Return to PHB: Best Generic Feats?

[Pbartender]

I meant it in the most non-controversial way, but ruling that out as an option I'd have to change it to improved initiative. I tend to like the controllers, and the difference of +4 initiative on the first round can make a huge difference.

I was just noticing the same thing recently...

I was statting up a illusionist/enchanter type Wizard, who doesn't do much real damage but inflicts all sorts of nasty statuses to lock down the bad guys. Inflicting those effects before the enemies even get a chance to act can make a HUGE difference in how the battle goes.

I didn't give him Improved Initiative yet (I had too many other feats that were more important to his personality, style and build) but I did give him an Orb of Nimble Thoughts.

 

[Bold or Stupid]

How are you getting +20 temp hps from honored foe? It says you gain wis mod THPs when your challenged or sanctioned enemy damages you. And I thought THPs don't stack with each other. So even with a 30 wisdom and multi into fighter for battlerager, I don't see how it's possible to get that many temps.

If it does stack then my understanding of those rules is completely wrong.

I suspect that he means over the course of a fight not in one go.

 

[keterys]

How are you getting +20 temp hps from honored foe? It says you gain wis mod THPs when your challenged or sanctioned enemy damages you. And I thought THPs don't stack with each other. So even with a 30 wisdom and multi into fighter for battlerager, I don't see how it's possible to get that many temps.

If it does stack then my understanding of those rules is completely wrong.

I actually get 5 temp each time. So, let's say I'm fighting a solo who double attacks with an aura that deals 10 damage when I start my turn.

In a 5 round fight, I can reasonably expect the solo to attack me, say, 10-14 times, hitting me, say, 6 times, plus damaging me with his aura 5 times. So, at 5 temp each, that's 5 * 11 = 55 temp. Which is a lot more than, say, 10 real hp at start of the fight and 2 hp per surge healed. Heck, it's more than 10 real hp plus 2 * every surge I have, by a healthy margin Give the solo ongoing damage, reactionary attacks, or half damage on miss and the value keeps on skyrocketing.

Make it a call of challenge with 7 guys, two with auras, one with ongoing, and I might get 50 temp out of it in a single round.

Edit: Ably ninja-ed by Bold or Stupid. Teach me to overexplain

 

[RLBURNSIDE]

Wow

Honored Foe is clearly way superior to Toughness for a paladin. Now, I think I may retrain mine....hmmm

Thing is, I play a hybrid with ranger and even though the new hybrid DC is much better than before, I'm considering losing two blade fighting style as a result of this thread, and using a double weapon instead. Getting three feats back for plate armor will allow me to take all sorts of cool feats. Also considering getting rid of Dragon Breath for Dragon fear, I think it's more useful. The number of combats where I forgot / didn't bother using Dragon breath is quite high. Dragonfear would be a net gain. Although, you never know what errata they might make for the Class compendium.

 

[bbjore]

Alertness was kind of alright in its original form, now that it means you are immune to surprise, I'd say about half my group has it by epic levels. Nobody wants to play a hero that can be caught in a fight with their pants down. Most of them have Durable & Toughness too, but that's probably more due to our play style.

Fast Runner, Improved Initiative, & Quickdraw are all pretty solid feats for their purpose, and our usually at least considered by the appropriate character.

I use a textpad template to plan out my PC's ability score, feat, and power progressions, and all of the above are default choices on the template, which are then replaced if I can find something better. They just make good basic all-around choices.

 

[keterys]

I'd consider Alertness a lot more nowadays, yeah. I just don't play in games where we get surprised all that often...

 

[Evilhalfling]

put me in the none of the above column.

expertise, improved initiative and paragon defenses are all must haves.
(as you tried to exclude them)
since I'm sticking with whats available in the down-loadable CB im going to miss out on the new options to taking these must have feats.

If I'm playing a healer, I will always take a feat to improve the base healing power, and if im playing a weapon character some sort of exotic weapon is not mandatory, but on 75% of my builds. A multi-classing feat of some sort also crops up about 75% of the time.

 

[Jhaelen]

Of the listed ones: Toughness.

I also expect everyone will eventually get one of the Multiclassing feats.

Myself I'd also always get the feat which gets you an additional skill power.

 

[Lord Ernie]

Another vote for 'none at all'. Feat slots are one of the most valuable resources you have during character building, both for optimization and customization purposes. Most of the listed feats offer very little for either, IMO. The ones that are actually good are for specific character builds, and I try to make my characters as different as possible.

I've been tempted to take Toughness, but 5 extra HP never seems to be that crucial, and healing surge value increase just makes very little difference at our table. Durable suffers from that same problem: I've only ever seen someone run out of surges once, and that was our stupidly risktaking halfling rogue who liked to run into the thick of things and get mobbed. Improved Initiative is good on non-ally friendly controllers, but the only controller I've played so far has been an Invoker, and careful power choice made that feat less than useful.

I built a Slayer for a friend of mine that does use Power Attack, combined with Powerful Charge and Berserker's Stance to do brutal amounts of damage, but that's the only character I've ever designed that uses any of those feats.

 

[erf_beto]

Hmm... what about armor proficiencies? They are pretty generic, and useful (at least for some of the non-Int/Dex primary classes)...