New Design & Development: Feats

[Wepwawet]

So what design space did that leave for feats? After some discussion, we came to see feats as the “fine-tuning” that your character performed after defining his role (via your choice of class) and his build (via your power selections). Feats would let characters further specialize in their roles and builds, as well as to differentiate themselves from other characters with similar power selections.

They would accomplish these goals with simple, basic functionality, rather than complicated conditional benefits or entirely new powers that you’d have to track alongside those of your class.

I love this reasoning!
I'm glad they powered down feats, and favored class options.

More points for 4th edition!

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I'm liking the idea that the names of feats and powers get more interesting as you go along - the suggestion that a Heroic character takes Toughness, but a Paragon character takes Bones of the Mountain and the Epic character takes Rock of the World or similar.

I like that - it makes a clear distinction that you've stepped up in class and are moving into more legendary exploits.

As for the other names, well, I'm sure we'll all get used to them in time.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

TWF rangers again? I thought WotC would have learned their lesson. I hope there's more options for melee rangers beyond TWF.

 

[Najo]

One concern I have is that they may be adding more IP to the core game, making it even hard for 3rd parties to tie in. This might be why they are not do the d20 liscense. Personally, I think the added IP into the core books only hurts the campaign settings WOTC makes and the ability for 3rd party contributions. Wotc should avoid the stuff that can be conflicting in other compaign settings.

Specific campaign material should not be in the core books.

This goes for names like golden wyvern adept. If my campaign setting doesn't have wyverns then this feat doesn't fit very well. I hate this sort of forcing content into my campaign.

Now, if you want to put golden wyvern adepts in Forgotten Realms or Ebberron, then do it. Now issues there. Just keep them out of the core.

 

[Kaffis]

Interesting.

Toughness. Hp equal to class level +3 (is that a indication of triple starting hp at first?)

Alertness: Wonder why this isn't Skill Focus?

Probably. Except, I'm guessing it'll follow suit with Saga and not triple the con modifier. Saga is triple the class's max hit die + con mod for first level hp.

Probably because you can stack that and skill focus? Also, Alertness provides an additional benefit (and a correspondingly smaller bonus to the skill).

 

[Klaus]

Toughness is just 3.5's Improved Toughness (you used to gain +level hp, now it'll be +level+3).

Alertness now includes the benefit of Uncanny Dodge (not flat-footed if surprised).

What I don't like is the possible reserving of some ability paths for some classes. The biggest advancement of 3e was

"Options, Not Restrictions."

And in that it succeeded admirably. I really hope 4e isn't a step back from that.

 

[loseth]

One thing that irritates me about people is their inability to get over names. Must I quote Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)?

Re-name it if it bothers you so much. This goes with Feats, Classes and everything else. For instance, even though it says "Ranger", perhaps you aren't a D&D ranger, you're just using the class. Call yourself whatever you like.

Jeez.

The fact that something can be changed is not a valid argument for its inclusion in the rules. If WOTC renamed hit points as 'jambalamba juice' you could change that. If they scrapped all current classes and replaced them with just two classes--teletubby and yeti--you could change that. If they changed the name of the 'Strength' stat to 'Broccoli power' you could change that. The fact that you could change any of these if you wanted to does not make them a good idea, nor does it remove a customer's right to say 'I don't like these names in the product you want me to buy.'

 

[Stogoe]

Cleric archer? Multiclass into ranger or fighter, depending on the abilities you want. It will replace some of your cleric options, but not any of your cleric effectiveness.

People are still thinking 3e mutliclassing, and it grates on me.

 

[Rechan]

I'm almost certain that "Golden Wyvern" etc will be less like organizations, and more like the equivalent of a fighting style. A tradition or school of magic that in 3e is just Evocation/Divination/etc.

 

[Najo]

I'm almost certain that "Golden Wyvern" etc will be less like organizations, and more like the equivalent of a fighting style. A tradition or school of magic that in 3e is just Evocation/Divination/etc.

Still doesn't work for me if wyverns or gold aren't in my game.