[3.5]Ranged Combat Feat -PEACH-

[ZerglingOne]

Arc Analysis
Pre-reqs:Far Shot, int 13

Based on the speed of the wind, a quick angle calculation, and an estimate of the distance between your foe and yourself, you are able to ignore some of the penalty conferred by firing at great distances.

Description: When a character who has taken this feat makes a ranged attack beyond 1 range increment, they may subtract an amount totaling twice their int modifier from the penalty.

Example: A character makes an attack at the fifth range increment (a -8 to attack) this character has a 16 int (a +3 modifier) The total penalty this attack would be made at is -2 instead of the aforementioned -8.

This feat cannot grant a bonus to attack in this manner. For example if there is only a -2 to attack from the range increment and you have a +3 int modifier, it doesn't confer a +4 to attack.

The idea here is to allow the fighter or ranger with an abnormally high intelligence score more easily strike their intended targets from a long distance. I wanted this because of the range of spells being ludicrous most of the time. Sure the average 10th level fighter can fire an arrow 800ft, but (with far shot) does so at a -6 whereas a wizard can just do it? C'mon, show some love to the ranged combatant. Basically for every 2 points of int beyond 10, you treat range increments as 1 increment closer. I'd like some ideas to improve it.

edits: doubled original penalty reduction from +1 per int mod to +2, in other words, stop the penalties for as many range increments as your have int mod. Added int 13 requirement.

[Temotei]

Alternatively, you could take out the calculation part in favor of a more steady hand and make it based on Dexterity. That wouldn't be a bad idea. Actually, that makes it at least somewhat usable (meh). Perhaps another ability, like those found in tactical feats, would serve well.

I'd say the best thing you could do is make the feat negate all penalties from range increments.

[Draz74]

It's flavorful, but weak. Bothering to take Far Shot is already a rare choice. Taking another feat on top of that, to help you in a situational way that rarely comes up in many campaigns? Wasteful.

[Mulletmanalive]

It's flavorful, but weak. Bothering to take Far Shot is already a rare choice. Taking another feat on top of that, to help you in a situational way that rarely comes up in many campaigns? Wasteful.

On the other hand, when faced with a GM who likes flying monsters to actually, y'know, fly...kind of worth while.

That said, it falls down solidly on the fact that you can get a similar benefit from Woodland Sniper's primary ability [+4 on attack rolls for each missed shot this round] and/or if you actually wanted to shoot all that far, Cragtop Archer does it so much better than this ever could.

[ZerglingOne]

On the other hand, when faced with a GM who likes flying monsters to actually, y'know, fly...kind of worth while.

That said, it falls down solidly on the fact that you can get a similar benefit from Woodland Sniper's primary ability [+4 on attack rolls for each missed shot this round] and/or if you actually wanted to shoot all that far, Cragtop Archer does it so much better than this ever could.

Unfortunately, with the Cragtop Archer, that ability only makes a single attack. Would it be better to double the int bonus so 1 point of int = 1 range increment essentially? That would be at least slightly more viable since at a +3 you can hit things 4 full range increments away with no penalty. With the aforementioned farshot, that's nearly 1000 feet away with no penalty (with a longbow of course). That makes a quarter mile shot at a -4 penalty. That's a lot of connecting attacks for a mid-high level fighter or ranger with almost no threat of retaliation.

Edit: Plus, the cragtop is pretty much ranger exclusive requiring 5 ranks in survival and spot(fighters tend to not have a lot of skill points you know, and both are cross class). That said, this feat (as modified) would be pretty awesome as a Cragtop Archer.

[Temotei]

Unfortunately, with the Cragtop Archer, that ability only makes a single attack. Would it be better to double the int bonus so 1 point of int = 1 range increment essentially? That would be at least slightly more viable since at a +3 you can hit things 4 full range increments away with no penalty. With the aforementioned farshot, that's nearly 1000 feet away with no penalty (with a longbow of course). That makes a quarter mile shot at a -4 penalty. That's a lot of connecting attacks for a mid-high level fighter or ranger with almost no threat of retaliation.

Edit: Plus, the cragtop is pretty much ranger exclusive requiring 5 ranks in survival and spot(fighters tend to not have a lot of skill points you know, and both are cross class). That said, this feat (as modified) would be pretty awesome as a Cragtop Archer.

This feat is Intelligence-based. How many fighters/rangers have gratuitous amounts of Intelligence to fuel this? The feat suffers from worse problems than the cragtop archer prerequisites, by far, right now. I would recommend either changing it to Dexterity and re-fluffing it, or making each Intelligence point actually have impact.