Einhander feat changes

[Crake]

So, my general opinion of this feat is that it's pretty terrible, but I like the concept and want to try and improve it by adding to each maneuver in some way.

For the Narrow Profile maneuver, I feel like this should be something that's just always active. While +2 AC is pretty decent as far as feats go (i'm looking at you dodge and improved natural armor), it does require you meet the standards of one hand free, and a one handed/light weapon in your other hand, which doesn't fascilitate many other options, so I feel like it's a decent upgrade.

For offhand balance, +2 to tumble is pretty terrible, especially since it's only against a struck opponent, so I was thinking about replacing it with the ability to, when making a full attack, retrace a 5ft step you made during that round, and renaming it something along the lines of retreating lunge, allowing you to step in, strike, then step back. Not amazing, but I can see it being useful for situations where you may want to strike a foe, but definitely don't want to commit to the position, which may leave you out of formation, or open to flanking. And while we're at it, let's just give a flat +2 to tumble to avoid attacks of opportunity.

Finally, offhand swap. This one is where I have the biggest problem. Swapping hands isn't really part of a fighting style, but more showmanship-y. A one off feint attempt is also just generally pretty terrible, doubly so since a) fighters don't get sleight of hand (this is a fighter bonus feat after all), and b) the feat doesn't even have any bluff, sleight of hand or feint requirements. Since einhanders suffer from a distinct lack of damaging potential, I feel like that is what this last maneuver should provide. I was considering something akin to dealing extra damage equal to your bab against a feinted foe, but for the reasons stated before, I don't really like that as an option, instead, perhaps, against flanked foes? Another option is to straight up change the requirements to sleight of hand and improved feint instead of tumble and +6 bab, and allow a single free action feint (with sleight of hand, I quite like keeping that instead of bluff in this case) after each successful attack, making it a lucrative option for rogues over two weapon fighting, giving them a strong option for getting their sneak attacks off without any allies or magic, giving them an option that allows them some level of independence.

I do realise I'm upping the power of the feat by quite a bit, but when compared to similar feats such as shock trooper or combat brute, or even just other feats expected to be taken around that level, such as natural spell, I don't think any of the above changes really make it much of an outlier. I am looking for opinions on what people would change if given the opportunity, as I do want to make this an option to my players at some point in the near future. What do you guys think?

[JMS]

A, this might belong in the Homebrew section, not entirely certain. B, I have used this feat in the past:

Einhander 2.0 [Fighter, Tactical]
Prerequisites: BAB +6, Evasive Reflexes
Benefit: As long as you fight with a single light or one-handed weapon in one hand and no weapon or shield in your other hand, you gain a +2 insight bonus to attack rolls, rolls made to initiate or resist combat maneuvers, and to your armor class, as well as an insight bonus to melee damage rolls equal to your Int bonus. Additionally, you have access to the following three tactical maneuvers:

En Garde: Each time you are hit by a melee attack (including touch attacks) you may spend one attack of opportunity to add 1/2 your base attack bonus to your AC against that attack; if your AC after doing this is higher than the attack roll, the attack misses.

Lunge and Retreat: You threaten the area 5 feet beyond your normal reach. However, every time you attack a target within this increased reach, you must take a 5-foot step toward your target to put them within your normal reach.

I Am Not Left-Handed: You may feint as a move action rather than a standard action. Once per encounter, you may feint as a swift action by switching your weapon to your off hand; if the feint is successful, your target is flat-footed until the start of your next turn.
Lunge and retreat seems similar to your middle ability, and I like I Am Not Left-Handed for the prince's bride reference :smalltongue:

[Crake]

A, this might belong in the Homebrew section, not entirely certain. B, I have used this feat in the past:

Lunge and retreat seems similar to your middle ability, and I like I Am Not Left-Handed for the prince's bride reference :smalltongue:

Lunge and retreat seems to be lacking the retreat part in that ability though... :/

[JMS]

True, and it might want text for if those 5 - foot steps are bonus or not, but that would be how I would word any type of similar ability, using 5 foot steps. the other detail which might be subtle is the +2 to AC, Attack, and Manuvers, and INT to Damage, aka. all of swashbucklers usage.

[ComaVision]

I also really like this feat conceptually. I considered trying to fix it up once but ended up not bothering because my players don't share my great taste in character aesthetics.

I like Crake's Narrow Profile rework. I think having a free off-hand is a fair limitation in exchange for 2 AC, and it's not too fiddly or forgettable. It essentially just makes up for not using a shield. My only problem with is that it isn't really a "special tactical maneuver" if it's a static bonus.

Again, I like Crake's Retreating Lunge, except I would remove the restriction that the second 5-foot step has to retrace. I would also move the +2 Tumble vs AoO to Narrow Profile so that static bonuses are together.

For Offhand Swap, I would make it a Swift action feint that lasts until the end of the user's turn (rather than 1 round), using either Bluff or SoH. I like this because it's simple and reliable, and I like martials having several options for their Swifts.