Monday, April 25, 2011

Feats I have a problem with

Am I the only one who has a problem with Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, and Epic Will? With Improved Defenses or-gawd-Superior Fortitude/Reflex/Will, it seems like these feats are a good way to get ridiculously high non-armor defenses. Add in that the main common items for Head/Waist/Feet are all +1/2/3 Fort/Ref/Will items, and it feels like there's a lot of math-fix type bonuses.

I almost think we need to reintroduce "Competence" as a bonus type. Circlet of Indomitability, for instance, could give a +1/2/3 Competence Bonus to Will. Epic Will could add a +4 competence bonus. Makes the feats give an incentive to avoid the most obvious +Defense items.


Speaking of, maybe change Staff of Ruin and the like from item bonuses to competence bonuses, and grant a feat? Of course, then you have the problem of any remaining item bonus to damage roll powers.

4 comments:

  1. I don't like *mandatory* feats - ones that boost a needed stat (In this case fort/will/reflex). If you're with a merciless DM you HAVE to take such feats, which isn't fun at all. I'd rather have feats that modify abilities in unique ways or offer a new power or somesuch.

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  2. No, you're not the only one. I ban all that crap, feats and items both. The Epic boosters don't get as much attention as Taxpertise probably because so few players actually get to epic levels. More's the pity.

    To shore up low defenses, and to keep the skill gap from widening, PCs in my game get +1 to all stats at levels 4/8/14/18/24/28.

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  3. If you're giving PCs an additional net +6 to stats by 30th level, note that this disproportionately favors light armor users. Consider changing the masterwork bonus from +3/+6 for heavy armor to a +3/+6/+9 build (so that a 30th level character wearing full plate has an AC of 48, which is exactly 30 more than they did at 1st level).

    Hmmm... actually, that seems a bit high.

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  4. I don't give an additional +6 to stats. Just +6 to the four stats that would otherwise only get +2. The Complete 4th project lays out a lot of the house rules I use so they're easy to see.

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