Combat Focus Feats from PHB II worth it ? (3.5)

[Grifthin]

Hello all - are any of the combat focus feats from PHB 2 worth it ? I was considering using some for a defense orientated Dragon Shaman I'm building.

I was thinking that Combat vigor with 2 other Combat focus Feats grants fast healing 4, Dragon shaman lvl 20 grants Fast healing 5 with vigor aura. Combine with double Aura feat for Toughness to Get DR5. Would you be able to take punishment effectively or not really ?

[Grumman]

Instead of using Dragon Shaman, I'd use some race with the Dragonblooded subtype and the Draconic Aura feat. This lets you pick another class (like Crusader / Hellreaver / Binder).

[magic9mushroom]

If you're going to get Combat Focus feats, get them all. They get better and better the more you have.

The other kind of feats that do that are the Abyssal Heritor feats. The key difference is that there are a lot more Abyssal Heritor feats, meaning they can get insanely powerful, especially if you have a handy source of bonus feats.

[Boci]

If you're going to get Combat Focus feats, get them all. They get better and better the more you have.

Not really, you only need 3 of them, they do not improve after that. So thats a minimum combat focus and two others. Combat defense probably is not worth it, so the two most likely options are combat stability and combat vigour. 3 feats for +4 to will saves, +8 to resist special attack options and fast healing 4 in any combat that last less than 13 rounds, so healing up to 52 hitpoints. Maybe throw in combat awareness for blindsight 5ft, although I'm not too sure thats worth it. By the time you meet the preqs for combat strike, there are probably better feats available.

EDIT: Do seperate fast healing sources stack or just overlap?

[Runestar]

EDIT: Do seperate fast healing sources stack or just overlap?

They should stack so long as they are from different sources. But fast healing is really only useful outside of combat, IMO. You likely need a huge amount if you want it to be of any use during combat (eg: making the difference between life and death).

[Boci]

They should stack so long as they are from different sources. But fast healing is really only useful outside of combat, IMO. You likely need a huge amount if you want it to be of any use during combat (eg: making the difference between life and death).

True. Short of abuse combat vigour won't help that much (I'm in combat with that rabbit), still, even during combat, fast healing 4 is better then nothing.

[Darrin]

Instead of using Dragon Shaman, I'd use some race with the Dragonblooded subtype and the Draconic Aura feat. This lets you pick another class (like Crusader / Hellreaver / Binder).

Good advice, but by RAW "Draconic Aura" only applies to those auras explictly listed on pages 86-87 in Dragon Magic, which does not include the Vigor aura. Ask the DM if he'll allow other draconic auras (or even marshal auras) to be available via the Draconic Aura feat.

[Grifthin]

Great stuff - I was mainly thinking of going VERY high Ac, miss chances, health regen etc then using my breath weapon + fly to support the party.

[Boci]

Great stuff - I was mainly thinking of going VERY high Ac, miss chances, health regen etc then using my breath weapon + fly to support the party.

You have heard of entangling exhaltation right?

[Person_Man]

Great stuff - I was mainly thinking of going VERY high Ac, miss chances, health regen etc then using my breath weapon + fly to support the party.

Then you sir are looking for a Totemist or a Dragonfire Adept.

[Deepblue706]

Combat Focus is mediocre. Basically Iron Will until you get two other Combat Form feats, but you can take it as a Fighter feat, which is great because then you can use your normal feat for something better. Sadly you don't benefit from that, but it gets better so at least you have to look forward to.

I like Combat Stability a lot because of the huge defensive bonuses you get - it can help a Fighter at least not be nullified by other warriors so easily. It'll help you too, of course, so long as you have to deal with melee opponents who use special attacks.

Combat Defense is nice under special circumstances. It's a solid "newbie" feat for Fighters, but there is so much more you could be taking instead. However, if you have other means to exploit the Dodge feat (Defensive Throw, Elusive Target) it could turn out to be very nice.

I like fast healing, so naturally I like Combat Vigor. While it doesn't give a significant amount of HP, you don't have to do anything to activate it apart from being in a fight. And, over a few rounds you might regenerate just enough HP to survive another hit or two, which I think is much bigger than it sounds - when you're against heavy-hitters, every round counts.

Combat Awareness is, in my opinion, really really good. But, you also need to get Blind-Fight and have other Combat Form feats to grab it. You'll probably want to have a lot of Fighter levels if you intend to grab it, because otherwise you'll be starved in other areas.

Combat Strike is okay for when you really need to dish out as much damage as possible in a short time, because of the potentially significant boosts to hit (which can translate to more Power Attack damage, or just accuracy, whatever). But, its use is directly based on the number of Combat Form feats you have.

You aren't going to have bonus feats (from what I can tell), so I would suggest if you want to take these feats, get Focus, Stability and Vigor. They will make you pretty sturdy, and the investment cost could be worse. Just don't assume they'll make you unstoppable.