Awesome feats people forget about

[Biggus]

I was recently reminded of the feat Steadfast Determination (PHB2). For a creature with high Con and no shortage of feats (it has Endurance as a prerequisite), it's amazing: the Tarrasque for example gets +10 to Will and means it'll effectively never fail a Fortitude save.

We all know about Craven and Fell Drain and Initiate of Mystra, what are your favourite feats that aren't constantly mentioned as must-haves?

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Skill Knowledge -- add a skill to your class list. Great for Iaijutsu Focus or occasionally for qualifications. (Disclaimer: it's meant for an alternate skill system, but works fine with the default without any adaption necessary). Similarly, Aereni Focus does the same thing bundled with Skill Focus, if you happen to be a first level Elf in Eberron.

[the_tick_rules]

improved buckler defense, lets you get shield ac if you use your hand that round.

[Temotei]

Dutiful Guardian. Lets you switch places with an ally affected by Constant Guardian (the prerequisite feat) as an immediate action. Both are in Drow of the Underdark, which has a ton of cool feats. Eilservs School is fun, Versatile Combatant is cute, and Aleval School is always nice on a rogue, to name a few.

[Beni-Kujaku]

Proteus‚ from Exemplar of Evils. It allows you to blind an opponent and get 50% concealment to any attack by an immediate action‚ to get a +10 to Bluff that will not be noticed‚ stop an opponent in its track with Illusory Pit‚ set up Improved Invisibility without wasting an action‚ and above all‚ be able to almost counterspell anything without having to ready an action with immediate silence.

[Khedrac]

Close Quarters Fighting - make the uber-grappler regret even thinking about grappling you (it might still win, but it just gave you a free attack).

[Biggus]

Primary Contact retraining cheese for prereqs, no one will ever take this from me.

Is the importance of this that it allows you enter some prestige classes a level earlier, or is there something else?

Dutiful Guardian. Lets you switch places with an ally affected by Constant Guardian (the prerequisite feat) as an immediate action. Both are in Drow of the Underdark, which has a ton of cool feats. Eilservs School is fun, Versatile Combatant is cute, and Aleval School is always nice on a rogue, to name a few.

Eilservs School seems pretty good for a gish. I've never played a staff-based combatant before, I might make one now.

Proteus‚ from Exemplar of Evils. It allows you to blind an opponent and get 50% concealment to any attack by an immediate action‚ to get a +10 to Bluff that will not be noticed‚ stop an opponent in its track with Illusory Pit‚ set up Improved Invisibility without wasting an action‚ and above all‚ be able to almost counterspell anything without having to ready an action with immediate silence.

Oooh that's a nice little feat, I'm going to have to remember that one.

[ShurikVch]

Hulking Brute (Dragonlance Campaign Setting): like Jotunbrud, but isn't setting-specific or [regional], and instead "Damaran or Illuskan human" required "Half-ogre or minotaur". While only Krynnish Minotaurs are small enough to care, "Half-Ogre" is also a template (although, to get the benefits, "base creature" should be Small)

[Saintheart]

Eilservs School seems pretty good for a gish. I've never played a staff-based combatant before, I might make one now.

Two things about Eilservs School:

(1) Ask for clarity from your DM about whether the ability to 'activate' a spell from the magic staff on hitting with both ends actually consumes a charge from the staff. Staffs are a spell-trigger item, meaning normally casting a spell from one is a standard action. Eilservs School changes that rule and allows it as a swift action instead, and since the power of the other aspect of the feat depends on how many charges the staff has, it would obviously be more advantageous to not consume a charge from the staff.

(2) You don't have to have a particular spell worth casting in the staff to pick up the +5 untyped damage bonus. A staff of Light, a 0-level spell, costs 1,500 gp. Not bad for a +1 (masterwork) to attack, +5 to damage (50 charges) weapon which you can add more stuff to. Compare the Collision weapon quality, effectively costing you +6 worth of upgrades since you have to pay for both ends.


EDIT: As for awesome feats: Mindsight from Lords of Madness. Especially good with 1 level of Mindbender. You have instant and perfect intel on the location, type, and INT score of all creatures within 100 feet of you. Sure you still have to pinpoint invisible targets, but this basically means you'll never get jumped on watch again.

[Albanymusicfund]

Ki Blast PHB II page 90.

While lackluster in terms of damage, it gives the Monk a way to do kamehamehas without having to multiclassing. It has a feat tax (fiery ki defense which is another conceptually cool but statistically underwhelming feat). But dang it, I'm going to blast my enemies anyways.

[Godofallu]

Let me throw out a few unusual feats in my feat list that may be useful.

Hyena Tribe Hunter (Human) Gain +2 to trip and do not need combat expertise to take improved trip feat. +2 to hide.

Dire flail smash (improved sunder, power attack, weapon focus (dire flail),str 13)If you hit the same creature with both ends of your dire flail in the same round, it must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10+ 1/2 your character level + your Str modifier) or be dazed by the pain for 1 round.

Mercantile Background (Dwarf, Gnome, Halfling, or Human. 1st lvl only, regional feat [limit 1 regional feat])- When you sell weapons, magic items, or other adventuring goods, you get 75% of the list price instead of 50%. Once per month, you can buy any single item at 75% of the offered price. You also receive an extra 300 gp to spend as you see fit during character creation.

Ability Enhancer (spell focus- transmutation) Any transmutation spell you cast that enhances ability scores increases the ability scores by +2 more than it normally does. For example, casting animalistic power would give +4 to str, dex and con.

Miser with magic (Dragonlance, CL 7) You can make a Spellcraft roll to retain the use of a spell after you cast it. The spellcraft DC is 10 +twice the spell's level. If you succeed, you managed to conserve enough magical energy, from this and other spells you have cast, that the spell (or spell slots for sorcerors) is not considered spent and may be used again. You may only use this ability on a number of spell levels equal to the ability score modifier appropriate to the type of spells you cast (charisma for sorceror or bard spells for example)
If you fail the roll by 5 or more, you spent insufficient energy to cast the spell at all. You lose the spell or the spell slot, and the spell has no effect.

Shape soulmeld- Chaos Roc's Span (Con 13, requires dragonblood) Gain 2 buffet wing attacks with reach (can't attack adjacent) for shaping. Secondary attacks which deal 1D4M+.5Str NONLETHAL and bludgeoning. +1dmg/essentia.
When bound to shoulders (totemist 9+) wings do lethal dmg and if you hit 1 oppoenent with both attacks Fort save or daze opponent for 1D4 rounds. Shoulders lvl 9+ totemist to bind.

Shape soulmeld- Dragon Tail (Con 13, requires dragonblood) Gain a tail which deals 1D8 damage when shaped. This tail doesn't threaten and therefor can't be sued to make AOO's and can't be used while grappling. Can invest essentia for +1 atk/dmg per point. If bound to totem (totemist 2+) you can take a standard action to do a tail sweep attack which does dmg to all adjacent foes. Ref half. If bound to waist (totemist 14+) the tail has reach and can do a special attack which deals 2D6M+1.5 str.

Shape soulmeld- Claws of the Wyrm (Con 13, requires dragonblood) Gain 2 claw attacks which deal 1D6M. Can invest essentia at +1atk/dmg per point. Can bind to totem at lvl2+ Totemist to gainc limb speed = 1/2 your group speed. Can bind to hands at lvl5+ Totemist to step up claw dmg by 1. Can bind to arms at 9+ Totemist to double threat range. Doesn't stack with other effects. So 19-20/x2

Bonded (Handle Animal 5, trained pet or animal companion) Whenever you and your pet attack the same foe in a round you both gain +1 to attack and dmg. In addition when you attack a foe with a ranged weapon you do not take the normal -4 penalty for firing into a melee if your pet is the only ally currently in combat with it. Cover penalties still apply.

Double Team (Handle animal 8, Bonded, trained pet or animal companion) Once per round, after your pet successfully strikes an opponent, you can make an attack of opportunity against that opponent. This feat does not allow you to make more attacks of opportunity than you normally oculd in a round.

Enspell Familiar (Cl 1, ability to gain a familiar) You are always considered to be in contact with your familiar for the purposes of sharing spells. Any spell you cast on yourself also affects your familiar as long as it is within 1 mile of you.

Dreadful Wrath (Human, Kua-toa, planetouched)- When you charge, make a full attack, or cast a spell that either targets an enemy or includes an enemy in its area, you gain the frightful presence ability for that round. Each enemy within a 20-foot radius of you must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Cha modifier) or be shaken for 1 minute. Regardless of its success or failure on the saving throw, any creature exposed to this effect is immune to your frightful presence for the next 24 hours. This is an extraordinary morale effect.

Entangling Exhalation (Breath Weapon, Dragonblood Subtype) When you use your breath weapon, you can choose to enmesh all creatures in its area instead of producing its normal effect. Your breath weapon deals only half its normal damage; however, any creature that takes damage from your breath weapon becomes entangled and takes an extra 1d6 points of damage, of the same energy type as normally dealt by your breath weapon, each round at the start of your turn. This effect lasts for 1d4 rounds.

[Remuko]

Ki Blast PHB II page 90.

While lackluster in terms of damage, it gives the Monk a way to do kamehamehas without having to multiclassing. It has a feat tax (fiery ki defense which is another conceptually cool but statistically underwhelming feat). But dang it, I'm going to blast my enemies anyways.

see i see it as just a....ki blast. like the small orbs they shoot that never do any damage lol i felt there needed to be a ki blast feat chain to let you do more DBZ style ki attacks.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

On the subject of cool Monk stuff:

Stonewalker Fist - alter the elemental composition of your fists to phase them through armor. Unfortunately, it requires being a LA +4 race. Fortunately, Changelings exist. Which means it's possible to learn to literally punch through armor, and that's just cool as hell.

[nedz]

Shadow Trickster
+2 DC on Illusion spells, and +2 Sneak.
Perfect for that Gnome Beguiler Swordsage you've always wanted to play.

[bean illus]

Hyena Tribe Hunter (Human) Gain +2 to trip and do not need combat expertise to take improved trip feat. +2 to hide.

Well, that's a straight up improvement.

Facto 3? With Improved trip and an enlarge potion, for a total bonus of ... +16?

Miser with magic (Dragonlance, CL 7) You can make a Spellcraft roll to retain the use of a spell after you cast it. The spellcraft DC is 10 +twice the spell's level. If you succeed, you managed to conserve enough magical energy, from this and other spells you have cast, that the spell (or spell slots for sorcerors) is not considered spent and may be used again. You may only use this ability on a number of spell levels equal to the ability score modifier appropriate to the type of spells you cast (charisma for sorceror or bard spells for example)
If you fail the roll by 5 or more, you spent insufficient energy to cast the spell at all. You lose the spell or the spell slot, and the spell has no effect.

Considering that a CL 9 caster could easily have 13 ranks, a +6 mod, and a +2 buff, I'd say that that's a good deal.

I assume that "number of spell levels equal to the ability score modifier" means daily? A munchkin reading could claim 'per casting' (a limited reading could mean total ever).

Enspell Familiar (Cl 1, ability to gain a familiar) You are always considered to be in contact with your familiar for the purposes of sharing spells. Any spell you cast on yourself also affects your familiar as long as it is within 1 mile of you.

Yeah, that's super nice.

Dreadful Wrath (Human, Kua-toa, planetouched)- When you charge, make a full attack, or cast a spell that either targets an enemy or includes an enemy in its area, you gain the frightful presence ability for that round. Each enemy within a 20-foot radius of you must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Cha modifier) or be shaken for 1 minute. Regardless of its success or failure on the saving throw, any creature exposed to this effect is immune to your frightful presence for the next 24 hours. This is an extraordinary morale effect.

A minute is forever in combat. And fear effects stack. The mooks are finished, ... and you're AoE is still effecting ... hopefully everyone.

EDIT: As for awesome feats: Mindsight from Lords of Madness. Especially good with 1 level of Mindbender. You have instant and perfect intel on the location, type, and INT score of all creatures within 100 feet of you. Sure you still have to pinpoint invisible targets, but this basically means you'll never get jumped on watch again.

It's a great feat, on a full caster in 9th+ level game.

I like Quick Reconnoiter on a scout. Though nobody has enough feats, i think free listen and spot every round (added to the reactivate check) is underrated, and gives a lot of security. The +2 initiative doesn't synergizes well.

Maybe pick it up with H-E paragon bonus feat, and have a +2 racial listen and spot. Follow with ruathar 2, for +2 unnamed listen and spot (and search). Maybe top it with SotMI 5, for another +5 racial listen, spot, search, and 1 more free check of either.
The build loses 2 caster levels, but that's not rare on a scout.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Fell Conspiracy (EoE) is a party-buffing feat that starts out so-so and gets much better as you level. First, the party can use Message at will with each other - not bad. Then, you all get 100' telepathy with each other and an untyped bonus to spot/listen equal to 2*[number of other participants], which can be very high. Eventually you all get immunity to flanking and the flat-footed condition.

The latter benefits do cost expensive material components, so it's more of an "adventuring day" feat.

[Jowgen]

I was recently reminded of the feat Steadfast Determination (PHB2). For a creature with high Con and no shortage of feats (it has Endurance as a prerequisite), it's amazing: the Tarrasque for example gets +10 to Will and means it'll effectively never fail a Fortitude save.

I feel you still under-estimate it's cool-ness by, like, at least 20%.

With sufficiently boosted Con saves, it is literally the only way in game to become flat out immune to a number of things. For example, ever heard of Voidstone™?

As for my own contribution, I submit Channel Charge.

At the cost of a feat, some UMD optimisation, and some spell-slots, you get to uses Wands, Staffs, and Scepters without expending charges.

This means unlimited access to otherwise prohibitively GP/exp expensive spells after one initial investment. Because why yes, I would like to use my 8th level spells slots to cast free Limited Wishes from my Scepter.

[Beni-Kujaku]

I feel you still under-estimate it's cool-ness by, like, at least 20%.

With sufficiently boosted Con saves, it is literally the only way in game to become flat out immune to a number of things. For example, ever heard of Voidstone™?

As for my own contribution, I submit Channel Charge.

At the cost of a feat, some UMD optimisation, and some spell-slots, you get to uses Wands, Staffs, and Scepters without expending charges.

This means unlimited access to otherwise prohibitively GP/exp expensive spells after one initial investment. Because why yes, I would like to use my 8th level spells slots to cast free Limited Wishes from my Scepter.

Indeed, with Void Stone, Steadfast Determination may become 20% cooler. That reminds me of that one Donald Duck comics where Arsin Lupène soaks his armor in an universal solvent (in everything but name the equivalent of a liquid annihilation sphere) and proceeds to destroy everything in his path until somebody trips him and he starts to fall through the ground without being able to stop.


For another feat that I like, there is Lady's Gambit. For a martial, for which HP is little more than a number (you will get SoL'd before you are downed from HP loss), this is a very nice bonus, even stackable with Power Attack. If you need Iron Will for something else, you should consider this feat.

[H_H_F_F]

Elusive target (CW, req. Dodge, mobility) is probably my favorite tactical feat. Grants cool action economy (which gives you a reason to utilize mobility), a fun flavourful maneuver, and no-selling melee damage. The prereqs are tough, but I love it.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Landlord, from the Stronghold Builder's Guide. I almost never hear about it, probably because everyone thinks, "Why spend a feat on a castle somewhere while I'm off adventuring elsewhere?" Except you have to choose a "stronghold" to apply the ridiculous amounts of money towards, and there's nothing about a stronghold that needs to be stationary; it just needs to qualify as a building or other livable space at one point or another. Take, for instance, a psychoactive skin of proteus. It allows the wearer to turn into objects if he so chooses, and buildings qualify. So spend that 800,000 gp upgrading that psychoactive skin! Or you could have a hollowed-out +1 sizing/morphing weapon (such as a hypodermic weapon, or something), and occasionally use it as a sleeping place when it's Colossal sized. +800,000 gp is a lot of money when applied to a weapon. Note that nothing about Landlord mentions that you have to use the money for fountains or outhouses or whatever, so feel free to use that money on a "stronghold" magic item to give it additional magic item properties, as per the MIC.

Combines well with Ancestral Relic from the BoED, which is another feat that not many people bring up. If you're Good, it's quite literally free money. Note that you don't have to use the party's loot to sacrifice to it; carry a portable altar with you, sit on top of an enemy's stronghold at night, and sacrifice it for the greater good of yourself. Buildings, fountains, outhouses, et al are stupidly expensive, after all.

[illyahr]

A feat from the Rokugan d20 books

Versatile: pick two skills. They are now class skills

[bean illus]

I was just looking at Power Critical. It grants a +4 to your critical confirmation ... and ... it stacks with itself. It cost weapon focus and BAB +4. Feats are valuable, but nothing sucks any worse than a crit that doesn't confirm. Double up on it.

Spoiler: A quick look a bit closer

Show

It's cheap cost (many melee need weapon focus) hands it to a Fighter 4. Maybe power attack falchion (Weapon Focus, Power Attack, EWP kaorti, Cleave, Power Critical).

You know the deal. Double up on power critical at 6th, and a keen weapon at 8th. Maybe Iion totem, and 3 levels of warblade for a bit more crit confirmation, etc. You're criting at 30%ish, and confiming at 80%.

Maybe a level o Arcane Hunter ranger ACF, and favored critical, for stacking with keen, and doubling the crit range again.

Weapon Aptitude tosses most of it onto another weapon.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I was just looking at Power Critical. It grants a +4 to your critical confirmation ... and ... it stacks with itself. It cost weapon focus and BAB +4. Feats are valuable, but nothing sucks any worse than a crit that doesn't confirm. Double up on it.

Spoiler: A quick look a bit closer

Show

It's cheap cost (many melee need weapon focus) hands it to a Fighter 4. Maybe power attack falchion (Weapon Focus, Power Attack, EWP kaorti, Cleave, Power Critical).

You know the deal. Double up on power critical at 6th, and a keen weapon at 8th. Maybe Iion totem, and 3 levels of warblade for a bit more crit confirmation, etc. You're criting at 30%ish, and confiming at 80%.

Maybe a level o Arcane Hunter ranger ACF, and favored critical, for stacking with keen, and doubling the crit range again.

Weapon Aptitude tosses most of it onto another weapon.

Yes, but feats are valuable. You could be taking something absolutely fantastic, but spending multiple feats on confirming criticals (when you could stop at "just enough to be getting away with" and spending the rest of your feats on getting crits more often and adding tons of damage onto those crits) is a waste.

It's like how armor class gets less valuable the more you pump into it after a certain point. There's only so high it can get before further investment becomes massive expenditure for very little benefit.

[Saintheart]

Yes, but feats are valuable. You could be taking something absolutely fantastic, but spending multiple feats on confirming criticals (when you could stop at "just enough to be getting away with" and spending the rest of your feats on getting crits more often and adding tons of damage onto those crits) is a waste.

It's like how armor class gets less valuable the more you pump into it after a certain point. There's only so high it can get before further investment becomes massive expenditure for very little benefit.

Another alternative to losing the feat slot is wait for a Fighter dead level, take a level in Paladin (or suck up UMD), and buy wands of Bless Weapon, which outright automatically confirm all your critical threats. It even stacks with kaorti resin and Improved Critical, since neither of these are magical effects increasing the threat range of a weapon, but are feats and the natural weapon qualities of the item.

[bean illus]

Yes, but feats are valuable. You could be taking something absolutely fantastic, but spending multiple feats on confirming criticals (when you could stop at "just enough to be getting away with" and spending the rest of your feats on getting crits more often and adding tons of damage onto those crits) is a waste.

It's like how armor class gets less valuable the more you pump into it after a certain point. There's only so high it can get before further investment becomes massive expenditure for very little benefit.

Another alternative to losing the feat slot is wait for a Fighter dead level, take a level in Paladin (or suck up UMD), and buy wands of Bless Weapon, which outright automatically confirm all your critical threats. It even stacks with kaorti resin and Improved Critical, since neither of these are magical effects increasing the threat range of a weapon, but are feats and the natural weapon qualities of the item.

I almost pointed out in my post, that not every build is a good aligned character, and that the feat is for a low level campaign. I felt it would be redundant to say so, but apparently i should have.

I'm not going to claim that my sword is a castle.

But I'm sure that there are plenty of better feats out there somewhere.

[Biggus]

Hyena Tribe Hunter (Human) Gain +2 to trip and do not need combat expertise to take improved trip feat. +2 to hide.

Ooh, this lets you make a tripper build without needing Int 13, I'll be making a note of this one.

Fell Conspiracy (EoE) is a party-buffing feat that starts out so-so and gets much better as you level. First, the party can use Message at will with each other - not bad. Then, you all get 100' telepathy with each other and an untyped bonus to spot/listen equal to 2*[number of other participants], which can be very high. Eventually you all get immunity to flanking and the flat-footed condition.

The latter benefits do cost expensive material components, so it's more of an "adventuring day" feat.

That is a very nice feat for high-level characters, especially when they reach the level where 200GP is a fairly trivial amount of money.

As for my own contribution, I submit Channel Charge.

At the cost of a feat, some UMD optimisation, and some spell-slots, you get to uses Wands, Staffs, and Scepters without expending charges.

This means unlimited access to otherwise prohibitively GP/exp expensive spells after one initial investment. Because why yes, I would like to use my 8th level spells slots to cast free Limited Wishes from my Scepter.

So you're interpreting not using a charge as meaning you don't have to pay XP or GP costs? Can't see many DMs letting that one fly...

[bean illus]

So you're interpreting not using a charge as meaning you don't have to pay XP or GP costs? Can't see many DMs letting that one fly...

That's exactly what i thought.

Ooh, this lets you make a tripper build without needing Int 13, I'll be making a note of this one.

Not every tripper is a facto, but Int AND Str to trip is hard to pass up. The Int to initiative is really nice too.

But i love trippers. I'd be eager to see what you come up with, or collaborate.

[Beni-Kujaku]

So you're interpreting not using a charge as meaning you don't have to pay XP or GP costs? Can't see many DMs letting that one fly...

You have already paid XP and gp when creating the staff. You just do not use the charges, so these 50x exp investment become effectively infinite. I wouldn't see much problem with this, except when really abused. It is already pretty rare to use up all 50 charges of your staves.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I'm not going to claim that my sword is a castle.

If your sword really is your stronghold, because it does everything a stronghold does, how is treating it as what it is wrong?

Imagine it: A rounded riverine fantasy tower 50' tall, with crenellations at the top and windows strung around the outsides, with a spiral staircase winding around the outer edges next to the walls, with a new floor every 8' or so. To either side of the main tower, it has sweeping wings that are also hollowed out, allowing for barracks for soldiers, with a sealable entrance at ground level and windows with arrow slits that can be used to fire out of during an attack. Belowground, the riverine tower extends several additional hundred feet, and it flattens out, becoming a stacked set of 30' x 10' living spaces for anyone not stationed up in the barracks, all the way down to the bottom.

Sounds like a stronghold, doesn't it? And yet, it's a riverine +1 sizing weapon; the tower is the hilt, the crenelations are the pommel, the wide, sweeping wings are the crossguard (with a sealable entranceway embedded therein), and the hollowed-out, flattened area underground is the blade, stabbed into the earth prior to sizing it up.

I don't see why you can't have that as both a stronghold and a weapon. Giving it magic weapon enhancements can give it considerable utility and protection as a stronghold. Enhancement bonuses give it additional hit points and save bonuses, making it intelligent would give it resistances to attacks (such as disintegrate) and some spell-like abilities; imagine an intelligent tower that can cast prestidigitation at will to keep itself clean, heroes' feast 1/day to feed everyone who spends the night in it, invisibility to make the tower itself invisible, arcane lock on its own doors or on any other door it touches, or greater magic weapon to boost its saves against being targeted as both a weapon and as a building (along with the normal benefits of being a strong magical weapon) as examples.

Honestly? It sounds really, really awesome, to me.

[edit] Started a thread about it here: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...1#post25010351

[The Viscount]

Staggering Strike from Complete Adventurer.

It requires sneak attack, but limiting your enemies to single actions is a big deal. Yes it only lasts 1 round, but sneak attacking an enemy every round to keep the debuff on is pretty straightforward.