Coolest Class Features and ACFs

[Rubik]

What are the niftiest, most awesomest class abilities you can think of? There are quite a few that are worth looking at. I especially like ones that segue into other abilities (such as spellcasting) that alter the way base assumptions work.

The warblade's dual-stance ability allows you to maintain two stances at once. You get this at level 20.

The metamind's font of power ability, gained as the PrC's capstone, grants you unlimited power points for an entire minute.

The geomancer's spell versatility ability allows you to mix and match your spellcasting classes to manipulate your spells between arcane and divine, choosing which pieces you want to use with which spells.

The geometer's 1st level spellglyph ability turns your casting into a supernatural ability using runes to hold your spells. Its 2nd level book of geometry condenses every spell you've got down to a single page in your spellbook. Both are pretty awesome.

The prestige bard/paladin/ranger all add the spells from the appropriate base class to your spell list, which is great.

Even better, sandshaper greatly expands your list of spells known to include a ton of spells from Sandstorm.

Likewise, ten levels of rainbow servant gives you "cleric spell access," which is just like what it sounds like. Awesome for classes such as beguiler, who cast spontaneously from their entire spell list.

Initiate of the sevenfold veil grants you a new veil each level, each of which acts like a color from the Prismatic Wall spell. Very, VERY nice.

Anybody got any others? [edit] Please include the source (class or book) it comes from for those of us not familiar with the class feature!

[Flavel]

Cunning Brilliance is kinda nice. Factotum lvl 19

[IronFist]

Shadow pounce.

[Gigas Breaker]

Totem Chakra binds at totemist 2 is pretty damn cool.

[geekintheground]

wild shape. because becoming a bear/dinosaur is just too awesome

[Immabozo]

I know it isn't as optimized as spell casters, but on a Barbarian (Iam so used to bearbearian beary mcbear posts that I spelled that "barbearian". I am not sure how to feel about that) has two ACFs that I really like. Spirit Lion Totem gives pounce, a must for any melee class.

Also, Whiling Frenzy gives another attack. Mixed with Bear Warrior, even a 1 level dip, rage becomes VERY strong. +8 str, +2 dex? +4 con, +2 reflex saves, +2 dodge bonus to AC, +2 Natural Armor, 1 extra attack (all attacks made at -2).

With warshaper 3 it becomes +12 str, +2 dex? +8 con, +2 reflex saves, +2 dodge bonus to AC, +2 Natural Armor, 1 extra attack (all attacks made at -2) + 5' reach (including bite), immunity to crits, grow natural weapons.

[SciChronic]

i really like the shadowcraft mage's Cloak of Shadow (Su), i just witch it was viable for scouting classes other than the beguiler/other casters

[ColossusCrusher]

I would actually say that one of my favorite class features is the Crusader's Steely Resolve/Furious Counterstrike. It's not the strongest feature by a longshot but it's got so much flavor that I can't not like it.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

The immediate magic opttions for conjurors is bar none the bestt aacf from PHB 2. Crusader's delayed damage pool and furious countersttrike are both wonderful little boosts.

Edit: Blasted swordsages!

[Karnith]

Yathrinshee (Player's Guide to Faerun, pp. 187-189) has a number of really good class features, which is why it's a shame that the class is such garbage (if you're unfamiliar with it, it's a necromancy-themed theurge class that cripples your casting and requires you to be a drow). The best is Curse of the Revenancer, though, which makes any creature you kill rise as a zombie under your control. No spells necessary, no HD cap on how many you can control, no material components; just free zombies.

[(Un)Inspired]

I know it's probably the farthest thing from optimal that has been posted so far but the Wilder's Wild Surge class feature has always held a special place in my heart.

It feels like something straight out of Akira (KANEDAAAAAAAAA!). Maybe I just have a soft spot in my heart for Wilders but at higher levels getting a +6 to your manifester level can really ruin your enemy's day.

[mabriss lethe]

Zhentarim Fighter substitution levels, Spellthief's steal spell ability, Just the entire Binder class in general, Dark Companion ACF for Hexblade.

[Snowbluff]

Familiars!


Shadow pounce.

Ooo... yes. :smallsmile:

[Rubik]

I know it's probably the farthest thing from optimal that has been posted so far but the Wilder's Wild Surge class feature has always held a special place in my heart.

It feels like something straight out of Akira (KANEDAAAAAAAAA!). Maybe I just have a soft spot in my heart for Wilders but at higher levels getting a +6 to your manifester level can really ruin your enemy's day.Wild surge would be so much better without enervation. The best way to get it is either through the anarchic initiate PrC (no downsides because enervation is based on your wilder level!) or through illithid savant, by stealing from a wilder (same thing!). Or you could go Overchannel and never have to worry about enervation in the first place.

[edit] I've always liked the bloodstorm blade's 2nd level martial throw, which is the ability to make throws count as melee attacks, as well as...well...just about everything else there, too. If I could force it to progress manifesting somehow, I'd definitely be all for making a psionic gish with it.

[The Trickster]

Pretty much everything the Shadowcraft mage gives. I love this class to death :smallbiggrin:

Also a big fan of manuevers in general, just because I love the versatility they give.

[Vaz]

Ardent's Dominant Mantle is one of the best I've found.

In addition to that; Mantles/Domains are fantastic, I'd consider dropping Casting Progression slightly to gain them.

[Rubik]

Ardent's Dominant Mantle is one of the best I've found.

In addition to that; Mantles/Domains are fantastic, I'd consider dropping Casting Progression slightly to gain them.Dominant Ideal is amazing, but mantles in general suck really, really hard. There's only one mantle I'd ever be interested in (magic), and that's because it's abusive. The rest of them are only restrictions on what powers you can take, and the "bonuses" they give you are really crappy and not worth bothering with.

[Der_DWSage]

I'm a bit old fashioned here, but give me the Paladin's smite any day. The ability to walk up to the BBEG and say, "...No, I think I'll stop you here and now." as you tap into a wellspring of power granted to you only to stop the most heinous of beings from threatening the world again.

The Pathfinder Paladin's ability to share this with the entire party is even better.

[Grod_The_Giant]

The Truenamer's capstone, Say My Name and I Am There. Any time someone says your special nickname, you can teleport there. (And you know who's saying it, too). Not powerful, but cool as all get out.

[Zombulian]

People have generally named all the things I would've wanted to add, but I've got one.
The Spell Rebirth Utterance for Truenamers: it puts a spell back into effect after it has been dispelled. I don't think anyone else can do that. Also the reverse version of it is a dispel that you don't make a caster level check for.
The Rebuild Item Utterance: just puts an item back together. If it was magic, it's still magic. Hello skull talismans.

[Andezzar]

Also, Whiling Frenzy gives another attack. Mixed with Bear Warrior, even a 1 level dip, rage becomes VERY strong. +8 str, +2 dex? +4 con, +2 reflex saves, +2 dodge bonus to AC, +2 Natural Armor, 1 extra attack (all attacks made at -2).You forgot -2 AC. Whirling Frenzy does not remove that effect of standard Rage.

Whirling Frenzy is nice, but Pounce from the Spirit Totem (Lion) ACF works all day long.

[Piggy Knowles]

Soothing Voice, the bard ACF from Races of Destiny, is one of my favorites.

I also really like Thought Theft, from the Vigilant Sentinel of Aerenal - read thoughts with no save via a Sense Motive check.

It's not the most powerful ability, but I think the Hellbreaker's Stowaway is supremely cool. Anyone teleports within thirty feet of you, you can hitch a ride, even if they're unwilling.

[lsfreak]

Thirding shadow pounce. It's just so awesome!

JPM's emerald immolation.

Duskblade's arcane channeling. Too bad there's not a better selection of touch spells to support it, though.

For being in core, inspire courage is good. The support it gets later makes it great.

While not nearly as flashy or build-defining, disruptive attack for a rogue. Sacrifice one attack's sneak dice to inflict a -5AC penalty for a round? Yesplz.

[Zombulian]

Oh also I forgot Knight! Along with all the Knight's Challenge abilities (the capstone being the bestest), the Armor Mastery ability was always nice to me. When makin a dragoon and you dip 4 levels Knight, if you can run full speed in your mithral fullplate.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Warshaper - Morphic Weapons and he negative-levels-on-hit ability from Soul Eater.

[Snowbluff]

Warshaper - Morphic Weapons and he negative-levels-on-hit ability from Soul Eater.

It's called Energy Drain.

Lifedrinker's Lifewell. Drink blood and drain levels for points that you can spend on metamagic, bindings, and bonuses.

[Gwendol]

Seconding the Truenamer capatone and the knight loyal beyond death, and adding both bulwark of defence and test of mettle.

[Alex12]

Dread Necromancer's Charnel Touch. No spells, just straight-up "I use my supreme mastery of death to pour negative energy from my hands whenever I want."

Swordsage's Sense Magic ability. "Yeah, let me just take 10 minutes to identify this magic sword without spending any resources."

Using the Dead Levels (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x) stuff, an 18th level hexblade can cast prestidigitation at-will. I would literally kill for that ability.

[Qc Storm]

The Dervish Dance of Death. Nothing quite like dancing around your opponent and then tumbling away.

Thousand Cuts only makes it twice as good.

[Snowbluff]

Using the Dead Levels (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x) stuff, an 18th level hexblade can cast prestidigitation at-will. I would literally kill for that ability.

Swashbucklers can seduce people with that material. :smalltongue:

[Zombulian]

Dread Necromancer's Charnel Touch. No spells, just straight-up "I use my supreme mastery of death to pour negative energy from my hands whenever I want."

Swordsage's Sense Magic ability. "Yeah, let me just take 10 minutes to identify this magic sword without spending any resources."

Using the Dead Levels (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x) stuff, an 18th level hexblade can cast prestidigitation at-will. I would literally kill for that ability.

Some of these dead level abilities are pretty cool, if very situational. A Knowledge Devotion Shuggie/Prestige Paladin could seriously do some damage to evil outsiders.

The Samurai dead level abilities that let it ignore fear immunity is awesome.

[Rubik]

I like the war weaver's eldritch tapestry and quiescent weaving. Altering the way spells work is awesome, and this benefits the entire party.

[Kuulvheysoon]

The Truenamer's capstone, Say My Name and I Am There. Any time someone says your special nickname, you can teleport there. (And you know who's saying it, too). Not powerful, but cool as all get out.


People have generally named all the things I would've wanted to add, but I've got one.
The Spell Rebirth Utterance for Truenamers: it puts a spell back into effect after it has been dispelled. I don't think anyone else can do that. Also the reverse version of it is a dispel that you don't make a caster level check for.
The Rebuild Item Utterance: just puts an item back together. If it was magic, it's still magic. Hello skull talismans.

Yes, truenamers! I've got a soft spot for the Bereft from the same book (utterly annihilate an opponent? Yes please!) even though it's weak as hell.

Dragonmark Heir (dragonmarks!) and Blade of Orien (teleport-pouncing!) are also both pretty awesome, along with Pactbound Adept (I love dragonpacts).

[Zombulian]

Yes, truenamers! I've got a soft spot for the Bereft from the same book (utterly annihilate an opponent? Yes please!) even though it's weak as hell.

Dragonmark Heir (dragonmarks!) and Blade of Orien (teleport-pouncing!) are also both pretty awesome, along with Pactbound Adept (I love dragonpacts).

Honestly the Truenaming section of ToM has some of the coolest fluff I've seen in 3.5. It's a real shame that it was written so badly.