Fun standalone feats to get creative and play with?

[47948201]

What are your favorite feats that you can just kinda throw onto any sort of build to give yourself a fun toy or two to mess around with? I'm thinking stuff like Martial Study (Mountain Hammer) to break through walls like the Kool-Aid man or bust open objects, or Night Haunt for the free super-high-utility SLAs, or Hidden Talent (Psionic Minor Creation) to conjure up anything from a sock puppet to entertain children with to a chair to sit on while you use the sock puppet.

Preferably things that don't require other feats, since then it's easier to slot into any given feat slot when you don't have anything else in mind and wanna be more creative than "hit stuff" or "inflict conditions" or whatever.

[Doctor Despair]

Since I saw it, I've been excited to try Mother Cyst on an evil spellcaster. :) Seems most optimal on a necromancer, but many of the effects revolve around manipulating living targets, so any spellcaster would do.

[Gusmo]

Mother cyst is absurdly fun. There's a reason it's a basis for the plot in lots of different media.

[DeTess]

Martial study(shadow jaunt) is a favorite of mine. Fairly unlimited 50 ft teleport outside combat is really useful for dealing with all manner of obstacles.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Gotta mention hidden talent from XPH. Pick one first level power from any list and get two pp to manifest it as well as pick psionic feats. Hardly a better bang for buck on any feat other than planar touchstone for the catalogues of enlightenment from Planar Handbook. Also a great feat to mess around with, btw.

Actually, let me elaborate on that.

Planar touchstone for the catalogues of enlightenment gives you the granted power of a domain of your choice and, if you fulfill the charge condition, let's you cast a few spells from that domain before it has to be recharged. There's -so- much you can do with that.

[Uncle Pine]

Any sort of build? Sculpt Self. It's like every item creation feat stapled together, but for casters and mundanes alike. It doesn't benefit from cost-reduction shenanigans and you can only "craft magic items" for yourself, but it's a nice way to give otherwise mundane characters access to magical/super-hero abilities without having them explicitly wearing items that solve those issues.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Any sort of build? Sculpt Self. It's like every item creation feat stapled together, but for casters and mundanes alike. It doesn't benefit from cost-reduction shenanigans and you can only "craft magic items" for yourself, but it's a nice way to give otherwise mundane characters access to magical/super-hero abilities without having them explicitly wearing items that solve those issues.

Might be worth mentioning that's Dragon content (I forget which issue) and comes with substantial xp costs.

[Darrin]

Animal Devotion (Complete Champion) is an interesting toolbox to have in your back pocket.

Trickery Devotion (same book) is another feat you can get extremely creative with, particularly after ECL 15.

[Kaleph]

I'd like to use some day the 3.5 update of silver tongueOA, it's a nice combination of flavor- and crunchful features, and it is based on diplomacy, which is a strong option on its own. At least if the table found a non-broken way to actually use diplomacy's mechanics, and doesn't circumvent it through roleplay alone, tho.

The nice options are:

Use diplomacy to inspire a romantic interest in you,
Emulate inspire hope,
Influence an NPC's reaction not only towards you, but also towards other (can you voluntarily fail hard to let friends fight friends? )


The feat can theoretically be also used to debuff enemies, but this usage seems less promising.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Well, if new toys are what you're after...

Ancestral Relic for any Good build. Why getting a magic item that isn't inherently good requires you to be Good is both dumb and insane and is anyone's guess. It's a fantastic, amazing feat for anyone who can get it.

Item Familiar for literally anyone. Not nearly as good as Ancestral Relic, since it's a lot more restrictive, yet it can do things that A.R. can't.

Landlord, also for literally anyone. Note that this is a LOT more flexible than first blush would lead you to believe, since "stronghold" only really has to be some sort of structure, whether it's a plot of land with a keep, a standalone, portable building, or a boat or ship of some kind. And Landlord doesn't require you to use the money you get from it in any particular fashion, so long as it is used for improving your stronghold. This means you can enhance a magic item (that is also a structure of some sort; there are plenty out there) further as a magic item. For instance, a psychoactive skin of proteus allows one to turn into objects, which can also be structures, meaning such a skin can be further enhanced as a magic item you can wear. And Landlord gives you a LOT of money to do it with. Pairs up VERY well with Ancestral Relic, especially.

[liquidformat]

Since I saw it, I've been excited to try Mother Cyst on an evil spellcaster. :) Seems most optimal on a necromancer, but many of the effects revolve around manipulating living targets, so any spellcaster would do.

Mother Cyst on a Fiendbinder is pretty incredibly powerful and gives you a nice army of fiendish minions!

I am also a big fan of Magical Training, it is hard to argue with a feat that makes you a first level wizard, the only thing that would make it better is if it actually stacked with sword of arcane order to so you didn't have to dip wizard to get wizard levels with your ranger/paladin.

Speaking of which sword of arcane order is also a fabulous feat.

[daremetoidareyo]

Spirit sense. It doesn't do anything, you just see the ghost of your kills.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Wild Cohort for an animal companion is quite nice, especially if it's rideable and can fly.

Leadership, of course, for some spellcasting minions, although characters with high Cha scores do better with this (of course). Feel free to get intelligent spellcasting magic items as minions, since they are also constructs (and thus creatures)...

Undead Leadership and Dragon Cohort for minions of the appropriate types.

[Doctor Despair]

Mother Cyst on a Fiendbinder is pretty incredibly powerful and gives you a nice army of fiendish minions!

Definitely seems like a fun way to get strong cyst targets (especially if you can enter early using Bloodlines/Psychic Reformation or something like that)! It seems like some cyst spells should work on undead created using the corpses of creatures that already had cysts in them, too (i.e., Necrotic Awareness, Necrotic Scrying, and the effects of the already-created Necrotic Cyst).


Spirit sense. It doesn't do anything, you just see the ghost of your kills.

I suppose it could gain some real utility with arbitrarily high wisdom scores, but as it is, at least it actually enables people to have "last words." :)

[Tytalus]

This is a great thread!


Similar to Wild Cohort, Obtain Familiar gives you a buddy that can add a lot of fun/creative options.
Shape soulmeld - some say it's "the world in one feat (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?321557-The-World-in-One-Feat-A-Shape-Soulmeld-Handbook)"
Master's Voice (Dragon #354) can offer a lot of creative uses in a construct-heavy campaign

[TheCount]

Ancestral Relic for any Good build. Why getting a magic item that isn't inherently good requires you to be Good is both dumb and insane and is anyone's guess. It's a fantastic, amazing feat for anyone who can get it.


It doesn't need good alignment, it's a general feat, not exalted.

Shape soulmeld. You only get one of them, but it can be incredibly handy.

Same with martial study, as mentioned above with mountain hammer and Shadow jaunt.

Poison healer, if you are confident in your save against poisons, it can be played hilariously.

Edit: ninjaed on shape soulmeld
Edit, the 2nd: yep, just checked the ancestral relic feat online, it really needs good alignment.... I would have sworn it didn't had alignment request though....

[Kaleph]

It doesn't need good alignment, it's a general feat, not exalted.

It's general, but requires "any good alignment".

[MaxiDuRaritry]

It doesn't need good alignment, it's a general feat, not exalted.Umm.............


Prerequisite: Any good alignment, character level 3rd

Aaaaand swordsage'd.

[tyckspoon]

It doesn't need good alignment, it's a general feat, not exalted.


It's not [Exalted], but it does still have 'any good' as a prereq to take, and there doesn't appear to be any real solid fluff or mechanics reason for it - best I could guess is it's just because they printed it in the Book of [Good]. Still an annoying, arbitrary, and fairly pointless alignment restriction, but at least your DM isn't told that they're justified to take it away from you if you ever do something that could potentially be interpreted as evil.

[TheCount]

Yep sorry, on the way home but this tread is too good to pass up.

Another good one is darkstalker if you have good move silently and hide ranks.

On the detection side, Keen-Eared Scout is truly great, able to pinpoint creatures with a listen check and other niceties.

[daremetoidareyo]

Trickery devotion is a solidly fun feat.

[Uncle Pine]

Might be worth mentioning that's Dragon content (I forget which issue) and comes with substantial xp costs.

Dragon #304. As for its costs, I'll grab any one maneuver of 3rd level or lower with no prerequisites for 0 gp and 1,200 xp* any day (stackable, undispellable and with no body slot limits, so if you do it multiple times you can also grab maneuvers and stances with prerequisites): it is more taxative on the xp side, especially if you factor in Magical Artisan and the likes, but you also don't need to satisfy any crafting requirement other than having Sculpt Self and it doesn't cost a penny.

*As per the novice crown of white ravens, or its variants. Price calculated as 3,000 * 2 / 5 = 1,200 xp.

[liquidformat]

This is a great thread!

Shape soulmeld - some say it's "the world in one feat (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?321557-The-World-in-One-Feat-A-Shape-Soulmeld-Handbook)"


Don't you need Open Least (greater) Chakra/ a soulmeld class to actually do anything with this feat?...

[DeTess]

Don't you need Open Least (greater) Chakra/ a soulmeld class to actually do anything with this feat?...

Nope, you don't need open chakras to shape soulmelds (otherwise most incarnum classes can't function at low levels). It also doesn't require anything else to be able to take or use the feat. That's unsurprising as well, as most of the later books with new subsystems came with feats that allowed someone to get a taste of it. Things like martial study and that binding feat spring to mind.

[lylsyly]

Don't you need Open Least (greater) Chakra/ a soulmeld class to actually do anything with this feat?...

Only if you WANT to Bind it to a slot, which has greater benifits.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Don't you need Open Least (greater) Chakra/ a soulmeld class to actually do anything with this feat?...

Not for Shape Soulmeld. There's some controversy surrounding open x chakra.

Every Soulmeld but one does -something- just for being shaped, even if you can't bind it, even if you have no essentia.

[DrMartin]

Dreamtelling can be fun, you get to cast divinations as any character class if you can crank your skill check high enough. Requires a GM willing to play ball of course.

[Troacctid]

Shape Soulmeld (Blink Shirt). Bamf. Also Shape Soulmeld (Lucky Dice) is +1 to attack and damage and all skills and sometimes saves, assuming you don't have anything else to do with your swift actions.

Jungle Veteran effectively makes you immune to surprise and can be taken at level 1. Action Surge gives you an extra standard action in a round. Both of them require action points, but if you're in an Eberron game? They're very strong.

Elusive Dance makes you immune to all attacks of opportunity from one enemy per round. Great value.

Draconic Aura (Vigor) is really nice for healing.

Mercantile Background gives you a surprising amount of extra money.

[Zanos]

Might be worth mentioning that's Dragon content (I forget which issue) and comes with substantial xp costs.
Geez, you weren't kidding. The sample math is to use the cost of a slotless magic item divided by 5. So a +6 enhancement bonus to a stat would cost 14400 xp.

[Doctor Despair]

Elusive Dance makes you immune to all attacks of opportunity from one enemy per round. Great value.


I saw you mention this one in another thread, and I immediately shared it with all my DnD friends. Definitely a great tool to have in your pocket as a mage

[Kalkra]

Geez, you weren't kidding. The sample math is to use the cost of a slotless magic item divided by 5. So a +6 enhancement bonus to a stat would cost 14400 xp.

Yeah, but at-will Color Spray only costs 720 xp, and depending on the character might be more impactful. Or, 1/day Restoration for 4,032 xp, and then you never need to worry about xp again. (Does cost 100 gp a pop, though.)

Also, if you cant stat boosts, you can get one of the +4 enhancement spells permanently for 9,600 xp.

[Afghanistan]

Spirit sense. It doesn't do anything, you just see the ghost of your kills.

Can you ask them questions? Or like what is the limit here? Can I kill someone, diplomacy them, and then just start asking them questions about their friends? If so, that is a really useful feat.


Mercantile Background gives you a surprising amount of extra money.

Mercantile Background is out right insane in a society game. I've heard stories about someone taking this feat, buying most magical items from their fellow players at 60% market price, and then turning around and selling it at 75% market price. They had so much gold, that they eventually started an insurance racket where player's would just have life insurance to be resurrected if the worst occurred. Sounds extremely neat.

[Doctor Despair]

Can you ask them questions? Or like what is the limit here? Can I kill someone, diplomacy them, and then just start asking them questions about their friends? If so, that is a really useful feat.


Diplomacy takes 10 rounds (1 minute), which is longer than some Ghost Senses will last, so it may require a rushed check to diplomacize with them... in which case, you're probably better off doing that before you kill them. :P

Personally, I like the idea of this being granted as a free bonus feat after a near-death experience for flavor, as it's fairly narrow for that reason.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Earth Devotion can be used to automatically interrupt a charge and cause the opponent's turn to be wasted, since you can't charge through difficult terrain but they already spent the action to attempt it.

[Sutr]

Spirit Sense lasts minutes per point of wisdom bonus. I've never gotten into an online game with it. Its one of those feats I've always meant to take but never have had the spare points of wisdom. The better question might be what the bonus to intimidate the creatures dead body grants to intimidate its spirit.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Yeah, but at-will Color Spray only costs 720 xp, and depending on the character might be more impactful. Or, 1/day Restoration for 4,032 xp, and then you never need to worry about xp again. (Does cost 100 gp a pop, though.)

Also, if you cant stat boosts, you can get one of the +4 enhancement spells permanently for 9,600 xp.

Low-level spells fall off pretty quick when their DCs and CL don't scale. At which point, that turns into 720 xp wasted. 9600 xp is a middle level in a character's progression. That's, "I'm almost to level 11 but I'm gonna double the time I've already spent at 10 for +4 strength."

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Shape Soulmeld (Blink Shirt). Bamf. Also Shape Soulmeld (Lucky Dice) is +1 to attack and damage and all skills and sometimes saves, assuming you don't have anything else to do with your swift actions.If you can manage a shoulder bind (which can be done as early as level 7 for a psion), my favorite soulmeld of all time is the shoulders-bound phase cloak. The ability to go ethereal at will just by moving (at half-speed, granted, but you can fly through any non-force barrier or creature in the way) is utterly fantastic.

[ChaosStar]

Not sure if most people agree but getting Foehunter(PGtF) on a Ranger gets you two Favored Enemies at level 1, and my DM said that Foehunter would scale like the regular Favored Enemy does and qualify for Swift Hunter(CS).

[Gavinfoxx]

So I looked at sculpt self... And holy **** it's badly thought out. One feat, and you give yourself any random ability ever? This obsoletes far, far too many interesting parts of the game! Still, I wanna see if someone has managed to houserule it into one of the graft systems somehow. Or just see how insane someone managed to get a L20 Monk with it!

[Troacctid]

So I looked at sculpt self... And holy **** it's badly thought out. One feat, and you give yourself any random ability ever? This obsoletes far, far too many interesting parts of the game! Still, I wanna see if someone has managed to houserule it into one of the graft systems somehow. Or just see how insane someone managed to get a L20 Monk with it!
That's not really what it says. Only 21 prestige race alterations are presented in the article, all of which are pretty fair, and there are guidelines for the DM to create more—not the player.

[TheCount]

Fell conspiracy, from Exemplars of Evil.
Aside from the vermin and dweomer keeper prces, that's the closest I think a player can come to going hivemind, officially.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Fell conspiracy, from Exemplars of Evil.
Aside from the vermin and dweomer keeper prces, that's the closest I think a player can come to going hivemind, officially.Illithid savant can do it, too, as well as some unusual applications of dvati and the split ability that oozes have.

[the_tick_rules]

ancestral relic from book of exalted deeds. up to 380k of magical properties for the taking. its a general feat not an exalted feat so you don't have to have that whole swearing oaths stuff.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

ancestral relic from book of exalted deeds. up to 380k of magical properties for the taking. its a general feat not an exalted feat so you don't have to have that whole swearing oaths stuff.Indeed.


Well, if new toys are what you're after...

Ancestral Relic for any Good build. Why getting a magic item that isn't inherently good requires you to be Good is both dumb and insane and is anyone's guess. It's a fantastic, amazing feat for anyone who can get it.

Item Familiar for literally anyone. Not nearly as good as Ancestral Relic, since it's a lot more restrictive, yet it can do things that A.R. can't.

Landlord, also for literally anyone. Note that this is a LOT more flexible than first blush would lead you to believe, since "stronghold" only really has to be some sort of structure, whether it's a plot of land with a keep, a standalone, portable building, or a boat or ship of some kind. And Landlord doesn't require you to use the money you get from it in any particular fashion, so long as it is used for improving your stronghold. This means you can enhance a magic item (that is also a structure of some sort; there are plenty out there) further as a magic item. For instance, a psychoactive skin of proteus allows one to turn into objects, which can also be structures, meaning such a skin can be further enhanced as a magic item you can wear. And Landlord gives you a LOT of money to do it with. Pairs up VERY well with Ancestral Relic, especially.I think that might've been mentioned once before...

[Kalkra]

That's not really what it says. Only 21 prestige race alterations are presented in the article, all of which are pretty fair, and there are guidelines for the DM to create more—not the player.

In fairness, the ability to at level 1 cast spells of level and CL greater than one makes qualifying for other feats and PrCs a lot easier, even if the spells themselves aren't that great.

[Vizzerdrix]

Animal Friends is a fun little feat.

[Troacctid]

In fairness, the ability to at level 1 cast spells of level and CL greater than one makes qualifying for other feats and PrCs a lot easier, even if the spells themselves aren't that great.
Only two of the listed abilities can be gained at level 1, and neither allows for spellcasting. Meanwhile, if you just need a (Su) ability with a high caster level at ECL 1, Celestial Scion does it a lot better.

[Kalkra]

Only two of the listed abilities can be gained at level 1, and neither allows for spellcasting. Meanwhile, if you just need a (Su) ability with a high caster level at ECL 1, Celestial Scion does it a lot better.

Perhaps I should have been more clear. I was talking about characters who were, say, level 4, and then spend 4k xp, which puts them down to level 1 again. That or they defer leveling up. More of a TO thing, not so much because of the power level, but because of the inconvenience. Although I suppose if you're starting a campaign at a high level, your DM might let you say that you did that and start a level or two lower.

[Troacctid]

Perhaps I should have been more clear. I was talking about characters who were, say, level 4, and then spend 4k xp, which puts them down to level 1 again. That or they defer leveling up. More of a TO thing, not so much because of the power level, but because of the inconvenience. Although I suppose if you're starting a campaign at a high level, your DM might let you say that you did that and start a level or two lower.
You can't pay if the xp cost would drop you a level, so that doesn't work (unless other factors like level drain are in play).

[Kalkra]

You can't pay if the xp cost would drop you a level, so that doesn't work (unless other factors like level drain are in play).

Source for that? I thought it was just for crafting.

[Troacctid]

Source for that? I thought it was just for crafting.
There's probably a general rule buried in the DMG somewhere, but in the example it says you have to be at least level 12 in order to get a prestige race alteration that costs 11,980 xp.

[el minster]

There's probably a general rule buried in the DMG somewhere, but in the example it says you have to be at least level 12 in order to get a prestige race alteration that costs 11,980 xp.

there may technically be no rule for it but aren't you pretty much crafting yourself?

[Kelb_Panthera]

Source for that? I thought it was just for crafting.

Here: (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#components)


XP Cost (XP)
Some powerful spells entail an experience point cost to you. No spell can restore the XP lost in this manner. You cannot spend so much XP that you lose a level, so you cannot cast the spell unless you have enough XP to spare. However, you may, on gaining enough XP to attain a new level, use those XP for casting a spell rather than keeping them and advancing a level. The XP are treated just like a material component—expended when you cast the spell, whether or not the casting succeeds.

Note it's phrased as a general rule and then it's applied to the specific case of xp components for spellcasting. There's reminder text in pretty much every place general xp costs are mentioned elsewhere as well.

[47948201]

DMG aside, the Sculpt Self feat itself says:


You cannot spend the XP for a prestige race alteration if that expenditure would reduce your level.

(Anyway, lots of cool answers in here! Some interesting stuff I'd never heard of, always nice to check things like that out)

[Kalkra]

DMG aside, the Sculpt Self feat itself says:


You cannot spend the XP for a prestige race alteration if that expenditure would reduce your level.

Welp, I feel stupid. TO tricks can still be pulled by letting a wight invade your personal space, but whatever.

[Falontani]

Elemalefic Spellcaster from Dragon Compedium
I positively enjoy Extended Elemalefic Acid Arrows!

[Elkad]

Mentioned already, but I love Obtain Familiar.
Great feat on any character with a lot of arcane caster levels (duskblade, etc). Plus trading away your familiar and buying it back on an actual wizard, so PRCs keep your little buddy's advancement going.

Though I do usually pair it with Improved Familiar, so maybe it's not really standalone.

[Wildstag]

Natural Heavyweight from Planar Handbook was fun on one character I used, basically made it better for Rock Throwing.

Goad is also pretty good when you're not fighting mind-affecting-immune enemies. You can always retrain out of it. Getting basically a Knight's Challenge but out of a feat saves you some of the trouble of going into that class. It's quickly outgrown though.

[Troacctid]

Goad is also pretty good when you're not fighting mind-affecting-immune enemies. You can always retrain out of it. Getting basically a Knight's Challenge but out of a feat saves you some of the trouble of going into that class. It's quickly outgrown though.
If you like Goad, you'll love Master of Mockery (Dragon #333).

[Zaq]

Spirit Sense lasts minutes per point of wisdom bonus. I've never gotten into an online game with it. Its one of those feats I've always meant to take but never have had the spare points of wisdom. The better question might be what the bonus to intimidate the creatures dead body grants to intimidate its spirit.

The problem is that by RAW, Diplomacy and Intimidate wouldn't work on them. "The spirits are not creatures per se and cannot be harmed or affected in any way, magical or otherwise."

So you can't, for example, use Diplomacy to improve their attitude towards you, since that's affecting them in any way.

It's a poorly written feat. It's a lot more fun if you gently houserule around that.

[daremetoidareyo]

The problem is that by RAW, Diplomacy and Intimidate wouldn't work on them. "The spirits are not creatures per se and cannot be harmed or affected in any way, magical or otherwise."

So you can't, for example, use Diplomacy to improve their attitude towards you, since that's affecting them in any way.

It's a poorly written feat. It's a lot more fun if you gently houserule around that.

Zaq is right. But eventually, the DM caves. The spirits are too dilectible a narrative opportunity.

[Doctor Despair]

If you like Goad, you'll love Master of Mockery (Dragon #333).

That's actually pretty stellar. No listed duration is pretty weird, but at best that's until death, or at worst until the end of the encounter, which is pretty wild. One thing that does seem unclear though:



You may, as a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, attempt to enrage a single melee opponent by making a Perform (comedy) check.

Do you think that'd be someone you threaten in melee, someone that threatens you in melee, or someone capable of making a melee attack? If it's the last, then it has no listed range, which is absurd.