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Tyndmyr
2009-09-16, 07:00 PM
If you're like me, half the time, feats are taken as prerequisites to that prestige class, or as a preliminary requirement for something else cool down the line. However, some feats are cool in their own right.

They're not terribly flashy, but my most frequently chosen misc feats are ones that boost saves, either by changing the attribute used, or the good ol' traditional +2 to a save feats from core.

What does everyone else like?

JellyPooga
2009-09-16, 07:02 PM
Quick Reconnoitre: +2 Initiative and free Spot and Listen every round...I am Mr.Alert-for-Danger! I notice all!

Meek
2009-09-16, 07:04 PM
From the sounds of it, this is a 3.5 thread.

I remember being a bit fond of the little luck feats that gave you rerolls. But generally, I played casters, so metamagic feats, and feats that made metamagic cost less levels to apply, were my biggest draw. Particularly extend, quicken and reach.

Kylarra
2009-09-16, 07:04 PM
I've always liked the thought of signature spell.

Glimbur
2009-09-16, 07:33 PM
Force of Personality. Maybe it's because I like bards with low Wis, but the idea of being so self-confident and personable that a Dominate slides off of me is just fun.

Crow
2009-09-16, 07:37 PM
Improved Initiative.

Man I just love that feat. Usually have it by 3rd level in most cases.

hotel_papa
2009-09-16, 07:42 PM
I like Constant Guardian and Dutiful Guardian, from Drow of the Underdark. I like playing protector, but never really dug Knights or ToB.

BenTheJester
2009-09-16, 07:44 PM
Always liked Flyby Attack.


Mark of Nessus is awesome too. Enemy has to succeed a cha-based will save to even target you with anything.

Tyndmyr
2009-09-16, 07:45 PM
Improved Initiative.

Man I just love that feat. Usually have it by 3rd level in most cases.

Ah, that brings back the memories. When I started playing 3.0, we only had core books, and didn't much know what we were doing. The value of going first was quickly learned, though. I have played a ridiculous number of characters with that feat. =)

Thrice Dead Cat
2009-09-16, 07:53 PM
I have the bad habit of playing casters, so Extend Spell is mandatory. Persistent might enter the mix at some point later, for delicious, delicious wraithstrike fun. Other than that, if I can fit it in through item, spell, or, blast, even an actual feat slot, Improved Initiative is great.

I also enjoy Battle Jump on melee characters, but that's almost more due to my unhealthy love affair with Final Fantasy Tactics than DND.

Zeta Kai
2009-09-16, 07:56 PM
Improved Critical & Improved Initiative are pretty much must-haves for any Rogue I play. And I tend to play Rogues a lot. So yeah...

Dienekes
2009-09-16, 07:57 PM
Power Attack.

Let's face it, it's at the core of any good melee fighter.

Roland St. Jude
2009-09-16, 08:00 PM
Good question...Leap of the Heavens, maybe? Practiced Spellcaster? Craft Contingent Spell? Lots of good choices...

Godskook
2009-09-16, 08:03 PM
Able Learner seems to be my favorite feat these days. Last time I took it, I was borrowing heavily from the Illusionist, and refused to make him a bard(I needed good ranks in perform). This time, it is a daggerspell mage. Who's idea was it to not give a rogue+wizard search as a class skill? Seriously?

Deepblue706
2009-09-16, 08:19 PM
I most enjoy feats that can be used in a variety of circumstances, moreso limited by my application rather than how they tie into specific attacks.

Quick Reconnoiter (CAdv) has always been a favorite of mine, because I like being able to freely make spot/listen checks each round as a free action. One particular use I enjoy is as a Fighter looking for potential environmental hazards mid-fight, which can give use to Sunder and Bull Rush. +2 to initiative isn't bad either.

Delay Potion (CMag) is another I enjoy, simply because you get to store a potion in your stomach for hours, and activate it as a swift action. Great at low levels, for a desperate heal or a timely buff, and continues to be useful at high levels when you quickly need Protection from Evil to make sure that you can't get MC'd by a Vampire, or something. Its use is as varied as the number of potions in a given game.

Giantbane (CWar) is a tactical feat I like, in concept, because one option involves you climbing onto an enemy two size categories (or larger) than yourself, where you would presumably stab it mercilessly as it flailed in a pitiful attempt to swat you off. Unfortunately, you have to make ridiculous checks to stay on at high levels (against dragons, etc), making it eventually rather useless.

There are some others I could list, but I don't feel like going further.

Guancyto
2009-09-16, 08:24 PM
I seem to have an unhealthy love for Subduing Strike and Nonlethal Substitution.

Improved Sunder ranks up there too.

subject42
2009-09-16, 08:35 PM
I don't think it's optimal, but I've alway loved the Diehard feat from core. There's something beautiful about your DM saying "you're unconscious" and responding "no I'm not".

I'm running a character now that goes into negative hitpoints pretty much every session. He's been impaled, set on fire, dropped in acid, impaled again, hit by a rampaging oxcart, squashed by an unconscious ogre, beaten up by his own hallucinating party members, drowned, dropped off of a house, and buried in fungus and still been able to crawl away and suck down a healing potion. I think at this point my DM is just trying to kill me off to see how much it will finally take.

Primal Fury
2009-09-16, 09:04 PM
Force of Personality. Maybe it's because I like bards with low Wis, but the idea of being so self-confident and personable that a Dominate slides off of me is just fun.

You are most correct. That's an awesome feat. But I use it for mah sorcerer. :smallbiggrin:

Also, I think my favorite feat is... Spell Thematics. "I throw a Fireball!" gets a little old after a while. "I hurl a massive Exploding Skull of Flaming Death!!!" has a bit more... flare to it. Plenty of homebrew potential too. :smallwink:

Temet Nosce
2009-09-16, 09:08 PM
Hrm... Honestly, I'm unsure. I'm a fan of stuff like Shadowblade for my TWF Swordsages and Rogues, but I also like DMM (although I never get to play with it).

Strawman
2009-09-16, 09:12 PM
Blind Fight + Fog = Happy (as a) Clam.

subject42
2009-09-16, 09:13 PM
Also, I think my favorite feat is... Spell Thematics. "I throw a Fireball!" gets a little old after a while. "I hurl a massive Exploding Skull of Flaming Death!!!" has a bit more... flare to it. Plenty of homebrew potential too. :smallwink:

My DM actually requires that all casters use spell thematics and grants it as a bonus feat. It makes for a good time

evil-frosty
2009-09-16, 09:23 PM
What book is spell thematics from?

quillbreaker
2009-09-16, 09:32 PM
What's that feat from, I think complete mage, that unbreaks Sorcerer Metamagic? Playing a wizard was always too work-intensive for me, so I prefer Sorcerers, but the core restrictions on metamagic are brutal.

Kylarra
2009-09-16, 09:35 PM
What book is spell thematics from?
Player's Guide to Faerun

Zaq
2009-09-16, 09:38 PM
Knowledge Devotion. It just makes sense to me that knowing your enemy's weak points would let you, you know, hit them harder, but now we have a way to actually represent it under the rules! Plus, it's a feat that scales nicely with investment, which we need more of.

No, the Ranger seriously does not count. Favored Enemy and Knowledge Devotion are so not even the same thing.

9mm
2009-09-16, 09:43 PM
... oh god. Being I usually play fighters it depends on what I'm doing but here are some personal faves:

Marial study/stance: self explanitory
Shape soulmeld: gain a magic item, for free.
Font of life: negetive levels BEGONE!
Pierce magical protection: do I really have to explain this one?

Akal Saris
2009-09-16, 10:12 PM
I like Darkstalker from LoM - it makes hiding (with the Hide skill) much, much more effective.

I'm also a big fan of the multi-classing feats in C.Adv. and C. Scoundrel, like Daring Outlaw and Master Spellthief. They're great as a way to encourage an alternative to heavy prestige classing, and I love a feat that gives me multiple benefits at a time.

Oh, and Metamagic School Focus from Complete Mage, since often at low levels there's +1 metamagic feats that I really want to use like Sculpt Spell or Extend Spell, and this lets me use them 3/day without bumping my spells down a level.

Mongoose87
2009-09-16, 10:14 PM
... oh god. Being I usually play fighters it depends on what I'm doing but here are some personal faves:

Marial study/stance: self explanitory
Shape soulmeld: gain a magic item, for free.
Font of life: negetive levels BEGONE!
Pierce magical protection: do I really have to explain this one?

Two out of your five favorites for a fighter are from the ToB? Someone's a reluctant Warblade.

9mm
2009-09-16, 10:32 PM
Two out of your five favorites for a fighter are from the ToB? Someone's a reluctant Warblade.

no, someone likes being able to keep his Jack B. Quick next to his target. The whole Warblade = Fighter is a myth, always has and always will be.

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-09-16, 10:34 PM
What's that feat from, I think complete mage, that unbreaks Sorcerer Metamagic? Playing a wizard was always too work-intensive for me, so I prefer Sorcerers, but the core restrictions on metamagic are brutal.

Rapid Metamagic. I prefer the Metamagic Specialist ACF from PHB2

herrhauptmann
2009-09-16, 10:57 PM
The entire Mageslayer tree.

Poison healer from FF or FC1/2. Get poisoned, make your save, get healed for a few points. Take that and steadfast determination :)

Vexing flanker

What's the one that makes kobolds count for epic feats? Dragonwrought?

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-09-16, 10:59 PM
Poison healer from FF or FC1/2. Get poisoned, make your save, get healed for a few points. Take that and steadfast determination :)

Fistbeard Beardfist knows for a fact that it is from FC1.

lsfreak
2009-09-16, 11:00 PM
Rapid Metamagic. I prefer the Metamagic Specialist ACF from PHB2

I like Rapid Metamagic better. Imbue familiar with spell ability, arcane spellsurge (shared), and arcane fusion. Make everyone cry as you drop 10 spells on the BBEG in the opening round, without even touching Celerity/Time Stop.

Split Ray - they're awesome
Extraordinary Concentration - Cast a spell during a move action
Lightning Mace - With Aptitude weapons for lots of fun
Shadow Blade - for rogues
Swift Hunter or Zen Archery - useable archery
Knowledge Devotion - Favored Enemy done right

Akal Saris
2009-09-17, 12:38 AM
The entire Mageslayer tree.

Poison healer from FF or FC1/2. Get poisoned, make your save, get healed for a few points. Take that and steadfast determination :)

Vexing flanker

What's the one that makes kobolds count for epic feats? Dragonwrought?

I forgot about poison healer, that's a fun one =)

I remember I built a 1st level dwarven cleric that could take the feat (Dwarf domain grants Great Fortitude, the prereq), and the Pride domain so that he could reroll 1's on the saves, while succeeding on a 2 or higher against tiny vipers - so he'd do the trick where you punch the snakes in your pants for healing, while being Dwarven and damned Proud of it!

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-09-17, 12:40 AM
I like Rapid Metamagic better. Imbue familiar with spell ability, arcane spellsurge (shared), and arcane fusion. Make everyone cry as you drop 10 spells on the BBEG in the opening round, without even touching Celerity/Time Stop.

You can toggle the Metamagic specialist ability on and off as you apply metamagic to launch two metamagicked spells per round under Spellsurge. And it's available from 1st level and doesn't take up a higher level feat slot.

Draz74
2009-09-17, 12:52 AM
Expanded Knowledge and Linked Power -- two of the reasons Psionics are so fabulous mechanically.

jiriku
2009-09-17, 10:18 AM
Necrotic Cyst. In my heart I know the cyst-related spells aren't that powerful, but I love taking this feat, not telling the other players, and occasionally shocking them with horribly gruesome destructive magics. Plus, if I can get to high levels, Necrotic Tumor lets me begin collecting an army of enslaved followers.

Vortling
2009-09-17, 10:23 AM
I'm a big fan of the weapon finesse/shadow blade combo.
DMM Heighten in conjunction with blasting reserve feats like acidic splatter amuse me as well.

JellyPooga
2009-09-17, 10:24 AM
Necrotic Cyst. In my heart I know the cyst-related spells aren't that powerful, but I love taking this feat, not telling the other players, and occasionally shocking them with horribly gruesome destructive magics. Plus, if I can get to high levels, Necrotic Tumor lets me begin collecting an army of enslaved followers.

Heh heh...I like that one too. Just the imagery of your victim violently exploding in a shower of dead and rotting flesh and pus, covering everyone in a 60ft radius with vile smelling goo...nice! :smallamused:

Berserk Monk
2009-09-17, 10:25 AM
This may sound stupid, but improved toughness. Good for any character: +1 HP at every level. Helpful for warriors who need a lot of HP to be good tanks and good for casters who need the extra HP to survive.

Yora
2009-09-17, 10:34 AM
(That's not how Toughness works.)

I really like Quick Draw.

Sure, it may not look like much on paper. But if you use two weapons, you can get them both out in an instant and immediately start with a full attack if there's an enemy within range. As a rogue, you can pull a dagger and sneak attack because often the enemy will still be flat footed.
Maybe it's not THAT good a feat, but it can often be used for very cool effect. :smallbiggrin:

As a caster, extend spell is usually my very first choice. Having durations doubled can really be highly useful if you have a number of encounters during a short amount of time, or use it with spells that last for hours.

Tyndmyr
2009-09-17, 10:42 AM
(That's not how Toughness works.)


He said improved toughness(see, libris mortis), and thats exactly how it works.

Yora
2009-09-17, 10:44 AM
My fault, then. ^^

BooNL
2009-09-17, 10:49 AM
I like taking Obtain familiar with arcane classes that don't gain one, like duskblades. Natural Bond is also cool.

I'm also quite fond of the feats that combine class features, like Swift Hunter and Daring Outlaw.

Leon
2009-09-17, 02:11 PM
The pairing of Knowledge Devotion and Ancestral Knowledge - Neat combo for WIS based dwarfs.

Sharpshooter (the IK version) - Adds Dex Mod to ranged Damage

Battlecaster - i like to Gish and in heavier armour the better

Glyde
2009-09-17, 03:17 PM
Power Attack and Sudden Maximize.

Cespenar
2009-09-17, 03:23 PM
Vow of Peace.

...

What? :smalltongue:

Person_Man
2009-09-17, 03:46 PM
Vow of Peace.

...

What? :smalltongue:

Vow of Peace + Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109429) works surprisingly well. "Please don't hurt anyone, but if you do, I demand you try to hurt me! (Followed by the sound of weapons breaking against you)"

Rixx
2009-09-17, 03:48 PM
Improved Disarm. Because that magical sword/staff/rod you're carrying doesn't help you much when you aren't carrying it.

FMArthur
2009-09-17, 06:29 PM
I love the concept of Knowledge Devotion, but you need 5-6 skill points to distribute every level to really progress it. What can you do to boost those checks?

Otogi
2009-09-17, 06:39 PM
I love Luck from MM 2e. Sooooo much potential!

grubblybubbly
2009-09-17, 07:24 PM
i like weapon finesse and improve feint for rogues. i love rogues.

Draken
2009-09-17, 08:15 PM
... Incarnum Spellshaping.

There. For some reason I really like the incarnum spells. Must be because I really like incarnum as well.

Other feats I like... Apostate, Knowledge devotion, Magic Devotion (... I like it) and Blade of Force stand among my favorites.

I find Blade of Force to be of particular use to melee gishes. The bonus damage is nice, but the true boost is always being capable to hit incorporeal enemies as long as you keep a Hand of Bigby avaiable.

Niccolo Deval
2009-09-17, 09:06 PM
Quick Reconnoiter: You can make one spot and one listen check each round as a free action. +2 on initiative checks.

With enough ranks (and possibly Skill Focus) in spot and listen and this feat, your character essentially gets Hyper Awareness (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HyperAwareness).

woodenbandman
2009-09-17, 09:28 PM
Battle Jump and Scorpion's Grasp.

Grappling may suck, but I love it. And who can hate a Dragoon character?

Thurbane
2009-09-17, 09:34 PM
My current favorite chains:

Fey Heritage, Fey Skin, Fey Presence & Fey Legacy: DR/cold iron, and nifty SLAs

Bind Vestige, Practiced Binder & Improved Bind Vestige: gets some cool supernatural abilities

...I like these feats for non-casters, as they add a little flexibility.

jiriku
2009-09-17, 09:49 PM
I love the concept of Knowledge Devotion, but you need 5-6 skill points to distribute every level to really progress it. What can you do to boost those checks?

Lore of the Gods in Complete Champion is a divine spell that grants you +10 to all knowledge checks if your god grants the knowledge domain, +5 otherwise. If you worship Wee Jas, her relic the scrolls of uncertain provenance grants +5 to all knowledge checks. If you can't get the scrolls, you could custom-build an item like circle of Charisma that adds to Int-based skills instead of Cha-based skills. The collector of stories skill trick will give you +5 on a knowledge check once per encounter. Illumians with the right sigil get +2 to all Int-based skill checks. Any item or spell that improves Intelligence is good. The cloistered cleric variant class grants 6 skill points per level, proficiency in all knowledge skills, and can use any of the strategies listed above.

FMArthur
2009-09-17, 10:09 PM
Oh. I was trying to think of a way to shoehorn it onto a character build I already had half-made. It sounds pretty cleric-exclusive, though.