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Message: <blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 7205560" data-attributes="member: 6785785">Let me preface this by saying that I don't really have a problem with feats, generally speaking. I allow them in my game, and their impact has not been negative at all.But I have seen issues with feats in the past. What's the difference between a Fighter with GWM and a Greatsword and one with a Greatsword but no GWM feat? There are two ways to look at it. Mechanically, the GWM feat gives the -5/+10 option to that Fighter. Narratively, though, there's no real difference....both are Fighters using a Greatsword and likely fulfilling the same role within their respective parties. So the difference is purely mechanical. Sure, we can say that the mechanical difference is representative of some kind of advanced training with the Greatsword...but I don't know if being reckless is really some form of advanced training. Views on that will vary from person to person, I'm sure.But really...what variety has been added here? Don't the two Fighters play exactly the same? It's just that one may do some more damage from time to time. Is that really variety? Once you create a feat that allows one character to do more damage than another, that's a potential issue. It certainly depends on player perception...but there are many players who will see that feat as a necessity. That doing less damage than a GWM Fighter means that his character is not "optimized".So when this happens, some players start to view certain feats as "required", which then, somewhat paradoxically, removes options.I think it would be better to have feats that have other combat effects rather than just an increase in damage. Maybe knocking a target back 5 feet on a hit with a great weapon, or grappling a target with a whip, or something along those lines. This will actually make the character function a little differently than similar characters. That seems more like the variety everyone seems to think feats promote. Why not simply allow ANY Proficient character using a Great Weapon to have the -5/+10 mechanic at his disposal? Make that a product of the weapon? Because the damage boost feats don't alter the way the character actually functions.</blockquote>

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