comrade raoul
Explorer
Below are seven new feats. I'd be flattered if you all could critique them for balance; some rationale and notes are included with each feat.
edit: incorporated some of Crothian's suggestions.
edit.2: inspired by Guardian-Lurker's suggestion, added "Quick Draw" and "Blind Fight" as prerequisites to Kensei and Combat Casting to Spellblade.
edit.3: again inspired by Guardian-Lurker, changed Spellblade to "Arcane Weapon" and revised it so that it applies only to arcane spells.
Arcane Weapon [General]
Prerequisite: Combat Casting, Weapon Focus, ability to cast arcane spells, Spellcraft 4 ranks, Base Attack Bonus +1
You can seamlessly integrate weapon use and arcane spellcasting, even using a weapon to deliver touch spells.
Benefit: Choose a single melee weapon, such as the longsword, that you have taken the Weapon Focus feat with. You may cast arcane spells that normally require a free hand while wielding that weapon, and you may channel arcane touch spells through it. This means that you can deliver a touch spell to a target by touching or striking them with your chosen weapon; when making your attack roll with your weapon, the touch spell takes effect if you hit your target’s touch AC. If you hit your target’s normal AC, he both suffers the effect of the touch spell and takes damage from your weapon, as normal. You may not deliver touch spells with a reach weapon, since the magic dissipates if it has to travel very far past your natural reach. Note that this benefit only applies to arcane spells.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, with a different weapon each time.
Rationale: Partly a flavor feat, but I do think there ought to be more in the PHB to make fighter/mages viable. This would likely be a prerequisite for the bladesinger or spellsword prestige classes in Tome and Blood, or even, to an extent, make them obsolete.
Expert Duelist [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Dodge, Expertise, Base Attack Bonus +4, Int 13+, Dex 13+
By concentrating on a single opponent, you can dominate in combat and frustrate their attacks.
Benefit: You may use this feat while using the Expertise feat to focus on the same opponent that you’re using the Dodge feat on. You only gain your Expertise bonus against your chosen foe, but you gain an additional dodge bonus against that foe equal to half the attack penalty you accept for Expertise, rounded up. All attacks modified by Expertise must be made against the target of this feat. Thus, using the maximum -5 penalty from Expertise on a single opponent yields a total +9 dodge bonus: +5 from Expertise, +1 from Dodge, and +3 from Expert Duelist.
Rationale: The PHB has a wealth of really good feats for threshing through hordes of enemies (Whirlwind Attack, the Cleave family) but relatively few for the fighter who specializes in single combat. This is meant to be that feat. It's also a way to slow down combat between high-level fighters; here, they'll often have large AC bonuses and significant penalties to their attack rolls.
Focused Strike [General]
Prerequisite: Blind-Fight, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Kensei
By maintaining an almost mystical focus in your attacks, you can deliver deadly blows.
Benefit: When using the Kensei feat while attacking with a weapon, you may maximize your rolled damage a number of times per day equal to your base attack bonus - 5. Thus, a character with a base attack bonus of +8 could use Focused Strike three times per day. For example, a weapon that normally causes 1d8 points of damage now causes 8 points, plus bonuses. You must declare this ability before you determine damage for the attack. Additional damage from critical hits, and extra damage from sneak attacks, flaming weapons, and the like, is not maximized.
Rationale: A companion to the Kensei feat, below, designed to help eliminate the need for generic prestige classes dedicated to the mastery of a melee weapon. Question - is "times per day equal to BAB" too much, or too scaleable? I've flirted with the idea of making focused strike usable equal to Cha mod per day (with a rationale a la OA's iaijutsu focus skill) and allowing characters to take the feat more than once. Or what about an alternate version that allows characters to increase their critical hit multiplier, again Cha mod per day. Are either of those better?
Kensei [General]
Prerequisite: Blind-Fight, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization
Trained to wield a chosen weapon as an extension of yourself, you can attack with extraordinary quickness and grace when unrestricted by armor.
Benefit: Choose a single melee weapon, such as the longsword. You must have taken both the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats with that weapon. You gain an additional +1 bonus to attack rolls with that weapon. When taking the full attack action with that weapon, you may make additional, iterative attacks at every -4 interval of your base attack bonus. Thus, a character with a base attack bonus of +9 may make three attacks, at +9/+5/+1 (before applying other bonuses). You cannot use this feat while wearing armor, or when using a shield.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, with a different weapon each time.
Rationale: See the prior feat: this is meant to eliminate the need for a generic weapon master prestige classes; doing the work with feats instead. Note that it's a fighter-exclusive feat. This is partly based on the plausibility of needing to specialize in a weapon in order to master it, and partly because the feat's disadvantage (no armor/shield) is meant to compensate for its very significant benefit, and I wanted to ensure that it would be the traditionally heavily-armored fighter that would take the feat, rather than rogues or barbarians, whom it would presumably hurt less.
Punishing Strike [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes, Base Attack Bonus +1, Int 13+
You know how to exploit the mistakes others make in combat.
Benefit: When an opponent in an area you threaten rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll (even if not attacking you), he provokes an attack of opportunity from you.
Special: If your DM is using the “Fumbling in Combat” optional rule (see the DMG page 42), add any damage you cause with your attack of opportunity to the DC of the target’s Dexterity check.
Rationale: A nifty feat without the "fumbling" rules and a potentially terrific one with them. Should this be renamed to "Dirty Fighting"?
Superior Ambidexterity [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Ambidexterity, Dex 15+
As a result of extended practice and natural prowess, you now have equal strength in both of your arms.
Benefit: You are always considered to be wielding a light weapon in your off-hand for purpose of assessing attack penalties while fighting with two weapons. Further, you can apply your full Strength bonus to your damage rolls with your off-hand.
Rationale: At first glance, this looks like a broken feat -- ability to use two longswords AND get your full Strength bonus in your off-hand?! But I don't think it is, merely because the high-strength, two-weapon combatant just isn't a viable choice in 3e: she's basically always better off just using a greatsword. Now, a fighter with a pair of longswords and 18 strength does 2d8+8 with both longsword attacks instead of the 2d6+6 he'd be getting with a greatsword: that's 4 points of damage more, for a penalty of -2 to his attack rolls. But the longsword wielder needs a full attack action and a huge investment of three feats to pull that off, while the greatsword combatant can do so on a standard action, just by picking up a greatsword he's proficient with. If he spent those three feats on Power Attack, Weapon Focus, and Weapon Specialization, he could just use Power Attack for -3 (to bring him down to the same penalty that the two-weapon fighter has); with his Weapon Specialization bonus, he's getting 2d6+11 for -2 to hit, or one more point of average damage than the paired-longsword wielder. Without needing a full attack to do it.
Twin Attack [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes, Ambidexterity, Dex 15+, Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Base Attack Bonus +13
A master of fighting with two weapons, you can bring both weapons to bear skillfully and quickly.
Benefit: When wielding two weapons and making a melee attack for which you wouldn’t normally be able to also attack with your secondary weapon (that is, one that is not part of a full attack action), you may announce that you’re using this feat. Making an attack roll as normal, but apply your normal two-weapon fighting penalties with your primary weapon. If you hit and cause damage, you may make a second attack, against the same foe, with your secondary weapon (again, at the normal penalties).
Rationale: The high-level two-weapon combat feat of choice, letting characters finally reduce the advantage two-handed fighters have on the standard/partial attack actions. It's still arguably not quite as good -- since before you even get a chance to use the second weapon, you need to hit with the first, but it should help.
edit: incorporated some of Crothian's suggestions.
edit.2: inspired by Guardian-Lurker's suggestion, added "Quick Draw" and "Blind Fight" as prerequisites to Kensei and Combat Casting to Spellblade.
edit.3: again inspired by Guardian-Lurker, changed Spellblade to "Arcane Weapon" and revised it so that it applies only to arcane spells.
Arcane Weapon [General]
Prerequisite: Combat Casting, Weapon Focus, ability to cast arcane spells, Spellcraft 4 ranks, Base Attack Bonus +1
You can seamlessly integrate weapon use and arcane spellcasting, even using a weapon to deliver touch spells.
Benefit: Choose a single melee weapon, such as the longsword, that you have taken the Weapon Focus feat with. You may cast arcane spells that normally require a free hand while wielding that weapon, and you may channel arcane touch spells through it. This means that you can deliver a touch spell to a target by touching or striking them with your chosen weapon; when making your attack roll with your weapon, the touch spell takes effect if you hit your target’s touch AC. If you hit your target’s normal AC, he both suffers the effect of the touch spell and takes damage from your weapon, as normal. You may not deliver touch spells with a reach weapon, since the magic dissipates if it has to travel very far past your natural reach. Note that this benefit only applies to arcane spells.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, with a different weapon each time.
Rationale: Partly a flavor feat, but I do think there ought to be more in the PHB to make fighter/mages viable. This would likely be a prerequisite for the bladesinger or spellsword prestige classes in Tome and Blood, or even, to an extent, make them obsolete.
Expert Duelist [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Dodge, Expertise, Base Attack Bonus +4, Int 13+, Dex 13+
By concentrating on a single opponent, you can dominate in combat and frustrate their attacks.
Benefit: You may use this feat while using the Expertise feat to focus on the same opponent that you’re using the Dodge feat on. You only gain your Expertise bonus against your chosen foe, but you gain an additional dodge bonus against that foe equal to half the attack penalty you accept for Expertise, rounded up. All attacks modified by Expertise must be made against the target of this feat. Thus, using the maximum -5 penalty from Expertise on a single opponent yields a total +9 dodge bonus: +5 from Expertise, +1 from Dodge, and +3 from Expert Duelist.
Rationale: The PHB has a wealth of really good feats for threshing through hordes of enemies (Whirlwind Attack, the Cleave family) but relatively few for the fighter who specializes in single combat. This is meant to be that feat. It's also a way to slow down combat between high-level fighters; here, they'll often have large AC bonuses and significant penalties to their attack rolls.
Focused Strike [General]
Prerequisite: Blind-Fight, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Kensei
By maintaining an almost mystical focus in your attacks, you can deliver deadly blows.
Benefit: When using the Kensei feat while attacking with a weapon, you may maximize your rolled damage a number of times per day equal to your base attack bonus - 5. Thus, a character with a base attack bonus of +8 could use Focused Strike three times per day. For example, a weapon that normally causes 1d8 points of damage now causes 8 points, plus bonuses. You must declare this ability before you determine damage for the attack. Additional damage from critical hits, and extra damage from sneak attacks, flaming weapons, and the like, is not maximized.
Rationale: A companion to the Kensei feat, below, designed to help eliminate the need for generic prestige classes dedicated to the mastery of a melee weapon. Question - is "times per day equal to BAB" too much, or too scaleable? I've flirted with the idea of making focused strike usable equal to Cha mod per day (with a rationale a la OA's iaijutsu focus skill) and allowing characters to take the feat more than once. Or what about an alternate version that allows characters to increase their critical hit multiplier, again Cha mod per day. Are either of those better?
Kensei [General]
Prerequisite: Blind-Fight, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization
Trained to wield a chosen weapon as an extension of yourself, you can attack with extraordinary quickness and grace when unrestricted by armor.
Benefit: Choose a single melee weapon, such as the longsword. You must have taken both the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats with that weapon. You gain an additional +1 bonus to attack rolls with that weapon. When taking the full attack action with that weapon, you may make additional, iterative attacks at every -4 interval of your base attack bonus. Thus, a character with a base attack bonus of +9 may make three attacks, at +9/+5/+1 (before applying other bonuses). You cannot use this feat while wearing armor, or when using a shield.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, with a different weapon each time.
Rationale: See the prior feat: this is meant to eliminate the need for a generic weapon master prestige classes; doing the work with feats instead. Note that it's a fighter-exclusive feat. This is partly based on the plausibility of needing to specialize in a weapon in order to master it, and partly because the feat's disadvantage (no armor/shield) is meant to compensate for its very significant benefit, and I wanted to ensure that it would be the traditionally heavily-armored fighter that would take the feat, rather than rogues or barbarians, whom it would presumably hurt less.
Punishing Strike [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes, Base Attack Bonus +1, Int 13+
You know how to exploit the mistakes others make in combat.
Benefit: When an opponent in an area you threaten rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll (even if not attacking you), he provokes an attack of opportunity from you.
Special: If your DM is using the “Fumbling in Combat” optional rule (see the DMG page 42), add any damage you cause with your attack of opportunity to the DC of the target’s Dexterity check.
Rationale: A nifty feat without the "fumbling" rules and a potentially terrific one with them. Should this be renamed to "Dirty Fighting"?
Superior Ambidexterity [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Ambidexterity, Dex 15+
As a result of extended practice and natural prowess, you now have equal strength in both of your arms.
Benefit: You are always considered to be wielding a light weapon in your off-hand for purpose of assessing attack penalties while fighting with two weapons. Further, you can apply your full Strength bonus to your damage rolls with your off-hand.
Rationale: At first glance, this looks like a broken feat -- ability to use two longswords AND get your full Strength bonus in your off-hand?! But I don't think it is, merely because the high-strength, two-weapon combatant just isn't a viable choice in 3e: she's basically always better off just using a greatsword. Now, a fighter with a pair of longswords and 18 strength does 2d8+8 with both longsword attacks instead of the 2d6+6 he'd be getting with a greatsword: that's 4 points of damage more, for a penalty of -2 to his attack rolls. But the longsword wielder needs a full attack action and a huge investment of three feats to pull that off, while the greatsword combatant can do so on a standard action, just by picking up a greatsword he's proficient with. If he spent those three feats on Power Attack, Weapon Focus, and Weapon Specialization, he could just use Power Attack for -3 (to bring him down to the same penalty that the two-weapon fighter has); with his Weapon Specialization bonus, he's getting 2d6+11 for -2 to hit, or one more point of average damage than the paired-longsword wielder. Without needing a full attack to do it.
Twin Attack [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes, Ambidexterity, Dex 15+, Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Base Attack Bonus +13
A master of fighting with two weapons, you can bring both weapons to bear skillfully and quickly.
Benefit: When wielding two weapons and making a melee attack for which you wouldn’t normally be able to also attack with your secondary weapon (that is, one that is not part of a full attack action), you may announce that you’re using this feat. Making an attack roll as normal, but apply your normal two-weapon fighting penalties with your primary weapon. If you hit and cause damage, you may make a second attack, against the same foe, with your secondary weapon (again, at the normal penalties).
Rationale: The high-level two-weapon combat feat of choice, letting characters finally reduce the advantage two-handed fighters have on the standard/partial attack actions. It's still arguably not quite as good -- since before you even get a chance to use the second weapon, you need to hit with the first, but it should help.
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and it still makes me twitchy.
