Afgncaap5
2014-05-06, 10:08 PM
I was doing a post on my blog about the magic associated with royalty and noble lineages, and made a few feats to go with the concept. The feats were definitely designed with low levels in mind, but the way they were set up made me wonder if there might be something to the concept of feats that anyone can theoretically take, but where the benefit increases for members of a given class. Does this sound like it might work? Or would it be better to give that building power to everyone, regardless of class? A few examples...
Vanquish The Usurper
With a blow fueled by your lineage, the land, or possibly just your own sense of noble entitlement, your seemingly normal blow deals a potentially crippling amount of damage to the one who dared conspire to take what was yours.
Prerequisite: Fighter Level 3, Knowledge (History) 3 ranks, noble lineage
Benefit: When in combat against an enemy who has attempted to seize control of your throne, you may add your Base Attack Bonus or levels in Fighter as an untyped bonus on any damage rolls made against this enemy, whichever is smaller. In addition, if the enemy has damage reduction it is reduced by your Base Attack Bonus on this attack.
Special: A Fighter may take this feat as a Fighter bonus feat.
Refined
Though people of lesser upbringing may never detect the tiny flaws around them, your senses are refined to the point that only the finest is good enough for you.
Prerequisite: Appraise 3 ranks, Perception 3 ranks, noble lineage
Benefit: Your senses can detect the mildest of flaws, particularly in attempts made to deceive or test you. You gain a +2 to see through disguise checks made to impersonate a member of your family, staff, or similar figure (one associated through tradition or business style, such as a wedding caterer you’ve never met before pending GM permission.) You can also gain a +2 bonus on checks to determine tactile sensations (such as when trying to determine if the new clothes are actually invisible or, sadly, when trying to sleep on a pile of mattresses that have a small item hidden beneath them.) Finally, you not only gain a +2 bonus on saves to resist ingested poison, you may also choose to replace a fortitude save to resist such a poison with a reflex save as you keep yourself from consuming the poisoned food or beverage. (“Odorless they say? Maybe most of the time… but one whiff of the Chateau Blanc 948 certainly told a different story.”)
Special: The +2 bonuses increase by 1 for every level of Aristocrat that you have.
Witch Queen/Witch King
Your ancient lineage meshes with your arcane studies in a way that even a mob of rioting peasants would fear.
Prerequisite: Arcane spellcaster level 5, noble lineage
Benefit: Whenever you cast a spell that is limited by the number of hit dice of the target (such as cause fear, hypnotism, or sleep), the maximum number of affected targets is increased by a number equal to the level of the highest arcane spell slot available to you.
War Chieftan
By standing with your subjects in the face of impending combat, you can inspire them to acts of great violence.
Prerequisite: Rage class feature, noble lineage
Benefit: By spending an extra round of your rage duration every turn and shouting encouraging (or threatening) words to members of your tribe, kingdom, or other organization that grants you your legitimacy. You can grant all such people within twenty feet of yourself the benefit of a +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution and a -1 to AC while they stand and fight for you. This is a language dependant, mind affecting effect.
Special: You gain an extra five feet on the effect for every two levels of Barbarian. For example, a seventh level Barbarian with this feat could inspire allies who serve him up to thirty-five feet away instead of twenty feet away.
Note: it's worth noting that these feats were designed with low-level play in mind, and that "noble lineage" as a concept refers to a family line that is accepted as one that can be in charge of some area or organization, so the leader of a band of orcs could qualify if he was the latest in a long line of clan leaders. (Also: I realize that giving a class a +22 untyped bonus from a single feat might be a bit extreme, but given how specific it is and the fact that it refers to someone who was taking an NPC class for twenty levels I'm comfortable with it.)
Vanquish The Usurper
With a blow fueled by your lineage, the land, or possibly just your own sense of noble entitlement, your seemingly normal blow deals a potentially crippling amount of damage to the one who dared conspire to take what was yours.
Prerequisite: Fighter Level 3, Knowledge (History) 3 ranks, noble lineage
Benefit: When in combat against an enemy who has attempted to seize control of your throne, you may add your Base Attack Bonus or levels in Fighter as an untyped bonus on any damage rolls made against this enemy, whichever is smaller. In addition, if the enemy has damage reduction it is reduced by your Base Attack Bonus on this attack.
Special: A Fighter may take this feat as a Fighter bonus feat.
Refined
Though people of lesser upbringing may never detect the tiny flaws around them, your senses are refined to the point that only the finest is good enough for you.
Prerequisite: Appraise 3 ranks, Perception 3 ranks, noble lineage
Benefit: Your senses can detect the mildest of flaws, particularly in attempts made to deceive or test you. You gain a +2 to see through disguise checks made to impersonate a member of your family, staff, or similar figure (one associated through tradition or business style, such as a wedding caterer you’ve never met before pending GM permission.) You can also gain a +2 bonus on checks to determine tactile sensations (such as when trying to determine if the new clothes are actually invisible or, sadly, when trying to sleep on a pile of mattresses that have a small item hidden beneath them.) Finally, you not only gain a +2 bonus on saves to resist ingested poison, you may also choose to replace a fortitude save to resist such a poison with a reflex save as you keep yourself from consuming the poisoned food or beverage. (“Odorless they say? Maybe most of the time… but one whiff of the Chateau Blanc 948 certainly told a different story.”)
Special: The +2 bonuses increase by 1 for every level of Aristocrat that you have.
Witch Queen/Witch King
Your ancient lineage meshes with your arcane studies in a way that even a mob of rioting peasants would fear.
Prerequisite: Arcane spellcaster level 5, noble lineage
Benefit: Whenever you cast a spell that is limited by the number of hit dice of the target (such as cause fear, hypnotism, or sleep), the maximum number of affected targets is increased by a number equal to the level of the highest arcane spell slot available to you.
War Chieftan
By standing with your subjects in the face of impending combat, you can inspire them to acts of great violence.
Prerequisite: Rage class feature, noble lineage
Benefit: By spending an extra round of your rage duration every turn and shouting encouraging (or threatening) words to members of your tribe, kingdom, or other organization that grants you your legitimacy. You can grant all such people within twenty feet of yourself the benefit of a +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution and a -1 to AC while they stand and fight for you. This is a language dependant, mind affecting effect.
Special: You gain an extra five feet on the effect for every two levels of Barbarian. For example, a seventh level Barbarian with this feat could inspire allies who serve him up to thirty-five feet away instead of twenty feet away.
Note: it's worth noting that these feats were designed with low-level play in mind, and that "noble lineage" as a concept refers to a family line that is accepted as one that can be in charge of some area or organization, so the leader of a band of orcs could qualify if he was the latest in a long line of clan leaders. (Also: I realize that giving a class a +22 untyped bonus from a single feat might be a bit extreme, but given how specific it is and the fact that it refers to someone who was taking an NPC class for twenty levels I'm comfortable with it.)