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Message: <blockquote data-quote="drnuncheon" data-source="post: 1024840" data-attributes="member: 96">I disagree.  Where I think the problem is is that far too many designers see the feat mechanic, and use that to add in things that should properly be new combat options.For example: there should not be a feat that lets you make an attack while leaping down on someone - but I'll bet that if you looked hard enough, you'd be able to find one.  On the other hand, FFG did it right in their Path of the Sword - they presented it as a combat option that anyone could attempt.Similarly, I can't count how many feats I've seen for 'Shield Wall' - which is, at its core, a very basic concept.  In my opinion, the only one who's done it right so far is Skip Williams, in his Cry Havoc! for Malhavoc press.  He presents it as a combat maneuver for units, not a feat at all.Basically, a lot of designers forget that many of these 'feats' are things that could be attempted by first level warriors, and that's where they go wrong.  Introducing a mechanic as a feat closes it off to anyone who doesn't have the feat - leaving people saying 'but why can't my fighter do this?'If they were introduced as combat maneuvers - with perhaps an 'Improved X' feat that lessened any associated penalties - then you wouldn't need to have 30 feats to represent the capabilities of a well-trained combatant.  A feat would represent elite, in-depth training or extreme focus on a particular subject - just as it should.Essentially: feats generally should not introduce new rules, they should alter existing rules.  I think that this would answer 90% of your complaints.The other 10% seem to be based on thinking of the feats as the baseline.  Not every fighter should have weapon focus and weapon specialization - it should be unusual, someone who has dedicated themselves to that weapon, rather than standard issue for a soldier.  Not every solder is going to have all of the Improved X feats (although they'll probably tend to pick them up as they go up in level.)  By mentally adjusting the baseline - what you think of as 'normal' or 'average' , you can very easily bring the fighter into focus as an incredibly skilled elite combatant, even at 5th level.J</blockquote>

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