New Feat: Strike Undead

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Strike Undead [General]
You know how to strike undead to best destroy them.
Prerquisite: Expertise, 5 ranks in Knowledge (necrology).
Benefit: You can score critical hits against corperal undead.
Special: This feat allows for corperal undead to be affected by the rogue's sneak attack and the ranger's favoured enemy damage.

Is this feat balanced, and if not, what might I do to make it balanced?

 

[Crothian]

Well, it goes against the idea that the reason you can't critical hit undead is because they just don't have anything important to critical hit. But rules are made to be broken, shattered, then jumped up and down on, and then stomped into the floor.

I think the feat is balanced, but I'm not sure if expertise is the right feat prerequisite. Expertise is a better way of fighting defensively, and I don't see how that helps to critcal hit the undead.

My only suggestion, and it doesn't fit much better, would be to require weapon focus nad restrict the feat to that weapon only. It weakens the feat some, which is probably a good thing. And it shows that your expertise with the weapon (but not the expertise feat, weird huh? ) allows you to critical hit the undead. You might also want to put in skill focus Necrology to show a greater study on the undead. That way you have the knowledge to know where to strike and the ability to do so.

 

[Cabral]

How about this:
Strike Undead [General]
You can charge your weapon with positive energy in order to cripple Undead.
Prerquisite: 5 ranks in Knowledge (Undead), ability to channel positive energy.
Benefit: You can use a turning attempt to infuse your weapon with holy power. The weapon gains a +1 sacred bonus to attack and damage versus undead, bypasses the Undead's immunity to critical hits, and is keen (as the spell). The effect lasts for one round plus one round per charisma bonus (minimum of one round).
Special: This feat allows for corperal undead to be affected by the rogue's sneak attack and the ranger's favoured enemy damage.

 

[Crothian]

How about this:
Strike Undead [General]
You can charge your weapon with positive energy in order to cripple Undead.
Prerquisite: 5 ranks in Knowledge (Undead), ability to channel positive energy.
Benefit: You can use a turning attempt to infuse your weapon with holy power. The weapon gains a +1 sacred bonus to attack and damage versus undead, bypasses the Undead's immunity to critical hits, and is keen (as the spell). The effect lasts for one round plus one round per charisma bonus (minimum of one round).
Special: This feat allows for corperal undead to be affected by the rogue's sneak attack and the ranger's favoured enemy damage.

That seems okay. I'd make it adivine feat. That';s type of feat they created in Defenders of the Faith. Maybe you might want to make some of those feats prerequistes if you have the book.

 

[Cabral]

I thought the feats in Defenders of the Faith were General feats. The one I suggested should be of the same type, so if they are Divine feats, then this one should be too.

 

[dvvega]

I would personally up the rank requirement. To support this opinion, I looked at Song and Silence with the Requiem feat for bards, allowing them to affect the undead with their music (essentially giving them a limited form of mind control over undead). It requires 12 ranks in the Perform skill (the main skill for the bard) so it limits it to Level 9+ bards.

Perhaps you would do this, otherwise the feat as you've stated it could conceivably be had by a 1st level Paladin (not sure on Expertise requirements). With all the bonuses you're handing out with the feat, that Paladin has just become MR ANTI-UNDEAD.

 

[Cabral]

I don't know if you were replying to my version or Nebuchadnezzar's, but either way, the feat can't be taken until 2nd level (which means it won't likely be taken until 3rd level). Also, while the requim feat can be used an unlimited times per day (I don't think the bardic music ability has limited number of usages), my version shares usages with undead turning ability. Also, I based the effects on one of Divine Feats and the Foe Hunter feat. (Both of which I think can be had at first level.)

 

[dvvega]

Actually bards have a maximum of one song per day allowed

Ah yes, I miscalculated the Ranks requirement

However I do think it is powerful since Undead have that ability, to avoid criticals. You're adding criticals, Keen, and a lot of other extras.

There is a paladin spell that gives all of this ... so I think the feat is a little unbalanced.

 

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Some thoughts...

I really don't want it to be a divine feat, as no core class in my campaign-world has the ability to turn undead. The reason I
put Expertise as a prerequisite was to state that one needed to
fight in an intelligent manner, and apply that (together with your
knowledge of undead) to strike undead where it does the most
damage to their build.

Perhaps I could include Cleave as a prerequisite instead of Expertise?

Shatter Undead [General]
You can use your chosen weapon to crush undead.
Prerequisite: 5 ranks in Knowledge (necrology), Power Attack,
Weapon Focus with a bludgeoning weapon.
Benefit: You can score critical hits against corperal undead.
Special: This feat allows for corperal undead to be affected
by the rogue's sneak attack and the ranger's favoured enemy damage.

 

[trentonjoe]

Re: Some thoughts...

I really don't want it to be a divine feat, as no core class in my campaign-world has the ability to turn undead.

Shatter Undead [General]
You can use your chosen weapon to crush undead.
Prerequisite: 5 ranks in Knowledge (necrology), Power Attack,
Weapon Focus with a bludgeoning weapon.
Benefit: You can score critical hits against corperal undead.
Special: This feat allows for corperal undead to be affected
by the rogue's sneak attack and the ranger's favoured enemy damage.

I think it is a GREAT idea.

Here is my two cents:

Prereqs: Int 13+ (goes back to the "you have to be smart to do it" expertise rationale) the rest is good but why just bludgeoning? Like a long sword can't split an arm or take a chunk out of some zombies side? Clearly this wouldn't work against skeletons but write that in somehow in the special.

SPecial: My first thought on the sneak attack damage is that it is a bad idea but thieves get so few feats they wouldn't realisticly take this until 12+ level. Multiclass thieves could get it but would have to pass on a less specific "good" feat.


All inall I think this is a great idea. Also would be a great special ability for an Undead slayer PrC.