New Feat: Opportunist

[Alcamtar]

This feat is intended to make it easier for a fighter to effectively "cover" wizards/archers who use the step-back-and-cast/shoot technique. It also allows a character to protect a larger area against passage. What do you think?

OPPORTUNIST [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes
Benefit: If you have not already moved you may take a 5' step in order to make an attack of opportunity against someone just outside your threatened zone. This step counts as your move for the round.
Normal: A character without this feat cannot make AOO against someone outside his threatened zone.
Special: The Combat Reflexes feat does not allow a rogue to use her opportunist ability more than once per round.
A fighter may select Opportunist as one of his fighter bonus feats.
A monk may select Opportunist as a bonus feat at 2nd level.

 

[Grail Quest]

If the intent is to stop archers / spell casters from stepping back, why not simply have a feat that expands the criteria of what triggers an AoO?

As written, your feat essentially expands the threat radius of the character by 1 square. However, because he has to move, the character with this feat may also subject himself to AoOs. I'm not sure how this will work out in the long run in terms of usefulness.

Other than that, it is certainly an interesting feat.

 

[Alcamtar]

If the intent is to stop archers / spell casters from stepping back, why not simply have a feat that expands the criteria of what triggers an AoO?QUOTE]

Do you have any suggestions for this? A feat that allows you to make an AOO against anyone who makes a 5' step seems unbalancing, especially for someone with combat reflexes... nobody would dare to move at all!

Mike

 

[Liquidsabre]

You do realize that if the character hasn't moved yet that a 5ft step can be made as part of a readied action right? So all the fighter has to do is ready an action to attack the caster/archer and they can make a 5ft step and attack.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

It certainly seems to accomplish what you like. But when I saw the name I immediately thought of some kind of Rogue skill of 'taking the best advantage' of something. A better name might be 'body shield.'

 

[Grail Quest]

If the intent is to stop archers / spell casters from stepping back, why not simply have a feat that expands the criteria of what triggers an AoO?QUOTE]

Do you have any suggestions for this? A feat that allows you to make an AOO against anyone who makes a 5' step seems unbalancing, especially for someone with combat reflexes... nobody would dare to move at all!

Hmm... How about...

"Press Attack"
You may designate one opponent in the area you threaten. If that opponent attempts to move out of the area you threaten, you may make an Attack of Opportunity against them before they do so.
If you hit but do not drop them, you may also move up to 5' to follow them.

 

[the Jester]

I like it, but I'd change the name. 'Opportunist' is already the name of one of the high-level rogue abilities.

 

[Alcamtar]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I think I'll change the name to "Press Attack" and use Grail Quest's modifications. That makes it more interesting and a little more balanced.

Mike

 

[Baronovan]

I have a feat that is similar. It's called Mage Hunter, and it grants an additional 5 ft. step 1/round in response to anyone within sight casting a spell. Yes, it simply increases the threat range, but remember that a 5 ft. step doesn't provoke AOO on its own, so you don't have to worry about that.

 

[glass]

If you have not already moved you may take a 5' step in order to make an attack of opportunity against someone just outside your threatened zone. This step counts as your move for the round.

What exactly do you mean by 'if you have not already moved'?

Also, as written, you cannot as written use this feat to step away from someone who is inside the threat range of your reach weapon. Is that intentional? It is probably wise, but I just wanted to check.


glass.