Useless feats (re: Combat Casting)

[BryonD]

I have also found it to be a waste in most cases.

At low levels, the caster often should try to avoid situations that requires its use anyway.

Because your basic Concentration skill goes up +1/level and your highest defensive cast DC only goes up 1/ 2 levels, it gets less valuable as you go.

There are a few cases where it can be useful, but not nearly as many as spell focus, for example.

 

[Elric]

An item of +5 Concentration skill costs 500 gp and is available starting at 3rd level (Craft Wondrous Item is also one of the most useful item creation feats). Thus, there is almost no reason for any character to take Combat Casting. The 5-foot step also makes it rare that you have to cast a spell defensively.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

An item of +5 Concentration skill costs 500 gp and is available starting at 3rd level (Craft Wondrous Item is also one of the most useful item creation feats).

If, that is, the DM allows the PC's to craft custom-made (that is, nonstandard) magic items and lets them price them a la carte using the guidelines in the DMG as if they were rules. Those are a couple of big ifs.

 

[baradtgnome]

There are a number of skills that decrease in usefulness as you go up in levels. Figure that as your totals increase a +2 here or there is less of your total percentage. at lower levels a particular feat may just help you survive to higher level (and then be not so much use).

One of the drawbacks in 3e is you get too much too fast. Players don't learn to utilize all their resources. Back in the old days (you know the ones where we had to walk up hill both ways in the pouring rain to get to the dungeon) we would make use of every spell, cantrip, & piece of equipment we were carrying just to survive and come back with 12 cps

But ultimately if you are really role playing, it comes down to style.
Do you have a mental picture of your character doing something really cool (albeit not especially effective) in an adventure? Rather than take quick draw, my 1/2 orc cleric took improved unarmed strike (also very useful in the bar). Often in battle he needs to drop something (sadly, usually a weapon) to cast a spell. Next thing I know I am face to face with an unfriendly orc trying to cleave me with his battle axe. Pow, I punch him in the face, he falls and I can move over to the next fallen comrade to be ready to cast a cure at the beginning of the next round. Are there better ways to do that? Sure. But I like killing an orc with a punch.

 

[Elric]

If, that is, the DM allows the PC's to craft custom-made (that is, nonstandard) magic items and lets them price them a la carte using the guidelines in the DMG as if they were rules. Those are a couple of big ifs.

True, but that is only for the 500 gp item. There is a 2k, +10 Concentration skill item in the Psi Handbook (third eye: concentrate, I think). So, I would conclude that a character of any class can craft an item that gives a bonus to concentration without using "nonstandard" rules. If +10 for 2k is balanced and is a standard item, +5 for 500 gp is probably fine as well.

 

[gunter uxbridge]

One of the better fixes for a feat I have seen is for Toughness. In addition to the 3 hit points, it extends the range for death from -10 hit points to -13. Taken multiple times it can extend it to -16, -19, etc. I have never incorporated it into my campaign, but wouldn't oppose it.

 

[Vhane]

5' Step... then cast. Combat Casting is rarely useful once you learn the move then cast trick.

 

[Deadguy]

For the record, I redid toughness to be an extra 1 hit point every level. Still not "uber", but a lot more useful than it used to be.

I'm with Tsyr on this one: I made the same change, and I've even had a 12th-level Fighter take the feat, to offset some poor hit dice rolls. When that happened, I knew that I'd made it worthwhile!

 

[arwink]

5' Step... then cast. Combat Casting is rarely useful once you learn the move then cast trick.

What about creatures with reach?
What about the archers targeting the spellcaster should he start casting?
What about the acid arrow he's been hit with two rounds ago, that's still causing damage?

As people have mentioned many times before, its a matter of style. The last sorcerer in my game didn't bother with the 5 ft. step unless it could get her behind cover. Otherwise, it was more trouble than it was worth.

 

[Jeph]

Whoever said that Skill Focus was useless never played a Jedi Gaurdian with maxed out Int, and as many ranks/feats as possable to enhance Move Object. SMASH!

(It was only a one shot, but was damn fun to use this guy!)