Reserve feats from the complete mage

[JiffyPopTart]

I have the acidy blob one for my sorcerer-elemental savant and I have never actually used it (except for the +1 caster level benefit).

DS

 

[Falling Icicle]

I'm not very fond of the reserve feats, personally. I think they steal the Warlock's thunder.

 

[lukelightning]

I'm not very fond of the reserve feats, personally. I think they steal the Warlock's thunder.

So does a wand of scorching ray.

 

[Henry]

So does a wand of scorching ray.

People keep saying stuff like that, and I just don't see it. A Warlock doesn't spend anywhere from 4,000 to 11,000 gold making the same thing happen -- and a Warlock's is not foiled by an energy resistance normally.

Reserve feats do change the nature and balance-point of the game, in my opinion.

 

[Stormborn]

I am playing a Battle Sorcerer (currently 7th level) and he has Acid Splatter. Its not a spectacular feat, the range makes hurts its usefulness as does the need to always take acid spells to boost it, but it is a decent one especially given that he gets fewer spells per day than a standard sorcerer. The bonus to caster level helps, and being able to do something when he starts getting low on spells is useful, but for the most part the only time I think it has unbalanced a combat was against a troll. I do think it retains its usefulness at higher levels becuase as a ranged touch attack it makes hitting those high AC/low Dex opponents easier.

Overall I am in favor of the "I can do something special every round" philosophy of game design and would like to see options for every class.

 

[Nifft]

People keep saying stuff like that, and I just don't see it. A Warlock doesn't spend anywhere from 4,000 to 11,000 gold making the same thing happen -- and a Warlock's is not foiled by an energy resistance normally.

A good portion of a Warlock's class abilities are focused on Use Magic Device.

He does not spend 4k gp to be useful every round, but he probably does spend gold on magic items to do everything else -- like one-off situational spells on Scrolls, like Wands of Cure Light Wounds, and like high-level effects which his Invocations can't replicate.

-- N

 

[Corsair]

I'm not very fond of the reserve feats, personally. I think they steal the Warlock's thunder.

The problem there being the warlock having a kinda sucky schtick, not the reserve feat.

 

[Nifft]

The equivalent would be a [Unreserved] feat which gave a Warlock a 1/day high-level spell-like ability, but if he used it, he'd reduce his Eldritch Blast by -1d6 (or similar).

Hmm... -- N

 

[Henry]

The equivalent would be a [Unreserved] feat which gave a Warlock a 1/day high-level spell-like ability, but if he used it, he'd reduce his Eldritch Blast by -1d6 (or similar).

Hmm... -- N

Actually, THAT I like. Mostly because the warlock who gains too many of those gains the risk of reducing his capabilities to nil.

He does not spend 4k gp to be useful every round, but he probably does spend gold on magic items to do everything else

True - but it's equivalent to everyone else, in my opinion, who have the same problems with needing to spend gold on supplementing their abilities, so it's not as big. The Warlock does get a rather large bonus with knowing EXACTLY what his UMD score is every round after 4th level, and later on can create magic items by using his UMD score to "fake" it, but his main ability are the permutations of eldtich blast, and Reserve Feats do tend to tread on his territory a good bit.

 

[TYPO5478]

...and later on can create magic items by using his UMD score to "fake" it...

Wait... what?