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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GuardianLurker" data-source="post: 154776" data-attributes="member: 786">Huh. Interesting - my basic rule of thumb for feats is that they shouldn't step on a class' abilities. I also don't have a problem with generic PrC's - after all, each of core classes has a large number of more refined archetypes included in them. A generic PrC is just such a refined archetype made more concrete. Now, not all PrCs (generic or otherwise) will be appropriate for every campaign either in terms of flavor or power, but it's awfully silly to reinvent the wheel. And ultimately, almost every PrC could be duplicated through feats, so I only extract feats from the PrCs when they apply to more than one PrC and the extracted feat isn't a defining characteristic of the classes. As an example, consider Uncanny Dodge - lots of PrCs (as well as three core classes) all possess it, but rarely is it a defining characteristic. Considering its prevalence, it might as well be extracted into a feat. OTOH, consider the OBI's Bank Shot - it's the only PrC with the ability and its strongly related to the basic theme of the class - the Master Archer who can make any shot. (As opposed to the Deepwood Sniper who is, well, a Sniper and not a Master Archer.) Extracting Bank Shot out would seriously weaken the PrC (a bad idea); even if you think the OBI is too powerful, extracting Bank Shot won't make your life any easier. Getting rid of it entirely might, but making it available to the general public won't.In terms of the WeaponMaster, is such a person merely a fighter who can wield his weapon with a superior mastery, or has he become something more than a mere fighter? Is it something every fighter can aspire to, or something only achieved by a select and justly famed few?You prefer the first answers, I the second. It works, but I still feel you're losing something.Those issues aside, I still think both Focused Strike and Spellblade are overpowered. Focused Strike allows 50% more uses of max-out damage than the WeaponMaster PrC (which remains as a reference point even if you're not using it). That's a pretty substantial increase in power for something with equivalent prereqs (neither WeaponMaster nor Focused Strike are available before 6th level, and the Ki Damage ability is the first one acquired by the Weapon Master). Adding Quick Draw and Blind Fight doesn't raise the minimum level, it only restricts the early feat choices, although I do like them as prerequisites.For spellblade, the restriction to touch-only versus target-only pales beside the ability to channel to your highest level spell as soon as you gain the feat. Consider that Spellsword is neither able to channel nor cache spells above third level (and doesn't gain the ability to channel 3rd level spells until 10th class level). While I don't recall any 9th level spells with a range of touch, nothing in spellblade prevents it. And to compound the issue, the feat is available earlier! OTOH, if you really want 3rd level clerics dealing 2d8+3+1d6+str with their warhammers go right ahead. And there's always the Mace of Harming combo that will pop up at 11th level. Spellblade is *way* too powerful for a 3rd level feat.</blockquote>

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