PHB2 general feats review (heroic tier)

[CapnZapp]

Herein I give my thoughts on the general feats of PHB2 (the feats that can be taken by PHB1 characters = the feats that doesn't rely on PHB2 races or classes) for the heroic tier. As a grading system, I'm using the one that comes naturally: will it be allowed in my game?

Combat Medic
(You stabilize the dying as a minor action instead of a standard action; you also get a +2 feat bonus to Heal)
This doesn't seem to be a very strong feat. Starting on the multiclass path into Cleric seems much more worthwhile. Feels somewhat like a "3E NPC feat".
I'll allow it but won't expect anyone to actually take it.

Coordinated Explosion
You get a +1 untyped bonus to attacks for bursts/blasts that include 1+ allies.
Somewhat of a WTF? feat. Please tell me how to abuse this (casting Fireball against an ally immune to fire etc). Rather artificial feel to it - how does torching your allies make it easier to hit your foes?
Whatever math imbalance that's behind this feat must surely be fixable another way.
Not allowed - I don't need feats that actually encourage undesirable behavior (of either the jerkwad or the cheese kind)

Distant Advantage
You gain combat advantage against flanked enemies at a range (your allies can flank for you).
This is weird. In most rpgs shooting into melee is dangerous and difficult; this feat makes it actually advantageous to do so. I'd say this feat single-handedly changes a major rules assumption (that to flank; you must expose your ass).
Not allowed: to me the unviability of the "distance rogue" archetype is a solution, not a problem.

Echoes of Thunder
Hitting with [Thunder] powers make you do more damage until the end of your next turn.
Allowed.

Expert Ritualist
+2 to skill checks for rituals.
Allowed but a big "meh"

Implement Expertise
This feat is discussed extensively elsewhere. This is not one of those threads, so I'm not commenting

Improved Bull Rush
+4 feat bonus.
Must say I'm underwhelmed. Would have liked to see more of a mechanical advantage (than simply a better chance to hit). Unlike Grab, Bull Rush does do it's thing though, so I guess it's okay.
Allowed.

Improved Grab
+4 feat bonus.
A bonus is nice, but this doesn't change the basics: the Grab still sucks. This feat needed to change that, making it harder to escape or at least make it possible to both Grab and do a follow-up attack in the same round.
Allowed, but "meh".

Melee Training
You can use whatever ability you like instead of Strength when making melee basic attacks (Opportunity Attacks).
Not too bad. Though combats aren't won through OAs, so this feat is still kind of low on the priority scale - unless you have a power that lets you do more stuff with opportunity attacks. Then this feat could be awesome.
Allowed - I guess. (I'm hesitating because on the surface it sucks, and if it doesn't suck, it might be gamebreaking)

Oncoming Storm
Hit with lightning and you get a damage bonus - on Thunder attacks!
Allowed. I like how these energy type damage boosting feats aren't simply identical.

Restful Healing
Healing done AFTER a short rest but BEFORE the next encounter get maximized.
This is very weird indeed. Why would you want to encourage a focus on the non-space between a short rest and the next encounter? This is taking the game into a direction I don't want to go - I far prefer short rests to mean a minimum of administration, so no "playing the system".
Not Allowed (IMC, as a feat I guess it's "meh". Use it if you like)

Speed Loader
Reload crossbows for free.
Not Allowed - the defining feature of a crossbow is that takes time to reload, and thus can't be used for D&D automatic fire. This feat erases this. Why even have a crossbow if it effectively works as a bow?!

Surging Flame
After you've hit a fire-resistant target with a fire power, all fire attacks do 5 more damage.
Not sure I see any logic behind this one. This seems to be here so fire-lovers can justify not changing tactics when faced with fire monsters?
It weirdly turns fire resistance into a liability - against fire! WTF? This can't be a good strategy to promote, and it messes with the meaning of "resistance"...
Not allowed - why should I add a feat that just makes a mess of perfectly good and simple game concepts?

Timely Respite
When you use Total Defense (including Second Wind) you can make a saving throw.
A robust if boring feat.
Allowed.

Two-Weapon Threat
Makes Two-weapon rangers do +3 damage on opportunity attacks.
Again, not sure focusing on your OAs will win any fights. Don't like the use of the word "threat" in conjunction with OAs - this doesn't change what squares you are threatening in any way.
Why isn't there simply ONE feat adding damage to OAs that can be taken by everyone equally.
Allowed - but don't see much need.

Weapon Expertise
This feat is discussed extensively elsewhere. This is not one of those threads, so I'm not commenting


Thoughts?

 

[avin]

Coordinated Explosion seems weird, but I'm fine with it and all other feats as well.

In my games, if it's official is allowed

 

[Mengu]

If I were selectively adding general feats from this list to my game, it would be a very short list:

Distant Advantage
Melee Training
Timely Respite

The rest I think are either weak, too specific, uninterestesting, or encouraging things I don't want encouraged in my game.

As it stands though, I'm tempted to allow everything and let the players make their own decissions, with the exception of expertise feats that I won't talk about.

 

[Mort_Q]

Speed Loader
Reload crossbows for free.
Not Allowed - the defining feature of a crossbow is that takes time to reload, and thus can't be used for D&D automatic fire. This feat erases this. Why even have a crossbow if it effectively works as a bow?!

D&D is full of stuff like this. Feats allow you to bend the rules. That's their purpose.

You're OK with the fact that a ranger or rogue power would let you fire off the crossbow X times with free reloads, but not with the PC spending a feat to avoid the minor action to reload before their next standard action?

You have a crossbow 'cause you like the flavour, and 'cause of the advantages it gives (other feats and powers), and 'cause it's not a bow.

 

[themilkman]

One note about Melee Training... Characters also use basic melee attacks when charging. Non-strength melee classes (Avenger, Rogue, Druid, Charismadin, etc.) can't really take advantage of the extra movement and to-hit bonus from charging without this feat.

As for Restful Healing, I don't think it's as weird as you're making it out to be. Most people think that healing surges are spent during short rests. Technically, though, you spend healing surges after a short rest, not during it (PHB p. 263). This feat just lets you get a little more out of those surges.

 

[Alabast]

A few clarifications:
I don't have the PHB 2 with me, so if I'm mistaken on anything, I apoligize in advance.

Coordinated Explosion works great for those bursts and blasts that included allies, but don't necessarily TARGET allies. Those for which target line will reads "Each enemy in blast/burst" rather than "Each creature in blast/burst".

Distant advantage does not grant flanking at range. It give combat advantage when making an attack against an enemy that is flanked by at least two of your allies.

 

[Obryn]

Combat Medic
(You stabilize the dying as a minor action instead of a standard action; you also get a +2 feat bonus to Heal)
This doesn't seem to be a very strong feat. Starting on the multiclass path into Cleric seems much more worthwhile. Feels somewhat like a "3E NPC feat".
I'll allow it but won't expect anyone to actually take it.

I don't expect anyone to take it, either. It's a weird flavor feat, IMHO.

Coordinated Explosion
You get a +1 untyped bonus to attacks for bursts/blasts that include 1+ allies.
Somewhat of a WTF? feat. Please tell me how to abuse this (casting Fireball against an ally immune to fire etc). Rather artificial feel to it - how does torching your allies make it easier to hit your foes?
Whatever math imbalance that's behind this feat must surely be fixable another way.
Not allowed - I don't need feats that actually encourage undesirable behavior (of either the jerkwad or the cheese kind)

It's not really specifically for Wizards. Many leaders and controller-leaders (like Artificers) have bursts and blasts that hurt enemies and help allies. I don't really think it's broken for anyone, and it's useful to a few specific classes.

Distant Advantage
You gain combat advantage against flanked enemies at a range (your allies can flank for you).
This is weird. In most rpgs shooting into melee is dangerous and difficult; this feat makes it actually advantageous to do so. I'd say this feat single-handedly changes a major rules assumption (that to flank; you must expose your ass).
Not allowed: to me the unviability of the "distance rogue" archetype is a solution, not a problem.

I actually disagree. This is one of my favorite feats, and I can completely see it working. "Hey, you two! Get his shield out of the way so I can shoot him!" I think it's the first time missile rogues have been even remotely useful.

Improved Bull Rush
+4 feat bonus.
Must say I'm underwhelmed. Would have liked to see more of a mechanical advantage (than simply a better chance to hit). Unlike Grab, Bull Rush does do it's thing though, so I guess it's okay.
Allowed.

It's at least a big enough bonus to make the maneuver worthwhile. More a flavor feat than anything, I can still see the point. Much like bull rush in general, though, you're better off having a Power for it.

Melee Training
You can use whatever ability you like instead of Strength when making melee basic attacks (Opportunity Attacks).
Not too bad. Though combats aren't won through OAs, so this feat is still kind of low on the priority scale - unless you have a power that lets you do more stuff with opportunity attacks. Then this feat could be awesome.
Allowed - I guess. (I'm hesitating because on the surface it sucks, and if it doesn't suck, it might be gamebreaking)

I don't think it's at all gamebreaking... It just brings crappy basic attacks almost up to par with decent at-will attacks. Really, it's just an expanded Intelligent Blademaster. It'll rock for Charisma paladins, some rogues, Swordmages, and Spiral Tower wizards.

I can't see it as broken because, simply put, basic attacks aren't that great. It's a pretty big bonus with a kind of attack you probably aren't making on purpose anyway. It's more a de-hosing of some specific classes.

Restful Healing
Healing done AFTER a short rest but BEFORE the next encounter get maximized.
This is very weird indeed. Why would you want to encourage a focus on the non-space between a short rest and the next encounter? This is taking the game into a direction I don't want to go - I far prefer short rests to mean a minimum of administration, so no "playing the system".
Not Allowed (IMC, as a feat I guess it's "meh". Use it if you like)

Really? I have some players who I think will take this feat. I approve of it in general, since it will keep the repeated Short Rests down. I'm a fan, much like I am of the Bard's Song of Rest.

Speed Loader
Reload crossbows for free.
Not Allowed - the defining feature of a crossbow is that takes time to reload, and thus can't be used for D&D automatic fire. This feat erases this. Why even have a crossbow if it effectively works as a bow?!

In 4e, Bow/Crossbow is like Axe/Sword. Crossbows do less damage, but have a higher to-hit. Unlike in 3e, where crossbows had a few mechanical advantages like higher damage dice and simple weapon status, that's basically the difference. They'd be balanced against each other if crossbows didn't have that pesky long reload time. I love this feat, since it means a crossbow is now a viable weapon, even if you don't get the magic speed-loading variety. (Which is how my group's artificer currently copes with it.)

Surging Flame
After you've hit a fire-resistant target with a fire power, all fire attacks do 5 more damage.
Not sure I see any logic behind this one. This seems to be here so fire-lovers can justify not changing tactics when faced with fire monsters?
It weirdly turns fire resistance into a liability - against fire! WTF? This can't be a good strategy to promote, and it messes with the meaning of "resistance"...
Not allowed - why should I add a feat that just makes a mess of perfectly good and simple game concepts?

Any resistance is bound to be at least 5, so this is almost like negating part of the resistance. At any rate, resistance to fire is the second-most-common resistance (next to necrotic), so I'm in favor of it. I don't think it negates tactics so much as it makes fire a reasonable choice. Before this feat, anyone who does anything with fire when they could do something else was basically making a poor choice. After this feat? Well, at least it's on the map.

Thoughts?

You got 'em. I don't see anything really ban-worthy. I don't know that all of them are incredible, but then again, 4e feats generally aren't.

With that said, I did houserule expertise, as endlessly discussed elsewhere. The feat doesn't exist as such right now.

-O

 

[CapnZapp]

Distant advantage does not grant flanking at range. It give combat advantage when making an attack against an enemy that is flanked by at least two of your allies.

Actual rules text:

Distant Advantage
Benefit: You gain combat advantage for ranged or
area attacks against any enemy flanked by your allies.

 

[mlangsdorf]

I actually like Combat Medic. Especially in longer fights, its possible to exhaust all healing and still have someone go down. Because the fight is continuing, it's hard to justify spending a standard action healing summon. But if I could do it as a minor action, that would be pretty impressive.

It's also useful for multiclassed characters (like say a Rogue/Ranger) who often have spare actions available but can't become Leaders to add to the party's automatic healing.

 

[CapnZapp]

I don't expect anyone to take it, either. It's a weird flavor feat, IMHO.

Yeah... non-supernatural healing isn't even on the map in D&D, so why anyone would want to be a "combat medic" is beyond me.

This feat could probably give something like a daily use of a healing/inspiring/majestic word power (or anything else that have a real impact) in addition to its current effects...

It seems to have been written with a completely different (and lower) power level in mind. It's more than decent in a campaign where no magic healing exists, for example.

But it has no business taking up space in a completely mainstream/core book like PHB2...