Underappreciated First Party Feat

[SangoProduction]

Extreme Mood Swings:
Benefit(s): Increase each morale bonus you receive by 1. You take a -1 penalty on saves against emotion and fear effects.

When you are drunk (or worse), this penalty doubles, but you increase each morale bonus you receive by 2 instead.

Obviously, you first need a source of morale bonuses (like from SoP's Mind or War). And you'd definitely prefer to be have a penalty-free drunkenness (like from Sphere of Might's Barroom).

But man, have you ever seen a single feat that can potentially add +1 to literally everything you roll?

[Palanan]

It might help to clarify this is Pathfinder rather than 3.5, a fairly obscure feat (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/extreme-mood-swings/) from Inner Sea Taverns.

I'd never heard of it before, and don't have that book, but given the title I assume there's some connection with Cayden Cailean.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Since fear- and emotion-based effects are virtually all [mind-affecting], having constant access to immunities thereof can completely wipe out the negatives from this feat. Also immunity to poisons -- or at least to the negative portions of them.

[edit] Are there any sources of morale bonuses to ability scores?

[icefractal]

Are there any sources of morale bonuses to ability scores?Rage, of course. Other than that, I can't think of any (in Pathfinder).

Interesting feat, especially when drunk. That would put the (Paizo only) apex at +7 morale to most rolls, from Greater Heroism (or Ascendant/Mythic Heroism) with Encouraging Spell and this feat.

There's no maximum with Spheres, but effectively +10 CL for those bonuses is still pretty sweet.

[Xei_Win_Toh]

Are there any sources of morale bonuses to ability scores?

Barbarian (and Bloodrager) Rage gives morale bonuses, doesn't it?


It's also worth mentioning the Imperious sorcerer bloodline; the 3rd-level bloodline power also increases morale (and later competence) bonuses.

[SangoProduction]

Having immunity to poisons might mean you can't get drunk. At least outside of SoM. So it's risky to do that without GM preapproval.

But yeah. Immunity to mind affecting means there's literally no penalty. So long as your morale bonus thing isn't coming from a mind-affecting effect.


Barbarian (and Bloodrager) Rage gives morale bonuses, doesn't it?


It's also worth mentioning the Imperious sorcerer bloodline; the 3rd-level bloodline power also increases morale (and later competence) bonuses.

They do indeed.


Rage, of course. Other than that, I can't think of any (in Pathfinder).

Interesting feat, especially when drunk. That would put the (Paizo only) apex at +7 morale to most rolls, from Greater Heroism (or Ascendant/Mythic Heroism) with Encouraging Spell and this feat.

There's no maximum with Spheres, but effectively +10 CL for those bonuses is still pretty sweet.

Where are you getting that +10 CL from?

[icefractal]

Where are you getting that +10 CL from?Not literally +10, just that if you're using Courage, it's +1/5 CL, so +2 is effectively +10 CL of effect.

[SangoProduction]

Ah, yes. Increasing the effect as though you had +10 CL in the mind sphere, for the purposes of being affected by that. Yes. OK, that makes sense.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

They're 3e, but snowsong (Frostburn) gives a +4 morale bonus to Cha, and elation (Book of Exalted Deeds) grants +2 morale bonuses to both Str and Dex.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Definitely an interesting alternative to Shape Soulmeld (Lucky Dice)... which is 3.5 anyway, so you probably don't have access to both regardless. Extreme Mood Swings is potentially stronger because it can apply to ability scores and doesn't eat a swift action, but requires more set-up and has drawbacks as well. Seems about right from a balance perspective.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Definitely an interesting alternative to Shape Soulmeld (Lucky Dice)... which is 3.5 anyway, so you probably don't have access to both regardless. Extreme Mood Swings is potentially stronger because it can apply to ability scores and doesn't eat a swift action, but requires more set-up and has drawbacks as well. Seems about right from a balance perspective.Unfortunately, lucky dice sucks horribly; the only way I'd take it would be if it were 100% free. The feat is way, way, way better.

[SangoProduction]

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo-rage-powers/liquid-courage-ex
Liquid Courage costs a Rage Power, but it does more than negate the penalty, so long as you are downing drinks while raging. May be a little difficult.

Then again, so would Iron Will, and doesn't require drinking while raging. And the feat itself already negates itself by boosting the will save boost from raging.

A Rogue with Mein of Despair rogue talent is potentially able to negate all morale bonuses. And I do find it absolutely beyond hilarious to have Mr. Edgelord look the wrong way at the raging barbarian, hyped up alcohol, and suddenly "Eh. It's not fun any more."

Encouraging Spell increases morale bonuses granted by the empowered spell by +1.

[Kitsuneymg]

Ah, yes. Increasing the effect as though you had +10 CL in the mind sphere, for the purposes of being affected by that. Yes. OK, that makes sense.

Community minded + war’s empower rally + the new favored metamagic (encouraging spell) feat on an imperious sorcerer or incanter and barroom should make it simple to spend 2 spell points to get +8 to attack, ac, saves, spell penetration, and concentration checks for 3 rounds. That new inheritor sorcerer seems like it could make amazing use of this as a primary combat approach.

With mass rally or mass command it’s 3 sp for the whole party to play.

Edit: pop on fascinated by the mundane for yet another increase.

And heck. Why not. VMC bard so that your inspire courage (a competence bonus to hit and damage) to make use of your 9th level ability. And just because fates favored and the base fate sphere stuff.

[TiaC]

I put this on a Skald once. Boosting Inspired Rage and the Greater Heroism of a Karyukai Tea Set (https://aonprd.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Karyukai%20Tea %20Set) was pretty nice, and the increase in Rage also improved Skald's Vigor. I got around the drunkenness with the Drunkard's Sash veil, but that's not 1st party.

[Seerow]

While you're at it, don't forget Fate's Favored. Does the same thing, except to Luck bonuses, and as a trait instead of a feat and without the drawbacks.

[Calthropstu]

So standing next to a paladin (+4 morale bonus against fear) the feat eliminates its own drawback?

[SangoProduction]

So standing next to a paladin (+4 morale bonus against fear) the feat eliminates its own drawback?

With regards to fear, yes.