Those [2 damage types] +1 damage feats

[WalterKovacs]

+1 dmg per tier for weapons - weapon focus.

d8 for ranger's quarry/sneak attack -> Works out to about, on average, +1 dmg per die each time you have a chance to use it. The number for rangers equates to about the same as weapon focus [less, considering that quarry applies once per round, vs. to each applicable attack]. Rogue gets a bit better with having more sneak attack dice, but even then, it's one attack per turn, under the right conditions [and with the right weapons].

So, the only thing that seems to suck for the energy damage type feats are:

The other 'similar' feats have no prereqs, nor are they 'paired' in seemingly random fashion. A single weapon focus 'esque' feat that allowed for +1/tier damage to spells with certain keywords would have been just as useful [they are already built to not stack, so it allows a wizard to focus on certain types of spells and have feats to spend on them.

 

[Rith the Wanderer]

16 14 13 13 12 8. Playing an Eladrin will give you Str 8 Dex 14 Con 13 Int 18 Wis 14 Cha 13. This build is completely viable and it gives you the stat requirements for all of the bonus damage feats, Arcane Reach, Spell Focus, and hey, Evasion as a bonus.

What it gives up is either the extra -1 for the orb ability or the minus 1 to hit and damage for not having a 20 (I really don't think this is almost ever worth it, but others disagree with me). What it gains is those various feats, increased defenses, increased skill checks, increased hitpoints, and more healing surges. Now I'm not going to try and make a case that this is the end all build by far, but I think its perfectly viable thanks in a big part to those damage increasing feats.

 

[Cadfan]

You know, the two 13s aren't REALLY as bad as you guys say they are. Remember that one of the 13s is usually your secondary ability score.

If you use the default array, you'll have a hard time NOT qualifying for at least one of them.

 

[small pumpkin man]

The ranger can do very easily: 2d10+8+1d6 every round without breaking a sweat. going through KoTS means hitting a kobold at least 4 times (~30 hp) with the wizards 1d6+int powers. Also, that burst 1 spell is not usable every time, it would hit the party all too often and so that means switching to cloud of daggers.

Uh, where is that 2d10 + 8 coming from? A low level ranger with a +1 weapon and weapon focus can be doing 2d10 + 4 + 1d6 (18.5), allthough if you're comparing it to 1d6 + 4 scorching burst, 2d10 + 1d6 (14.5) is more accurate, allthough that ignores the fact that scorching burst is an area effect, meaning it's not worth using unless you're hitting at least two monsters, which gives you 2d6 + 8 (15), note that you're apparent "fix" would raise this to 4d6 + 8(22) instead of 2d6 + 10 (17), or the rangers 2d10 +2 + 1d6 (16.5).

Of course if you're actually 8th level, both characters get +4 damage from having +2 weapons, which is twice what most other classes get at that level.

So the Wizard's doing more damage than the Striker, even in the lowest damage scenerio that you would bother using the power, so no, there's nothing wrong with scorching burst's damage.

Regarding the supposed purpose of the feats, yes they don't make a lot of difference, but none of the other feats make a lot of difference either. The only heroic Tier feats which do more than these feats do tend to have prerequesites like "be a Dwarf", which is a little bit more restrictice than having certain stats at thirteen.

It's not like you can't just take Dark Fury and Blood Magus.

 

[Cadfan]

Astral Fire, dex and cha, fire and radiant
Burning Blizzard, int and wis, acid and cold
Dark Fury, con and wis, necrotic and psychic
Raging Storm, con and dex, lightning and thunder

Alright, looknig at these again, there is NO reason to complain about the prereqs. You'll meet most of those without intending to, and the others are cheap.

 

[Ahglock]

Astral Fire, dex and cha, fire and radiant
Burning Blizzard, int and wis, acid and cold
Dark Fury, con and wis, necrotic and psychic
Raging Storm, con and dex, lightning and thunder

Alright, looknig at these again, there is NO reason to complain about the prereqs. You'll meet most of those without intending to, and the others are cheap.

I'd say only burning blizzard you will get without meaning to. A 13 con would be nice but its hard to afford, and a 13 dex is only going to happen if you are a wand mage or a race with +2 dex, and I don't expect to see many of those.

The pre-reqs aren't needed, none of the weapon based equivalents have them. Its a added limitation on a fairly weak feat.

 

[Torchlyte]

What these feats should have been:

Elemental Focus - Pick two non-weapon damage types. You have a +1 feat bonus to damage rolls when making an attack that deals either type of damage.

 

[Shabe]

As a DM it looks to be balanced fine in my eyes, especially with the aforementioned weapon focus.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

What these feats should have been:

Elemental Focus - Pick two non-weapon damage types. You have a +1 feat bonus to damage rolls when making an attack that deals either type of damage.

Actually, I think the feats should have been named

"Emerald Frost Adept"
"Serpent Eye Adept"
...

or something like that.

 

[Falling Icicle]

What these feats should have been:

Elemental Focus - Pick two non-weapon damage types. You have a +1 feat bonus to damage rolls when making an attack that deals either type of damage.

Amen! Just don't forget the "you can take this feat multiple times, each time picking two other types of energy" clause.