Heroes of the Fallen Lands - Feat Preview

[Markn]

Check out this link.

FAQ for Player's Essentials: Heroes of the Fallen Lands!

It was posted by Wizards_DND on twitter.

Shows a new feat called Superior Will. Basically, it gives you a +2 feat bonus to Will in Heroic, +3 at Paragon and +4 at Epic. Not only that, if you are dazed or stunned you can make a save for that at the start of your turn, even if the condition doesn't normally allow a save.

Now that is a COOL feat!

 

[renau1g]

Awesome! I hate those powers as a player, nothing sucks more than sitting by watching as the group struggles against a tough badguy and just spinning your d8 like a top...

 

[MrMyth]

Ugh, so much hate for that. And not just because I'm a DM!

But because this is the Expertise problem all over again - feats so good that everyone needs to take them. Previously, at least the Defense feats didn't crop up until Paragon/Epic... but now they are floating around at Heroic level, way too good for their level.

First thing I've seen about Essentials that has really, truly disappointed me.

 

[Markn]

I'm not so sure this is a must have...

In campaigns where DMs abuse dazed/stun then yep, it sure is.

In campaigns where DMs only make liberal use of these powers, then maybe it is, maybe its not.

Also, I've learned that if every player takes the same feat, then the players isn't special anymore. It means that the DM now has to plan encounters taking into account the groups new ability. Forex, in my current Epic game which is one session away from ending a 2 year campaign, everyone has taken Epic Defenses. Now instead of one person being harder to hit, they all are, which means as DM I now tailor encounters to get around this to keep the encounter challenging and exciting. The end result is that the players benefit less because they all have it, instead of just one (or two) players feeling special.

 

[keterys]

In theory, that feat and its counterparts will replace the already existing "feat tax" defense feats. The trick being that many games avoided those being a feat tax by not getting high enough level.

The ability score requirements I find interesting. Might be part of their attempt to make more well-rounded stats desirable... ie, you might want to at some point get up to a 15 in each ability type (just requires a 13 to start, though, so not too hard)

I'm a bit worried that the gulf between low FRW and high FRW will widen, though.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I guess, if this feat is paired with a new iron will, its counterpart, which only gives a +1/tier bonus, but without any requirement, then I will like this feat.

Maybe we will see another update: epic FRW feats no longer give untyped bonuses. instead, robust defenses will give the untyped bonus...

 

[Mengu]

I wonder how many of these two for one feats we'll get. Something static combined with something interesting. Hope they don't do it only for defensive feats.

 

[RHGreen]

They should just have one defence feat called Superior Defence.

You can only take it once and only applies to one NAD.

It would still be a feat tax, but only one feat.

 

[YRUSirius]

I suppose this is the new feat layout in the coming books.

-YRUSirius

 

[TerraDave]

For those that haven't hit the link, it requires Cha or Wis of 15.

In one of these many previews they mentioned scaling feats just like this and that some current feats would be effectively replaced. Not sure if that means they go away, or just coexist with obviously better alternatives.