Multiple AoO's without Combat Reflexes?

[Rossebay]

So, I really want to be able to make multiple attacks of opportunity per round. Really.

Problematically, I already have 3 flaws. I'm a Mystic Ranger of the Arcane Order at level 4.

With my setup, I get to choose feats from 3 flaws, levels 1 and 3, and I get Track, Endurance, and the combat track. All of my freely chosen feats (from flaws and levels) are already consumed. Is there a way to get Combat Reflexes with the combat track? Or, any ACF's that trade out Track for a bonus feat, or the animal companion for one?
Really, I'm pulling at straws here.

My level 6 feat MUST be mobility, or I'd just take it then and be done with it. I'm at a loss. Help!

[dextercorvia]

You could be a Frostblood Orc or Half-Orc. They get Endurance as a bonus feat, and have the ability to choose a different feat they qualify for if they ever would get Endurance from somewhere else. Not optimal for SotAO, but it is something. What did you spend your other feats on?

[Rossebay]

Uhh...
Expeditious Dodge, Imbued Staff (affects my Kusarigama instead), Wedded to History (Hand of Prophecy), Pawn in the Great Game, Endurance, and Diehard.
My flaws are Inattentive, Meager Fortitude, and Pathetic. Also, I'm a Snow Elf and must remain that way.

[FMArthur]

Don't you need to have 4 Ranger levels to take Sword of the Arcane Order? That has to be your 6th level feat, doesn't it?

[Rossebay]

Don't you need to have 4 Ranger levels to take Sword of the Arcane Order? That has to be your 6th level feat, doesn't it?

Usually, but 'DM says'. Won't catch me complaining.
He's done a lot for me(imbued Kusarigama, SotAO early, qualifying for Swiftblade, learning spells like a Wizard, no spell failure, allowing for the schematics of my feat list so far, as well as a third flaw), so I'd rather not push him to get another feat out of him.

OH, CRAP. I don't have SotAO as a FEAT. x_X

Well, now I need 2 more feats. Oops.

[Urpriest]

IIRC there's a magic item that grants Combat Reflexes in the Magic Item Compendium. I might be confusing it with something else though.

[Rossebay]

IIRC there's a magic item that grants Combat Reflexes in the Magic Item Compendium. I might be confusing it with something else though.

Alright...
That's a possibility. Anyway, are there any bonus-feat-granting options for Ranger?

[The_Snark]

The only bonus-feat options I know of for rangers involve trading away your spellcasting ability, and I don't think that will work with a mystic ranger.


IIRC there's a magic item that grants Combat Reflexes in the Magic Item Compendium. I might be confusing it with something else though.

Indeed. Serpent Armor (MIC 20) is a set of +1 leather armor that grants the benefit of the Combat Reflexes feat while worn. It might be a little pricey for your level, though, and it's a unique set of armor, meaning that there are no rules for applying the unique ability to, say, a +2 mithril chain shirt instead.

There are also the Bracers of Opportunity (MIC 81), which let you make an extra AoO above your normal limit (whether you have Combat Reflexes or not). They're cheap (2,300 gp), but they only work twice per day and they take up an immediate action, which is a problem for some gish characters.

Alternatively, you can see how your DM feels about Embrace/Shun the Dark Chaos, which could turn one of your less-useful bonus feats into something else, but many DMs (myself included) dislike it, and you'll need to find someone willing to cast a pair of obscure 8th-level spells on you.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I think one of the armours in Savage species did grant combat reflexes... let me check

[Rossebay]

I think one of the armours in Savage species did grant combat reflexes... let me check

You guys are lifesavers! :D

[Dusk Eclipse]

Sorry; but The_Snark found it before me, I was talking about the Serpent Armour which got updated in MiC, the Savage species version is a +3 leather which gives +2 to ref saves and let's act the wearer as if he had Combat Reflexes and it costs 21,660 GP so it might be out of your reach for now.

[Draz74]

You could ... cast Heroics on yourself before every battle?

[Rossebay]

Sorry; but The_Snark found it before me, I was talking about the Serpent Armour which got updated in MiC, the Savage species version is a +3 leather which gives +2 to ref saves and let's act the wearer as if he had Combat Reflexes and it costs 21,660 GP so it might be out of your reach for now.

Uhh... Owch. Haha.

Any other ways? Through spells, even? I mean, I'm getting Uncanny Dodge from a couple of Ranger spells...

Ooh... Heroics. Book?

[kardar233]

Heroics is from PHBII. Free Fighter feats are pretty nice.

[Circle of Life]

There's also the Mirror Move spell (some web enhancement article somewhere) that lets you copy several physical feats, but you have to have seen them used.

So if you have anyone else with Combat Reflexes and some Martial Study feats in your party, that might be a better option. Maybe.

[Draz74]

Ooh... Heroics. Book?


Heroics is from PHBII. Free Fighter feats are pretty nice.

No, Heroics is from Spell Compendium. Not PHB2.

[kardar233]

I stand corrected.

[Rossebay]

No, Heroics is from Spell Compendium. Not PHB2.

Heroics is a life saver. I'll be using that every day, now. Thanks for your help. :D

[Big Fau]

You don't really need Diehard, do you? If you do, you could replace it with Shape Soulmeld (Rage Claws), which are strictly superior to Diehard (they don't cost you a HP every time you take an action) unless Dispel Magic is being flung around left and right. Hell, it can work even better than Diehard if you can get access to the Soul Boon spell.


And where's Imbue Staff from? Staves are ungodly expensive at all levels, so you may want to drop it from your build.

[Rossebay]

You don't really need Diehard, do you? If you do, you could replace it with Shape Soulmeld (Rage Claws), which are strictly superior to Diehard (they don't cost you a HP every time you take an action) unless Dispel Magic is being flung around left and right. Hell, it can work even better than Diehard if you can get access to the Soul Boon spell.


And where's Imbue Staff from? Staves are ungodly expensive at all levels, so you may want to drop it from your build.

Uhh, Diehard for Pawn in the Great Game (Every time I'd die, I make a DC 25-Character Level fortitude save. if I pass, I suffer from 2 strength drain, 2 Con drain, and I'm reset at 1HP.)

Imbue Staff, well, that is from a Dragon Magazine. It basically gives me the ability to channel spells as a Duskblade, along with some other nifty benefits. Dragon Magazine 338, to be exact. Works well with a Spellsword.

[Big Fau]

Uhh, Diehard for Pawn in the Great Game (Every time I'd die, I make a DC 25-Character Level fortitude save. if I pass, I suffer from 2 strength drain, 2 Con drain, and I'm reset at 1HP.)

If your DM plays hardball, I can see that being useful. But if not, you shouldn't need that. It would be better to purchase scrolls of Revivify over spending a feat on an ability that shouldn't happen that often.

You are using SotAO, and as such have a Wizard's defenses at your disposal (well, up until 5th level spells). You should be adequately capable of surviving without that feat.


Imbue Staff, well, that is from a Dragon Magazine. It basically gives me the ability to channel spells as a Duskblade, along with some other nifty benefits. Dragon Magazine 338, to be exact. Works well with a Spellsword.

My opinion of Dragon Magazine content is very low, but that ability is rather meh. You have the Wizard's spell list, not the Duskblade's, and as such your offensive spells should not be channel-compatible. In fact, you're close to a Gish. Your spells/day should be buffs, not combat options (although one or two won't hurt).


This may very well be why you are having feat problems: You are trying to be three classes instead of focusing yourself, and some of the feats you've selected aren't the type of feat you'd be using every encounter. Why take a feat that saves you from dying if you don't die once every encounter? In all honesty, your defenses should be such that you avoid ever even needing to use that feat.

[Rossebay]

If your DM plays hardball, I can see that being useful. But if not, you shouldn't need that. It would be better to purchase scrolls of Revivify over spending a feat on an ability that shouldn't happen that often.

You are using SotAO, and as such have a Wizard's defenses at your disposal (well, up until 5th level spells). You should be adequately capable of surviving without that feat.



My opinion of Dragon Magazine content is very low, but that ability is rather meh. You have the Wizard's spell list, not the Duskblade's, and as such your offensive spells should not be channel-compatible. In fact, you're close to a Gish. Your spells/day should be buffs, not combat options (although one or two won't hurt).


This may very well be why you are having feat problems: You are trying to be three classes instead of focusing yourself, and some of the feats you've selected aren't the type of feat you'd be using every encounter. Why take a feat that saves you from dying if you don't die once every encounter? In all honesty, your defenses should be such that you avoid ever even needing to use that feat.

Well, my defenses are pretty well done, but... Resurrection isn't possible in this campaign. It makes political assassinations possible, but will make it pretty much impossible to come back if we die. My character (being immortal) would need some reason to explain why he's not permanently dead yet. And if fate just will not let him die, I'd say that's a good enough reason.

The Imbued feat lets me stay damage-relevant. My strength is pretty low, and the out-of-combat (and trip-disarm in-combat) utility of a chain reach weapon (grappling hook, swinging rope, etc.) is fantastic for the type of campaign we're doing, even though it's still a light weapon. Without Power Attack, I'm finding ways to get Skirmish and Sneak Attack, and also making use of action economy by channeling. Most of my spells (Wraithstrike, Swift Haste, etc.) are swift actions, and I keep one or two channel-friendly spells on me, because I'll be needing that damage at some point. It also gives my weapon more health, hardness, and a few enhancement bonuses for free.

Endurance and Diehard are both pre-reqs for Pawn in the Great Game, and I need all of these things, as my Constitution is only 14 and I'm frontlines. At later levels (even with improved toughness) I'll be zipping around the battlefield, and though I have spells like Lightfoot to avoid AoO's, I can't always have that active, and I'll be getting hit.

[Big Fau]

Here's the thing: The best way to avoid dying is to have a Wizard's defenses. You have that, and have very little reason to need a feat like that. Unless you know for a fact that the DM is going to run you through the Tomb of Horrors or is otherwise trying to make the campaign lethal, you have little to no use for two feats on your build. And you can afford to sacrifice some damage output if you utilize good Buffs/BC spells.

As I said before, you are trying too hard to be three different things with a class that wasn't designed to do this. Let your spells do the work, not your feats.

[HunterOfJello]

There is a decent template that gives a character Combat Relfexes. It's the Blooded template or something. I'll go find it for you.


*edit*

Wow, I can't believe I remembered this one. I've impressed myself. Okay, here's the info:


Blooded One Template
Unapproachable East p62 (Forgotten Realms book)

Full Text

“Blooded” is a template that can be added to any humanoid (referred to
hereafter as the “base creature”). It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities, except as listed here.
AC: Natural armor improves by +2.
Special Attacks: A blooded one retains all the special attacks of the base
creature, and also gains the following special attack. War Cry (Ex): Once per day, a blooded one can scream a special war cry. This causes all blooded ones within 30 feet (including itself) to gain a +1 morale bonus on all attack and damage rolls for 2d4 rounds. This effect does not stack with other war cries.
Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Con +4, Int –2.
Feats: Same as the base creature, except that a blooded one gains Combat Reflexes.
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +1.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Usually lawful evil.
Advancement: By character class


Summary:
Natural Armor Improves by +2
Special Attack:
War Cry (Ex): 1/day scream a special war cry. All blooded ones within 30ft (including yourself) gain +1 morale bonus to all attack and damage rolls for 2d4 rounds. Does not stack with other war cries
Abilities Scores: +2 Str, +4 Con, -2 Int
Feats: Gains Combat Reflexes
LA +1


Also: A blooded one looks much like the base creature, but its skin
is dark and mottled with red, and its eyes are a deep yellow.

[Darrin]

Alright...
That's a possibility. Anyway, are there any bonus-feat-granting options for Ranger?

There's also the Bracers of Opportunity (2300 GP) and Counterstrike Bracers (2500 GP) in MIC, both much cheaper than the Serpent Armor. Both are 2/day, but you can buy multiple pairs and switch them out if need be. You can also enchant the bracers with a +1 armor bonus (per the MIC rules on page 234) for 1000 GP, and then you can add the Mobility property (per the rules in A&EG p. 130) to the Bracers for another +3000 GP.

While you're there, something else in the A&EG... Sword of Opportunity (18310 GP, p. 120) gives you another AoO that stacks with Combat Reflexes.

Then there's this odd little MagicItems.pdf (www.wizards.com/dnd/files/MagicItems.pdf) somewhere on the Wizard's site that offers Combat Reflexes as a weapon enhancement... it looks official, but I have no idea when/where it was released, if ever.

As a last resort... as a Snow Elf, you have a bunch of martial weapon proficiencies that could conceivably be swapped for more useful feats via a Dark Chaos Shuffle (costs 4900 GP per feat, I think), but make sure you designate your Dodge bonus on a possible book-hurling DM.