Swing-By Attack Feat?

[Mark Chance]

I'm working on a new PDF. It seems almost mandatory to include new feats with a PDF. I don't like new feats, but I do appreciate that others do like them. Unfortunately, my dislike of feat bloat makes it hard for me to write up new feats. For example, there this one updated from some OGC work I did a few years ago:

Swing-By Attack (Combat)
You can swing from a rope and attack someone along the way.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Climb 2 ranks, base attack bonus +2.
Benefit: When you swing from a rope (or similar object) and make a charge, you may move and make a melee attack and then move again, continuing the straight line of the charge. Your total movement from the swing-by attack cannot exceed 2 times the distance betweenyour starting point and the point at which the rope is anchored, or the total movement allowed for your charge, whichever is less. You do not provoke an attack of opportunity for movement from the target of your swing-by attack.
Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack.

Why does this feat uninspire? How can it be salvaged, or should it be taken out to the shed and put out of its misery?

 

[Alzrius]

The feat uninspires because it's another feat (Ride-by Attack) reskinned to apply to another form of movement - and not just any other form of movement, but one that comes into play extremely rarely, making the feat's value diminish even further.

I'd only have something like this come up when writing about something to do with swinging as movement (e.g. a jungle-setting, or a swashbuckling campaign) as a notation that Spring Attack (since Swing-by Attack doesn't concern a mount the way Ride-by Attack does) can be used when swinging.

 

[frankthedm]

Very bad feat. No smileys, No just kidding.

It is not even that the feet is far too situational, it is that some things shouldn't need a feat to accomplish. Here is a quote from another post that sums it up.

I think this is a prime example of "feat creep": new feats to represent maneuvers or actions that anyone should be able to do. You should not need a feat to do something like shoot from the hip. You may not be able to do it _well_, but if it's an allowable action in your game, then it should be open to everyone.

 

[ruemere]

[...]
Swing-By Attack (Combat)
[...]
Why does this feat uninspire? How can it be salvaged, or should it be taken out to the shed and put out of its misery?

Salvageable - no. There are way too many issues.
In essence, this is gimped down Spring Attack... and given that Spring Attack (under PFRPG) is just a single melee attack, you'd need something with awesome mode of movement to make it shine, like a dragon with a Fly-By, or a Barbarian with at least 60 feet of movement.

As you appear to be in need of a dedicated Swashbuckler attack feat, you may want to replace it something like this:

Acrobatic Finish
Whenever you make a successful attack after moving at least 10 feet, you may use your impetus to move 10 feet away in a straight line from the target of your attack. This additional distance you move does not count toward your movement limit, and as such the feat can be combined with other abilities affecting your movement speed like Spring Attack, Haste movement bonus and so on. The use of this feat does incur attacks of opportunity unless it is combined with abilities which cancel attacks of opportunity.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, Acrobatics - 4 ranks.

Whirlwind Charge
During a charge make a single attack against every opponent you pass at -2 penalty to your attack. Additionally, you lose +2 attack bonus for charging. You incur attacks of opportunity as normal.
Prerequisites: Spring Attack.

Swing like a Monkey
When using Climb or Acrobatics skill, you may move up to your normal move speed. Additionally, you retain your Dexterity bonus to armor class.
Prerequisites: Dex 13.

Improved Swing like a Monkey
When using Climb or Acrobatics skill, you gain +4 to skill check and you may make a single melee attack at an opponent you pass during your movement. Additionally, you retain your Dexterity bonus to armor class.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Spring Attack or Swing like a Monkey.

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Regards,
Ruemere