PF - What Are the Top 10 Pathfinder Only Feats?

[unseenmage]

Much like my other thread for 3.x (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=319962) on the topic I'm looking to assemble a Top 10 list of the best feats almost any creature can take.

List the most broken overpowered munchkinable minmaxable Pathfinder only feats that you know of.
In the order you'd take them. This is a challenge to find feats good great for anyone rather than those feats that are good for a specific build.

The list would be good for DMs who need feats for monsters.
(Awakened creatures and other magically created creatures without proper statblocks come to mind.)

The goal is to have a list of the most OP ten Pathfinder only feats one character could take.
The only feat slots we're filling are the ones any creature has according to the Character Advancement and Level-Dependent Bonuses (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement) chart.

All Pathfinder only feats from all sources are available but please cite sources for those feats that aren't on the Paizo PRD or PFSRD.

When feats are gained:

1st lvl:
3rd lvl:
5th lvl:
7th lvl:
9th lvl:
11th lvl:
13th lvl:
15st lvl:
17th lvl:
19th lvl:


List of feats so far:

Generally Useful
Additional Traits (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedFeats.html#additional-traits)
Combat Reflexes (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#combat-reflexes)
Deadly Aim (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#deadly-aim)
Improved Initiative (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#improved-initiative)
Iron Will (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#iron-will)
Improved Iron Will (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#improved-iron-will)
Noble Scion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/noble-scion)
Power Attack (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#power-attack)
Toughness (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#toughness)

Quite Powerful
Believer's Boon (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/believer-s-boon)
Leadership (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#leadership)
Paragon Surge (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/paragon-surge)
Recruits (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/recruits)
Squire (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/squire)
Torchbearer (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/torchbearer)

Prerequisite for Shenanigans


Requires Prerequisite
Animal Ally (https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/animal-ally&sa=U&ei=RfKaVfyRLcq0oQSd9ojADQ&ved=0CAQQFjAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNE4CyPJY3_MiwIvvx1P0e-6od6UTQ)
Battle Cry (https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/battle-cry-combat&sa=U&ei=jHqcVe63Ms-KoQTbkKuYCg&ved=0CAQQFjAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNHzuz5dXsG0Cg-qftEgjKNUZZ7GSA)
Dazing Spell (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedFeats.html#dazing-spell)
Divine Protection (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/divine-protection)
Eldritch Heritage (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/ultimateMagicFeats.html#eldritch-heritage)
Persistent Spell (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedFeats.html#persistent-spell)
Quicken Spell (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#quicken-spell)
Rime Spell (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/ultimateMagicFeats.html#rime-spell)
Sacred Geometry (https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/sacred-geometry&sa=U&ei=lnucVfhsh7WhBP6ktNgL&ved=0CAQQFjAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNG52C4XW7EpnOp67ra5VsPnoffeHw)
Spell Perfection (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedFeats.html#spell-perfection)
Toppling Spell (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/ultimateMagicFeats.html#toppling-spell)





Edit: Added "Pathfinder only" for clarity.

[Extra Anchovies]

Improved Initiative. Going first very often means winning without taking a single hit.

Landlord. It enables the Cube (http://web.archive.org/web/20150706191824/http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=631503) (check the Other Notes section at the bottom).

[unseenmage]

Improved Initiative. Going first very often means winning without taking a single hit.

Landlord. It enables the Cube (http://web.archive.org/web/20150706191824/http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=631503) (check the Other Notes section at the bottom).

I was under the impression that Landlord was a 3.x feat? Did it get converted to PF?

[Extra Anchovies]

I was under the impression that Landlord was a 3.x feat? Did it get converted to PF?

Sorry about that. I misread the first sentence of the OP to mean that this is a thread for all 3.X, and interpreted that in conjunction with the PF tag to mean that it was PF-focused but not PF-exclusive.

No, Landlord wasn't ported over. II is the only always-good feat that I know of.

[unseenmage]

Sorry about that. I misread the first sentence of the OP to mean that this is a thread for all 3.X, and interpreted that in conjunction with the PF tag to mean that it was PF-focused but not PF-exclusive.

No, Landlord wasn't ported over. II is the only always-good feat that I know of.

It's all good. In rereading the OP realized it could be construed that way and edited in some more specificity.

But not before I checked the PRD, PFSRD, and the Archives of Nethys for landlord, just in case. :smallsmile:
My lack of system mastery was definitely a factor in this thread's creation. Kinda sucks slogging through the miles and miles of PF only feats as a minionmancer. And the last thread like this has gotten plenty of use by me as both a DM and a player for everything from Homunculi to NPCs to low level characters for super casual games.

Here's hoping this thread turns out as well. :smallsmile:

[Molosse]

Not sure how applicable this suggestion is, but for any 3/4-Full BaB class using a 2-Hander grabbing Power Attack at level 1, 2 or 3 is commonly seen as a must have.

[Squirrel_Dude]

That anyone can take?

Hm... Pathfinder is kind of bad at that because specialization and feat trees are such a feature of game design. I was just running through the feat index, and besides Power Attack, the next best thing that I could come up with was Combat Reflexes. More free attacks is pretty sweet.

[stack]

Animal Ally is nice for getting an animal companion, though the nature soul prereq is annoying and you need boon companion to bring it up to full strength, so three feats for an AC from a limited list. Only requires level 4 though.

[Madbranch]

Improved Initiative and Leadership are the first two to pop up in my mind, but you already have that two I see.

Now others are quite specialized. Maybe Toughness. Not that good, but you know, it's broad, and useful for pretty much everyone.

[CockroachTeaParty]

If you're looking for a quick list of feats for monsters or NPCs to take, there are a few I default to when I run out of more interesting or flavorful ideas.

-Improved Initiative: as already mentioned, your typical monster has a very finite lifespan when fight breaks out. Letting it go before the party, or at least a few of the PCs, allows it to actually do stuff before it dies.

-Toughness: more HP keeps a monster around longer.

-Iron Will: nothing shuts down an encounter more than a failed Will save. Sleep, domination, charms... the list goes on. It's also insurance to prevent your big scary monster from becoming the enchanter's new pet.

-Improved Iron Will: the 1/day limitation is less of a problem for monsters that are only going to be around for one fight anyway. Seriously, failing Will saves is usually he end of the road.

-Combat Reflexes: already mentioned, but it's worth noting that a creature with this feat can make AoO's even if they're flat footed. Gives a big monster with reach the ability to defend itself even if it rolls low on initiative.

[Tuvarkz]

Divine Protection is great, conditional on the character having a 2-3+ Cha modifier. On similar situations, Noble Scion (War) also works great.

[pi4t]

Additional Traits is always a good choice: pick two traits which will help whatever role your character is taking!

Ok, that's kind of cheating, but there are a number of good traits, including some glares at Finding Haleen which are good for nearly any character.

[unseenmage]

Much like Leadership feel free to just include the most OP feats possible too.

Some feats are worth jumping through hoops to get on a minion.

[Spore]

Eldritch Heritage offers Claws, Familiars, Ray Attacks, Debuffing Touch Attacks, scaling no-action-debuff (Beguiling Voice).
Battlecry offers a stacking attack and bonus vs fear as well as a free reroll for your WHOLE GROUP!

Quicken Spell should be a honorable mention at least. But honestly you should do a metamagic top ten (top five?) on the side. With all the tactical options Rime Spell, Quicken Spell and Toppling Spell offer the is an area entirely of its own.

[Molosse]

Oh. Sacred Geometry is damn good.

[Arutema]

Deadly Aim - It's Power Attack, but for bows.

[Hazrond]

Much like Leadership feel free to just include the most OP feats possible too.

Some feats are worth jumping through hoops to get on a minion. Squire and Torchbearer are Leadership restricted to only the cohort that can be taken at 5th level, which then graduate to full leadership at 7th level,

Edit: wait no, Squire can be taken at 3rd level from what i am reading
Edit 2.0: wow, lotsa mistakes, at level 8 is when Torchbearer graduates

[andreww]

Spell Perfection, the caster "I Win" button at level 15 as if they needed it. Especially good with the two below.

Dazing Spell, the mid level blaster catser "I Win" button which keeps on giving.

Persistent Spell, the low level control caster "I Win" button which keeps on giving.

Extra "whatever" in combination with Paragon Surge, grab the class ability you need at the time, change it every day.

[Bucky]

Believer's Boon? It's best at low level since the domain powers mostly don't scale by level, but Luck/Growth/Travel/Solitude all seem decent, and Solitude does scale with level.

[Mehangel]

I am actually quite the fan of the Recruits (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/recruits) feat, it replaces leadership, but it also counts as leadership for prerequisites. Pretty much you give up followers so that you have several cohorts that you can trade out whenever you visit a large enough settlement. By level 20, you can have 10 cohorts each level 16.

What is even better, is that if you decide later on that you dont like Recruits, you can immediately trade it out for Leadership, Although, I probably wouldn't myself.

[unseenmage]

Are there any feats akin to those in 3.x that give any character spellcasting or manifesting?

The 'Prerequisite for shenanigans' entry in the OP had feats like that over in the 3.x version of this thread.