How much BAB is a feat worth?

[Notmousse]

If you could buy up your Base Attack Bonus with feats how much should it be worth?

 

[moritheil]

Under the unmodified rules, 1 feat is worth less than 1 BAB (consider Weapon Focus, for instance.) So unless this is being done as part of a plan to change the power balance of things, 1 BAB is worth maybe 1.25 or 1.5 feats.

 

[sirwmholder]

If I were to allow it to be bought a 1 for 1 sounds about right... though I probably would never allow it do to other abilities like Power Attack. If I did allow for it... the extra BAB would come with a list of restrictions and most likely become a "Virtual Base Attack Modifier" instead of a straight BAB advancement.

Hope this helps,
William Holder

 

[was]

I'd say 1 for 1 sounds right......

 

[Arkhandus]

When building classes and prestige classes, I always consider a point of BAB to equal two feats in value. Similar to a Weapon Focus feat for a melee weapon, and one for a ranged weapon. As a typical character will only use one or two weapons (or weapon-like attacks, i.e. rays, touch spells, etc.) most of the time.

 

[comrade raoul]

When building classes and prestige classes, I always consider a point of BAB to equal two feats in value. Similar to a Weapon Focus feat for a melee weapon, and one for a ranged weapon. As a typical character will only use one or two weapons (or weapon-like attacks, i.e. rays, touch spells, etc.) most of the time.

This is an interesting, plausible, and clever principle, though I, personally, think a point of BAB is worth slightly less than that.

Here is an interesting question--assuming the (post-PHII) fighter is balanced, would a prestige class be balanced if it was just like the fighter except that it (a) offered a feat every level but (b) had only medium BAB?

 

[StGabe]

I put down .5. BAB bonus is far more versatile than weapon focus (stacks with everything, applies to all weapons, determines when you get multiple attacks) which is a single feat. There is a reason why you are not allowed to take Weapon Focus multiple times. I would use the .5 for balance purposes but I wouldn't allow a 2 for 1 trade. If they want to improve their base attack bonus further with feats then they should have to do it through situational feats like that feat in Complete Adventurer that gives you a +4 attack bonus to Attacks of Opportunity (although IMO +4 is too much, I'd use +2 or +3 instead).

 

[Arkhandus]

This is an interesting, plausible, and clever principle, though I, personally, think a point of BAB is worth slightly less than that.

Here is an interesting question--assuming the (post-PHII) fighter is balanced, would a prestige class be balanced if it was just like the fighter except that it (a) offered a feat every level but (b) had only medium BAB?

Indeed. They'd actually warrant getting another bonus feat at some level (I assume the PH2 fighter doesn't give up one of its feats for something else?), since a fighter normally gets a bonus feat at 11 out of 20 levels, and sacrificing 5 points of BAB would be worth 10 feats. Wouldn't be a very accurate hitter though, but decent...... Wouldn't be able to abuse Power Attack as much, either (I only say 'abuse' PA because of 3.5's wonky 'two-handers do double PA damage so all other weapons suck!').

Sacrificing a bit of versatility, general accuracy, and rate of attacks for some extra feats......which would generally compensate for the first, partially for the second, and maybe just a bit for the third, but likely yielding a bit more power/focus in some particular weapon or three.

Of course, I don't know if there are any broken feats in some 3.5 book I haven't gotten a good look at, that would be problematic if a fighter could take 10 more copies of them..... But I would doubt it.

 

[Pyrex]

Where's the .33 option?

If players in my game wanted to spend feats to buy up BAB +1BAB/3Feats is probably what I'd charge. (playtesting might show it should only cost 2 feats though)

 

[Notmousse]

Where's the .33 option?

If players in my game wanted to spend feats to buy up BAB +1BAB/3Feats is probably what I'd charge. (playtesting might show it should only cost 2 feats though)

Bah! 0.33 is still 4 feats for the first BAB and introducing non-decimal fractions makes me want to poke people in the eye.

Besides, I put in subwizard, wizard, cleric, fighter, and superfighter progressions, that should be enough!