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Jane_Smith
2010-08-06, 12:51 PM
The following feats are meant for martial classes to give them some new 'tricks', burst damage, and other toys. Each of the below feats have 2 features in common, they give a passive effect, and a number-of-times-per-encounter 'activated' effect that gives them a burst in something that cooresponds with the passive bonus in some way. Examples; Attack Bonus passive, damage burst, shield bonus passive, damage negation burst, dodge bonus passive, movement speed burst.

Please rate and comment! ^_^


~~~ A Note on Combat

[Combat] Feats are a subtype of feats I created that fighters, and other simularly designed martial classes that give bonus feats, can take as part of their 'list' of said bonus feats. Any martial type class, no matter how small their original list of bonus feats where, if they had multiple choices, can take these feats as part of that list. Examples include, but are not limited to - Monks, Ranger Combat Styles, Fighters, Scouts, and Rogues specials.


~~~ New Feats



~ Focus Tree

Weapon Focus [Combat]
Select a weapon you are proficienct with. You gain additional benefits with that weapon in combat.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1, proficency with selected weapon.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attacks with the selected weapon. Once per encounter as a free action after your attack has been confirmed, you may opt to deal an additional number of dice worth of damage equal to your weapons base damage dice. This damage does not multiply on a critical hit, and is the same type of damage as the weapon selected.

Improved Weapon Focus [Combat]
Select a weapon you possess Weapon Focus with. You gain additional benefits with that weapon in combat.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +6, Weapon Focus with selected weapon.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attacks with the selected weapon. This stacks with the benefits provided by the Weapon Focus feat, for a total +2 bonus to attacks. You may now use the activated effect of Weapon Focus three times per encounter, instead of once.

Greater Weapon Focus [Combat]
Select a weapon you possess Improved Weapon Focus with. You gain additional benefits with that weapon in combat.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +11, Improved Weapon Focus with selected weapon.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to attacks with the selected weapon. This stacks with the benefits provided by the Weapon Focus and Improved Weapon Focus feats, for a total of +3 bonus to attacks. You now double the base damage dice of any weapon you weild that has been selected by this feat. This bonus damage counts as your weapons base damage to determine the benefit gained by the activated effect of Weapon Focus.



~ Wounding Tree

Wounding Critical [Combat]
Select a weapon you are proficient with. You gain a higher chance to massively wound your enemy in battle.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: While using the selected weapon, increase its critical threat range by 1. Once per encounter as a free action, whenever you successfully confirm a critical hit, you deal a number of Constitution damage to the target equal to your selected weapons critical multiplyer. Creatures immune to critical hits and ability damage are also immune to this effect.

Critical Mastery [Combat]
Select a weapon you possess Wounding Critical with. You can deliver even more deadly blows then normal, and more frequently.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +6, Wounding Critical with selected weapon.
Benefit: While using the selected weapon, increase its critical threat range by 1. This effect stacks with the benefits of Wounding Critical, increasing your threat range by a total of 2. In addition, you may use the activated effect of Wounding Critical 3/encounter, instead of one.

Devastating Critical [Combat]
Select a weapon you possess Critical Mastery with. Your massive blows are nearly garenteed to slay even the mightiest foe.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +11, Critical Mastery with selected weapon.
Benefit: While using the selected weapon, increase its critical threat range by 1. This effect stacks with the benefits of Wounding Critical and Critical Mastery, increasing your threat range by a total of 3. Your critical multiplyer with the selected weapon is increased by 1 whenever you weild it. This bonus to your critical multiplyer is doubled to 2 when you use the activated effect of Wounding Critical.



~ Nimble Tree

Dodge [Combat]
You gain supernatural reflexes and the ability to avoid injuries with ease.
Prerequisites: Dex 13.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +5 ft. enchantment bonus to your movement speed. As a free action once per encounter, you can gain an additional +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +2 bonus to Reflex saving throws until the beginning of your next turn.

Sustained Mobility [Combat]
You not only avoid danger with ease, but move quicker in small bursts ontop of being able to seemingly being able to avoid danger more often.
Prerequisites: Dex 15+, Dodge.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +5 ft. enchantment bonus to your movement speed. These effects stack with simular bonuses from the Dodge feat. You may now use the activated effect of Dodge a number of times equal to 3/encounter instead of 1. Whenever you move at least 10 feet in a single round while under the activated effect of Dodge, the duration increases by additional round, to a maximum number of bonus rounds equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum +1).

Spring Attack [Combat]
Your ability to avoid danger also lends itself into flinging you into it with ease.
Prerequisites: Dex 17+, Dodge, Sustained Mobility.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +5 ft. enchantment bonus to your movement speed. These effects stack with simular bonuses from the Dodge and Sustained Mobility feats. Once per round while under the effects of Dodge, you may move at your normal speed as a free action. In addition, you no longer draw attacks of opportunity when moving threw threatened spaces while under the activated effects of Dodge.



~ Shield Tree

Shield Focus [Combat]
When using a shield, you know how to deflect an attack at the last second to save your arse!
Prerequisites: Str 11+, Dex 11+, Proficiency with at least one type of shield.
Benefits: When using a shield you have proficiency with, it provides you with an additional +1 shield bonus to Armor Class. In addition, once per encounter as a free action, whenever you are successfully hit with a melee or ranged attack, you may opt to make the attack roll for that attack be considered a natural 1. In all respects, the attack was a an automatic failure, and you avoid any harmful effects of that attack.

Shield Mastery [Combat]
You have strengthened your shield-arm and reaction speeds to the point you can now block more attacks before tiring out, even multiple ones in a short burst.
Prerequisites: Str 13+, Dex 13+, Shield Focus.
Benefits: When using a shield you have proficiency with, it provides you with an additional +1 shield bonus to Armor Class. This stacks with simular bonuses, such as that granted by Shield Focus. You may now use the activated effect of Shield Focus a number of times equal to 3/encounter, instead of 1. In addition, every time you are hit with a ranged or melee attack, you gain DR 2/- after the attack resolves that lasts until the beginning of your next turn. This bonus stacks with itself to a maximum of DR 10/-. This effect only applys if you carry a shield. If your shield is dropped or destroyed before the beginning of your next turn, you lose this damage reduction immediately.

Shield Wall [Combat]
You have learned to protect your allies just as skillfully as you protect yourself.
Prerequisites: Str 15+, Dex 15+, Shield Mastery, Shield Focus.
Benefits: When using a shield you have proficiency with, it provides you with an additional +1 shield bonus to Armor Class. This stacks with simular bonuses, such as that granted by Shield Focus and Shield Mastery. You may now use the activated effect of Shield Focus on a adjanctant ally instead of yourself to bestow its protective effects to them. In addition, you now gain Damage Reduction 3/- after each resolved melee or ranged attack made against you, to a maximum of 15/-. This value replaces the Damage Reduction gained from Shield Mastery.



~ Two-Weapon Tree

Two-Weapon Fighting [Combat]
You can weild two weapons with equal skill and power, making you a whirling flurry of steel in battle.
Prerequisites: Str 11+, Dex 11+, base attack bonus +1.
Benefits: Your penalties on attack rolls for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6. You may apply your normal strength bonus to melee weapons used in your off hand. In addition, once per encounter, when performing any action that allows you to make a single attack, such as a standard attack, a charge, an attack of opportunity, or something simular, you may attack with your main and off-hand weapons. However, you apply your two-weapon fighting penalties to each attack as normal.

Improved Two-Weapon Fighting [Combat]
You can weild two weapons with a mastery few can even comprehend, let alone match.
Prerequisites: Str 13+, Dex 13+, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +6.
Benefits: Your penalties on attack rolls for two-weapon fighting are lessened by 1 each. This stacks with simular effects, such as that granted by Two-Weapon Fighting. When making a full attack, you can make as many attacks with your off-hand weapon as with your primary weapon, using the same base attack bonus. You still take normal penalties for two-weapon fighting. You may use the activated effect of your Two-Weapon Fighting feat a number of times equal to 3/encounter, instead of one.

Greater Two-Weapon Fighting [Conbat]
You can weild two weapons so perfectly, size no longer matters for the weapons you weild.
Prerequisites: Str 15+, Dex 15+, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11.
Benefits: Your penalties on attack rolls for two-weapon fighting are lessened by 1 each. This stacks with simular effects, such as that granted by Two-Weapon Fighting and Improved Two-Weapon Fighting. When weilding a one-handed weapon in your off hand, you may treat it as a light weapon to determine your two-weapon fighting penalties. In addition, you may use the activated effect of Two-Weapon Fighting at will.



~ Finesse Tree

Weapon Finesse [Combat]
You use agility and swiftness instead of raw strength to cutt, skewer, or stab your foes.
Prerequisites: Dex 13+, base attack bonus +1.
Benefits: You may apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to melee attack rolls. You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity when using a ranged weapon in melee. Once per encounter, when making an attack action or full attack action with a weapon that uses your Dexterity modifier for its attack rolls, you may subtract an amount from your attack rolls to a maximum of your base attack bonus. You gain the same amount subtracted from your attack rolls as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class. Your penalty to attack rolls and dodge bonus to Armor Class last until the beginning of your next turn. This stacks with the benefits gained by fighting defensively.

Incredible Finesse [Combat]
You learned to strike foes in vital soft spots, finding kinks in their armor and the like to maximize your attacks lethality.
Prerequisites: Dex 15+, Weapon Finesse, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: You may apply your Dexterity bonus (if positive) as a bonus to all damage rolls with melee and ranged weapons that use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to determine their attack bonuses. This stacks with any strength bonus to damage (if any) they possess. Creatures immune to critical strikes are also immune to this damage. You may now use the activated ability of Weapon Finesse a number of times equal to 3/encounter, instead of 1.

Amazing Grace [Combat]
Your skill with light and ranged weapons is legendary. You strike with such fluidity and grace, you leave your enemys in tattered shreads within moments.
Prerequisites: Dex 17+, Incredible Finesse, Weapon Finesse, base attack bonus +11.
Benefit: You gain your Dodge bonus to Armor Class (if any) as a bonus on melee and ranged weapon damage rolls that use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to determine their attack bonuses. Creatures immune to critical strikes are also immune to this damage. Whenever you take at least a -5 penalty to attack rolls with the activated effect of Weapon Finesse, you gain 50% concealment until the beginning of your next turn.



~ Initiative Tree

Improved Initiative [Combat]
You are rarely caught off guard, and when you are, you react quickly and without hesitation.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to Initiative rolls. Once per encounter as an immediate action, during the beginning of a round, you may opt to take your turn first in the round, before anyone else. If someone else uses this ability and attempts to take their turn first as well, the character with the highest rolled initiative as normal gets priority. Your turn placement reverts to normal at the beginning of the next round. In addition, you may draw, drop, or sheath any weapon or item as a free action.

Superiour Initiative [Combat]
You a stotic and ever alert individual, and nothing phases you in the slightest anymore. You are always prepared for a fight.
Prerequisite: Improved Initiative.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to Initiative rolls that stacks with simular sources, such as the bonus granted by Improved Initiative, for a total of +4. You may use the activated effect of Improved Initiative up to 3/encounter, instead of 1. You may act normally in a suprise round, and are never considered flat-footed during a suprise round.

Greater Initiative [Combat]
You are never caught off guard. You hold an awareness to your surroundings simular to a form of foresight.
Prerequisites: Improved Initiative, Superiour Initiative.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus to Initiative rolls that stacks with simular sources, such as the bonus granted by Improved Initiative and Superiour Initiative, for a total of +6. You are immediately aware of any danger, even if you cannot see or hear it or before it is physically present to pose a threat to you. You gain this special insight 3 rounds before the first attack is made against you or an ally within 30 feet of you, giving you time to prepare for the attack. This does not let you know what type of attack will be made against you or your allies, be it physical or magical, its location and direction opposed to you, or what is making the attack - you simply are aware someone or something will attack you or your allies very soon.




----- Notes: Effectively, im bored and tinkering. Just wondering what peoples thoughts were on such a change.

DaTedinator
2010-08-06, 01:11 PM
The difficulty I see with Greater Weapon Focus right off the bat, is that some weapons are just way better for it than others. A greataxe gets a much bigger benefit from it than a greatsword.

Jane_Smith
2010-08-06, 01:18 PM
-shrug- I cant help it that weapons in the game are imbalanced. Some are better then others. Nothing I can do about that. I simply wanted to give the martial types a bang for their buck - what they use to acheive said bang is up to them.

Siosilvar
2010-08-06, 01:21 PM
-shrug- I cant help it that weapons in the game are imbalanced. Some are better then others. Nothing I can do about that. I simply wanted to give the martial types a bang for their buck - what they use to acheive said bang is up to them.

...

"The base damage of any weapon you wield that is affected by this feat is doubled."

aaaaand boom, you're done.

arguskos
2010-08-06, 01:28 PM
...

"The base damage of any weapon you wield that is affected by this feat is doubled."

aaaaand boom, you're done.
Wouldn't matter, since it does nothing to close the gap between a greatsword and a greataxe (for instance). Now, I don't personally care about weapon imbalance, so YMMV.

I like this rewrite though. It's fun, and is good for making Weap Foc a feat worth taking.

Siosilvar
2010-08-06, 01:30 PM
Wouldn't matter, since it does nothing to close the gap between a greatsword and a greataxe (for instance). Now, I don't personally care about weapon imbalance, so YMMV.

I like this rewrite though. It's fun, and is good for making Weap Foc a feat worth taking.

4d6 vs. 2d12 instead of 3d6 vs. 2d12.

Gap-be-gone.

Andion Isurand
2010-08-06, 05:56 PM
Reminds me of some work I did in trying to fold Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats into a single feat chain for fighters.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160175

DaTedinator
2010-08-06, 06:27 PM
-shrug- I cant help it that weapons in the game are imbalanced. Some are better then others. Nothing I can do about that. I simply wanted to give the martial types a bang for their buck - what they use to acheive said bang is up to them.

It has nothing to do with weapon balance, only with selectiveness of the feat.

For example, take an 11th-level monk who took these feats, all centered on his unarmed strike (apparently he multiclassed for a bit). This turns what's normally 1d10 damage to 2d10 damage - an increase of 5.5 points of damage on average, for a total average of 11 damage.

Then he levels up, bumping up his unarmed damage to 2d6. This changes the feat's benefit to adding an additional d6 - an increase of 3.5 damage on average - so he deals 3d6 damage, with an average of 10.5. He actually lost unarmed damage by leveling up.

However, just changing things as Siosilvar suggested fixes all of that.

Jane_Smith
2010-08-06, 09:39 PM
done. :3 So, overall, opinions? Think its worthy to adopt into a ongoing game or letting your players use it?

Could also make other weapon-specific feats in a simular fashion - like improved critical letting you automatically threaten a critical hit when using weapon focus, and devistating critical letting you deal X temporary ability damage to each physical attribute of the target on a successful attack when you use weapon focus...

Siosilvar
2010-08-06, 10:03 PM
Could also make other weapon-specific feats in a simular fashion - like improved critical letting you automatically threaten a critical hit when using weapon focus

One better - automatically confirm crits. Sure, it obviates Power Critical, but critical hits don't add all that much damage anyway.

By my math, a rapier with an auto-confirming Improved Critical takes 9 points of bonus damage to surpass a longsword with the same feat and same bonus damage.

Jane_Smith
2010-08-06, 10:17 PM
However, keeping in mind, it would still provide at least a 1 increase to critical threat potential with the selected weapon, to. (So a 19-20 becomes a 18-20, or a 18-20 becomes 17-20, etc) Just as a passive effect simular to the +1 attack weapon focus gives.

Or, perhaps improved critical can only be activated -during- a confirmed critical, and 1/encounter can increase your critical multiplyer by like, 1? (x2 becomes x3, x4 becomes x5, etc). Could use "Devistating Criticals" as a 'greater improved critical' feat that makes this 1/encounter, +2 critical multiplyer on a confirmed critical hit... Would be some nice chunky damage.

Kuma Kode
2010-08-06, 10:38 PM
I remember calculating average damage over a weapon's entire lifetime (including critical hits). A greatsword actually has a slightly higher Damage Per Hit than a greataxe over its lifetime, and the high-crit low-damage weapons (like the scimitar, rapier, and falchion) pretty much require that keen and improved critical stack. Otherwise, their Damage Per Hit is significantly lower than equally enchanted longswords or greatswords.

On the feats themselves... I like them, and may actually use them in my next campaign.

Jane_Smith
2010-08-06, 11:19 PM
Updated - Dodge, Critical, and Shield 'trees' now added to the list. Rate! The overgoddess demands it.

Avid_Fan
2010-08-06, 11:23 PM
These are cool. I like feat mods that take existing feats and make them more competitive with new books' feats. The more books come out, the more you see feats that do what previous ones did, but better.

What I would like to see are feats for weapon groups. 4th Ed has been doing it with spears, axes, hammers and whatnot and I think something along a similar line could work in 3.5. I noticed how everyone in this thread is discussing great swords vs great axe and it makes me laugh, because everyone uses them unless they have a shield (monkey grip feat aside). And why shouldn't everyone use a great sword? It does 2-12 damage before mods and attacks just as fast as a lighter weapon. There is no reason to use anything else as a fighter.

I know you said that weapons are imbalanced and it's not your problem, but I think getting some other weapons in the game would be more fun. Especially if you're bored and tinkering.

Jane_Smith
2010-08-06, 11:26 PM
Indeed. I might consider weapon 'group' feats or special maneuver feats for specific weapons, like Cresent Slash for scimitars, Skewer for piercing polearms like spears/tridents, and Nimble Strokes for longswords/shortswords/rapiers, etc. But for now, ill work on these ideas. To many weapons... makes my mind numb thinking of all the different feats to make for each group.

Edit: Added Two-Weapon Fighting tree and Finesse tree.

Dunno if i should have made Combat Expertise part of Weapon Finesse, and limit it to /encounter usage. But meh, why not? :P Doing the same thing with power attack!

Got tired of people spamming them, and if i make them 'buffed up', they will actually be WORTH limiting. ^_^ I mean, heck, the finesse tree gives you access to dex instead of str for attacks, dex as bonus damage (in addition to str), AND later adds your -dodge- bonus to AC as a bonus to damage with dex-attack based weapons.

Siosilvar
2010-08-07, 11:37 AM
However, keeping in mind, it would still provide at least a 1 increase to critical threat potential with the selected weapon, to. (So a 19-20 becomes a 18-20, or a 18-20 becomes 17-20, etc) Just as a passive effect simular to the +1 attack weapon focus gives.

Yeah. Double threat range and auto-confirmed critical hits.

However, ironically, rapiers and other high-crit lower-die weapons are more effective with a higher Strength than longswords and the like.

Going to look over the new trees and see what you changed.

DracoDei
2010-08-07, 11:54 AM
Your wording for Weapon Focus is muddy. It sounds like a weapon that deals 1d8 might deal 8d8 bonus damage when you activate the kicker.

Siosilvar
2010-08-07, 11:56 AM
Wounding Critical [Combat]
Critical Mastery [Combat]
Devastating Critical [Combat]Threat range +1 isn't worth a feat (compared to Weapon Specialization) unless you have +20 damage that can be multiplied.

Constitution damage is fun and makes sense.



Dodge [Combat]
Sustained Mobility [Combat]
Spring Attack [Combat]THAT is the Dodge feat I've been looking for.

Being too fast is a problem, though... I'd suggest Sustained Mobility doesn't give the +5ft speed bonus.

Spring Attack might be a bit too strong, but you did spend three feats to get to this point.


Shield Focus [Combat]
Shield Mastery [Combat]
Shield Wall [Combat]No such thing as critical fumbles. 1/encounter avoid an attack is good.

Shield Mastery should read "Every time you are hit with a ranged or melee attack, you gain DR 2/- after the attack resolves that lasts until the beginning of your next turn. This bonus stacks with itself to a maximum of DR 10/-."



Two-Weapon Fighting [Combat]
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting [Combat]
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting [Combat]TWF's bonus should be more than once per encounter.
ITWF should remove all penalties.

Of course, with those changes, you've got nothing much left to give Greater TWF.



Weapon Finesse [Combat]
Incredible Finesse [Combat]
Amazing Grace [Combat]What is Close Combat Shot doing in Weapon Finesse?

Rolling Combat Expertise in was a good idea. More than once per encounter would be a better idea. And... Amazing Grace completely removes the penalty from using this version of Combat Expertise?


All of these feats should have the previous one in their prerequisites.

Spelling errors: Devastating, similar, through, wield, adjacent, successful, cut, enemies, shreds.

Jane_Smith
2010-08-07, 05:15 PM
Do you guys think it would be imbalanced to make the cleave tree allow you to hit +1, +2, +3 targets from the initial target (A nerf compared to great cleave), BUT, make it so that all your attacks from an attack action or full attack action can hit hit that many opponents per swing, even if it doesnt drop the initial targets?

Effectively, as long as you had 2 or more enemys in your reach, you could double, or triple your overall attacks/damage output.

Or should i make it where it only works, passively, whenever the initial enemy dies/hits 0 or less hp, and the /encounter ability is it can follow threw even if they dont drop?


Edit: Also, as to your question about the Amazing Grace? It does not negate the -ATTACK- penalty, it gives you a bonus to your -DAMAGE- based on your total Dodge Bonus (so, -1 attack = +1 damage, +1 ac). Yes. It is very effective with the new dodge tree (As was intended).

As for why i added the bit about ranged attacks in weapon finesse? You will notice the way I worded all the weapon finesse tree, I made them apply to ranged weapons to. I wanted to give the 'passive effect' of weapon finesse something that would help ranged users - sense dex-based melee weapons isnt really helping them out. This allows bow-using rangers/etc to use combat expertise and their bows in melee ^_^.

Reworded things as per your suggestions. Ill spell check more finely when I got the time.

Edit 2: Added the Initiative tree. A bit weak, but good for countering assassins, bandits, or sneaky enemys that rely on ambushs, sneak attacks or death attacks.

Pechvarry
2010-08-09, 04:11 PM
The damage doubling of the focus tree doesn't bother me, but the crit tree favoring low crit-range weapons does. low range/high damage weapons get proportionally much more added to their threat range in addition to dealing more con damage when you activate the schtick. The simplest fix I can think of for this is to limit the crit range additions to double their base range. e.g. with all 3 crit feats, a Scythe will still only be 19-20 (doubled), a longsword will only be 17-20. The schtick still favors the lower range weapons, so it's not too great a loss. But I'm assuming that, since this is losing the Improved Critical mechanic, Keen would stack either partially or fully with these.

Jane_Smith
2010-08-09, 07:16 PM
Keen would stack, yes, because these feats dont 'double' the threat range. Nor are they factored -into- keen, however - they are added after keen is applied. So a keen rapier would be 12-20/x2 with all 3 feats and keen I beleive?

Pechvarry
2010-08-09, 09:14 PM
x3 because of the last feat, but yeah. I feel like that's not as good as a 16-20/x5 scythe which deals 6 con damage/crit. But maybe I'm wrong.