What to do with a crappy PP power?

[DracoSuave]

I know you said it was not useful. If the power is so bad, choose a different PP, but since you are obviously not thinking that way, you consider the rest of the PP good enough to make up for the one weak power.

Thus the rest of it is probably powerful enough.

Thus my answer.

This.

Some paths are balanced around their features, others their powers, and others are somewhere in between.

That said, without examination of the rest of the path, a simple answer like 'swap the power' doesn't necessarily make the game -better-. If the rest of the path is supergood, then 'Well, we can swap it for a narrow power to make up for it' is a decent answer.

For example, take Daggermaster, which is the posterchild for 'I took this path for a single awesome path feature' paragon paths. If you wanted 'A more useful power' I'd say 'Not while you're sporting that single path feature that makes the entire thing worthwhile.'

But... other paths one can be much more lenient with.

 

[Runestar]

I think the OP recognises this, and this does not mean he has to accept it, hence the desire to funnel it into another ability.

So...after countless splatbooks, not one way he can work around this?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I think the OP recognises this, and this does not mean he has to accept it, hence the desire to funnel it into another ability.

So...after countless splatbooks, not one way he can work around this?

I think its safe to say that WotC has pretty well decided there shouldn't be any way to swap out PP powers. They have studiously avoided it and even closed one or two minor loopholes that let you do it. I'd think that even the familiar route is probably not intentional and may well get an errata at some point. I suspect they believe balancing PPs requires that characters live with the whole package. Can't say I don't see their point on that, especially with things like Daggermaster out there.

 

[boolean]

Personally, I agree with Dice4Hire, etc. If a paragon path with good path features is balanced by having mediocre powers, being able to swap the bad power for a much better one seems unbalanced.

Having said that, check out the Reserve Maneuver feat from PHB2. The encouter power you select when you take the feat has to be a power from your class, but the power you lose doesn't have this restriction.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I don't think Reserve Maneuver will work, because you can only use it on encounter attack powers, not utility powers.

 

[Obryn]

For example, take Daggermaster, which is the posterchild for 'I took this path for a single awesome path feature' paragon paths. If you wanted 'A more useful power' I'd say 'Not while you're sporting that single path feature that makes the entire thing worthwhile.'

Knight Commander is another good example. The class feature of "All adjacent allies get +2 to attacks" is at least slightly offset by an almost-useless Level 12 Utility power.

PPs are balanced across their 10 levels. If you can swap out the less-powerful features in favor of more-powerful ones, I think you're trying to cop out of the inherent balance.

-O

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I think its fine to take advantage of any part of the rules that clearly works in the way you're using it. If WotC provided a power swap feat for PP powers or something then so be it. If someone were to come up with a highly obscure reading of some feat or something to do it, then its pretty much cheese given that we mostly seem to agree PPs generally have weak points that balance their stronger features (except for the PPs that are just totally useless...).

 

[Mistwell]

You could, however, get the Cannith Goggles and charge them up with your utility power. (Which would give you Darkvision until your next Extended Rest, if that is preferrable.)

That seems like a good option.

 

[DracoSuave]

Wow, that utility power isn't even that bad. Cover and concealment should happen fairly often, often enough that it's a difference maker.

If it had said 'You get +2 to hit targets in cover or concealment' it'd sound a lot better. However, it IS better than -that-.

But looking at the path in toto... it's a good path for the most part. If Song of Sonic Striking is the worst thing on there... then it's really not a bad deal at all.

 

[Turtlejay]

That is kind of a situational Utility. But one of those that when you use it, and it is effective, you rock. And if you loose it, and get into a situation where it would be useful, you feel frustrated.

I feel your pain with that power, if it was a class power it would totally be one to skip over. I prefer Encounter Utilities, and Utilities that can be used in any encounter, not just in certain circumstances. It sucks that this is the go-to PP for Bards who want to use ranged weapons, and that you don't get more options for that kind of build. It seems like a popular enough option.

There are a couple good familiars that work well with ranged stuff. Doesn't the Hawk allow you to attack from it's square 1/encounter? It does suck to sink feats into getting rid of this Utility Power, but I guess you have to decide which resource is more valuable, your feats, or your Utilities.

Jay