PHB2 Weapon Mastery Feats - How to fix?

[coriolis]

The Player's Handbook II introduced 2 feats which our group is finding problematic: Melee Weapon Mastery and Ranged Weapon Mastery.

For example, Melee Weapon Mastery requires a BAB of +8, Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization in a melee weapon.

It gives you a +2 attack and +2 damage to ALL weapons of the same category (slashing, piercing or bludgeoning) as the weapon for the prerequisite feats. Note that this bonus stacks with the prerequisites.

In effect, you gain :
- the equivalent of 3 feats (Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, and Weapon Specialization)
- for a group of weapons
- which stacks with your current weapon focus/specialization
- all for easier prerequisites than the other feats in that chain (Greater Weapon Focus requires fighter 8, and Greater Weapon Specialization requires fighter 12)

That certainly seems very overpowered for a feat! Do you have any proposals on how it could be fixed?

 

[RangerWickett]

Allow it. It's not broken. It helps fighter-based characters do something fun while the mages are disintegrating each other.

 

[airwalkrr]

If you compare it to the WF/WS feats then yea, it is overpowered. But that is beside the point that the WF/WS feats are not very powerful. In fact, they are typically weak fighter options. I am of the opinion that it does not need fixing, but rather the WF/WS chain that needs fixing.

Incidentally, shouldn't this be in house rules?

 

[Mouseferatu]

Thirded. The feats introduced in PHB2 aren't broken; in fact, they're about the only things that allow the fighter to hold his own with the other classes at high level.

 

[Wish]

If you want to "fix" it, add that the bonus goes up by +1/+1 per 4 fighter levels over 8. That might help make single-classed fighters more attractive.

 

[coriolis]

Thirded. The feats introduced in PHB2 aren't broken; in fact, they're about the only things that allow the fighter to hold his own with the other classes at high level.

In that case, would it not be better to switch the requirements?

Have WS/GWF/GWS require BAB, and Weapon Mastery/Supremacy require fighter levels. Conceptually, it would make more sense that the fighter gets a bonus with a range of weapons, while the barbarians and rangers have to specialize one weapon at a time.

 

[jasin]

That certainly seems very overpowered for a feat! Do you have any proposals on how it could be fixed?

Make them do what the table says, rather than what the feat text says: extend the benefits of Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization to all weapons of the class.

Approved by Mike Mearls!

 

[monboesen]

while the barbarians and rangers have to specialize one weapon at a time.

Nope. But it would make sense IMO that Barbs and rangers didn't get access to any of these feats at all. They should be one of the few perks that fighters have.

 

[axp_dave]

It is a nice feat, but not a great feat or unbalanced for four reasons:

1) The +2 to attack and damage is not that big at 8th level.

2) I wonder how many times is this feat useful in a game unless you are using TWF. How many times will the fighter change his weapon from his main weapon (that by 8th level is likely magical) to a backup or secondary weapon?

3) The fighter will not be using the weapon mastery feat with his/her “base” WS, WP, and GWP at the same time (with the exception of a TWF). I believe this further marginalizes this feat.

4) There is not much benefit in using multiple weapons. What DM is going to give a player 3 different swords to use for different battles? It makes sense to carry a spare weapon, but why not use the same type as your primary? A nice blunt weapon is great (I’m still bleeding from the last battle with a half golem and my stud character didn’t have a blunt weapon), but that is a different type for weapon mastery if we are looking at a typical fighter with a sword.

Overall, it’s a nice feat, but I don’t think it is unbalanced or a great one to take.

David

 

[Tetsubo]

I'll chime in, not broken. Use the feats as they are written.