The Parry Line

[Ruethgar]

What does the playground think of the Parry line of feats from Dragon #301? Are they worth it? Would it be worth it following the suggestion to make the base feat a function of the game rather than a separate feat? Would it be worth it if your DM let you retrain the large number of extra feats a lvl 1 fighter gets?

[Ravens_cry]

It would slow down combat if used as a normal part of the game, but, as such, the chain uses a LOT of feats. If you did make it normal, I'd add additional feats to specialize it. For example, a feat that lets monks block bare handed or, with, say, ranks in Spellcraft as part of the a prerequisite, the ability to parry spells.
Oh, and a feat to parry attacks on those adjacent to you.

[Ruethgar]

The feats are as follows without full rules descriptions for obvious reasons.

Parry: 1 AoO/round can be used as Wall of Blades in light or less armor only
Improved Parry: Can use Combat Ref AoOs to parry but only 1/target
Expert Parry: Can parry target more than 1/round
Protective Parry: Can parry for adjacent ally
Steel Skin: Can Parry Unarmed
Incredible Parry: Can parry bigger weapons
Guarded Defense: no disarm chance when you parry
Armored Fencer(Medium/Heavy): parry in heavier armor
Crushing Defense: if succeed @ parry may sunder

So there is currently no feat to parry spells(guess you have to stick to ACF for that) but there is allowance for unarmed parry and adjacent parry. Go with a Ward Cestus and you cut out the need for Steel Skin, and Guarded Defense but still over a 4 feat tax to only benefit melee. By the wording this technically includes melee touch attacks however so at least some spells are parryable.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Hmm, neat. I see no real harm in making the first two feats part of the base rules-- limiting it by the number of AoOs is enough to keep it under control, and a couple of extra rolls (especially if it's usually just 1/character) shouldn't slow things up that much.

[Ruethgar]

Let's see, Human Devile Bloodline 3/Fighter 2(Bodyguard)/Barbarian 1(City Brawler, Spirit Lion Totem, Dashing Step)/Chaos Monk 2(Passive Way of the Wing Chun Kuen which is obviously not intentionally legal but RAWfully is)

Flaw: Parry
Flaw: Improved Parry
Trait: Cautious
First: Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Ward Cestus)
Human: Deadly Defense
Fighter: Clear the Way, Power Attack
Blood: Dodge
Monk: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improve Unarmed Strike, Improved Trip, Cleave
Third: Reckless Offense
Barbarian: Two-Weapon Fighting(Unarmed), Improved Unarmed Strike, Pounce, +2 AC on Charge
Retrain Extras: Weapon Focus(Ward Cestus), Expert Parry, Protective Parry, Allied Defense, Defensive Throw

So, the result is: ECL 5: -1 AC to self, +1d6 unarmed damage, Great Cleave, +2 untyped AC to adjacent allies, able to roll attack vs attack with a +5 bonus to 100% prevent melee attacks Dex times per round(let's say 4) including to protect allies. Against your dodge target, a successful parry lets you attempt a trip and hit them with improved trip. Furthermore, you can flurry of misses 1d3+2 times per round on a consequence free charge at -6 to hit +2 on charge +1 Weapon Focus and Improved Trip them into the ground for +4 hit. If Parry and Improved Parry are made facets of the game, then Jotunbrud and Single Blade Style can fill in for +4 on your trips and +2 Dodge to AC.

However cheesy the methods, this does not make a very effective character, but it sounds like it could be kind of cool.