Reserve Training, better than Novice Power when Multiclassing?

[Lab_Monkey]

The new PHBII feat reserve maneuver allows you to select an new encounter power of your level or lower and swap it out for one of your existing powers after a short rest. I presume this can be used when multiclassing (I didn't notice anything to the contrary). If so, wouldn't this always be a superior option to taking the Novice Power Feat? You could use it to keep your existing class power and acquire a power from your second class. You then choose which power you want to use that day.

If you think that I'm misreading this feat in some way, please let me know.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I assume you mean the Reserve Power feat on PHB2 191?

This feat is a Paragon feat. Thus it is not available before 11th level, whereas Novice Power is available at 4th level. That's the first difference. Secondly Reserve Power explicitly says "Choose an encounter attack power of your class". Even though Multiclass feats allow you to qualify for other feats as if you were of the class you took the multiclass feat for, that does not mean you ARE of that class. Any other specific text in the rules referring to your class, EVEN THE TEXT OF A FEAT YOU QUALIFY FOR BY MULTICLASSING, means the class you actually are. So being multiclassed does not give you the ability to use Reserve Maneuver to exchange a power in any class except your own. In fact even using Multiclass Paragon Paths do not do that. A fighter with an MCPP into rogue for example is STILL a fighter, just one with some rogue powers and the ability to take feats with "Prerequiste: Rogue".

All that said, it is a pretty decent feat, but not killer. You fill up a feat slot for the chance to switch an encounter power during a short rest. Used strategically this could come in very handy once in a while, but the limitation to encounter attack powers really reduces its utility. I'd have liked to see it work with utility powers, which are a LOT more likely to be ones it would be handy for.

 

[Mort_Q]

I'd have liked to see it work with utility powers, which are a LOT more likely to be ones it would be handy for.

Agreed.

 

[Pbartender]

...but the limitation to encounter attack powers really reduces its utility. I'd have liked to see it work with utility powers, which are a LOT more likely to be ones it would be handy for.

While I agree it would be nice to see something similar, there's a big reason why it doesn't...

Mainly, because Encounter powers can be At-Will, Encounter or Daily.

Encounter Attack powers already recharge when you take a short rest, so it's no big deal to switch them out at that point. The same goes with At-Will powers, even. Swapping them out during a short rest would be no big deal, since the power hasn't been "used up". An equivalent feat for Daily attack powers could have the power getting switched after a long rest, instead.

But with Utility powers, you can run into odd situations... For example, say I have a Daily Utility power, I use it during a combat and then take a short rest to swap it for an At-Will Utility power (I know rogues have a few at least). That's opening a pretty big can of worms.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Yeah, I can see what you mean about the problem with utility powers of different use types. I was just contemplating how one would fix that. You could decree that once you use up the power you can't swap anymore. A little bit tricky to word it clearly, but the concept is straightforward. If you use it to swap in a Daily Utility, then use the power, you can't swap again before an extended rest. It would still SORT of let you cheat in the sense that you got to use a Daily and you might have already used the same slot with encounter or at-will powers during the same day. So maybe it would have to be a bit more complex than that. I agree it is probably what discouraged them from offering it that way.

Still would be nice. I may experiment with it in my campaign. My players aren't too bad about trying to bend rules in their favor.

 

[aurance]

It's also good for getting rid of a crappy PP encounter power, in favor of another of your base class's powers, as the power you swap TO has the class restriction, but the power you are swapping FROM has no such restriction.

 

[Pbartender]

Yeah, I can see what you mean about the problem with utility powers of different use types. I was just contemplating how one would fix that. You could decree that once you use up the power you can't swap anymore. A little bit tricky to word it clearly, but the concept is straightforward. If you use it to swap in a Daily Utility, then use the power, you can't swap again before an extended rest. It would still SORT of let you cheat in the sense that you got to use a Daily and you might have already used the same slot with encounter or at-will powers during the same day. So maybe it would have to be a bit more complex than that. I agree it is probably what discouraged them from offering it that way.

Still would be nice. I may experiment with it in my campaign. My players aren't too bad about trying to bend rules in their favor.

The other consideration is Wizards, who already have multiple Daily and Utility spells from which they choose after each extended rest. Letting a feat do the same thing for other classes eliminates much of the point of being a Wizard.

If you were bent on allowing it, I'd follow the example of the Wizard... Switch the feat from "short rest" to "extended rest", and then allow it for any category of power you wish. Easy Peasy.

Of course, that also turns it into a must have feat... There won't be a single player who won't want it or take it.

Plus, it turns into a logistical mess... My players, at least, have enough trouble keeping track of the numbers for the powers they have. Switching things around once a day and having to effectively keep track of the numbers for all the available powers for their class would be a nightmare.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Hmm ... it seems to me the feat also allows you to double up.
Such as a fighter getting 2x come and get it by switching out their pp's attack power.
Uncertain, though .. plus using the same power repeatedly is boring, so I wouldn't do it anyway.

 

[aurance]

Hmm ... it seems to me the feat also allows you to double up.
Such as a fighter getting 2x come and get it by switching out their pp's attack power.
Uncertain, though .. plus using the same power repeatedly is boring, so I wouldn't do it anyway.

Can't do that. Feat text says "The power must be your level or lower and one that you don’t already have."

 

[Danceofmasks]

Can't do that. Feat text says "The power must be your level or lower and one that you don’t already have."

You quite sure?
Under level advancement, you choose feats before powers.
So when you take the feat, you don't yet have any powers of that level.

Now, the question is, when it comes time to choose a power, do you count as having that power or not?