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Thread: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
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2010-03-02, 12:18 PM (ISO 8601)
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Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Hey. I'm working on a Vashar Sohei/Blackguard build (See LE Sohei Build [3.5] and am making him a Damage-Monster. However, I'm using a Halberd for the "reach out and touch somebody"-type effect. I just want to know how to improve the damage on a Medium Halberd using only feats and enchantments. No spells, no psi, no incarnum. Just martial power.
I know of thus far:
Vile Martial Strike:+1 Vile Damage
Flay Opponent: +1d6 for Slashing
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2010-03-02, 12:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
As you already have power attack and a two handed weapon leap attack is sort of a no brainer.
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2010-03-02, 12:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Here you go.
Also, if you're playing a Blackguard, you should take Dire Flail Smash (Daze effect) and/or Sneak Attack feats (especially Craven, Staggering Strike, and Dragonfire Inspiration).Last edited by Person_Man; 2010-03-02 at 12:25 PM.
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2010-03-02, 12:22 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 12:25 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Power Attack + Shock Trooper + Leap Attack. You get 4:1 returns on Power Attack and take no penalty to your to-hit. That's going to be your primary one. Preferably combine with some method of Pounce, though some DM's rule that the Leap Attack increase is only on the first hit.
Vile Martial Strike and Flay Opponent are both hideously underpowered. +4.5 damage for two feats, and it drops to +1 against anyone in armor? That's worse than Weapon Specialization, which is already among the bottom-rung feats.
Also, just to make sure you know, a halberd is not a reach weapon.
See Person_Man's threads on Pouncing and on melee combos, especially the sections on Power Attack and Optimizing To-Hit.Proudly without a signature for 5 years. Wait... crap.
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2010-03-02, 12:26 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 12:27 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 12:27 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 12:28 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 12:30 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 12:32 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Which is one of the dumbest things WotC has ever done, since Halberds are actual reach weapons...
@ Lich: If you want to save on some feats, devote yourself to an Elder Evil. This gets you Vile Martial Strike for next to nothing. It also opens up Master's Will, which can improve your attack rolls 50% of the time (and for the other 50%, you could take Crusader levels to get bonuses to attack and damage rolls). Boosting your attack rolls means you can Power Attack for more.
Also, look into Destruction Devotion from CC. It lowers their Armor Class every time you hit them, which means more Power Attack.
Halberds are not reach weapons, Short Haft doesn't work with them.Last edited by Sinfire Titan; 2010-03-02 at 12:33 PM.
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2010-03-02, 12:35 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Lich, you're not getting it. You can't hit opponents more than 5 feet away form you anyways. The feat does NOTHING for you.
Also, where's Flay Opponent from? There's Flay Foe (+1dmg for every hit you make in a round) from Champions of Ruin, and Flay (-2 on attack rolls) in PHB2.
Either way, let's compare:
Flay Opponent: +3.5 damage a hit.
Power Attack + Leap Attack + Shock Tropper: 4 times your level in extra damage. When you can get the full combo at level 6, it already does +24 damage a hit - almost 7 times as much as Flay Opponent. By level 10, it's more than 10 times as effective.Proudly without a signature for 5 years. Wait... crap.
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2010-03-02, 12:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
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2010-03-02, 12:37 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 12:50 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 01:43 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Well, your eyes obviously haven't read many Feats. And that's ok, everyone was new to the game once. So welcome to the community.
In general, strong feats provide a scaled bonus or a useful special ability that can't easily be reproduced with a magic item. Weak feats provide a static bonus, and/or require a contingency that is hard to fulfill, and/or have severely limited use and/or can more efficiently be replaced by something else.
Here are a few examples:
Scaled bonuses:
- Power Attack
- Leap Attack
- Spirited Charge
- Headlong Rush
- Battle Jump
- Empower Spell
- Craven
- Animal Devotion
- Anything that provides an extra attack without a contingency
Useful Special Abilities
- Leadership
- Knockback
- Knock-Down
- Scorpion's Grasp
- Standstill
- Travel Devotion
- Arcane Schooling
- Mage Slayer
- Saddleback
- Imperious Command
- Combat Acrobat
- Item Familiar
Static bonus:
- Weapon Focus
- Weapon Specialization
- Skill Focus
- Dodge
- Mobility
- Point Blank Shot
- Flay Opponent
- Toughness
- Deadly Defense
- Earth Adept
- Fiery Fist
Require a contingency that is hard to fulfill:
- Cleave
- Improved Cleave
- Sailor’s Balance
- Filth Eater
- Brachiation
- Endurance
- Crowd Tactics
- Overwhelming Assault
Severely Limited Uses
- Servant of the Heavens
- Highborn Drow
- Natural Trickster
- Heroic Destiny
- Protected Destiny
- Dallah Thaun’s Luck
- Favored of the Companions
- Knight of Stars
Replaced by something else
- Spring Attack (replaced by Pounce or Free Movement)
- Mobility (replaced by Tumble)
- Improved Critical (replaced by Scabbard of Keen Edges)
- Heavy Armor Proficiency (replaced by mithral, spells, magic items, etc)
- Monkey Grip (replaced by Strongarm Bracers)
- Hear the Unseen (replaced by See Invisibility)
- Driving Attack (replaced by Knockback)
Also note that sometimes strong feats have weak feats for pre-requisites, which must be taken into account when you are choosing your build. For example, Whirlwind Attack is a nifty option, but requires 3 weak feats. Similarly, Improved Initiative provides a static bonus. But if combat for your party is usually over in 2 rounds, then a +4 to Initiative might be worth it. Everything also depends on the context of your build and your DM, but some feats are clearly stronger then others.Last edited by Person_Man; 2010-03-02 at 01:44 PM.
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2010-03-02, 02:40 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
So the trio (Flay, Bludgeon, and Skewer Foe) don't add +1d6 to all atacks???
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2010-03-02, 03:01 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 03:03 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 03:20 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
It doesn't really matter if there is a pattern between it and similar feats. When the summary says one thing and the actual feat says something else, you have to go with the actual feat, barring a DM ruling to the otherwise. Just like in the Spell Compendium, Thunderhead (is that the spell name?) is listed in the spell list as a 0-level spell that deals 1 damage per round. However, the actual spell description lists it as a 1st level spell that deals 1d6 damage per round.
As far as raw damage, pretty much all of your options have already been listed. Since you're going with a halberd, there's the Spinning Halberd feat in, IIRC, Complete Warrior, that lets you attack with the butt of the halberd for 1d6 damage as if the halberd were a double weapon. Requires TWF as a prereq, which is not normally something you pick with a halberd.Zombitar courtesy of Djinn_In_Tonic.
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2010-03-02, 03:33 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 03:44 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Blackguards give turning, right?
Pick up some devotion feats.
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2010-03-02, 05:07 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Just to make sure the OP understands...halberds do not have reach. At all. So you cannot use the Shorten Haft feat with a halberd.
Just so we're all clear.
...and yes, FWIW making a halberd a non-reach weapon was one of the most counter-intuitive things WotC did in 3.X.
Halberd is eligible for the Spinning Halberd style feat in Complete Warrior. This requires a ton of prereq feats, though, and is hardly worth the payoff.My winning competition entries: Kinvig Arrumskor | The Great Pumpkinhead | Wynfrith d'Acker
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2010-03-02, 05:10 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Take a small race without a str penalty (they exist). Apply the half-minotaur and half-ogre templates from DR 313. You get +20 str, +8 con, -4 dex, and are large. Pick up combat expertise, imp trip, and knockdown.
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2010-03-02, 05:12 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
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2010-03-02, 05:18 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 05:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]
Don't worry Kaiyanwang, it's not just you, everyone I've played 3.X with, including myself, has started with the assumption that the halberd is a reach weapon.
My winning competition entries: Kinvig Arrumskor | The Great Pumpkinhead | Wynfrith d'Acker
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2010-03-02, 05:23 PM (ISO 8601)
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2010-03-02, 06:00 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Damage-Boost Feats [3.X]