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TempusCCK
2008-02-10, 03:15 PM
This is a list of feats designed for the Fighter and other melee classes based off of the Players Handbook II's Combat Form feats. To make it a little more useful and in actual practice, I've edited the Combat Focus feat.

Combat Focus [Combat Form]-

Prerequisite- Wisdom 15

Benefit- For a 10 rounds per usage +1 Round for Each additional combat form feat you have, you can maintain a state of constant focus in combat. You get a +2 bonus to Will Saves while maintaining your Combat Focus, as well, you learn to push your body beyond it’s normal limits, and it reacts more quickly to your minds commands, your effective attack rating and Dexterity Scores increase by 2.

You can go into your Combat Focus a number of times per day equal to 1 for every 4 levels + your Wisdom Modifier.

Special- A Fighter may choose this as one of his Bonus Feats.

Combat Reactions [Combat Form]-

Prerequisite- Wisdom 15, Combat Focus, +6 Base Attack Bonus or Two Weapon Fighting

Your mental clarity is so much that in combat your body reacts almost before your mind.

Benefit- While maintaining your combat focus, you gain your wisdom modifier as a bonus to Reflex saves. As well, whenever you fight defensively or take at least a -2 penalty with the Combat Expertise Feat and successfully parry or avoid an enemies attack, you can make an additional or off-hand attack and gain a +3 bonus to hit and +1 damage due to your superior ability to react to your opponents opening.

Special- A Fighter may choose this as one of his Bonus Feats.

Combat Perception [Combat Form]-

Prerequisite- Wisdom 15, Combat Focus, Spot 1 Rank, Listen 1 Rank

Benefit- While maintaining your Combat Focus, you gain a + 2 bonus to Spot and Listen skill checks to hear or spot enemies in the middle of combat, as well as +2 to checks to recognize a feint being used against you.

Special- If you have 3 or more Combat Form Feats, the bonus increases to +3
A Fighter may choose this as one of his Bonus Feats.

Combat Defenses [Combat Form]-

Prerequisite- Wisdom 15, Combat Focus, Combat Reactions, Combat Expertise, Base Attack Bonus +6

Benefit- While maintaining your Combat Focus and fighting defensively, or when using your Combat Expertise Feat, you may take away any number from your base attack bonus and add that amount to your Armor Class. As well, for the duration of your Combat Focus, you gain a +1 bonus to your armor class.

Normal- You may only add 5 to your armor class with the Combat Expertise Feat.

Special- If you have three or more Combat Form Feats, the bonus increases to +3.
A Fighter may choose this as one of his Bonus Feats.

Combat Resilience [Combat Form]-

Prerequisite- Wisdom 15, Constitution 15, Combat Focus, Fighter Level 1

Benefit- When in Combat Focus, you gain the ability to shuffle away pain, ignore minor blows, and other bodily harming effects for the duration of your Combat Focus. You gain your Wisdom modifier as a bonus on Fortitude saves. As well you now have a “pool” of points equal to your constitution modifier +1 for each level. When you take damage, you can ignore the effects of a number of points of damage equal to the number in your “pool.” When the Combat Focus ends, the amount of damage you’ve put into your pool using Combat Vigor comes into effect as if you had taken it normally. If, when you suffer the effects of the damage at the end of your combat Focus, the extra damage would put you at -10 hitpoints, you may make a Fortitude Save with a DC 30 -1 for every point above -20 hit points, to instead be at -1 For example: if you have a 30 point pool that is full and are reduced to 20 points, and your Combat Focus ends, you can make a DC 20 Fortitude Save to negate 9 points of the damage and go to -1.

Special- Form every extra Combat Form feat you have, you get a -1 to the DC for your save to negate damage. These points per level are not retroactive.
A Fighter may choose this as one of his Bonus Feats.

Combat Quickening [Combat Form]-

Prerequisite- Wisdom 15, Combat Focus, Weapon Specialization

Benefit- Choose a weapon with which you have the Weapon Specialization feat, and when in your Combat Focus and using that weapon, you can make an extra attack per round at your highest attack bonus

Special- You may choose this feat multiple times, each time you do, you select a new weapon with which you have the Weapon Specialization Feat.
A Fighter may choose this as one of his Bonus Feats.

TempusCCK
2008-02-11, 01:01 PM
<Reserved for playtesting report.>

Also- Someone freaking critique this.

Caracol
2008-02-11, 01:50 PM
Really, really good. I don't know the combat forms from the PH2, but these are just nice. An application of Wisdom for fighters and defenately a good flavor for fighters.
Now for the critics:
Combat Focus: Good, but take out the Dex bonus. A prerequiste feat for other feats should not give too much bonuses. Also, since this looks like a lesser version of Barbarian's rage intended for fighters, but with no drawbacks, make it a condition that could be breaked under certain situation (too much damage taken, a failed save against a spell....)
The other ones are all good in taste and realization, except for Combat quickening. Way too much powerful. Change it or just delete it.

I'm homebrewing fighters and fighter's feats too at the moment, and I couldn't help but notice that a fighting style based on this feats would be awesome, and I would like to see you doing it. Give it a look, the link is in my signature.
Good job anyway.

TempusCCK
2008-02-11, 02:07 PM
Actually, I really like the plus 2 to dexterity, none of these feats are supposed to be stand alone or suck alone, and if it just adds +2 to Will Saves, it's like taking a Iron Will that chains on to other combat feats, which makes no sense.

This Focus is supposed to accelerate the fighter to a level where he, through his mental discipline, becomes better than what he is. He's going to act more quickly and his body is going to respond faster, that's a definate Dex increase.

As for the Rage part, it's not really supposed to be a "lesser rage" but its' definately comparable, but look this way, most fighters are going to be able to do this at least 3 times a day, maybe more, as soon as they take it, however, the bonuses are much less, Barbarians get a bonus to Will Saves, extra strength (which adds to damage and attack rolls) and Constitution (more hitpoints is INCREDIBLY useful).

What does a fighter with Focus get, a little bonus to Will saves, +2 to hit, and a Dex bonus, and they have to burn a feat.

A smart Barbarian that takes "Extra Rage" is going to be able to do more, more times a day.

As for the Quickening, I really like that as well, a feat for one additional attack per round, the monk can do that four times (with less BAB) way before the Fighter has access to this feat. This is not too powerful at all, especially looking at how good CoDzilla or a Wizard can be.

Sam Panda
2008-02-11, 05:07 PM
I agree with Caracol, Combat Focus and Combat Quickening are too powerful to me.

Combat Focus has a duration of 10 rounds +1 for each additional combat form feat. +2 will saves, and then +2 dexterity and +2 strength? Thats +1 damage (if on a 1h weapon), +1 to hit, +1 to AC, +1 to reflex saves, and more, for one feat.

Now you may say, it has a limited number of uses per day. This is true, but its 1 per 4 levels + your wisdom modifier, which means if you got this early on and had the prerequisite 15 wisdom, you'd be able to use it about 3 times per day.

That may not seem like a lot to you, but given its 10 round duration, it basically means you are vastly improved for at least 3 encounters in the day, which in my experience.. at low levels.. thats almost all the encounters of the whole day.

If you compare the bonuses from Combat Focus to, say.. Weapon Focus, Weapon focus adds +1 to hit with a selected weapon. Combat Focus adds +1 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 to AC, +1 to reflex saves, and +2 to will saves.


Combat Quickening, imo, should not be at your highest base attack bonus. It should be at your lowest base attack bonus. Seriously though, you could have this feat at level 2 (level 1 if flaws are allowed). And have 2 attacks with highest base attack bonus. It'd be ridiculous, I think.


I feel that Combat Perception is a little underpowered. Maybe it should add a +1 insight bonus to AC, or Insight bonus to something that is related to perception but not just a skill?

TempusCCK
2008-02-11, 08:22 PM
Actually, the Focus doesn't add to Strength, it adds to hit. So you're slightly more accurate, not more powerful.

So you get, +2 to hit, +1 AC, +1 on Reflex saves, and +2 on Will saves.

A Barbarians rage nets +2 to hit and damage and +2 hitpoints per Hit Die, +2 to Fortitude saves and bonus to Will saves, it's almost the same except he doesn't get the moderate bonus to AC and he gets more damage and a better bonus on two of his saves. And, the amount of times he can do it per day scales much better than the focus does.

The Quickening actually has the prerequisite of Weapon Specialization, which requires Fighter level 4. Most people consider Weapon Specialization a bad choice for a feat anyway, another attack isn't really that overpowering. As I said, the Monk gets this more times a day with less BAB 3 levels earlier. Not only do you need Weapon specialization, but for Weapon Specialization, you need Weapon Focus, that's "burning" three feats for an extra attack.

Let's not forget, that Wis 15 is a steep hit for a fighter on point buy, he's taking away from STR CON or DEX to do this, and he's burning a feat to make him slightly less capable than the raging Barbarian but more capable than other fighters.

These feats make no pretense of being balanced with other fighter feats, in fact they are designed to be much better than the standard feats, they do, however, give the fighter something of a bonus to make him comparable with other classes. Even so, as we can clearly see, it's still no rage. Extra Hitpoints are pretty freaking nice, and even if his armor allows him the extra bonus to AC from Dex, it's not really that much compared to a first level Wizard being able to say "Shield!" and get a +4 to armor class, or hell, even "Haste!" and getting an extra attack at later levels.

Caracol
2008-02-12, 03:33 AM
Actually, the Focus doesn't add to Strength, it adds to hit. So you're slightly more accurate, not more powerful.

So you get, +2 to hit, +1 AC, +1 on Reflex saves, and +2 on Will saves.

A Barbarians rage nets +2 to hit and damage and +2 hitpoints per Hit Die, +2 to Fortitude saves and bonus to Will saves, it's almost the same except he doesn't get the moderate bonus to AC and he gets more damage and a better bonus on two of his saves. And, the amount of times he can do it per day scales much better than the focus does.

You're forgetting that a Barbarian relies on his Rage ability, but only on his rage ability. Yes, it's powerful and useful, but does he got something else? Only trapsense and a lesser damage reduction. Rage it's his specific class ability, it's obvious that it's powerful, it doesn't have anything else!
What does a fighter got istead? No ability good as rage, at least at first level, but he got TONS of feat as he raise his level. And most of feat trees can make you do stuff a barbarian can't even try.
So, you can't make a feat this powerful, because that would be like a class-ability for a class that gets a feat almost at every level.
Also, remember that even Rage has his drawbacks. Your AC goes down, and once it's finished you're fatigued. Your feat, istead, has none of this drawbacks. So, it's defenately too powerful.



The Quickening actually has the prerequisite of Weapon Specialization, which requires Fighter level 4. Most people consider Weapon Specialization a bad choice for a feat anyway, another attack isn't really that overpowering. As I said, the Monk gets this more times a day with less BAB 3 levels earlier. Not only do you need Weapon specialization, but for Weapon Specialization, you need Weapon Focus, that's "burning" three feats for an extra attack.

Weapon Specialization is a must have in my opinion. You don't "burn" three feats, most fighters take this feats anyway.
But the problem is that if you do like this, you get 2 attacks (BAB +4/+4) at level 4, and 3 attacks at level 6 (+6/+6/+1). What makes a fighter is the number of attacks that he can do. In this way you almost get the attacks you would have at level 11, 5 levels before..
The Monk is not a good example because that is a specific class ability for them (same as above).
Sorry, but an addititional attack at low levels without even magic involved, it's broken.


Let's not forget, that Wis 15 is a steep hit for a fighter on point buy, he's taking away from STR CON or DEX to do this, and he's burning a feat to make him slightly less capable than the raging Barbarian but more capable than other fighters.
The Wis requisite gives this fighter more flavor and stuff. Of course you have to sacrifice a bit of the others "fighting" stats, but that little feat you're "burning" seems underpowered, but actually at higher level you can use it to be better than Barbarians and other Fighter tanks to the extra attack, and with the other fighter feats to be choosed and used too.



These feats make no pretense of being balanced with other fighter feats, in fact they are designed to be much better than the standard feats, they do, however, give the fighter something of a bonus to make him comparable with other classes. Even so, as we can clearly see, it's still no rage. Extra Hitpoints are pretty freaking nice, and even if his armor allows him the extra bonus to AC from Dex, it's not really that much compared to a first level Wizard being able to say "Shield!" and get a +4 to armor class, or hell, even "Haste!" and getting an extra attack at later levels.

First: the Fighter is well balanced with the other classes, ALL the classes are balanced. The whole "XXX is underpowered, CoDzillas can beats everything, if you optimize this and this...." is not true, because everything has its values and its flaws. Sure there are methods to become "umbeatable" (and that's not even true) but leave them to powerplayers.
Anyway a fighter is balanced and better to other classes in melee fighting, in my opinion. If you want to make feats specifically overpowered you must make them class ability, or give restrictions to their uses, or don't let the character take other feats if he chooses these. If you want to mess up with the regular force balance, you must put some drawbacks too.

TempusCCK
2008-02-12, 09:33 AM
There's nothing stating that the Barbarian or Monk or Ranger cannot be privvy to the neatness of these feats as well as the fighter, except for the Extra Attack in a round, which requires exceptional training with a particular weapon.

That being said, I respect your difference of opinion. I don't necessarily agree with your underestimatation of what a Cleric can do to become a melee master of the game, because Bull Strength, Cat's Grace, and Bears Endurance all last for 30 rounds the first time you get them, and he can do it multiple times a day as well, and then you start adding on Righteous Might, Divine Favor... well, things start stacking, and these are all just basic core spells you find right in the list.

But, I wrote these feats for everyone, not just for optimizers or unoptimizers, if you wish to use and them and change them, be my guest, do not allow the extra attack per round if you do not like it. As you can see, there's a spot reserved for my playtesting report which I will be comparing these feats in use with Barbarians, Rangers, Clerics etc. etc. And you can see it when it comes back in some time.

Just because I'm a firm believer that someone with exceptional weapons training should be able to attack more than your wild, foaming at the mouth barbarian in a 6 second time frame without the help of magic doesn't necessarily mean everyone is.

Oh, and I've been meaning to tell you where to find that Extra Rage Feat, it's in the Complete Warrior, and allows Barbarians to Rage two additional times a day, so, that'd be 3 times a day at level 1.



I feel that Combat Perception is a little underpowered. Maybe it should add a +1 insight bonus to AC, or Insight bonus to something that is related to perception but not just a skill?

I've been meaning to reply to you on this one, I'm sorry I haven't. I was perhaps thinking that you could maybe add your Wisdom modifier as a bonus to Initiative checks, because you are seeing and processing what is happening faster than the rest, so you are more quick on the punch than others.