Evilhalfling said:
Improved Trip - No AoO, +4 to trip, free attack
I'm the opposite way on Improved Trip - it's *way* too underpowered for a feat.
Remember that a trip action is strictly a strength check. A 1st level sorcerer with a 14 strength has a better chance to trip a 5th level monk with a 13 strength than vice-versa (which is absolutely ridiculous). Improved Trip does give you +4 on your check, but it doesn't prevent your opponent from attempting to trip you if your original trip attack failed. Not only that, but there is no Attack of Opportunity from the defender if the attacker uses a weapon to trip.
Compared with Improved Disarm, the Improved Trip feat is underpowered.
Feats that I dislike:
Blindsight (from Masters of the Wild): all it requires is the ability to wild shape to dire bat form (12th level druid). The character then gets 120' radius Blindsight at all times. That's a game-breaker right there. For comparison, in Sword and Fist, Blindsight 5' radius requires a 19 wisdom, base attack bonus +4 and blindfighting for prereqs.
Another feat which I am glad they replaced from S&F is the Circle Kick (the CW Roundabout Kick is more in-line). Using this feat (which only requires a prereq of Improved Unarmed Strike), an unarmed character can make an extra attack against opponent #2 within reach if her first attack is successful against opponent #1. This again is a game-breaker, because any monk would be foolish not to take it, and there is no implied limit in the amount of times it can be done in a round (for example, a 17th level monk surrounded by foes can use Flurry of Blows and Circle Kick, getting potentially 10 "to hit" rolls. Even if it was limited to one use of the feat per round, it is still unbalanced. The feat Cleave (which is essentially the same thing for fighter-types) requires 13 Strength, Power Attack, AND dropping opponent #1 (not just hitting him).
One thing to remember when looking at whether some feats are overpowering is to look at the fighter class. Essentially, the only thing the fighter really has are feats. Clerics, druids, wizards, and sorcerers have spells. Paladins have the same armor and weapon feats as fighters, plus some spells and special abilities (perhaps hampered by their alignment, YMMV on that one). Rangers get some spells, some specific feats (qualification dependent only on their level), and an animal companion. Monks get incredible ki abilities that replace any need for weaponry and the best saves of any class. Barbarians get slightly better hit points, rage ability, and damage reduction. What do fighters get? An extra three feats per six levels and good fortitude saves (barbarians, paladins and rangers get that and more, along with the same attack rolls as fighters). Really not all that much when you consider that many feats don't get directly better as level goes up (a 9th level spell vs. a 1st level spell is a great deal more different than Power Attack at level 1 and level 18). Whirlwind attack is possibly the exception, requiring 4 other feats plus two minimum ability scores (Dex and Int 13) and a BAB of +4. However, by powering it down in 3.5, it's more advantageous to take the Two Weapon Fighting feats (unless your opponents are a bucket full of snails).
If you think a 7th level fighter can have be overpowering by having certain feats, consider a 7th level wizard casting Evard's Black Tentacles. Improved Grapple, Strength 19, BAB the same level as the caster, tentacles cannot be damaged, area of effect is 20' radius...