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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other Knowledgable Feats



Westhart
2017-10-15, 11:13 AM
Touch of Knowledge
Prerequisite: Able to cast any detect spell (detect evil/law/chaos/good/undead) that detects a creature (so not things like detect pits and snares) or use one of the previous as a spell like abilities.
Benefits: You know the type and subtype(s) of a creature that you touch, along with one aspect of its alignment (Determined Randomly). Spells that change the creature such as polymorph and all do not foil this, although mindblank and higher level non-detection spells block it. A creature may make a will save to resist (DC: 10+1/2 character level+Cha mod), that if successful gives immunity to this effect for 24 hours. You can use this ability every 1d4 minutes.

Eyes of the Seeker
Prerequisite: Touch of Knowledge
Benefits: When you touch a creature you instantly know whether or not it has the ability to cast spells; you also learn the highest level spell they can cast, along with the caster level within 3 levels (Roll 1d6; 1-3 subtract the number, 4-6 add the number as if it were the opposite, thus a 4 would count as +1, 5: +2, and 6: +3) a successful will save (DC: 10+1/2 level+Cha mod) negates this effect and gives immunity to this effect for 24 hours. You can use this ability once a round.

Anymage
2017-10-15, 12:41 PM
EotS could use a save if they're actively masquerading, and should also have a cooldown to prevent mass checking an entire crowd, and/or spamming the ability against someone until they lose. The same limitations ToK has should work.

One of the main functions of ToK flat out does not work. Polymorph changes the creature's type, so a demon polymorphed into a human has the Humanoid (human) type instead of Outsider. It works in the niche case of spotting human shaped undead like vampires or humanoids disguised as other humanoid races, that's about it.

Assuming that it allows you to know if the creature is under a polymorph or similar effect, as well as it's "real" type, you then have to ask how well anti-divination spells that are not Mind Blank work. If something like Misdirection does not foil it, I don't like it. Detect (Good/Evil/Chaos/Law) are first level cleric spells. True Seeing is a fifth level cleric spell with a pricey component. Giving one of the major benefits of a fifth level spell as part of a first level feat creates a lot of ability to cheese it out unless the target is built to have Mind Blank. Most infiltrator type monsters don't, and magical npcs built to fulfill that role will have a much higher required power floor.

If misdirection and similar spells do foil ToK, I still don't like it. You basically declared that anybody using disguises is countered by this one feat, and needs to add another spell or ability to counter the counter. First comes the fact that anything created before this element was introduced won't necessarily be built to counter the counter; succubi don't have Misdirection, but in a world with this feat they'd certainly be the sort of creature with an innate counter for that trick. More importantly, though, it plays into one of 3.5's innate design flaws. One dev thinks it'd be cool to have an ability to counter an effect. Another dev thinks that effect is cool, so creates an ability to counter that counter. These abilities all cost gold/feat slots/spell slots, though, which the players don't get any more of. So if there's a reasonable counter for this ability, you just moved the arms race up two steps at low levels with no real effect other than eating character build resources.

rferries
2017-10-15, 07:10 PM
I think they're fine, simply by virtue of the fact that they can be resisted with Will saves. Creatures using magic to disguise themselves generally have good Will saves anyways so they'll have a sporting chance.

Westhart
2017-10-15, 09:38 PM
Changed somethings, I feel they are more in balance now. And mindblank's purpose was to kill of enchanters and some diviners :smalltongue: (IMO)