Fast as Lightning (Feat)

[Glooble Glistencrist]

Lightning Dodge
When focusing on a specific opponent, you can dodge even spells and area affects.
Prerequisites: Dodge, Lightning Reflexes
Benefit: You add an additional +3 to Reflex saves made to avoid attacks (such as area spells or breath weapons) made by the target of your dodge bonus.

[Tussy the Druid]

Would this be stackable? As in, i take this twice, and get a +6 to an opponent. I think it's nifty anyway.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

I'm thnking once only. Otherwise it could get ridiculous.

[Halcyon_Dax]

I dont think blowing multiple feats for reflex save bonuses against a single opponent will ever be overpowered. Just a thought.

Seems to be a fine feat, I would allow stacking.

[ArmorArmadillo]

Seems fine. A little underpowered probably.

One issue though, it seems as though this would be counter to the optimal use of dodge, as those who you want the AC bonus against (Fighters, Archers) are usually different than those you want the reflex save against (mages)

[Ultimatum479]

I think a lot of feats are like that, AA. Whirlwind Attack, for example.

Of course, that's usually to balance a powerful feat. This is probably too underpowered for that. I like the basic idea of picking a person and improving your "Reflex save for half damage", but how can we make it more powerful without just making it add even more to Reflex saves? *ponder* How about, "You gain Evasion (or Improved Evasion) against spells or spell-like abilities used by the target of your dodge bonus?" Is that now overpowered?

[ArmorArmadillo]

That's edging on overpowered, also Evasion probably shouldn't be granted by feats, limited or otherwised.

Also, this feat seems best utilized by someone who already has evasion.

I like the idea of enhancing the bonuses toward your "Dodge buddy," but I think you should try to have bonuses that work well together.

Or you could have a seperate "Reflex Buddy."

I like the feat as it is, if for no other reason is that it makes Dodge useful against non-melee characters.

[TheOOB]

The feats fine, it's clean fuctional, clear and understandable, and by no means overpowered. I could see it being useful in a campaign where lots of sorcerer/wizards/warmages pop up as foes, or for an NPC trained to fight such people.

[Matthew]

This seems a little underpowered. Why not just an Improved Lightning Reflexes or make Lightning Reflexes stackable?

I think you have to indicate the Dexterity prerequisite as a result of Dodge?

[fangthane]

Whether this is underpowered, overpowered, or about right depends on how it stacks, and that's not made explicit in the initial post. If it stacks with Lightning Reflexes (i.e. an effective +5 versus a single opponent and +2 vs all others) that seems about right to me. It's bigger than a putative "improved lightning reflexes" would be against that single foe, and thus is better versus single, multi-faceted foes such as are often faced at higher levels. Against a Balor, great wyrm or almost any other top-end opponent with area-effect potential, this is just about perfecto. As long as it stacks with LR.

If it stacks with itself, it's overpowered. Not generally so, but in specific circumstances it's highly exploitable. For example, consider the possibility of a cleric with 3 excellent saves . And you thought clerics were overpowered before... ;) Rogues and rangers with unbeatable reflex saves are a somewhat lesser concern, but that's still an issue too.

Bottom line: if it's made explicit that the feat may only be selected once (I'd be OK with a substantially higher level "Improved" or "greater" version with higher prereqs, but it's loony to allow it to stack at level 6) and that it does stack with Lightning Reflexes, the feat looks sound - and balanced - to me. Though, on reflection, you might also want to give it a 17 dex requirement. Your call.

[TheOOB]

I think it's pretty obvious how the feat works. Since it's an untyped bonus, and it even goes so far as to say "additional" it stacks with the bonus provided with lightning reflexes. It wouldn't hurt to explicitly mention that fact, but it's not neccesary. Also, unless the feat specifically says you can take it more then once, you can only take it once.

Keeping in mind that reflex saves genrally speaking are the least important saves (failing a reflex save usually just means taking more damage, while failing a reflex or will save usually means you are in some way greatly weakened or removed from a fight outright.) I'd say this feat is balanced.

[Ultimatum479]

TheOOB's right on that part. Feats can only be taken once unless their description specifically says otherwise. I mean, look at the pre-requisite feats for this. You can't take Dodge or Lightning Reflexes twice, and neither of their descriptions mention it at all.

[fangthane]

TheOOB's right on that part. Feats can only be taken once unless their description specifically says otherwise. I mean, look at the pre-requisite feats for this. You can't take Dodge or Lightning Reflexes twice, and neither of their descriptions mention it at all.

Bah, you and your implicit rules...

I usually play the "make it explicit" card regardless of whether it's appropriate, how dare you two call me out on it?!

Besides, I was sidetracked by all the people prior to my post... yeah, that's it, that's plausible... Honest, would I make this up?

[Ultimatum479]

Shush, you. I've agreed with virtually every post of yours that I've read in this board so far. I have the right to disagree with you this once. ^_^