PHB2 Weapon Mastery Feats - How to fix?

[thalmin]

What annoys me about the feat? It's stronger with the specialised weapon than a barbarian. The fighter hits better, stronger and has no AC penalty. The barbarian pales in comparison.

While I do enjoy a little fighter upgrade, it's too strong IMHO to what other fighterclasses get.

All the fighter does is fight. Why shouldn't he hit better and stronger than anyone else. He doesn't have survival skills, can't move quickly, doesn't have any other special abilities or skills than fighting.

 

[coriolis]

All the fighter does is fight. Why shouldn't he hit better and stronger than anyone else. He doesn't have survival skills, can't move quickly, doesn't have any other special abilities or skills than fighting.

I think darklone was being sarcastic (?)

Absent Prestige Classes, under the RAW, you can't get WM at 8th level unless your 8th level is an even Fighter level. [...] Other full-BAB classes can only take it at 9th level...

If you compare a fighter 4/barbarian 4 to a fighter 8:

Advantages for fighter/barbarian:
- more hit points
- more skill points
- rage 2/day
- fast movement
- uncanny dodge
- trap sense

Advantages for straight fighter
- 1 bonus feat
- Weapon Mastery one level earlier (2nd bonus feat)

The fighter/barbarian is the clear leader, and as you go up in levels, the gap stays just as wide.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I think darklone was being sarcastic (?)



If you compare a fighter 4/barbarian 4 to a fighter 8:

Advantages for fighter/barbarian:
- more hit points
- more skill points
- rage 2/day
- fast movement
- uncanny dodge
- trap sense

Advantages for straight fighter
- 1 bonus feat
- Weapon Mastery one level earlier

The fighter/barbarian is the clear leader, and as you go up in levels, the gap stays just as wide.

Two bonus feats, actually. One at 6th, one at 8th.

But there are other, higher-level feats in PHB2 that make staying with fighter look a lot more attractive.

 

[the Jester]

But there are other, higher-level feats in PHB2 that make staying with fighter look a lot more attractive.

Especially when you factor in the number of prerequisite feats some of them require.

 

[coriolis]

Two bonus feats, actually. One at 6th, one at 8th.

I assumed Weapon Mastery would be taken as soon as possible, and so would fill the 2nd slot. I've edited my original post to indicate that

But there are other, higher-level feats in PHB2 that make staying with fighter look a lot more attractive.

Agreed, but it's certainly not Weapon Mastery or Weapon Supremacy.

 

[Grog]

The designers have stated flat-out that they intended for the PHB2 feats to be more powerful than the core feats. So Weapon Mastery is doing exactly what they intended it to do.

 

[Darklone]

All the fighter does is fight. Why shouldn't he hit better and stronger than anyone else. He doesn't have survival skills, can't move quickly, doesn't have any other special abilities or skills than fighting.

As Coriolis said, I've been a little bit sarcastic, but there was a true point about what I said. A singleclass barbarian was originally in 3rd edition someone who hit harder (slightly) for a short time than a fighter but got struck down more easily as well.

Now the situation: The fighter always hits harder. Sure, you can make a multiclass fighter/barbarian... but that's not the point that this feat allows the fighter to nullify the barbarians niche. At least as long till the barbarian gets nice new feats with the next book (yawn!).

I liked the typical niches in 3rd edition. Now these new feats change that distribution... something I don't like. Even if I do like the feats!

 

[hong]

Honestly, given the amping-up that rage gets in the 3.5 barbarian, I doubt they're going to get shaded as heavy-hitters any time soon.

 

[Darklone]

Fighter: +3 to hit with specialised weapon and +4 to damage.
Barbarian: +2 to hit in rage, +3 with twohanded weapons most of the time... at level 11, it'll be +3 to hit, +4 to damage. Plus the barbarian can still take Focus feats...

Well ok. The difference is not that bad and the fighter may do well with TWF ... OK, I LIKE IT!!!

 

[Quartz]

IIf you compare a fighter 4/barbarian 4 to a fighter 8:

Advantages for fighter/barbarian:

<snip>

Advantages for straight fighter
- 1 bonus feat
- Weapon Mastery one level earlier (2nd bonus feat)

But don't forget that the fighter/barbarian has to use his 9th level feat, but the pure fighter doesn't. So the fighter still has 2 feats on top.

The fighter/barbarian is the clear leader, and as you go up in levels, the gap stays just as wide.

I'm not so sure. Take a look at this character. I suppose it depends on whether you continue taking levels in Fighter or another class.