Implementing Reserve Feats

[el minster]

How does one use reserve feats effectively?

[Gavinfoxx]

You take the feat and use it? I don't get the question, what's the issue?

[el minster]

You take the feat and use it? I don't get the question, what's the issue?

Like, how do you know when to use a reserve feat and when to cast spells?

[JNAProductions]

Like, how do you know when to use a reserve feat and when to cast spells?

Experience.

[Troacctid]

Like, how do you know when to use a reserve feat and when to cast spells?
Assuming you mean a damaging reserve feat like Fiery Burst: if you think the encounter is going to be really easy such that you don't need to spend spell slots, or if you're cleaning up an encounter after casting a good spell that did enough work that you don't need to cast any more (maybe they're trapped in a solid fog, for instance), or if you're in a situation where the reserve effect's (Su) nature is beneficial (e.g. when you're grappled or silenced or the enemy has spell resistance).

[Thurbane]

It depends.

With the direct damage or de-buff reserve feats, it really depends on the threat level. Low level threats are probably OK to hold onto spells, and use a feat.

Some are highly situational: Aquatic Breath for instance.

There are others that you should be be using at every opportunity, like Minor Shapeshift, or Summon Elemental to have an extra body on hand.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If you can use a reserve feat instead of a spell because the feat's effect is "good enough," then use the feat.

Also, any build actually built around using reserve feats would use them more often. For instance, a rogue/caster or rogue//caster build (such as via Master of the Unseen Hand or similar), or a swordsage/caster build that uses sneak attack to boost damage on reserve feats would use them far more frequently.

Feats such as Summon Elemental would be useful outside of combat constantly, especially when near sources of the element in question. An earth elemental in a cave, for instance, makes a fantastic scout if you know Terran so you can speak with it, since it can merge with the floors, walls, and ceilings to peek through and report back to you.

So give some thought to which feats are useful when, then use them whenever a spell isn't needed to do the job.

[Zanos]

You use the reserve feat when you would normally say "It's my turn? I guess I fire my crossbow."

[el minster]

So are they useful?

[JNAProductions]

So are they useful?

It depends.

Is your table nothing but Pun-Pun? No, they're garbage.
Is your table ready to call shenanigans on a Fighter who uses two hands with Power Attack? They're probably too good.

[Troacctid]

So are they useful?
Which one? You really have to be more specific. Fiery Burst is great. Blade of Force is okay. Hurricane Breath is useless.

[el minster]

Oh, did anyone write a guide for them