Higher Level Feats for the Fighting Man

[Messageboard Golem]

One of the most common complaints about the feat-heavy fighter class in particular, and warrior classes in general, is that there are too few feats specifically designed for high-level characters. While there are any number of expansive feat chains, most of these can be completed at lower-middle (for fighters) to middle levels (barbarians, rangers, monks, and paladins) of play, forcing the player to either choose sub-optimal feats for his character, or in the case of fighters specifically, to begin pursuing a second feat chain – this latter choice, especially, can have the unfortunate result of diluting a character’s concept, so that a mounted, lance bearing knight also ends up becoming an archer extraordinaire, for example.

With this 7-page collection of feats, Patrick Younts hopes to change that. The new feats introduced here are intended primarily for higher level characters, and are designed to continue the progression of existing feat chains, to build upon the more powerful class abilities warrior characters possess, or add new abilities which high level warriors might find not only very useful, but widely applicable to warriors of all concepts.

 

[drnuncheon]

One of the perennial complaints that players of higher-level characters have is what to do with the fighter. Like the wizard, it is frequently abandoned for the shiny attractions of various prestige classes, but unlike the wizard (who all too frequently loses little or nothing from his choice), the fighter gives up the prime advantage of his class: the feats. If there were only more high-level feats, it would actually make the choice a little tougher.

That's apparently what Patrick Younts thought, too, which is why he's produced this PDF.

"Physically", the PDF is 7 pages, with one page used for the d20 license and the other mostly for the cover. Like everything else I've seen from Ronin Arts, it is clean and easy to read on the screen. Each of the 29 feats is bookmarked for easy reference.

Looking over the actual content, I am gratified to see that the author does not fall into the trap that too many people before him have - that of assuming that everything one can do in a combat must be a feat. Instead, feats make you better at those things. For example, anyone can brace their spear to receive a charge, but someone with the Always Braced feat can do it as a free action.

The feats range from the low-level Armor Focus (which reduces penalties for a certain type of armor, and could be chosen at first level) to several feats with BAB prerequisites ranging from +12 to +15. Some of the feats are fighter only, similar to Weapon Specialization and higher feats. Other fighting classes aren't entirely left out - there's Terrifying Rage for the barbarian, Favored Slayer for the ranger, and Extended Smite for the Paladin, each requiring 10-12 levels in the class to get. Even the monk might want to take a look at Fists of Iron.

The feats extend all of the trees from the players handbook - there's three mounted feats, two ranged feats (one building on Multishot), two melee feats that build on Whirlwind Attack, several adding to the Weapon Focus/Specialization tree (not all of which are merely bigger numbers). There are feats that build on Improved Critical, Expertise, Weapon Finesse, and even Endurance. There's also a new, armor-based tree (starting with the aforementioned Armor Focus). None of the feats look obviously out of line in terms of the abilities they grant. Some are powerful, but have extensive prerequisites.

In short, this PDF looks like an excellent set of feats for people who are looking to continue the specialization of their combat characters rather than generalize or multiclass. Between that and the price, it is hard not to recommend it for someone looking for high-level fighter options.

 

[Servitor of Wrath]

"Between that and the price..."

For those of us too lazy to go to Drivethrurpg.com, what is the price?