2 new Combat feats

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TOZ
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2 new Combat feats

Post by TOZ »

Threw these together after my previous one, to power up the Weapon Focus feat and maybe help shield fighters a bit. Tell me what you think.


Shieldbearer [Combat]
You fight like a turtle, only better.

+0: You do not lose your shield bonus to AC when performing a shield bash.
+1: Your shields enhancement bonus counts to attack and damage on shield bashes.
+6: Add 2 to the AC bonus provided by your shield. You may make a shield bash as an AoO. If it hits, your opponent loses his action.
+11: You count your shield bonus, enhancement included, to your touch AC.
+16: Once per round, you may negate a successful hit on you or an adjacent ally.

Weapon Focus [Combat]
Choose up to 3 weapons. You so good enemies believe it's magic.

+0: You gain proficiency with these weapons.
+1: You gain an enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with your chosen weapons equal to your BAB divided by 4 (minimum 1).
+6: Attacks with your chosen weapons count as magic for overcoming DR. You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls as well.
+11: Your weapon cannot be sundered or disarmed and is immune to spells that would damage or destroy it. Your bonus on damage rolls increases to +4.
+16: Once per round you may take 10 on an attack roll with your chosen weapon. You may add a +5 bonus to any one attack roll after the first in a round.
koz
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Post by koz »

Shieldbearer: the 0 and 1 should be the case in the base rules, rather than requiring a feat. The 6 ability should allow some kind of save (my guess is Fort, computed off Str). 11 should come earlier - I wouldn't fault this being at 1. 16 needs to be a LOT less vague, and needs to be an immediate action.

Weapon Focus 0 is worthless, seriously. 1 is interesting, but ultimately not that relevant in games where such rules get used. 6 is something which is a given anyway in Tome games, as well as a very minor bonus which Combat School gives at 1. 11 and 16 are alright, but a bit dull.

In general, your feats seem to be 'do X, but better' rather than 'do Y'. An example of the former is Skill Focus (whatever); an example of the latter is Subtle Cut. Generally speaking, you should aim for feats to be more in the latter category.

On a related note: Shield bashing should really get its time in the sun. Something like this, perhaps?

Shield Bash

You can perform a shield bash in place of any number of normal weapon attacks (including as part of a full attack). Make an attack roll, using the shield's enhancement bonus to AC as an enhancement bonus on the attack roll. The attack roll is computed as a normal melee weapon attack. If it hits, the shield deals 1d8 damage (or 1d10 if it's a great shield), plus the user's Strength modifier, and any enhancement bonus it has. Any other bonuses a character receives for melee attacks that could apply to this attack do. However, you do not receive your shield's bonus to AC for that round.
Edge: If you have the Edge on your opponent, you do not lose your shield's benefit to AC after performing a shield bash.

With that in mind, your Shieldbearer feat should look something like this:

Shieldbearer [Combat]
"And my shield."
+0: You may add your Strength modifier to your BAB for the purposes of working out whether you have the Edge for shield bashes, as well as the Edge for defending against bull rushes, trips and disarms.
+1: You add your shield's AC bonus to your touch AC as well.
+6: Any opponent struck by a shield bash must make a Fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 your character level+your Str mod). If they fail, they receive a penalty on all skill checks, ability checks and saves equal to your Str modifier for 1d4 rounds.
+11: As an immediate action, you may lose your shield bonus until your next action, but instead grant it to an adjacent ally for as long as you do not have it.
+16: Your shield bashes are so awesome that each time you hit with one, your opponent is automatically bull rushed, using your damage as the distance you have 'moved' (rounded up to the nearest 5ft), and you move with an opponent that you bull rush in such a way. If you actually perform a bull rush while using a shield, you receive a bonus on the roll equal to your Strength modifier (essentially, gaining it twice).

As for Weapon Focus, Combat School covers this adequately in my mind.
Last edited by koz on Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by TOZ »

I figured that would be the case. I only made it up because I didn't want to use Combat School. I didn't expect these to cut it for a Tome game, since I'm still in a 3.5 mindset. Thank you for pointing out the 'do X better' rather than 'do Y' problem. I'll try to keep that in mind.

Would your version of the +16 have the character moving with the bullrushed enemy? I could see that being suitably awesome as you beat him backwards literally.
Last edited by TOZ on Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by koz »

The +16 was meant to do that. Clarifying now...

And as for the rest: no worries. It's always good to help people design better... until Bigode comes over and beats me over the head. :tongue:
Everything I learned about DnD, I learned from Frank Trollman.
Kaelik wrote:You are so full of Strawmen that I can only assume you actually shit actual straw.
souran wrote:...uber, nerd-rage-inducing, minutia-devoted, pointless blithering shit.
Schwarzkopf wrote:The Den, your one-stop shop for in-depth analysis of Dungeons & Dragons and distressingly credible threats of oral rape.
DSM wrote:Apparently, The GM's Going To Punch You in Your Goddamned Face edition of D&D is getting more traction than I expected. Well, it beats playing 4th. Probably 5th, too.
Frank Trollman wrote:Giving someone a mouth full of cock is a standard action.
PoliteNewb wrote:If size means anything, it's what position you have to get in to give a BJ.
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Post by TOZ »

The main intent of these two was to combine the Weapon Focus and Shield Specialization trees into single feats. I wasn't actually going to post them at first since they weren't intended to stand among Tome feats. But then I figured it would be a good learning experience, and I'm glad I did.
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