Favorite class feature?

[Zarvistic]

Just out of curiosity, what single class feature do you like the most? Base, acf or from a prestige class.

I like Immediate Magic the most. Cool options, even if abrupt jaunt is more powerful, easy to dip for or to get at a low level and I love playing higher int characters anyway.

[Quertus]

Spells :smalltongue:

Other than that? Hmmm…

I'm a fan of Devoted Defender, and their various abilities to prevent harm from befalling others.

Command Undead ("Rebuke") is also high on my list.

But the Illithid Savant ability to pick and choose new abilities is just too cool not to win out here. It's "point buy - the class" :smallcool:

[Psyren]

"Aligned Class" from the PF Evangelist. (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/e-h/evangelist/) A lot more prestige classes could benefit from an ability that lets you continue your base class progression with only a slight delay and other tradeoffs, rather than giving it up entirely.

[Rater202]

Eldritch blast. Or invocations.

3.5 Warlock might not be the most optimal class or the strongest spellcasters but being able to reliable work whatever magic you know at will seems like the best option, in-universe, if you have a choice.

Particularly since Warlocks in 3.5 aren't obligated to have made a pact and aren't obligated to hold up their end of the bargain if they did, the way the classes are presented.

Honestly, the Warlock's various class features feel more "magic" to me than Wizards or even sorcerers. I'm of two minds on magic: It either needs to be rtual or it needs to be something that you learn how to do it and then you can just, you know, do it. Wizard plays more like someone who builds single-use gadgets ahead of time.

[newguydude1]

supernatural spell. so must utility.
its undispellable. that is huge.
it makes spells free. that is also huge
oh how i wish dweomerkeeper was in complete divine instead of as a web enhancement.

[Darg]

The 3.0 Shifter's everlasting form is is my favorite. I've always been partial to shapechanging. The biggest disappointment for me with the MoMF's update to the feature is the loss of the at will shifting. I simply ignore that change.

[Kelb_Panthera]

As a class of features; meldshaping and its attendant sub features essentia and chakra binding are just a blast for me.

For just a single feature; the spymaster's deep cover feature does what it does better than literally any other way of doing it. If you're into cloak and dagger, it basically can't be beat.

[CMagnum]

I haven't played as it, but in a campaign I am DMing currently one of the players is a battle sorcerer/?(I forget)/swiftblade9, and I am really loving and hating :smallbiggrin: at the same time the swiftblade. The swiftblade gets some really cool flavor as well as some potent abilities. Right now they get a free extra move or standard action while under the influence of their own haste (which is constant during battles at this point)! Another cool thing is they can run on water! And next level they hit he gets a one round time stop when casting haste! Some very nice features in a very cool class!

[Firebug]

For Pathfinder: Animal Focus (https://aonprd.com/HunterAnimalFocus.aspx) with the Planar Focus (https://aonprd.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Planar%20Focus) feat. Basically, on demand feather fall/levitate, retributive cold damage (1d4/2 levels), burrow, 1d6/4 levels fire damage on all melee, bonus to a lot of skills, swim speed & breath water, evasion, darkvision, 2/4/6 enhancement to physical ability scores, or scent. Nominally, only minute per level... unless you don't have an animal companion. So much utility for a single class feature and a feat.

3.5, Spellthief's Steal Spell.

[Quertus]

3.5, Spellthief's Steal Spell.

Lol! I had just returned to this thread to comment that, of things *other* people played, Spellthief's Steal Spell seemed the most fun from my secondhand experience. :smallbiggrin:

[malloc]

Incantatrix's Cooperative Spellcaster is definitely up near the top of the list. I was going to run a no-spell Incantatrix in a friend's game, using the Spellthief's spell stealing to qualify as being able to cast 3rd level arcane spells, and the ACF that trades out native spellcasting. Related, Spellthief is also awesome.

I'd have to hit some of the PrC lists to give a definitive answer. There are an AWFUL lot of terrible PrCs that have 1-2 really cool elements but are so bad that they'll rarely see play. There are some real gems hidden in those classes, so I'm really interested to see what people dig up.

[Gruftzwerg]

"Drink like a Demon" !!!
Drunken Master gives this uber-ability which lets you win all drinking contests! Become the greatest drinker of all time! And believe me, this abilities RP options are totally underrated. Take any opportunity to talk others into drinking contests to solve your conflicts! ^^



Eldritch blast. Or invocations.

3.5 Warlock might not be the most optimal class or the strongest spellcasters but being able to reliable work whatever magic you know at will seems like the best option, in-universe, if you have a choice.

Particularly since Warlocks in 3.5 aren't obligated to have made a pact and aren't obligated to hold up their end of the bargain if they did, the way the classes are presented.

Honestly, the Warlock's various class features feel more "magic" to me than Wizards or even sorcerers. I'm of two minds on magic: It either needs to be rtual or it needs to be something that you learn how to do it and then you can just, you know, do it. Wizard plays more like someone who builds single-use gadgets ahead of time.
Yeah, warlock abilities are all awesome! Most "superheros/-villains" can be build with em. Be it Marvel or DC, most of em are warlocks. If i look at the naruto franchise I can easily fit half of the cast into warlock builds.
I want to mention "Flee the Scene" here the most. It resembles the "substitution jutsu" very well and is imho a first class deception/escape tool. Can also be used to set up sneak attacks or be abused for a shadow pounce build. And finally this ability turns you into an uber-thief. No doors/buildings are safe from you. Enter any leave any building/room you wish. take you teammates with you. And don't forget to pick up all the loot laying around EVERYWHERE!^^ Finally it can also be used as support tool to reposition your teammates (e.g. ubercharger needs a clear path, squishy teammate got stuck into melee combat or is otherwise exposing himself to danger.

[ManicOppressive]

I love the class features from Cataclysm Mage, mostly for the hilariously over the top flavor text. Cataclysm of Flesh in particular.

Other classes: "You turn a group of creatures' bodies into hideous abominations that can't move. They cannot hold objects and gain a -4 penalty to hit, as well as a 50% miss chance. Blah blah blah"

Cataclysm Mage: "You TEAR a HOLE in the FABRIC of the planes and let the MADNESS OF XORIAT corrupt ALL that it TOUCHES. Everyone must save or be touched by the lemon rains and M I N D L E S S :smalleek: S T A R W O R M S of the REALM OF MADNESS. Yeah, you get a miss chance, and I'm gonna tell you why: It's because your EYES are now SPONGY YOLKS. You can move at 10 ft per round with GELATINOUS PSEUDOPODS."

I love it. Utterly crazy-sauce the whole way through.

[remetagross]

@ManicOppressive looked up that Cataclysm Mage class. I chuckled ^^

Mine is the "Tools of the Trade" feature of the Shade Hunter class. It lets you, once per day, pop out any nonmagical item of your choice other that a weapon or an armor of a cost less that your class level x10 gp. It is the ultimate "I just so happen to have the exact device we need at the moment" class feature, and I LOVE playing characters thay carry an absurd amount of various mundane stuff just to be able to do that.

[Particle_Man]

I like the Crusader's random Maneuver recovery mechanic, perhaps for reasons similar to why I like the Warlock invocations. It is nice to have something always to hand.

[Elves]

Out of the core class features my favorite is sneak attack. In a very concise way it creates an entire, thematically appropriate, playstyle for the class while also guiding them into the intended combat styles (TWF or archery, in core).

[loky1109]

Dragon Shaman's breath weapon and draconic auras.

[newguydude1]

non powergaming class feature for me is elemental perfection from elemental savant.

all it does is change your type to elemental and give you a elemental-like appearance, like pebbly skin or gems for eyes.

but the result is immortality, eternal youth, and i can look like a robot by saying my skin becomes smooth white stone and my eyes become smooth sapphire.

mechanically the prc kills 2 of your spellcasting levels so its def not worth the cost but sometimes roleplay is more important than power gaming.

[Wildstag]

With many of my characters being shapeshifters, Morphic Immunities is just really amazing. In fact, the whole Warshaper 1-4 kit is just the coolest things ever.

Honorable Mention goes to Impetuous Endurance off the Knight. It would be my favorite if it was actually from a usable and decent class, but the idea of a capstone being "never fail saves on a 1 again" is just amazing. Even better that it's an (ex) ability.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Illithid savant's ability to say, "B***h, I eat people!" and mean it! But only if you get access to creatures with the abilities you want to eat. Or at least the opportunity to hunt them down. Most of the tables I've played at gave absolutely no downtime to speak of, and those that did, the DMs were so strict about limiting what everyone could do that the ability would be pretty well useless.

That, or the psion's manifesting. Manifesting is always useful, especially if you're a shaper psion.

[high speed]

skirmish, bardic music, and eldritch blast

[Jazath]

Well, played an aboleth once. When I finally got up to level four (Then five) I got a very cool ability.

True Enslave (Su): Beginning at 4th level, a savant aboleth's enslave ability grows much more powerful. An enslaved creature can no longer make a new Will saving throw each day to break free from the enslavement; the condition is permanent until successfully dispelled. Additionally, the enslavement lasts no matter how far the savant aboleth moves from its slave.Slaves on a different plane remain enslaved, but the savant aboleth cannot communicate with them telepathically until they return to the same plane.
Oh it was very beautiful indeed~

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Well, the easy answer is a class feature that gives you access to a full subsystem, like meldshaping, invocations, or maneuvers. Feels kinda cheap, though.

So unless and until I come up with a better one, I'll go with Greater Master of Terror. Once you get this far into the Dread Witch prestige class, nothing is immune to your fear spells anymore. Paladins, undead, freaking plants... all will now know what it is to feel terror, terror of you.

[Doctor Despair]

Well, the easy answer is a class feature that gives you access to a full subsystem, like meldshaping, invocations, or maneuvers. Feels kinda cheap, though.

So unless and until I come up with a better one, I'll go with Greater Master of Terror. Once you get this far into the Dread Witch prestige class, nothing is immune to your fear spells anymore. Paladins, undead, freaking plants... all will now know what it is to feel terror, terror of you.

Sadly, iirc immunity to mind-affecting still blocks most fear effects by RAW, so it only really helps against narrower abilities that specifically grant immunity to fear. I don't think that's really the RAI of the ability, to be fair

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Sadly, iirc immunity to mind-affecting still blocks most fear effects by RAW, so it only really helps against narrower abilities that specifically grant immunity to fear. I don't think that's really the RAI of the ability, to be fair

Can't hear you, lalalala!

Yeah, I tend to appeal to RAI for that one. Sad, but true.

[Darg]

Can't hear you, lalalala!

Yeah, I tend to appeal to RAI for that one. Sad, but true.

RAI would also have the mindless still be immune. Unlike turning, which is a rout, mindless aren't immune because they have immunity. They are immune because there is nothing to enact fear.

But I do agree that it does bypass immunity to mind affecting. It would be like if a creature had immunity to energy damage and you couldn't use searing spell to bypass the immunity.