Please rate Divine Shield

[reapersaurus]

i finally decided to vote a 9 for it, since it's so powerful in the right circumstances that most campaigns can't deal with it, but it isn't for everyone, so it didn't get a 10.

And Improved Critical is not a strong feat in conjunction with Divine Shield, since there's no shield with even a 19-20 threat range.

Weapon Specialization, it's too hard to get enough feats for.
If you use Kingdoms of Kalamar, use their Shield Specialization instead of Shield Expert, since it also gives +1 AC when not using the shield for a weapon.

And if you can use a race that has 4 arms, it's just sick.

 

[Kraedin]

It appears that this needs to be shown again.

In a message dated 12/28/02 5:49:53 PM, [email address omitted]
writes:

<< In the Defenders of the Faith FAQ, there is a ruling on the
Divine Might feat that changes its activation time from a standard
action (which is the time listed in Defenders of the Faith
and the Epic Level Handbook) to not an action. <<

Wow! You actully *read* the answer (most folks wonder out loud why it has
become a *free* action, which it has not.)

>> Should this
ruling be taken as a change to divine feats in general,<<

No.

>> or as a
change to Divine Might only? >>

Yes.

The *truly* correct answer is that activating the feat takes a standard
action, and using the damage bonus requires no action at all (so long as the
bonus lasts). But WotC has insisted on the one in the FAQ.

 

[reapersaurus]

why?

The Sage states his personal opinion about a feat ("The truly correct answer is..."), and it's supposed to be the official rule?

I thought it was pretty clear that he was stating what he _personally_ thought, but was being trumped by the official Wizards line, which is that Divine Might doesn't take an action to activate.

And nothing's even quasi-official until it's in an FAQ, or errata.

 

[Kraedin]

So you're willing to side with an obviously erroneous FAQ entry against two different rule books and the Sage?

 

[Archer]

Some people think the faq corrected a grave flaw in divine feats so "obviously erroneous" is a matter of opinion. I consider it errata to DOTF that divine feats can be activated at will, any time they would be useful and burn the turning attempt.

Its crazy for a feat to have as many drawbacks as the feats in DOTF. You don't see dodge giving a -1 against all other attacks or weapon focus giving a -1 to all other weapons.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Its crazy for a feat to have as many drawbacks as the feats in DOTF. You don't see dodge giving a -1 against all other attacks or weapon focus giving a -1 to all other weapons.

Buh? Those are terrible analogies!

None of the Divine feats penalise you in any way, except for costing a turn attempt...

There's a difference between a price (prerequisites) and a cost (like taking penalties on other activities).

-Hyp.

 

[Archer]

I was talking about the turning feats in DoTF to show that the entire feat section needs a rewrite just like a huge portion of the S&F feats got a rewrite. These books were in development before the player's handbook was even in print let alone the vast body of d20 material that now exists. They need to be updated and revised.

 

[reapersaurus]

So you're willing to side with an obviously erroneous FAQ entry against two different rule books and the Sage?

It's one rulebook as far as I'm aware. (DotF)
Every other mention of Divine Feats or similar abilities is just copy-pasting the DotF approach.
That makes logical sense.

How is the FAQ "obviously erroneous"?
Because it's different from what's printed in DotF?
The Sage said himself that WotC WANTS this to be The Way that Divine Might works.
And the Sage himself confirmed that it works the way WotC (I see you aren't quoting his first email that was posted here.)

BTW: Where were YOU when I posted that Divine Might had been changed in the recent FAQ, months ago?
Nobody in that entire thread (that I remember) had a problem with it, and the concensus was "no big deal".

 

[green slime]

I for one have a problem with Divine Might and other Divine feats being Free actions to activate.

I instead allow Quicken Turning to apply to ALL Divine feats. Which increases the value of an otherwise ignored feat. Players in my campaign are using Divine Might and Divine Valour to good effect.

The "cost" of one Turning attempt for a Paladin with 20+ Charisma is laughable. There isn't a reasonably tough combat where Divine Might isn't activated.

The ability to greatly increase the paladin's damage output with one feat far outweighs any of the present drawbacks, and with haste even the cost of one standard action is cheap, IMHO.

When it comes to Divine Shield, that is a feat that is way out of whack. According to the present Poll, Everyone doesn't want it, as everyone doesn't play Paladins or high Charisma Clerics. So I gave it an 8.

But those that do, would in true power gaming style consider this feat. This was brought to my attention by the power gamer in my group, Agladan, when DotF first arrived on the scene. The trouble is the boost applies to both Attack bonus, damage bonus and Defense values, something which NOTHING else does. Add the fact that Paladins in general do nothing but boost Charisma, and this spells disaster.

So it goes on the junk pile with the Armour of Speed from the same volume.

Obviously, as written, this feat was NEVER play-tested, as the first person to try this feat was so far gone on the wacky-backy that I propose they were incapable of playing the game. And the guy who had the idea and actually wrote it down should be hit on the head with a very large heraldric device, to prevent future attacks of pseudo-game design.

 

[Kraedin]

BTW: Where were YOU when I posted that Divine Might had been changed in the recent FAQ, months ago?
Nobody in that entire thread (that I remember) had a problem with it, and the concensus was "no big deal".

I said that it was obviously an error, on the basis that unlike other rules changes, it was not indicated as such, and because it's wording made it sound like some kind of smite ability, not a ability with a duration.