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Avor
2009-02-04, 08:15 PM
What is you favourite feat, why, and offten do you take it?

My favoutites are Karmatic strike and nimbus of Light.

I like karmatic strike is cool, hit them when they hit you, it's like haveing twice the attacks, and it great against a single enemy.

Nimbus of light I like because it makes me glow, and keeps away the darkness. I'm not affraid of the dark, I'm affraid what lurks in the dark and plans to eat me.

Karmatic strike is a new one to me, but I use Nimbus of light on nearly all my fighter types as they have the most feats.

Temp.
2009-02-04, 08:23 PM
Elusive Target from Complete Warrior.

It counters the two main sources of damage that I seem to face and it does so with panache.

As a Tactical feat, it prevents you from being Power Attacked entirely.
It lets you cause flankers to attack each other, making the recipients of the attack flat-footed--this makes Sneak Attack a bit of an iffy deal.
And it lets you trip anyone who misses a movement-provoked Attack of Opportunity against you. It's good to move and it's good to trip.

The only downer about this is the prerequisites: Dodge and Mobility. You can't even sub in Expeditious Dodge without losing the Diverting Defense anti-flanking maneuver.

Assassin89
2009-02-04, 08:33 PM
Augment Healing from complete divine

Increases the power of cure spells

Flickerdart
2009-02-04, 09:14 PM
Gotta be Luck of Heroes. It doesn't do much, but it gives a little bonus to defenses that low-level characters will appreciate. I don't play high-level much, so meh. And the flavour is hilarious...you're too special to be hit by enemy attacks.

sonofzeal
2009-02-04, 10:05 PM
Blessed of Tem-Et-Nu. The prerequisites are pure win.

Ganurath
2009-02-04, 10:23 PM
Black Lore of Moil, for various reasons:

1. Wave of Exhaustion: A classic debuff of the necromancy school suddenly becomes a tide-turner for the necromancer with undead minions. Enough damage to wipe out low level targets that aren't undead, exhaustion for now damaged survivors that fail the save, fatigue and modest damage for those that do, and healing for those minions of yours.

2. Burning Blood: 4th level spell that deals 2d8 damage per round normally, but with the wisdom of the Nightlords that average damage is over double with an extra 3d6 of negative energy.

3. Sword of Darkness: A modestly expensive material component in the form of shattering a longsword on the ground, combined with Black Lore you get what's functionally a Spiritual Weapon that inflicts a negative level and 4d6 negative energy damage with no save on either. Good for healing incorporeal undead if the occasional calls for it, too.

Final Reason: Rule of Cool.

Aron Times
2009-02-04, 11:37 PM
Since you didn't specify the edition, I'm going to list my favorite 3.5 and 4E feats.

D&D 3.5

1. Able Learner - Lets me allocate my skill points the way I want to.

D&D 4E

1. Linguist - Taking this feat is the only way to learn extra languages in 4E, so it's a must-have for me.

2. Jack of All Trades - The 4E equivalent of Able Learner.

3. Multiclass Feats - Multiclassing is still very powerful in 4E. My warlord/wizard will eventually get all four multiclass wizard feats.

arguskos
2009-02-04, 11:42 PM
Black Lore of Moil is a great one, actually. Love that feat. Same with Born of the Three Thunders (wonderful flavor, not so great in play, but fun enough).

Personal favorite: Collegiate Wizard. I love the whole "I'm college educated" and "I know all this crazy lore and stuff" feel. It's great fun.

Raging Gene Ray
2009-02-04, 11:46 PM
Versatile Turning!

Pick a number of creature subtypes equal to your Wisdom modifier (which should be high anyway if you're a cleric) and you can turn/rebuke them like undead. Now my cleric actually has a use for non-Undead related fights besides Healing/Buffing.

Draken
2009-02-04, 11:46 PM
Tomb Tainted Soul and Bonus Essentia.

Namely, this is because I have a liking for the Dread Necromancer, whch gainsinfinite healing from TTS, and a liking for Incarnum classes. Which consider Bonus Essentia rougthly the same a druid considers Natural Spell. Which is close to vital.

Plus, on the Incarnum Vein. Necrocarnum Adept. If only because I can use it to do this in Forgotten Realms (I was going to do it in a campaign, but it flunked):

Lawful Incarnate Guy: "Heathen! False! After I end you, Kelemvor will punish your transgressions by sending you to fuel my magic against others of your foul kind!"

lexcorp026
2009-02-05, 12:09 AM
My favorite singular feat is Augment Summoning. Way useful.

My favorite special feat design was the Hammer's Edge fighting style. I placed it on my Ettin villain the PCs would face, who also had combat reflexes and a significant dex and had quaff'd a potion of giant growth. They had to pass through 15 feet to get to him, provoking along the way, and if they took the double hits they were knocked prone and then provoke again while standing. One of the nastier encounters I've pulled out, but that was how their pirate crew finally got their own ship.

I also have a soft spot for the Firey Burst reserve feat as well, because it granted my cleric with the Fire domain the ability to actually become dangerous as a ranged threat.

monty
2009-02-05, 12:11 AM
Elemental Summoning. Why do something when you can have your cannon fodder disposable tool mook summoned creature do it for you?

Rutskarn
2009-02-05, 12:25 AM
Improved Initiative.

I just love that bastard. I love him with all my heart and one of my kidneys.

Dacia Brabant
2009-02-05, 12:55 AM
Since you didn't specify the edition, I'm going to list my favorite 3.5 and 4E feats.

D&D 3.5

1. Able Learner - Lets me allocate my skill points the way I want to.

D&D 4E

1. Linguist - Taking this feat is the only way to learn extra languages in 4E, so it's a must-have for me.

2. Jack of All Trades - The 4E equivalent of Able Learner.

3. Multiclass Feats - Multiclassing is still very powerful in 4E. My warlord/wizard will eventually get all four multiclass wizard feats.

This, pretty much word for word, though I'd put Jack of All Trades at #1 on that list personally. There are great feats out there that depend on the build you want, but just for general awesomeness and utility it's really hard to beat Able Learner/Jack of All Trades.

Vortling
2009-02-05, 01:21 AM
Adaptive Style. Font of Inspiration comes in a close second. :smallsmile:

Celeres
2009-02-05, 01:24 AM
I'd have to say it's by far Steadfast Determination.

gives fighters a chance to make will saves.

Malacode
2009-02-05, 01:48 AM
Albe Learner, definitely. I'm normally the only one in my group who remembers their skills, so I often manage to end up as the Skillmonkey, even if there are more qualified classes around... Able Learner lets me do it better, too! Lich-Loved is great for NPC Necromancers too. Don't worry about your HD limit, its not like you'll be attacked by your creations. Only the PC's have to face the millions of mindless undead you've let loose upon the world

Tubercular Ox
2009-02-05, 02:05 AM
Versatile Turning!

Pick a number of creature subtypes equal to your Wisdom modifier (which should be high anyway if you're a cleric) and you can turn/rebuke them like undead. Now my cleric actually has a use for non-Undead related fights besides Healing/Buffing.

That makes me hot. Stop holding out, source?

Starscream
2009-02-05, 02:13 AM
I loves me some Improved Feint, especially when playing rogues and ninjas.

Optimystik
2009-02-05, 02:27 AM
Divine Metamagic, but I can't pick one :smallfrown:

Curmudgeon
2009-02-05, 02:32 AM
Craven (Champions of Ruin) -- the single feat that makes Rogues viable in combat.

arguskos
2009-02-05, 02:33 AM
Divine Metamagic, but I can't pick one :smallfrown:
Persistent Spell. You know you want to. :smallwink: /temptswithdarkside

Myou
2009-02-05, 03:55 AM
Some of my favourites are Keen Intellect, Improved Inititive, Darkstalker and Aid Spell + Reach Spell.

Keen Intellect effectively makes Int a dump stat for any class that doesn't use Wis for it's abilities.

Improved Inititive is always helpful, especially for casters and sneak attackers.

Darkstalker is almost a prerequisite for stealthy characters.

Aid + Reach lets you make personal spells into rays. Of course, your DM might interpret the rules differently, but if he allows it, there are so many possibilities!

J.Gellert
2009-02-05, 04:33 AM
There are many feats that I love, but if I have to pick one, it is easy;

Uncanny Forethought, primarily because I hate Vancian Magic.

Tubercular Ox
2009-02-05, 04:55 AM
There are many feats that I love, but if I have to pick one, it is easy;

Uncanny Forethought, primarily because I hate Vancian Magic.

And there's another one that sounds awesome. Would someone please tell me the source for this and versatile turning above?

EDIT: Alright, Google turned up uncanny forethought, but I still need help with Versatile Turning. Seriously, I've been dreaming about making a character that can do that for years.

J.Gellert
2009-02-05, 04:58 AM
Uncanny Forethought comes from Exemplars of Evil.

I don't know about Versatile Turning...

Tubercular Ox
2009-02-05, 05:01 AM
Uncanny Forethought comes from Exemplars of Evil.

I don't know about Versatile Turning...

Heh. Just missed. Thank you for the effort, though.

The irony is that Google is already turning up this page when I try to find it... even if I'm just trying to search on keywords I think might be in the feat's description.

Kurald Galain
2009-02-05, 06:14 AM
My favorites are heritage feats (in 3E) and jack of all (in 4E).

Eldariel
2009-02-05, 07:18 AM
Chain Spell [CArc]: Soo much fun with buffs and Dispels!
Sculpt Spell [CArc]: Just totally awesome to throw around Color Sprays in all shapes and sizes!
Craft Contingent Spell [CArc]: Having a dozen contingencies online at all times, including that True Resurrection for death is just...well, awesome!
Stormguard Warrior [ToB]: I love tactical feats and especially ones with all good options. This is one of those.
Knock-Down [SRD]: I just like the idea of hitting someone so hard they get knocked prone.
Large and In Charge [Drac]: Pushing people around is fun! Knockback [RoS] needs to be mentioned in the same breath.
Shock Trooper [CW]: Another awesome Tactical Feat, especially combined with Dungeoncrasher!
Weapon Supremacy [PHBII]: Such an array of abilities, showing true mastery of a weapon (I mean, you can learn to use a Longbow in grapple!), it's just an awesome image. Pity the prerequisites though.
Ranged Weapon Mastery [PHBII]: Just the kinda thing my Archers like.
Cloudy Conjuration [CMage]: Every time you summon something, you generate a small cloud that sickens the poor ****ers in its area! It's fun.
Planar Touchstone: Catalogues of Enlightement [PlH]: Gain any Domain-power regardless of class? Yes, please!
Robilar's Gambit [PHBII]: You open your defenses to get extra hits in. Gets even more fun with stuff like Sidestep [MinHB] to dodge the full attacks and so on.
Greater Manyshot [SRD]: Whee! Soo much fun! Perfect for Precision Archers too.
Frozen Wildshape [Frost]: Oh c'mon, everyone wants to be a Cryohydra!
Divine Spell Power [CD]: Love the idea and the effect is awesome. It's also a divine feat that actually cares about your turning-abilities!
Imperious Command [DoTU]: Finally Intimidate gets its day in the sun!
Master of Poisons [DoTU]: Whee! I <3 Poison! Too bad you need extra feats to increase their potency though :/
Flyby Attack [MM]: Exactly what Spring Attack should've been; fly in, do your business, fly out. Simple, efficient, properly priced.
Mage Slayer [CArc]: Cast defensively, you say? I don't think so.


No, I'm not going to decide between those. Too many different types of feats to truly isolate the one true favorite.

bosssmiley
2009-02-05, 08:09 AM
Up the Walls (XPH)
Throw Ally (Races of Short)
Robilar's Gambit (PHB2)

Rowan Arquest
2009-02-05, 08:11 AM
Hold the Line (Sword and Fist): gain an attack of opportunity when someone charges into your threatened area. that plus a reach weapon and a spiked gauntlet, and combat reflexes equals three attacks of opportunity when being charged. oh, and my spiked gauntlet is +6 keen :smallamused: ... and my reach weapon is a legendary guisarme (woo battle scion from Unearthed Arcana)

WhiteHarness
2009-02-05, 08:37 AM
Heavy Armour Proficiency and Armour Specialization.

I just like armour--the heavier, the better. This probably speaks volumes about deep-seated insecurities in my psyche. Oh, well...

Kaiyanwang
2009-02-05, 09:04 AM
Combat Reflexes and its infinite tier.

Roderick_BR
2009-02-05, 09:32 AM
Nimbus of light I like because it makes me glow, and keeps away the darkness. I'm not affraid of the dark, I'm affraid what lurks in the dark and plans to eat me.

And turns you into a huge target in dark areas.

You want a cool trick with Karmik Strike? There's a PrC for gnomes (or halfling, I don't remember. It's 3.0, though, one of those class books) where the 10th level ability is to gain an AoO against anyone bigger than you, that misses a melee attack. With Karmik Strike, you'll always hit back, no matter if the enemy hits or misses (unless he kills you, of course)

Myself, I'm enjoying that Awesome Smite (don't remember where it's from now...) that allows paladins to ignore many types of defenses when lying out the divine hurt.

Darth Stabber
2009-02-05, 09:50 AM
Midnight Dodge - @ minimum it is dodge, But it can be so much more and can't be less. Plus it makes my legs glow

Psycharnum Blade - I rarely play soulknife, but they have always amused me, and I like incarnum. So synergistic awesome, not good but cool

Overchannel - Psychic nosebleed (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PsychicNosebleed)

Power Attack - simple in design, Glorious in application, starts as a good feat, gets better with every bab point you gain

Tomb Tainted Soul - Takes dread necromancer from poo to playable.

Martial Art(1-3)(SWSE) - Raise the die size of unarmed attack and gives you +1 reflex defense each time you take it.

Bantha Rush - successful attacks allow you to push the target 1 square, Awesome.

Draz74
2009-02-05, 01:31 PM
Darkstalker - makes stealth actually work. And work awesome.
Woodland Archer - now you really can have those crazy-effective elven guerrilla archers defending their forests that you always read about.
Expanded Knowledge - staple of the wondrous Psionics system.
Knock-Down - like Eldariel said ... who doesn't want to knock their opponents down when they hit in melee?
Metamagic Song - metamagic abuse, but at a cost that doesn't make me feel guilty for using it.
Rapid Metamagic - What the Sorcerer always really needed.
Knowledge Devotion - who said Knowledge skills were underpowered again?
Swift Hunter - redeems two slightly-underpowered classes with one feat. That's efficiency.

Avor
2009-02-05, 04:01 PM
And turns you into a huge target in dark areas.


Yes, but as the glowing meat sheild, I can see what is hitting me, the wizzard can see it, and the cleric can see how maimed wounded I am.

Also the fallow up feat is nice, Holy radiance, does 1d6 per round to undead in the light. As I said, light keeps bad things away.


Martial Art(1-3)(SWSE) - Raise the die size of unarmed attack and gives you +1 reflex defense each time you take it.

SWSE?

Doug Lampert
2009-02-05, 05:08 PM
SWSE?
Star Wars Sage Edition. One of the test runs for some 4.0 rules, but close enough to 3.5 to have compatible feats.

notagain111
2009-02-05, 07:20 PM
I'm afraid what lurks in the dark and plans to eat me.

It is no longer dark. You are not likely to be eaten by a grue.


But more on topic, my favorite two feats right now are Devoted Tracker and Improved Buckler Defense.

Devoted Tracker lets me try a multiclass combo that i've never seen before and now use as my staple character.

Improved Buckler defense because said staple character dual wields, and i always though the "Two weapon defense" line of feats were silly - 3 feats for 3 shield AC? how about one feat and some silly gold for up to +6(or more if epic) shield AC and other shield benefits? I just love bucklers in general these days... more AC for dual wielders and archers. Casters too if they make it out of something that removes the 5% spell failure.

Tubercular Ox
2009-02-05, 07:23 PM
You could probably guess this from what I've said so far, but: Domain spontaneity. I only learned about it recently and I think it's going to be in every cleric build I make from now on, either once or twice. Look at me, ma, I'm a sorcerer! For the first time I'm looking at Domains for their spell lists instead of their granted powers.

Tacoma
2009-02-05, 07:31 PM
Craft Wondrous Item

Leon
2009-02-05, 11:52 PM
the wizzard can see it

He can see what he doesn't want to see and can get a good head start at running from it

Shalizar
2009-02-06, 09:33 PM
Monkey Grip or Wield Oversized Weapons, nothing beats duel weilding Great Hammers 1d12 19-20/x4 crit, of course exotic weapon profincency helps too.

Also Shadow Blade, makes Dex fighters deadly with light weapons.

Flickerdart
2009-02-06, 10:04 PM
Monkey Grip or Wield Oversized Weapons, nothing beats duel weilding Great Hammers 1d12 19-20/x4 crit, of course exotic weapon profincency helps too.
Except, y'know, everything beats those. Monkey Grip and EWP suck profusely, and when you start dual-wielding, you're now taking so many penalties that you'll never hit anything, ever. And you wasted 3 feats.

Alcopop
2009-02-06, 10:38 PM
Black Lore of Moil is a great one, actually. Love that feat. Same with Born of the Three Thunders (wonderful flavor, not so great in play, but fun enough).

Personal favorite: Collegiate Wizard. I love the whole "I'm college educated" and "I know all this crazy lore and stuff" feel. It's great fun.

Not great in play? well...

I made this Born of the Three Thunders sorcerer for a pirate campaign I’m in.
You grab the Least Storm Dragonmark (for prereq) then Mark of the Dauntless (Immune to Dazed!!). If you can spare the caster level lose put 5 levels into stormcaster (stormwreck) for an extra stun and if you really want extra cheese make sure you grab the celerity spells. Also grab at least 1 level of elemental savant.
Now with all that you have every elemental damage spell that you make electric a half electric half sonic with two saves vs. stun and if they fail either a save vs. knockdown. It’s cast at +2 caster level and gets spell level as bonus damage.

Oh, and did i mention celerity without a drawback? yeah...

I'm doing this with a 5 sorcerer 5 stormcaster 10 elemental savant (currently level 11). I lose my level 9 spells but the flavor of being an air element just to cool!(Not to mention with shared lightning ring, flame whip on you familiar who is delivering your storm touch attacks you’ll be pimping out the damage as it is.)

As for my favorite feat, being a fan of dex based characters I gotta say
Martial Study, Martial Stance and Shadow Blade unoriginal I know but getting A Teleport, Sneak and Dex to Damage is just orgasmic!

ChaosDefender24
2009-02-06, 10:53 PM
Power attack - the monster.
Knockdown - It makes you double-take when you read it. It's kinda like dr00d, it's really hard to screw up with this one
EWP (Spiked Chain) - XD
Assume Supernatural Ability - hay guys im a beholder.
Frozen Wild Shape - combine with above for fun times

Arcane_Snowman
2009-02-06, 10:53 PM
Shape Soulmeld is an awesome feat.

Olo Demonsbane
2009-02-06, 10:59 PM
Born of Three Thunders.
There are sooo many uses for this, I don't have time to name them.
I am currently using this with my Druid/Wizard Geshalt :smallbiggrin:.
Favorite Tactics with this feat:
Electric Born of Three Thunders Snowball Storm. The visual effect is cool as well.
Electric Born of Three Thunders Wall of Fire. Cast this a couple times, then summon a monster with reach. Bingo, and perfect against big opponents.
Born of Three Thunders Shocking Burst Sword. The fighter can stun too now.
Electric Born of Three Thunders Animate Fire. 1st level spell, cool effect.

And many more...

lilhowie624
2009-02-09, 04:15 PM
combat reflexes bar none- whip 15ft reach on my bard was crakin some ass or the glaive with my fighter

monty
2009-02-09, 04:20 PM
combat reflexes bar none- whip 15ft reach on my bard was crakin some ass or the glaive with my fighter

Uh, you know that whips don't threaten, right?

Nohwl
2009-02-09, 09:44 PM
my favorite feat is divine metamagic persistent.

Dublock
2009-02-09, 10:10 PM
Uh, you know that whips don't threaten, right?

SSHHSS! his DM might hear you! :p (but that is right :p)

my favorite feat is prehaps my standard, improve ini...cause I like going first :smallamused: