Please rate Hold the Line

[AuraSeer]

The problem with this feat is that it's purely reactive. Against any kind of intelligent opponent, you'll get the benefit only once per combat. "Hey look, when Thag charged at the big warrior he got his head cut off. I better not charge at the big warrior."

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Except, as has been noted, for the fact that a slow spell can leave you with no choice other than to charge if you want to move and attack. So it's not necessarily entirely outside of the defender's control.

Though I grant that it is largely up to your enemies whether you get to use this feat.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Except, as has been noted, for the fact that a slow spell can leave you with no choice other than to charge if you want to move and attack. So it's not necessarily entirely outside of the defender's control.

Though I grant that it is largely up to your enemies whether you get to use this feat.

Even Slowed, you can still avoid charging Thag once his special ability has been demonstrated. It is unlikely that there are no other available targets. A savvy opponent might Move instead of Partial Charge against Thag; giving up an attack so as to not give your opponent an AoO is a fair trade.

We have noticed in play that some defensive tactics are not as valuable as you might think because they only encourage the bad guys to attack someone else, e.g. if half the party has Improved Invisibility the other half is in deep trouble. It is usually in the party's interest that the oppostion spreads the damage out among the PCs.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

A savvy opponent might Move instead of Partial Charge against Thag; giving up an attack so as to not give your opponent an AoO is a fair trade.

That's probably not very savvy if Thag has multiple attacks. You'd generally rather trade attacks one-for-one (your charge and his AoO) before you move on to one-to-many, and either way he'll get to attack first.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

We have noticed in play that some defensive tactics are not as valuable as you might think because they only encourage the bad guys to attack someone else,

This is very true. I'd counter that some defensive abilities allow for effective "hammer and anvil" tactics, but this isn't necessarily one of them.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

That's probably not very savvy if Thag has multiple attacks. You'd generally rather trade attacks one-for-one (your charge and his AoO) before you move on to one-to-many, and either way he'll get to attack first.

Good thing to keep in mind. If Thag is more powerful than you, giving him a free attack is almost always a losing proposition any way you slice it.

The savvy thing for a slowed opponent to do is either approach Thag slowly with 5' steps and ready actions, or attack someone else.

Giving your enemy a free attack on purpose is the surest sign of either idiocy or brilliance. Nothing in between!

 

[Corwin the Confused]

HTL is above average and very cool when you can crush a monster as it attempts to charge you.

HTL is below average and lame when monsters do not charge you (because of the flashing neon HTL sign that the DM makes you carry.)

 

[drowdude]

Re: Re: Please rate Hold the Line

No.

-- "trolling" kreynolds --

Yer gonna ruin yer shiny new rep dude!


Oh, and I voted for "of limited use".... I can see situations where it would be a really nice feat to have. But no PC or NPC has ever taken it IMC so far... so it hasnt come up.

 

[Croaker]

I think that Hold the Line is perfectly serviceable feat, as long as the DM plays opponents fairly. Unintelligent or aggressive creatures should almost always charge into combat, and even more clever NPCs would use the tactic when facing a party with strong ranged attacks or spellcasters. If the Hold the Line character keeps to the front of the party, they can reasonably expect to get some use out of the feat at least once per combat.

 

[Macbrea]

This almost always holds true. If the DM decides that because you have taken a feat that no creature will ever charge you again its absolutely useless. Here is a few other abilities that way.


Sneak attack......Dm only uses no critable creatures and rogues
Favorite enemy.. You have what as a favorite enemy, my world doesn't have anymore of them.
Turn undead.....What undead.

ect.

Like was stated. Assuming that the DM doesn't treat you any different then the rest of the party, when creature first see you. It should work every now and then.