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View Full Version : Some [Neutral] Feats! (PEACH)



TravelLog
2011-11-18, 03:10 PM
These are for NeoSeraphi's "Book of What's In it For Me?", a counterpart to BoED and BoVD. Let me know what you all think.

A Note on Balance Feats: feats are the Neutral equivalent of [Vile] and [Exalted] feats. An unstated prerequisite for taking a feat is that the character must be Neutral on the Good-Neutral-Evil axis.


[B]Consummate Diplomat [Balance]

[B]Prerequisites: Diplomacy 15 ranks, True Neutral alignment, One other feat, Skill Focus: Diplomacy.
[B]Benefit: During diplomacy checks, you never receive a penalty for being of a differing alignment from those you are trying to sway with your diplomacy checks. Furthermore, all targets of your diplomacy checks are considered one step closer to helpful if their stance toward you would be negative.


Paths to Power [Balance]

Prerequisites: Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (Religion) 10 ranks, must be able to deal either positive or negative energy damage, 6th level
Benefit: You may, at the beginning of each day, decide whether you will be healed by positive or negative energy damage. When using offensive abilities that feature the one you select for that day, any saving throw is increased by 2. If used to heal allies, it heals 1 extra hit point per caster level.
Normal: You are healed by either positive or negative energy damage, based on your creature type/subtype.


Balance of Power [Balance]

Prerequisites: Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (Religion) 15 ranks, Paths to Power, one other [Balance] feat.
Benefit: As a result of your studies into positive and negative energy, you may now draw on both simultaneously for a power source. You are healed by both positive and negative energy damage, and any offensive abilities have their saving throw increased by an additional 2 (stacking with Balance of Energy). If used to heal allies, your positive/negative energy abilities heal an extra +2 HP/level more hit points (this does not stack with the +1 HP/level from Balance of Energy, it overwrites it).
Normal: You are only healed by either positive or negative energy damage, but not both.


Child of Dusk [Balance]

Prerequisite: Knowledge (Religion) 12 ranks, must have never been of either a Good or Evil alignment, intelligence of 3 or higher, one other [Balance] Feat
Benefit: You may now take [Vile] feats as if you possessed an evil alignment. Your alignment does not change as a result of you selecting these feats. You may not, however, also select [Exalted] feats. If you do so, you lose all benefits of the [Vile] feats, including satisfying class requirements or prerequisites.
Normal: You may only select [Vile] feats if you are of an Evil alignment.


Child of Dawn [Balance]

Prerequisite: Knowledge (Religion) 12 ranks, must have never been of either a Good or Evil alignment, one other [Balance] Feat, Intelligence of 3 or higher
Benefit: You may now take [Exalted] feats as if you possessed a good alignment. Your alignment does not change as a result of you selecting these feats. You may not, however, also select [Vile] feats. If you do so, you lose all benefits of the [Exalted] feats, including satisfying class requirements or prerequisites.
Normal: You may only select [Exalted] feats if you are of a good alignment.


Child of Night and Day [Balance]

Prerequisite: Knowledge (Religion) 15 ranks, must have never been of either a Good or Evil alignment, intelligence of 3 or higher, one of Child of Dawn or Child of Dusk
Benefit: You may now take both [Exalted] and [Vile] feats simultaneously as if you possessed the requisite alignments. Your alignment does not change as a result of you selecting these feats.
Normal: You may only select [Exalted] feats if you are of a good alignment or [Vile] feats if you are evil.


Distant Worshipper [Balance]

Prerequisite: Must be able to cast divine spells, ability to either turn or rebuke undead.
Benefit: You may now act as the cleric of any deity, regardless of whether or not your alignment falls within one step of theirs. Though you serve as their cleric, your alignment does not change to meet their usual clerical requirements.
Normal: You may only serve as a cleric of a deity within one step of your alignment.


Dual Personality [General]

Prerequisite: Any neutral
Benefit: Diplomacy and Intimidate are forever class skills for you. Furthermore, you gain a +2 competence bonus to both skills.


Indecisive Spell Focus [General]

Prerequisite: Any neutral, one other [balance] feat.
Benefit: Add +2 to the DC for all saving throws against any of the character's spells that have either the [good] or [evil] descriptors. This decision is made at the beginning of the day when preparing spells. The decision lasts until the next beginning of the next day and may be reselected during that day's spell preparation period. Spontaneous casters must select either [good] or [evil] at dawn each day.


Balanced Spell [Metamagic]

Prerequisite: Any neutral, one other [balance] feat, one other [metamagic] feat
Benefit: This spell adds the [neutral] descriptor to a spell to which it is applied. Furthermore, if the spell deals damage, half the damage dealt is automatically of a type against which the target is weak. If the target has no weaknesses, or is weak to all types equally, then the spell deals double damage. A balanced spell takes up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level.

TheLash
2011-11-18, 07:57 PM
You know these are really neat. I will have to look at Seraphi's thread.

TravelLog
2011-11-18, 07:58 PM
You know these are really neat. I will have to look at Seraphi's thread.

Thanks, any more substantial feedback on these though? I'm trying to get a sense of their power-level and applicability.

TheLash
2011-11-18, 08:12 PM
Sorry I should have said that I am not too good at feat balance and power level. I have to leave for work in a few, so I will comment later tonight as to the best of my ability.

RedWarlock
2011-11-18, 09:14 PM
I can't say for most, but the positive/negative energy and exalted/vile feats come across as really powerful. Maybe not too powerful, compared to published material, but definitely very, very strong.

(I would object to letting neutral characters access the exalted/vile stuff, just because that sucks away most of their intended flavor. They're not meant for everyone to use, only those paragons of those alignments. As I've read it, being exalted isn't just being *good* in any measure, it's being downright saintly, which is supposed to be really hard to do. Letting a neutral character have them just because of a feat smacks me of lazyness on the part of the player.)

The spell and skill-based ones are fine.

NeoSeraphi
2011-11-18, 09:43 PM
The healing 10% extra kind of goes against the entire 3.5 system. I would suggest simply making it a flat +1 hit point per character level. (So cure moderate wounds by a 20th level cleric would heal 2d8+30)

I know it's not exactly what you wanted, but a lot of players don't want to deal with percentages when they're casting spells (and sometimes it can even slow down your turn if you're doing in-combat healing)

TravelLog
2011-11-18, 10:14 PM
I can't say for most, but the positive/negative energy and exalted/vile feats come across as really powerful. Maybe not too powerful, compared to published material, but definitely very, very strong.

(I would object to letting neutral characters access the exalted/vile stuff, just because that sucks away most of their intended flavor. They're not meant for everyone to use, only those paragons of those alignments. As I've read it, being exalted isn't just being *good* in any measure, it's being downright saintly, which is supposed to be really hard to do. Letting a neutral character have them just because of a feat smacks me of lazyness on the part of the player.)

The spell and skill-based ones are fine.

Well I gave them a pretty heavy investment to be able to pull it off (at least 3 whole feats, out of 7 in a normal characters career). Still, I'll think about it.



The healing 10% extra kind of goes against the entire 3.5 system. I would suggest simply making it a flat +1 hit point per character level. (So cure moderate wounds by a 20th level cleric would heal 2d8+30)

I know it's not exactly what you wanted, but a lot of players don't want to deal with percentages when they're casting spells (and sometimes it can even slow down your turn if you're doing in-combat healing)

Fixed.

NeoSeraphi
2011-11-19, 12:39 AM
Also, Child of Dawn (combined with the Educated feat) can allow an Animal Companion to take Vow of Poverty.

TravelLog
2011-11-19, 12:43 AM
I don't think I know that feat...

How would you recommend I change the wording?

NeoSeraphi
2011-11-19, 12:54 AM
I don't think I know that feat...

How would you recommend I change the wording?

Educated makes any two Knowledge skills always class skills for you.

I would suggest giving both feats an Int requirement of 3 or higher.

TravelLog
2011-11-19, 12:57 AM
Done. Thanks for the catch. :smallbiggrin:

Ruduen
2011-11-20, 03:58 AM
Well I gave them a pretty heavy investment to be able to pull it off (at least 3 whole feats, out of 7 in a normal characters career). Still, I'll think about it.

The child feats are kind of in a weird place, primarily because you have to burn 3 feats and be level 12 just to try to fill requirements to take MORE feats, while others are just that alignment in the first place and don't have to pay those costs. As it stands, 3 feats is a heavy price to pay, since roleplaying requirements can be all over.

Indecisive Spell Focus has a slightly odd wording, because of "This decision is made each day and cannot be changed." Something closer to the lines of, "This decision is made when preparing spells, and lasts until the next time" would probably sound a little better.

Balanced Spell seems a little strong, on the other hand. Against someone with no defenses, automatically doubling a power puts it as stronger than an empowered or maximized spell (3.5*2=7 on a d6, instead of 6 on a d6). And on the other hand, if it's used on someone who's naturally resistant, it's still more powerful because it still deals normal damage.

Elfstone
2011-11-22, 07:02 PM
I think they are pretty balanced, but I might restrict the first of the healing by negative/positive energy to 6th level.

Otherwise, nice job.

TravelLog
2011-11-22, 07:07 PM
The child feats are kind of in a weird place, primarily because you have to burn 3 feats and be level 12 just to try to fill requirements to take MORE feats, while others are just that alignment in the first place and don't have to pay those costs. As it stands, 3 feats is a heavy price to pay, since roleplaying requirements can be all over.


The thing is, it's hard to justify getting Exalted/Vile feats with just a single other feat. If you want it as a different alignment, it is going to require dedication. That's how I see it anyway.



Indecisive Spell Focus has a slightly odd wording, because of "This decision is made each day and cannot be changed." Something closer to the lines of, "This decision is made when preparing spells, and lasts until the next time" would probably sound a little better.


Sounds good.



Balanced Spell seems a little strong, on the other hand. Against someone with no defenses, automatically doubling a power puts it as stronger than an empowered or maximized spell (3.5*2=7 on a d6, instead of 6 on a d6). And on the other hand, if it's used on someone who's naturally resistant, it's still more powerful because it still deals normal damage.

It's meant to be. Basically, it punishes you more if you are at either extreme, while those in the middle (one or two resistances/immunities) are less affected.



I think they are pretty balanced, but I might restrict the first of the healing by negative/positive energy to 6th level.

Otherwise, nice job.

Sounds fair. And thanks.