Zen and the Art of D&D

[Cthulhudrew]

Got a question I could use everyone's advice on. What would you think of allowing a character who takes the Zen Archery feat (which subs Wisdom for Dexterity in attack rolls with bows) to use their Wisdom score in place of Dexterity when determining whether a character meets the prerequisites for certain other Archery feats?

IE, a character with Zen Archery and a Wisdom of +19 could take the Improved Precise Shot feat (provided he had the other feat prereqs of course).

I suppose some of the feats do seem Dex based- Rapid Shot, Manyshot, Shot on the Run- but the Precision based ones it seems to me could at least be houseruled to benefit.

Any thoughts?

 

[frankthedm]

IE, a character with Zen Archery and a Wisdom of +19 could take the Improved Precise Shot feat (provided he had the other feat prereqs of course).

Any thoughts?

Tempting, I'd allow them to take feat, but only when using a bow. I do not know how Zen Archer works and is worded in regards to other ranged attacks. What i do know is I would never allow such a character to use IPS for rays and other ranged touch attacks. Cover is one of the few defences against those spells and being a wargamer at heart, I feel those who seek cover deserve rewards for doing so.

 

[the Jester]

I wouldn't allow Zen Archery itself to do this. However, I would be open to another feat that allowed the pc to use his wisdom in place of his dex for purposes of qualifying for feats.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I'd probably create a new feat something like:

Improved Precise Shot of the Zen Master
Prerequisites: Zen Archery, Wisdom 17, Weapon Focus (any bow)
Benefits: Select a weapon you have Weapon Focus in blah blah blah.

 

[Bront]

IE, a character with Zen Archery and a Wisdom of +19 could take the Improved Precise Shot feat (provided he had the other feat prereqs of course).

If his wisdom is +19, that's pretty hefty. I assume you ment 19+.

I don't see it as unbalancing, since you're already taking a feat to use Wisdom.

I believe Zen Archery lets you use it for all ranged attacks.

 

[Legildur]

You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier when making a ranged attack roll.

So, yes. It applies to all ranged attack rolls and ONLY ranged attack rolls. Nothing about qualification for other feats. That'd be a house rule, but maybe a worthwhile one if it encourages a player.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Be aware that this would make cleric archers even easier and more tempting to create.

 

[Bront]

Be aware that this would make cleric archers even easier and more tempting to create.

I'm wondering why that's a bad idea? It's not like they're feat monsters.

Cleric with a War Domain and Longbow as favored weapon still needs: Point Blank Shot (1st), Precise Shot (3rd), Zen Archery(6th), Rapid Shot (9th) to get to a feat that Wisdom qualified over dex and be a truely devistating archer. Granted the order isn't as important (depending on Dex and Wisdom), but that's still limiting the cleric's opertunities elsewhere.

I don't see it as a problem. Anyone who's not a fighter doesn't get a lot of feats so that's a missed opertunity, and Fighters aren't likely to have the Wisdom > Dex problem to such a degree where it's an issue.