New feats (considered for E6)

[TwoSix]

Some feats for the E6 wizard, with upward leanings. I personally strongly dislike the Sudden Metamagic feat chain, and prefer to see some use for the metamagic feats anyway. Secondly, I like the flavour these provide to specialists, and think feats for sorcerors should focus more on heritage and flavour (fire, ice, acid, water), than Wizardly Schools. There are quitre a few heritage feats for sorcerers floating around, so I shan't repeat them here.


WIZARDRY FEATS
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I'm not sure of the exact mechanic you're aiming for with the school-based feats. Are they spell-like abilities? Or is it you gain an extra slot, which can only be filled by memorizing that spell? Does the feat put the spell in your spellbook?

 

[green slime]

I'm not sure of the exact mechanic you're aiming for with the school-based feats. Are they spell-like abilities? Or is it you gain an extra slot, which can only be filled by memorizing that spell? Does the feat put the spell in your spellbook?

Yes, I was aiming for spell-like abilities. I just didn't want to type so much... sorry!

 

[TwoSix]

Yes, I was aiming for spell-like abilities. I just didn't want to type so much... sorry!

I like most of those feats, although I probably wouldn't use them in my E6erron game, as I want the higher level spells to be the province of Dragonmarks.

The one suggestion I would make is to sub out the Greater Invisibility with something else, maybe Lesser Shadow Conjuration or something. G. Invis. can be a really problematic spell.

 

[Ry]

I like the term E6erron.

 

[Kunimatyu]

Some feats for the E6 wizard, with upward leanings. I personally strongly dislike the Sudden Metamagic feat chain, and prefer to see some use for the metamagic feats anyway. Secondly, I like the flavour these provide to specialists, and think feats for sorcerors should focus more on heritage and flavour (fire, ice, acid, water), than Wizardly Schools. There are quitre a few heritage feats for sorcerers floating around, so I shan't repeat them here.

-snip-

Not to be negative, but I can't say I'm wild about the idea of most of these feats. Some of them, like Dimension Door (remember, Dimension Hop is still available for very short-range stuff) aren't necessary, and some -- Stoneskin, Greater Invis, Wall of Force -- well, quite frankly, they're one of the reasons E6 caps magic at 3rd level spells.

Now, I do think that in some cases, allowing a feat that can cast a once per day spell is okay, especially with spells like Animate Dead that are 3rd level cleric spells. If you really really must have things like Wall of Force, consider giving a player a scroll of it -- that way, they can unleash powerful magical effects at a climactic encounter, but you don't have to worry about the average balance issues of giving your mage 5th level spells usable every day. I also like the idea of higher-level spell scrolls (ie. ones not possible for mortal casters to create) dealing ability or HP damage to the caster, as a further precaution against calling upon very powerful magical effects.

 

[TwoSix]

Not to be negative, but I can't say I'm wild about the idea of most of these feats. Some of them, like Dimension Door (remember, Dimension Hop is still available for very short-range stuff) aren't necessary, and some -- Stoneskin, Greater Invis, Wall of Force -- well, quite frankly, they're one of the reasons E6 caps magic at 3rd level spells.

Now, I do think that in some cases, allowing a feat that can cast a once per day spell is okay, especially with spells like Animate Dead that are 3rd level cleric spells. If you really really must have things like Wall of Force, consider giving a player a scroll of it -- that way, they can unleash powerful magical effects at a climactic encounter, but you don't have to worry about the average balance issues of giving your mage 5th level spells usable every day. I also like the idea of higher-level spell scrolls (ie. ones not possible for mortal casters to create) deal ability or HP damage to the caster, as a further precaution against calling upon very powerful magical effects.

Personally, I think a lot of 4th and 5th level spells are fine, but only allowing them on a case-by-case basis as feats preserves overall balance. And honestly, it's easier for players to accept than saying "Ok, you're a 7th level wizard, here's all the spells I'm disallowing because they're imbalanced."

 

[green slime]

Not to be negative, but I can't say I'm wild about the idea of most of these feats. Some of them, like Dimension Door (remember, Dimension Hop is still available for very short-range stuff) aren't necessary, and some -- Stoneskin, Greater Invis, Wall of Force -- well, quite frankly, they're one of the reasons E6 caps magic at 3rd level spells.

Now, I do think that in some cases, allowing a feat that can cast a once per day spell is okay, especially with spells like Animate Dead that are 3rd level cleric spells. If you really really must have things like Wall of Force, consider giving a player a scroll of it -- that way, they can unleash powerful magical effects at a climactic encounter, but you don't have to worry about the average balance issues of giving your mage 5th level spells usable every day. I also like the idea of higher-level spell scrolls (ie. ones not possible for mortal casters to create) dealing ability or HP damage to the caster, as a further precaution against calling upon very powerful magical effects.

Actually, I have no problem with 4th & 5th level spells, and would actually consider an E8 or E10 game more to my taste.

I did these feats because:
1) Some people had been asking for similar.
2) I have no problems with the abilities I suggested. People are always free to substitute their own spell selection. I tried to select spells that weren't extremely problematical, but nevertheless were iconic for that school.

Wall of Force may be viewed as dramatic, but when it can only be cast 1/day, the players can't stock up on scrolls, and lasts only 7 rounds, is it really going to be that big a problem in your game?

Lastly, those 1/day uses are only going to come into play in a mature E6 environment, that has long exceeded the ordinary 6th level. The feat investment alone is quite steep, and takes a formidable amount of XP, even if you concentrate solely on achieving "School Mastery".

 

[Shazman]

Exactly, I don't think I've seen any E6 feats that allow limited use of 4th level spells or that mimic higher level feats without requiring some heavy investment in ability scores, feats, or skills. They aren't going to be available to the PC's for a while. No one will be able to get them the first 5k of exp after 6th level.

 

[Ry]

I've been doing a roundup of things considered in this thraed; in light of NilesB's remarks on how crits work, and how Improved Critical preserves weapon balance, and the persistent discussion of fighters, I am going to include Martial Veteran in E6's next version.

 

[Kunimatyu]

To each his own, of course. I think I'm going to have a more severe cutoff point, and lean upwards through very limited-use magical items or rituals.

One thing I do plan on doing is giving Sorcerers access to all spell lists (though paladin and ranger only up to level 1 spells, and bard up to 2), as they're going to play a major role in my setting. Also, as the most underpowered spellcasting class, I think that will make them more interesting to play, and it'll also enable them to cast some cleric spells that I would like arcane casters to use in E6, like bestow curse, animate dead, and the like.

Again, though, this is a personal houserule, and not something I'd throw out there for general consumption in E6.