Improved Binding - necessary or broken?

[Klaude dOrien]

The Improved Binding feat seems to be a must have for any Binder.

aside from being a bad piece of design that implies that either a Binder w/o that feat is seriously underpowered, or that a binder with that feat is seriously overpowered. which is it?

another way of looking at this: is Improved Binding something that snuck under the developers' radar, or did the developers realise the class was too weak after playtesting feedback and needed a quick fix to boost it before the book was published?

 

[howandwhy99]

I don't have Tome of Magic. What is the discrepancy?

 

[Malk]

You know, I never really thought of it like that, but every binder concept i come up with takes the feat (specially anima mage)

Given the lukewarm nature of the entire book, it may have been added as a quick fix. To bad shadow magic and true name magic didnt get similar feats heh...

 

[Hussar]

Ummm, what? You can take Improved Binding, sure, but, it's certainly not required. It's a nice boost at low levels when your choices of vestiges is very limited, but, by the time you hit 7th, 8th level, it's not all that necessary - you have more than enough to choose from.

In higher level play, say double digit levels, you likely won't even use it.

 

[Richards]

When I first clicked on this thread, I thought it was going to be about bookbinding, and I was curious becasue I've never had a problem with the binding on any of WotC's books.

So...never mind.

Johnathan

 

[Nifft]

It's a great feat if you are dipping into Binder.

For long-term Binders, it's a waste.

Cheers, -- N

 

[WarlockLord]

Rocks for anima mages, allows them to get in with no levels of binder. (Bind Vestige ->Improved Bind Vestige ->Improved Binding ->retrain 1st 2 feats.)

 

[Imp]

Retraining feat prereqs? Ooogh.

 

[blargney the second]

Retraining feat prereqs? Ooogh.

I have no problem with my players doing that.

Mind you, they'd lose the benefits of all the things that depend on the prereqs.

 

[Nifft]

Rocks for anima mages, allows them to get in with no levels of binder. (Bind Vestige ->Improved Bind Vestige ->Improved Binding ->retrain 1st 2 feats.)

That's a highly questionable interpretation of Bind Vestige.

The usual trick involves one level of Binder and Improved Binding.

Cheers, -- N