Underpowered abilities and feats in Pathfinder

[saithor]

Unsure wether to put this in here or homebrew

I am designing a homebrew game system based partially off pathfinder, and one of the things I'm focusing on is improving underused tactics/ideas/feats/weapons/etc from the game. First off, for terms of power level do not compare anything to spells, as I have some special plans for them. Rather, I would like to hear about class abilities and options, feats, weapons, and combat options that you feel would make fun and viable choices if written right, but the way they currently are they cannot measure up. A good example would be Combat Manuvers. Any post helps me with my design, so thanks in advance!

[Arbane]

Unsure wether to put this in here or homebrew

I am designing a homebrew game system based partially off pathfinder, and one of the things I'm focusing on is improving underused tactics/ideas/feats/weapons/etc from the game. First off, for terms of power level do not compare anything to spells, as I have some special plans for them. Rather, I would like to hear about class abilities and options, feats, weapons, and combat options that you feel would make fun and viable choices if written right, but the way they currently are they cannot measure up. A good example would be Combat Manuvers. Any post helps me with my design, so thanks in advance!

Well, getting dexterity to hit and damage instead of strength for melee generally requires jumping through a few too many hoops.

Saving Throws: I'm not sure WHY WotC decreed than anyone who tries to face down monsters out of nightmare with nothing but a trusty sword should be weak-willed, but they did.

Power Attack, Combat Expertise, and Combat Maneuvers: Things any competent fighty-type should be able to do by default without having to use up feats on it. And maneuvers are still generally inferior to just swording your opponent in the hitpoints. Conversely, when you DO use up feats on one, your best strategy is to spam That One Move over and over and over. (Don't worry, your opponent won't be able to defend against it any better the 15th time than they did the first time.)

Weapons in general: Why is it so tough to get a blunt weapon that can get good critical hits?
Swords are better than everything. That is The Law.
Exotic weapons generally aren't worth it.

Armor class. Hey, nice armor you have there! Too bad I do touch attacks, sucker!

Defending. See my above complaint about maneuvers, but in reverse - 'fighting defensively' is unlikely to do anything but make you lose a little slower.

Monks.

[avr]

Combat maneuvers have a couple of problems. First, they reward extreme specialisation; they work best when you devote all your feats to them and take a class which has a feature to make them better. Second, at high levels if you've done anything much short of that extreme specialisation they tend to stop working; with a modest investment you need to either retrain those feats or accept that they're wasted. Focusing on any specific feat is missing the point there. How would you want them to work in your game?

Some feats and options have been overnerfed because the original was thought to be overpowered. Amateur Swashbuckler having the option to get the parry deed for example. IMO if you couldn't take that deed until most of your enemies have multiple attacks - say, at 6th level - that would have been sufficient.