure I want to go into that detail yet.

 

[EOL]

I'm not sure how I feel about the feats, they do have some good points, but I do agree with the need. At the moment it seems like a fighter really has to choose some sort of prestige class, otherwise with all the extra feats they get, by the time you get up to 15+ level you've pretty much exhausted the available feats that fit in with a certain concept or a particular weapon. I'm not sure if this is the best way to solve this problem, but it might have value.

 

[Crothian]

I'd like to see more specific feats then general ones like these. I think by the time you've devoted 3 feats into a single weapon (WEapon Focus, Weapon Speicalization, Impreoved Critical) then the feats should be more weapon specific. Just adding more bonuses and uping danmage is boring, get creative and use your imagination.

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

I like the weapon-specific feats idea, and have a few (probably unbalanced) ideas.

Double weapons: Instead of using Improved Two Weapon Fighting, the char can make itterative attacks at -3 instead of -5 (alternating heads).
This is slightly better.

Polearms: When someone is hit by an attack the weilder may force an opposed strength check as if they had bullrushed them. If successful they may (hopefully) push their opponent out of the threatened range without moving with them.
This would be brutal with combat reflexes, as noone could get close enough to attack them often.

 

[Crothian]

Those are powerful ideas, but I think that having them each require five or so feats and one or two ability score requirements should make them worth while. I really like the feat chain idea, and I think we need powerful feats at the top of these chains.

 

[Ravellion]

Hmmm... something with a bit more flavour...

"One with his/her weapon"
Prereq: BAB 10+, WF, WS, IC with weapon.
When someone attempts to disarm or sunder the weapon the character is holding the character may make an attack of opportunity regardless of whether the disarming or sundering character normally would not receive one, or whether the character has used his/her Attacks of Opportunity this round. These attacks are made at a +2 bonus to hit.

"Strike into submission"
prereq: WF, WS, Power Attack, BAB 8+
Through skill and force, the character gains a +2 dodge bonus to all creatures she hit during her turn until her next initiative.

Hmmmm... I like the flavour of that last one myself... perhaps a bit powerful though. Should creatures immune to criticals not be affected? Should it be +1?

Rav