New feats for "intelligent" fighters

[Vicar In A Tutu]

I'm thinking of starting a new campaign (Return to the temple of elemental evil, actually), and want to give "intelligent" fighters a boost (Intelligent fighters defined as fighters who allocate points to Int in order to get Expertise and related feat-chains). I agree with some of the other posters on this board that the Fighter loses out on higher levels, the feat-chains are maxed out too early (in addition, there are simply too few feat-chains in the PHB for a fighter to fully customize his character, IMHO).

In my gaming group, Expertise fighters are regarded as being underpowered. Sure, Improved Disarm and Improved Trip can be a true pain in the arse, but it all boils down to how much damage the fighter can deliver. Players prefer the two-handed, power attacking fighter (especially in 3.5 with the new power attack rules for two-handed weapons). The archer is also a common choice, so is the sword-and-shield (I tend to include shield-boosting feats in my campaign, of the type "Shield Focus: +1 shield bonus with chosen type of shield and -1 armor check penalty". Intelligent fighters are rare in my campaign. These new feats should boost expertise-type fighters. I would appreciate advice on balancing issues (the feats are supposed to be strong, however, they are of course not supposed to be unbalanced). Note that I have houseruled the Dodge feat so that it adds a straight +1 Dodge bonus to AC (instead of giving a +1 bonus only against a single opponent, the player often forgot to use the Feat and I often forgot to consider it when checking whether the player was struck or not).

Improved Whirlwind Attack
Prereq: As Whirlwind attack, plus Superior Expertise (from Oriental Adventures) and a +8 or higher base attack bonus
Benefit: If you make a 5-foot adjust after using Whirlwind Attack, you may make an additional attack against an opponent now within reach that you did not attack with your Whirlwind Attack. This attack is at your highest base attack bonus and uses up one your attacks of opportunity for the round.

Superior Whirlwind Attack
Prereq: As Whirlwind Attack, plus Improved Whirlwind Attack and a +12 or higher base attack bonus
Benefit: You gain a +2 Dodge bonus to your AC and a +2 bonus to your Reflex save after using a Whirlwind Attack. These bonuses last until your next round.

The following feats (stolen from a prestige class ability of the same name in Oriental Adventures) may be extremely powerful against the right opponent (fullplate, large shield fighter), but is it unbalanced?

"Moving the shadow" (suggestions for a proper name and description is much appreciated)
Prereq: Expertise, Superior Expertise (from Oriental Adventures), Dodge, Mobility, Dex 13+, Int 13+, base attack bonus +8 or higher.
Benefit: You gain a Dodge bonus to your AC equal to half the armor check penalty (if any) of the opponent striking you.

"Improved Moving the Shadow"
Prereq: As Moving the Shadow, except base attack bonus +16 or higher.
Benefit: You gain a Dodge bonus to your AC equal to the full armor check penalty (if any) of the opponent striking you. This feat does not stack with Moving the Shadow.

I'm particularly uncertain about this new feat chain for fencing fighters. Too strong, too weak or too cumbersome?

Riposte
Prereq: Int 13+, Expertise, Weapon Finesse, +4 base attack bonus or higher.
Benefit: If an opponent rolls a 1, 2 or 3 on the attack roll and misses you in melee combat, you may make an attack of opportunity against that opponent. You may only use this feat with a weapon eligable for the Weapon Finesse feat (light weapons, rapier, etc). This feat can only be used once per round, even if you can make more than one attack of opportunity in a round.

Improved Riposte
Prereq: Int 13+, Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Riposte, +8 base attack bonus or higher
Benefit: As riposte, only the numbers are extended to 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Greater Riposte
Prereq: Int 13+, Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Riposte, Improved Riposte, +12 base attack bonus or higher
Benefit: Your riposte attacks gain a +4 competence bonus.

Superior Riposte
Prereq: Int 13+, Superior Expertise, Expertise, Weapon Finesse, Riposte, Improved Riposte, Greater Riposte, +16 or higher base attack bonus
Benefit: There is no restriction on the number of times in a round that can make riposte attacks. In addition, the riposte attacks are no longer counted as Attacks of Opportunity, they are instead treated as free attacks at your highest base attack bonus.

 

[Ferret]

I think I like these a lot, I am thinking as another one, something along the lines of Expertise but It lowering your damage and Threat range.

 

[Fieari]

Perhaps instead of the Riposte feats working when the opponent fails on a 1, 2, 3, etc... make it so that if the opponent misses your AC by a certain amount, which decreases as you go higher in the chain. Perhaps start it out missing your AC by 10 or more? That seems like it would fit against most opponents rolling a 1, 2, or 3. I also think that the second feat in the chain should allow you to use as many attacks of opportunity as you may normally use, and then of course the final feat allows you to get free attacks.

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

I think I like these a lot, I am thinking as another one, something along the lines of Expertise but It lowering your damage and Threat range.

I'm not quite sure I understand your post, but did you suggest a variant of Expertise which, instead of reducing your attack bonus, reduces the attack's damage and the weapon's threat range?

Perhaps instead of the Riposte feats working when the opponent fails on a 1, 2, 3, etc... make it so that if the opponent misses your AC by a certain amount, which decreases as you go higher in the chain. Perhaps start it out missing your AC by 10 or more? That seems like it would fit against most opponents rolling a 1, 2, or 3.

I have to think a little about this, though I think the starting feat would be too strong if it started out at "10" (misses your AC by 10 or more). Also, this feat would make Expertise stronger, since Expertise can boost your AC and thus make it more likely that the opponent miss by 10 (or whatever) more. Furthermore, I think it will be easier and quicker for the DM to use the static number riposte-feat (1,2,3, etc), since the results of the roll tend to speak for itself (instead of calculating the PC's AC and comparing it to the attack roll).

 

[drnuncheon]

There's a lot of Riposte versions out there. Often they share these qualities:

1) they cost an Attack of Opportunity to use
2) they depend on the attacker missing by a certain margin - usually this is based on the function of some other feat such as Dodge and/or Expertise.

J

 

[Storyteller01]

I've been thinking the same thing, but I had been running on the lines of giving these fighters Intimidate, Combat Bluff, and Sense Motive as class skills. They could use the Sense Motive skill to Improve their AC for a sety number of rounds, since they know what to expect from teir target.

I've also nerfed Intimidate for fighters. Targets get a Save equal to the fighters Intimidate roll. If thwey fail, they are shaken for a number of rounds equal to the amount they missed by. If they miss by 10, then they run screaming.

Fear can work just as well as damage/

 

[Storyteller01]

there's an OGL book out (I forget the name) that allows you to use Expertise AC bonuses as defensive 'charges'. Feats in the book give you manuevers you can use as you are attacked. These maneuvers cost Expertise charges (example: a duel Sai weilder may attempt to Improved Sunder a weapon as they are attacked. This costs 3 charges).

You lose the AC bonus as well as the BaB tyoyu gave up for the Expertise feat, but you can do more per round.

 

[Jesus_marley]

The thing about intelligent fighters is that they fight intelligently. They know that a defensive shield can be used as an offensive weapon. They know that they are not limited to their hands when making an attack. They know that an opponent can be taken off guard my the smallest change in tactics...

Shield Bash - BAB +2, Str 15+. A character with this feat when using a full attack action and using a shield may attempt a shield bash against a foe. This attack replaces one attack that the character could otherwise make during that round and is made at 1/2 the attack bonus rounding down. (eg. Ragnar can make 2 attacks a round (+8/+3). He chooses to shield bash with his first attack and would have a +4 to hit. If he chose to SB with his second attack it would be made at +1). If the SB is successful it does 1d3 points of damage and there is a 5% chance of stunning the opponent (treat as Stunning Fist). The % chance increases +5% per point of strength bonus. Spiked shields do an additional 1d4 points of damage. Bucklers and Tower shields cannot be used for a shield bash.

Kick - Prereq. Dirty fighting. A character with this feat may attempt a kick attack against a melee opponent. When using a full attack action, the character may (as a free action) try to kick their opponent. The attack is made at the LOWEST attack bonus and the kicker is at -5 to resist a trip attack for that round and the next. If successful, the opponent loses there dexterity bonus to AC for 1d3 rounds. A kick may only be attempted once every 3 rounds.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Vicar, your feats are pretty decent. I do not see any problems with them.