Feat Tax Guide for 3.5

[El'the Ellie]

I'm just wondering if there is any sort of guide for reducing 'tax' feats, like Elephant in the Room's feat tax resolution (http://michaeliantorno.com/feat-taxes-in-pathfinder/), but for D&D 3.5?

I'm considering compiling one, but I don't want to reinvent the wheel if it's already been done. (And it seems like a thing that would have been done before.)

[Jowgen]

I have a guide in my sig for purchasable feats, but that only encompasses a portion of the field

[pabelfly]

This thread had a whole bunch of different suggestions, and I've stolen a few for myself. Maybe it will help you too:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?590679-What-feats-shouldn-t-be-feats

[HouseRules]

Asymmetry in feats.

Most feats reduces 4 points of penalty, like Proficiency Feats.

Most feats gives 1 point of bonus, like Weapon Focus, or Greater Weapon Focus.
They may be written in cumulative form or stack-able form.

However, removal of Ambidexterity makes Two Weapon Fighting the feat that reduces 8 points of penalty.

[ayvango]

Dark Chaos Feat Substitution is the prime source of feat economy.

[pabelfly]

So, I've been thinking about this myself. Thought I'd share what I've come up with so far:

Power Attack, Reckless Charge, Combat Expertise, Brutal Throw, and Weapon Finesse are feats that can be used by the player automatically if they so choose, as long as they meet all of the feats' requirements. The player must be able to use the free feat in order to select feats or Prestige Classes that use it as a prerequisite.

A character with the feat Two-Weapon Fighting receives Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting when they meet BAB and ability score requirements.

A character with the feat Two-Weapon Defense receives Improved Two-Weapon Defense and Greater Two-Weapon Defense when they meet BAB and ability score requirements.

Point-Blank Shot is no longer a feat prerequisite for any other feats or prestige classes.

Separate to that, I'd allow anyone who chooses to use Weapon Finesse to add dexterity to damage instead of Strength. Isn't directly a feat tax but I think it's a pretty reasonable addition, since dex attacking characters can be rather difficult to make.

That's my starting point, I'd love to hear what other people think of these ideas and what I might consider adding/fixing.

[Mordaedil]

If shadow blade was abit easier to get it wouldn't be so awful. So far the quickest entry to it that I've found is to go 6 levels of whatever class before taking 2 levels of swordsage. And being level 8 before you start dealing baseline damage is kinda awful.

(But hey, if you do a rogue 5/assassin 1/swordsage 2, you can grab assassin stance for a wonder +6d6 sneak attack damage at level 8. Shadowblade at level 9 for an extra flat 4-6 damage after that isn't too bad.)

[pabelfly]

If shadow blade was abit easier to get it wouldn't be so awful. So far the quickest entry to it that I've found is to go 6 levels of whatever class before taking 2 levels of swordsage. And being level 8 before you start dealing baseline damage is kinda awful.

(But hey, if you do a rogue 5/assassin 1/swordsage 2, you can grab assassin stance for a wonder +6d6 sneak attack damage at level 8. Shadowblade at level 9 for an extra flat 4-6 damage after that isn't too bad.)

Yeah, three feats or a feat and a level in one specific class is a pretty steep cost for getting dexterity to damage. And it's still the easiest and most accessible way to get it outside of stealing stuff from Pathfinder or homebrew.

[DEMON]

If shadow blade was abit easier to get it wouldn't be so awful. So far the quickest entry to it that I've found is to go 6 levels of whatever class before taking 2 levels of swordsage. And being level 8 before you start dealing baseline damage is kinda awful.

A Swordsage can take Shadow Blade at level 1 and use it with the Island of Blades stance.