Tempestfury
2014-05-31, 12:10 PM
So... melee fighting styles. Two-Handed Weapons, tend to be considered the strongest (and with Uber-Charges... honestly, who can blame them?), with Two-Weapon Fighting costing too many feats, and costing more money (two weapons to one), Shield and Sword’s defence isn’t worth the sheer power of the Two-Handed Weapons, and having a spare hand, is just completely dumb.
But you see, that’s not all. When it comes to weapons, there is very little uniqueness between them. The only difference between a longsword and battle-axe, is simply their critical modifiers, the only difference between a battle-axe and a warhammer is that one does slashing damage, and the other does bludgeon damage, with feats doing nothing to build on these differences.
I intend to change that in this thread. Not only do I seek to improve two-weapon fighting, shield and sword, and empty-hand fighting, (Two-Handed Fighting doesn’t need any improvements), but I intend to flesh out weapon-specific feats, to make your weapon choice much more important and engaging.
Oh and all the following feats can be selected as Fighter Bonus Feats, because they're all about fighting with weapons, which is what a fighter does.
Work in Progress
Two-Weapon Fighting Feats - Complete, pending Feedback
Shield and Sword Feats - In-progress
Empty-Hand Feats - Not Started
Weapon-Specific Feats - Not Started
Changelog
02/06/2014, 0000: Modified Parrying Blade, IOTWF, ILF & IPB made into 'Greater'. Added Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Lighting Flurry, Improved Parrying Blade, Oversized Weapon Mastery, Lighting Flurry Mastery and Parrying Blade Mastery
20/07/2014 1805: Added the Shield and Sword Feats
21/07/2014 1324: Clarified the caster level of You Shall Not Pass!, and added that Parrying Blade cannot be used whilst flat-footed.
I’m putting this out rather early so that I can get feedback whilst I work.
Two-Weapon Fighting Feats
Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Dex 13
Benefit: Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are reduced. The penalty for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6. In addition, you can make as many attacks with your offhand weapon as with your primary weapon, using the same base attack bonus
So... yeah. Not only have I lowered the Dexterity requirements for the Two-Weapon Fighting, but I’ve rolled Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting into it as well. Some may see this feat as overpowered for basically being an Epic Feat. But honestly, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting shouldn’t of been an Epic Feat, and the high Dexterity requirements, forced people to have a dexterity focus, which could cripple their damage for not having a high strength.
Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting, Str 13.
Benefit: When wielding a one-handed weapon in your off hand, you take penalties for fighting with two weapons as if you were wielding a light weapon in your off hand, in addition, when wielding two one-handed weapons, you may add your full strength bonus to off hand weapon instead of half.
There’s always been three possible choices when it comes to two-weapon fighting. Two light weapons, A one-handed weapon and a light-weapon, and two one-handed weapons. Usually, the later one hasn’t been worthwhile. I’m planning to change, as well as differentiate the three possible two-weapon fighting styles. This starts with this feat, not only reduce the penalties of wielding two one-handed weapons down to the standard -2, but also increasing the strength bonus of your off hand weapon to full, giving you a significant damage increase.
Two-Weapon Defence
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: When wielding a weapon in either hand, you gain a +1 bonus AC. This bonus in increased for every attack you can make using your BAB.
Another feat that was considered pretty much worthless, Two-Weapon Defence now scales by itself, as well as having its AC apply to touch AC as well as the norm, meaning that this feat should now be a strong consideration to anyone who is looking for more defence in a Two-Weapon Build.
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +6
Benefit: Whenever you make an attack with a weapon in the main hand, and you don't normally have the option to attack with a weapon in the off hand, you can now make an attack with a weapon in the off-hand as well. e.g. If you attack someone with a standard action, you can use both your main hand and off-hand weapon.
A damn useful feat this is. With the out the need to have each attack costing a feat, we can open up more options for Two-Weapon Fighting. This is one of them, the ability to actually use your off-hand weapon in actions other than full-attack options should be easy to get for a Two-Weapon fighter, yet has always been insanely difficult... but not anymore.
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB+11
Benefit: Whenever you are wielding a weapon in each hand, you get a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. In addition, if you attack with both your main-hand and off-hand weapons, the damage is added together and treated as one attack when beneficial
Simple, but quite effective. Not only does the feat cancel out the penalties of TWFing - at least, if fighting with light weapons - with added damage, but it also allows you to bypass damage reduction, and other nasty effects much easier.
Lighting Flurry
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: When wielding a light weapon in either hand, you can choose to make an extra attack with each weapon at your highest base attack bonus. However if you do, each attack made this round takes a -2 penalty.
The first of my unique feats, and it establishes how the light-weapon two-weapon fighting style is going to be like. Focusing on multiple attacks a round, the light-weapon TWF style will most likely work the best with per-hit damage increases which is popular for increasing the damage of current TWF.
Parrying Blade
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: Once per turn, when you are attacked you may make an attack roll with your off-hand attack. If the attack roll is higher than your armour class, use it instead. This ability can only be used with a light weapon in your off-hand and a one-handed weapon in your main-hand. This feat cannot be used if you are flat-footed.
Special: If you have the feat Two-Weapon Defence, you may add the bonus to AC you normally get from that feat as a bonus to the attack rolls made with this feat.
And finally, we have how the final TWF style will be working... focusing on defence. inspired by how fencers tend to use daggers to deflect or parry opponent’s blades as well as similar class features, as well as having synergy with previous feats
Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +6
Benefit: If you successfully hit an opponent with both of the weapons you wield, you deal extra damage equal to the base damage of both of your weapons +1.5x your STR. This extra damage is treated as the same type that your off-hand weapon deals normally for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and other effects related to damage type. You can gain this extra damage once per round against a given opponent, and only if you are wielding a one-handed weapon in each hand
So, how to give Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting more damage, without being too powerful? To put it simply, give them an improved version of two-weapon rend! Instead of just 1d6+1.5xStr, this feat also scales off the base damage of the weapons as well, so if you have two long swords, that’s 2d8 damage instead of 1d6. That’s an average damage increase of... 6 damage, there abouts? So I think the feat is worth taking now. I hope.
Improved Lighting Flurry
Requirements: Lightning Flurry, BAB +6.
Benefit: The penalty for iterative attacks from BAB, and for using the effect of Lightning Flurry is reduced by 1. This feat is only in effect when wielding a light weapon in either hand.
I... honestly have no idea what else to do with this feat. If people have any other ideas, please make them, and I don’t like this feat, like, at all.
Improved Parrying Blade
Requirements: Parrying Blade, BAB +6.
Benefit: Whenever you successfully fend off an attack using Parrying Blade, you may make an attack of opportunity against the attacker if they are within your melee range. Trip and disarm attempts get a +4 bonus during an attack of opportunity granted by this feat.
Parry, than Riposte, a very normal turn of events during fencing, and much easier to do with a parrying blade I would imagine. Keeping with the fencing theme, I made it easier to trip or disarm your foe’s during this AoO, because they would be off-balance
Greater Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +11
Benefit: When wielding a one-handed weapon in either hand, they are treated as two-handed weapons, this improves the strength bonus to damage to 1.5x your Str modifier.
Simple but effective, GOTWF, not only gives your TWFer strong bonus damage from strength, but also allows you to use Power-Attack and the like for their full bonus damage. Some might consider this overpowered, but it does require level 11 and 3 feats to get, so I believe its worth the cost.
Greater Lighting Flurry
Requirements: Improved Lighting Flurry, BAB +11.
Benefit: Whenever you use the effect of Lighting Flurry to get an extra attack with each weapon, you instead gain two bonus attacks with each weapon.
Greater Parrying Blade
Requirements: Improved Parrying Blade, BAB+11
Benefit: You may use the effect of the ‘Parrying Blade’ feat an amount of times equal to your attack of opportunity per round, or the number of attacks you can make from your BAB, whichever is higher.
Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting Mastery
Requirements: Greater Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +16.
Benefit: When you a wielding a one-handed weapon in each hand, it is treated as being two-sizes larger when it comes to base damage. In addition, the effects of Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting can be applied to the same enemy any amount of times per turn.
So... yeah. Massive, massive damage increase here. Even if you imply the base damage increase to normal longswords, its still an average increase of damage 7 per sword... and remember, IOTWF’s effect scales of the base damage as well, AND can be used multiple times per turn now.
Lighting Flurry Mastery
Requirements: Greater Lighting Flurry, BAB +16.
Benefit: When you a wielding a light weapon in each hand, The penalty to an extra attacks, including, but not limited to, irritative attacks from BAB and Lighting Flurry, is reduced by 2.
So... yeah. From seven attacks at 15/15/15/11/7/3, to seven attacks at 16 a-piece... that is a BIG jump in accuracy. Maybe too big. I’ll wait to see on feedback.
Edit: Okay, I changed it so the penalty is reduced by two. Meaning that the seven attack are 16/16/16/13/10/7, which is a jump in accuracy, but not as big as previously.
Parrying Blade Mastery
Requirements: Greater Parrying Blade, BAB +16
Benefit: When you a wielding a one-handed weapon in the main-hand, and a light weapon in the off-hand, all your attacks are treated as touch attacks. Additionally, whenever you successfully damage an opponent with a melee weapon, you can make a free trip or disarm attempt.
So... not focused on defence, so it might seem a little odd, but it takes the trip and disarm from improved to the next level, and it makes sense to me that a fencer it good at finding the weak spots in the enemies’s defence.
Sword and Shield
Shield Specialization
Choose one type of shield from the following list: buckler, heavy, tower or light. When using a shield of the appropriate type, you increase its shield bonus to AC by 2 and reduce its check-penalty by 2. In addition, you apply your shield bonus to your touch AC, and on checks or rolls to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, or trip attempts against you.
Just like how we started with the most important feat for TWFing, we’ll start with a benchmark of Shield Fighting, Shield specialization. Of course, it doesn’t just increase your AC now - with the AC increase being higher than before - but reduces the penalty, AND has the effect of Shield Ward, all rolled into one, single, feat. Making it much, much stronger
Active Shield Defence
Requirements: Shield Specialization
When fighting defensively and using a shield, you gain an extra bonus to AC equal to 2x the amount of attacks you can make in a full-attack action, and half the penalty on attacks, attack of opportunities have no penalty.
When using the total defense action and a shield, you gain an extra bonus to AC equal to 2x the amount of attacks you can make in a full-attack action, you may use a move action instead of a standard action for total defence, and make attacks of opportunity. If you attack while in total defense, you take a -4 penalty to attack.
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Basically supersized Active Shield Defence here, increasing the AC increases, as well as reducing the penalties to attack. Though of course, you can’t fight total defence, and use a full-attack option.
Agile Shield Fighter
Requirements: Shield Specialization.
Whenever you make a shield bash, you do not lose that shield’s bonus to AC. Additionally, when attacking with both a shield and one-handed weapon, you are treated as having the two-weapon fighting feat.
So, no Improved Shield Bash, instead I’m skipping straight to Agile Shield Fighter. Not only does it have the effect of the improved shield bash already, but it has the effect of two-weapon fighting rolled into it, so it is quite a lot stronger.
Spell Shield
Requirements: BAB +6
Whenever you a wielding a shield, you gain Spell Resistance equal to 10+your shield AC. If you already have Spell Resistance that is greater than this, you may instead add 1/2 of your shield AC as a bonus to that Spell Resistance
Shield is about defense, and what better defence is there, then defence against spells? Plus, with the ability to still be relevant when you pick up a strong SR, means that this feat should always be good to take.
Inlindl School
Requirements: BAB +6
At the start of your turn, you can choose to sacrifice your shield bonus to AC in exchange for a bonus on melee attack rolls equal to that bonus, and a bonus on melee damage rolls equal to one-half that bonus. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.
Quite simply this, took a feat that was okay, but not that good, and turned it into something that is basically the equivalent to Power Attack for shield-users. Course you can actually combine it with Power Attack to gain a damage bonus equal to 1.5 the shield bonus sacrificed if you really want to...
Dutiful Guardian
Requirements: BAB +6, Active Shield Defence
Once per turn, you can select one ally within 10ft, +5ft per iterative attack from BAB. By taking a -2 penalty to attack rolls, that ally gains a bonus to their dodge AC equal to +2, or 1/2 of your shield AC, whichever is higher. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn or until you are more than 10 feet from the chosen ally, whichever comes first.
Additionally, whenever you selected ally is attacked, you can take an immediate action to instantly exchange places with that character.
Both you and the ally must be able to move into and legally occupy the new space in order for this feat to function. For example, an incorporeal character inside a solid object couldn't exchange places with a corporeal character, nor could a nonflying creature exchange places with an airborne flying creature.
Special: If you are benefiting from defensive fighting or total defence, the selected ally gains a bonus to their dodge AC, equal to 1/2 of the AC bonus received from defensive fighting or total defence
Okay... this is by far, one of the biggest feats I have seen, as it gives you a lot. Basically, this combines Dutiful Guardian and Constant Guardian from Drow of the Underdark, and upgrades them. Making the range and AC of the feats higher. It might be a bit much... but if your gonna be a tank, you need to be able to defend your allies, and this lets you do that very well.
Improved Shield Bash
Requirements: BAB +6, Agile Shield Fighter
You shield’s damage die is increased as if it was one size larger. At BAB+16, the shield’s damage die increases again, so that it is treated as if it was two sizes larger.
Remember when I said there was no more Improved Shield Bash? Well, I LIED. Here, is the new and improved Improved Shield Bash, allowing you to smash people’s face in!
Spell Reflection
Requirements: Spell Shield, BAB +11
When wielding a shield, and a spell fails to penetrate your spell resistance, you can attempt to reflect the spell back to its caster. The check is 1d20+shield AC bonus+Con modifier vs enemy caster level.
I admit, I’m not exactly confident on this feat, as its a bit iffy. However, I wanted to upgrade Spell Shield somehow, and apart from full on spell immunity, all I could think of was spell reflection, and I wanted you to have a reasonable chance of succeeding, but not be 100% unless you really push things... so... hence the strange check.
Constant Guardian
Requirements: Dutiful Guardian, BAB+11
The attack penalty from Dutiful Guardian is reduced by 2. Additionally, you can now take a -3 penalty to attack rolls at the start of your turn, and grant all allies that are applicable for your Dutiful Guardian feat, a bonus to dodge AC equal to 1/3 of your shield bonus. You cannot use this ability and Dutiful Guardian
Special: If you are benefiting from defensive fighting or total defence, the selected ally gains a bonus to their dodge AC, equal to 1/3 of the AC bonus received from defensive fighting or total defence
A nifty little boost to Dutiful Guardian, removing the attack penalty, as well as giving you the option to apply a AoE version, though the boost to AC is smaller if you do use it this way.
Shield Charge
Requirements: Improved Shield Bash, BAB+11
Whenever you successfully make a charge attack when equipped with a shield, you may make a free trip and a free bullrush attempt. They do not provoke attacks of opportunity, and have a +4 bonus. If you succeed with the bullrush attempt, you do not have to follow the enemy in order to push him back further than 5ft. If you succeed with your trip attempt, make another attack with your main-hand weapon. If you lose the trip attempt, the enemy does not get a trip attempt against you
Another feat moved up and improved significantly. Now, shield charge doesn’t just let you make a trip attempt when you rush, but gives you a bullrush attempt, and increases the power of them both. I was thinking of giving you a damage bonus, but I think that this is enough.
YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
Requirements: Constant Guardian, BAB +16
Once per encounter, you may cast Wall of Force as an extraordinary ability, with a caster level equivalent to your level. If you do, the wall must have one section directly next to you. This Wall of Force can not be bypassed by abilities such as dimension door or teleport. Whilst the Wall of Force still exists, you cannot move. If you willing move from the spot where you cast Wall of Force, or willing allow and ally you move you, the Wall of Force is dispelled.
What better way to defend your allies, than by summon a big wall in your enemies path? Once per encounter should be more than enough, even if you are rooted for the duration of the spell.
Shield Slam
Requirements: Shield Charge, BaB +16
Once per round, if you hit an enemy with a shield bash attack, the enemy is dazed for one round. A DC10+1/2 your character level+Str negates this effect.
So, the final old shield feat to get a buff... and oh boy, its a bigun, Shield Slam now actives, whenever you manage to hit an enemy with a shield bash, guys immune to critical hits aren’t automatically exempt from it! Still, to make sures its not overpowered, you can only trigger it once per round.
But you see, that’s not all. When it comes to weapons, there is very little uniqueness between them. The only difference between a longsword and battle-axe, is simply their critical modifiers, the only difference between a battle-axe and a warhammer is that one does slashing damage, and the other does bludgeon damage, with feats doing nothing to build on these differences.
I intend to change that in this thread. Not only do I seek to improve two-weapon fighting, shield and sword, and empty-hand fighting, (Two-Handed Fighting doesn’t need any improvements), but I intend to flesh out weapon-specific feats, to make your weapon choice much more important and engaging.
Oh and all the following feats can be selected as Fighter Bonus Feats, because they're all about fighting with weapons, which is what a fighter does.
Work in Progress
Two-Weapon Fighting Feats - Complete, pending Feedback
Shield and Sword Feats - In-progress
Empty-Hand Feats - Not Started
Weapon-Specific Feats - Not Started
Changelog
02/06/2014, 0000: Modified Parrying Blade, IOTWF, ILF & IPB made into 'Greater'. Added Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Lighting Flurry, Improved Parrying Blade, Oversized Weapon Mastery, Lighting Flurry Mastery and Parrying Blade Mastery
20/07/2014 1805: Added the Shield and Sword Feats
21/07/2014 1324: Clarified the caster level of You Shall Not Pass!, and added that Parrying Blade cannot be used whilst flat-footed.
I’m putting this out rather early so that I can get feedback whilst I work.
Two-Weapon Fighting Feats
Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Dex 13
Benefit: Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are reduced. The penalty for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6. In addition, you can make as many attacks with your offhand weapon as with your primary weapon, using the same base attack bonus
So... yeah. Not only have I lowered the Dexterity requirements for the Two-Weapon Fighting, but I’ve rolled Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting into it as well. Some may see this feat as overpowered for basically being an Epic Feat. But honestly, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting shouldn’t of been an Epic Feat, and the high Dexterity requirements, forced people to have a dexterity focus, which could cripple their damage for not having a high strength.
Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting, Str 13.
Benefit: When wielding a one-handed weapon in your off hand, you take penalties for fighting with two weapons as if you were wielding a light weapon in your off hand, in addition, when wielding two one-handed weapons, you may add your full strength bonus to off hand weapon instead of half.
There’s always been three possible choices when it comes to two-weapon fighting. Two light weapons, A one-handed weapon and a light-weapon, and two one-handed weapons. Usually, the later one hasn’t been worthwhile. I’m planning to change, as well as differentiate the three possible two-weapon fighting styles. This starts with this feat, not only reduce the penalties of wielding two one-handed weapons down to the standard -2, but also increasing the strength bonus of your off hand weapon to full, giving you a significant damage increase.
Two-Weapon Defence
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: When wielding a weapon in either hand, you gain a +1 bonus AC. This bonus in increased for every attack you can make using your BAB.
Another feat that was considered pretty much worthless, Two-Weapon Defence now scales by itself, as well as having its AC apply to touch AC as well as the norm, meaning that this feat should now be a strong consideration to anyone who is looking for more defence in a Two-Weapon Build.
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +6
Benefit: Whenever you make an attack with a weapon in the main hand, and you don't normally have the option to attack with a weapon in the off hand, you can now make an attack with a weapon in the off-hand as well. e.g. If you attack someone with a standard action, you can use both your main hand and off-hand weapon.
A damn useful feat this is. With the out the need to have each attack costing a feat, we can open up more options for Two-Weapon Fighting. This is one of them, the ability to actually use your off-hand weapon in actions other than full-attack options should be easy to get for a Two-Weapon fighter, yet has always been insanely difficult... but not anymore.
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB+11
Benefit: Whenever you are wielding a weapon in each hand, you get a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. In addition, if you attack with both your main-hand and off-hand weapons, the damage is added together and treated as one attack when beneficial
Simple, but quite effective. Not only does the feat cancel out the penalties of TWFing - at least, if fighting with light weapons - with added damage, but it also allows you to bypass damage reduction, and other nasty effects much easier.
Lighting Flurry
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: When wielding a light weapon in either hand, you can choose to make an extra attack with each weapon at your highest base attack bonus. However if you do, each attack made this round takes a -2 penalty.
The first of my unique feats, and it establishes how the light-weapon two-weapon fighting style is going to be like. Focusing on multiple attacks a round, the light-weapon TWF style will most likely work the best with per-hit damage increases which is popular for increasing the damage of current TWF.
Parrying Blade
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: Once per turn, when you are attacked you may make an attack roll with your off-hand attack. If the attack roll is higher than your armour class, use it instead. This ability can only be used with a light weapon in your off-hand and a one-handed weapon in your main-hand. This feat cannot be used if you are flat-footed.
Special: If you have the feat Two-Weapon Defence, you may add the bonus to AC you normally get from that feat as a bonus to the attack rolls made with this feat.
And finally, we have how the final TWF style will be working... focusing on defence. inspired by how fencers tend to use daggers to deflect or parry opponent’s blades as well as similar class features, as well as having synergy with previous feats
Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +6
Benefit: If you successfully hit an opponent with both of the weapons you wield, you deal extra damage equal to the base damage of both of your weapons +1.5x your STR. This extra damage is treated as the same type that your off-hand weapon deals normally for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and other effects related to damage type. You can gain this extra damage once per round against a given opponent, and only if you are wielding a one-handed weapon in each hand
So, how to give Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting more damage, without being too powerful? To put it simply, give them an improved version of two-weapon rend! Instead of just 1d6+1.5xStr, this feat also scales off the base damage of the weapons as well, so if you have two long swords, that’s 2d8 damage instead of 1d6. That’s an average damage increase of... 6 damage, there abouts? So I think the feat is worth taking now. I hope.
Improved Lighting Flurry
Requirements: Lightning Flurry, BAB +6.
Benefit: The penalty for iterative attacks from BAB, and for using the effect of Lightning Flurry is reduced by 1. This feat is only in effect when wielding a light weapon in either hand.
I... honestly have no idea what else to do with this feat. If people have any other ideas, please make them, and I don’t like this feat, like, at all.
Improved Parrying Blade
Requirements: Parrying Blade, BAB +6.
Benefit: Whenever you successfully fend off an attack using Parrying Blade, you may make an attack of opportunity against the attacker if they are within your melee range. Trip and disarm attempts get a +4 bonus during an attack of opportunity granted by this feat.
Parry, than Riposte, a very normal turn of events during fencing, and much easier to do with a parrying blade I would imagine. Keeping with the fencing theme, I made it easier to trip or disarm your foe’s during this AoO, because they would be off-balance
Greater Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting
Requirements: Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +11
Benefit: When wielding a one-handed weapon in either hand, they are treated as two-handed weapons, this improves the strength bonus to damage to 1.5x your Str modifier.
Simple but effective, GOTWF, not only gives your TWFer strong bonus damage from strength, but also allows you to use Power-Attack and the like for their full bonus damage. Some might consider this overpowered, but it does require level 11 and 3 feats to get, so I believe its worth the cost.
Greater Lighting Flurry
Requirements: Improved Lighting Flurry, BAB +11.
Benefit: Whenever you use the effect of Lighting Flurry to get an extra attack with each weapon, you instead gain two bonus attacks with each weapon.
Greater Parrying Blade
Requirements: Improved Parrying Blade, BAB+11
Benefit: You may use the effect of the ‘Parrying Blade’ feat an amount of times equal to your attack of opportunity per round, or the number of attacks you can make from your BAB, whichever is higher.
Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting Mastery
Requirements: Greater Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +16.
Benefit: When you a wielding a one-handed weapon in each hand, it is treated as being two-sizes larger when it comes to base damage. In addition, the effects of Improved Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting can be applied to the same enemy any amount of times per turn.
So... yeah. Massive, massive damage increase here. Even if you imply the base damage increase to normal longswords, its still an average increase of damage 7 per sword... and remember, IOTWF’s effect scales of the base damage as well, AND can be used multiple times per turn now.
Lighting Flurry Mastery
Requirements: Greater Lighting Flurry, BAB +16.
Benefit: When you a wielding a light weapon in each hand, The penalty to an extra attacks, including, but not limited to, irritative attacks from BAB and Lighting Flurry, is reduced by 2.
So... yeah. From seven attacks at 15/15/15/11/7/3, to seven attacks at 16 a-piece... that is a BIG jump in accuracy. Maybe too big. I’ll wait to see on feedback.
Edit: Okay, I changed it so the penalty is reduced by two. Meaning that the seven attack are 16/16/16/13/10/7, which is a jump in accuracy, but not as big as previously.
Parrying Blade Mastery
Requirements: Greater Parrying Blade, BAB +16
Benefit: When you a wielding a one-handed weapon in the main-hand, and a light weapon in the off-hand, all your attacks are treated as touch attacks. Additionally, whenever you successfully damage an opponent with a melee weapon, you can make a free trip or disarm attempt.
So... not focused on defence, so it might seem a little odd, but it takes the trip and disarm from improved to the next level, and it makes sense to me that a fencer it good at finding the weak spots in the enemies’s defence.
Sword and Shield
Shield Specialization
Choose one type of shield from the following list: buckler, heavy, tower or light. When using a shield of the appropriate type, you increase its shield bonus to AC by 2 and reduce its check-penalty by 2. In addition, you apply your shield bonus to your touch AC, and on checks or rolls to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, or trip attempts against you.
Just like how we started with the most important feat for TWFing, we’ll start with a benchmark of Shield Fighting, Shield specialization. Of course, it doesn’t just increase your AC now - with the AC increase being higher than before - but reduces the penalty, AND has the effect of Shield Ward, all rolled into one, single, feat. Making it much, much stronger
Active Shield Defence
Requirements: Shield Specialization
When fighting defensively and using a shield, you gain an extra bonus to AC equal to 2x the amount of attacks you can make in a full-attack action, and half the penalty on attacks, attack of opportunities have no penalty.
When using the total defense action and a shield, you gain an extra bonus to AC equal to 2x the amount of attacks you can make in a full-attack action, you may use a move action instead of a standard action for total defence, and make attacks of opportunity. If you attack while in total defense, you take a -4 penalty to attack.
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Basically supersized Active Shield Defence here, increasing the AC increases, as well as reducing the penalties to attack. Though of course, you can’t fight total defence, and use a full-attack option.
Agile Shield Fighter
Requirements: Shield Specialization.
Whenever you make a shield bash, you do not lose that shield’s bonus to AC. Additionally, when attacking with both a shield and one-handed weapon, you are treated as having the two-weapon fighting feat.
So, no Improved Shield Bash, instead I’m skipping straight to Agile Shield Fighter. Not only does it have the effect of the improved shield bash already, but it has the effect of two-weapon fighting rolled into it, so it is quite a lot stronger.
Spell Shield
Requirements: BAB +6
Whenever you a wielding a shield, you gain Spell Resistance equal to 10+your shield AC. If you already have Spell Resistance that is greater than this, you may instead add 1/2 of your shield AC as a bonus to that Spell Resistance
Shield is about defense, and what better defence is there, then defence against spells? Plus, with the ability to still be relevant when you pick up a strong SR, means that this feat should always be good to take.
Inlindl School
Requirements: BAB +6
At the start of your turn, you can choose to sacrifice your shield bonus to AC in exchange for a bonus on melee attack rolls equal to that bonus, and a bonus on melee damage rolls equal to one-half that bonus. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.
Quite simply this, took a feat that was okay, but not that good, and turned it into something that is basically the equivalent to Power Attack for shield-users. Course you can actually combine it with Power Attack to gain a damage bonus equal to 1.5 the shield bonus sacrificed if you really want to...
Dutiful Guardian
Requirements: BAB +6, Active Shield Defence
Once per turn, you can select one ally within 10ft, +5ft per iterative attack from BAB. By taking a -2 penalty to attack rolls, that ally gains a bonus to their dodge AC equal to +2, or 1/2 of your shield AC, whichever is higher. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn or until you are more than 10 feet from the chosen ally, whichever comes first.
Additionally, whenever you selected ally is attacked, you can take an immediate action to instantly exchange places with that character.
Both you and the ally must be able to move into and legally occupy the new space in order for this feat to function. For example, an incorporeal character inside a solid object couldn't exchange places with a corporeal character, nor could a nonflying creature exchange places with an airborne flying creature.
Special: If you are benefiting from defensive fighting or total defence, the selected ally gains a bonus to their dodge AC, equal to 1/2 of the AC bonus received from defensive fighting or total defence
Okay... this is by far, one of the biggest feats I have seen, as it gives you a lot. Basically, this combines Dutiful Guardian and Constant Guardian from Drow of the Underdark, and upgrades them. Making the range and AC of the feats higher. It might be a bit much... but if your gonna be a tank, you need to be able to defend your allies, and this lets you do that very well.
Improved Shield Bash
Requirements: BAB +6, Agile Shield Fighter
You shield’s damage die is increased as if it was one size larger. At BAB+16, the shield’s damage die increases again, so that it is treated as if it was two sizes larger.
Remember when I said there was no more Improved Shield Bash? Well, I LIED. Here, is the new and improved Improved Shield Bash, allowing you to smash people’s face in!
Spell Reflection
Requirements: Spell Shield, BAB +11
When wielding a shield, and a spell fails to penetrate your spell resistance, you can attempt to reflect the spell back to its caster. The check is 1d20+shield AC bonus+Con modifier vs enemy caster level.
I admit, I’m not exactly confident on this feat, as its a bit iffy. However, I wanted to upgrade Spell Shield somehow, and apart from full on spell immunity, all I could think of was spell reflection, and I wanted you to have a reasonable chance of succeeding, but not be 100% unless you really push things... so... hence the strange check.
Constant Guardian
Requirements: Dutiful Guardian, BAB+11
The attack penalty from Dutiful Guardian is reduced by 2. Additionally, you can now take a -3 penalty to attack rolls at the start of your turn, and grant all allies that are applicable for your Dutiful Guardian feat, a bonus to dodge AC equal to 1/3 of your shield bonus. You cannot use this ability and Dutiful Guardian
Special: If you are benefiting from defensive fighting or total defence, the selected ally gains a bonus to their dodge AC, equal to 1/3 of the AC bonus received from defensive fighting or total defence
A nifty little boost to Dutiful Guardian, removing the attack penalty, as well as giving you the option to apply a AoE version, though the boost to AC is smaller if you do use it this way.
Shield Charge
Requirements: Improved Shield Bash, BAB+11
Whenever you successfully make a charge attack when equipped with a shield, you may make a free trip and a free bullrush attempt. They do not provoke attacks of opportunity, and have a +4 bonus. If you succeed with the bullrush attempt, you do not have to follow the enemy in order to push him back further than 5ft. If you succeed with your trip attempt, make another attack with your main-hand weapon. If you lose the trip attempt, the enemy does not get a trip attempt against you
Another feat moved up and improved significantly. Now, shield charge doesn’t just let you make a trip attempt when you rush, but gives you a bullrush attempt, and increases the power of them both. I was thinking of giving you a damage bonus, but I think that this is enough.
YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
Requirements: Constant Guardian, BAB +16
Once per encounter, you may cast Wall of Force as an extraordinary ability, with a caster level equivalent to your level. If you do, the wall must have one section directly next to you. This Wall of Force can not be bypassed by abilities such as dimension door or teleport. Whilst the Wall of Force still exists, you cannot move. If you willing move from the spot where you cast Wall of Force, or willing allow and ally you move you, the Wall of Force is dispelled.
What better way to defend your allies, than by summon a big wall in your enemies path? Once per encounter should be more than enough, even if you are rooted for the duration of the spell.
Shield Slam
Requirements: Shield Charge, BaB +16
Once per round, if you hit an enemy with a shield bash attack, the enemy is dazed for one round. A DC10+1/2 your character level+Str negates this effect.
So, the final old shield feat to get a buff... and oh boy, its a bigun, Shield Slam now actives, whenever you manage to hit an enemy with a shield bash, guys immune to critical hits aren’t automatically exempt from it! Still, to make sures its not overpowered, you can only trigger it once per round.