What feats are ESSENTIAL

[Alcamtar]

What feats are essential for a high level fighter -- that is, without them he would be handicapped and underpowered?

I am thinking Power Attack...

What do you think?

Mike

 

[kreynolds]

Absolutely. Power Attack is definately a must. Let me tell ya', Knockdown isn't bad either.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Hmm. Off the top of my head, I'd say...

None.

Even the basics like Power Attack aren't essential, if you've designed a fighter who plays to different strengths. I'd say the only feats that are truly essential are those that compliment the character design.

And if that's a wishy-washy answer, so be it. It's still the one I'm giving.

 

[Al]

Knockdown
+Expert Tactician
=Free Attack, and your opponent is prone (throw in a few rogue levels for optimum effect).

Expert Tactician is a great feat. Not only because of the KD+ET loophole, but also because if you act first you get a free attack against flatfooted opponents. You get free attacks against stunned opponents, held opponents, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Numion]

Power Attack isn't essential. The high-level fighter types in my group don't have it. They're archers.

 

[Geoff Watson]

None of the feats are essential.

Power Attack is really weak for a strong fighter, they'll only take it to get Cleave(which is very good); using Power Attack will nearly always lessen their average damage.

The Knockdown/Expert Tactician combo doesn't work, as prone characters don't lose their Dex bonus.

I had a look at the character sheets for the two Fighters in my campaign, and they share NO feats (except for ones they gain automatically).

Geoff.

 

[hong]

I had a look at the character sheets for the two Fighters in my campaign, and they share NO feats (except for ones they gain automatically).

Wau. There's a fighter out there without Weapon Focus/Weapon Specialisation?

(Who's the second fighter, BTW? I assume one of them is Herc, our friendly local chaingang-of-one.)

 

[Zappo]

Weapon focus and weapon specialization are pretty much ubiquitous. IMC, fighters also tend to take Iron Will a lot.

 

[Frostmarrow]

At higher levels I'd say that Power Attack is a must. The extra damage you can dish out on critters with low AC (which is most of them) makes it essential even to those dexy rapier guys. Cleave on the other hand is not that good since any monster you can slay easily don't pose a great threat. (OT: Sneak Attack is next to worthless in some modules. Don't you hate all those constructs, undead and elementals?)

 

[jontherev]

Wau. There's a fighter out there without Weapon Focus/Weapon Specialisation?

(Who's the second fighter, BTW? I assume one of them is Herc, our friendly local chaingang-of-one.)

Wau's right. Unless you are playing the exotic weapon master and are always switching weapons, weapon specialization just seems like an obvious choice. Then again, doesn't the ewm get ws for all exotic weapons at 5th level? Maybe it's just weapon focus...?