Post/Author/DateTime	Post
CrazyOzzy 05-14-07, 09:42 AM	Hello, These feats are going to be used in conjunction with Szatany's Ultimate Classes and are synchronized with his goal of balancing casters and melee. In addition to these feats, shield AC bonuses shall be improved to reflect their importance in combat. Hopefully Sword and Board will become more popular vs THF. Here they are : Focused Shield Defense [General] -Prerequisite : Dex 11, BaB +1, Shield Proficiency, Dodge. -Benefit : while fighting in total defense with any shield (small or larger), you may completely block a single attack from an opponent which is the target of your Dodge feat. The DC is equal to the attack roll of the opponent. In order to beat this DC you must roll 1d20 + BaB + Str bonus + Shield Bonus. Every time you succeed in blocking a blow in this manner, your shield automatically suffers the effects of a Sunder attack. This ability may only be used against an opponent your size category or smaller. -Special : a Fighter may select this feat as one of his Fighter bonus feats. Improved Focused Shield Defense [General] -Prerequisite : Dex 13, BaB +6, Focused Shield Defense. -Benefit : you may now block two attacks per round instead of one using this ability. -Special : a Fighter may select this feat as one of his Fighter bonus feats. Greater Focused Shield Defense [General] -Prerequisite : Dex 15, BaB +11, Focused Shield Defense, Improved Focused Shield Defense. -Benefit : you may now block three attacks per round using this ability. In addition, you may block attacks from an opponent up to one size category larger than you. -Special : a Fighter may select this feat as one of his bonus Fighter feats. Perfect Focused Shield Defense [Epic] -Prerequisite : Dex 17, BaB +20, Focused Shield Defense, Improved Focused Shield Defense, Greater Focused Shield Defense. -Benefit : you may now block as many attacks per round as you could normally attempt. In addition, you may block attacks from opponents up to two size categories larger than you. So what do you think? Overpowered? Nice useful addition for melees? Is the Dex prereq too low? Would you change the wording? All the best :)
tarkin 05-14-07, 10:25 AM	The feats are all well done. You have to do Total Defense, which means no attacking, and you are not guaranteed of blocking the attacks. But honestly, the risk of sundering your shield is so high, I can't see someone taking and using this feat often. Even with an Adamantine Shield this looks like a risky proposition.
CrazyOzzy 05-14-07, 11:17 AM	Thanks tarkin, I could remove the sunder effect, I was just trying to find some disadvantage to this otherwise very nifty (IMO) chain of feats. Apart from that, do you believe the dex prereq is too low compared to other feats such as the TWF chain? I chose to make it quite accessible to non dex based melee, they are the presumed prime user of these feats, that is also why the BaB requirement is also quite high. I foresee some Heroic defending in my games! EDIT : how about a version of this that lets you divide your blocks over a few opponents? For example : perhaps you could block attacks from the 5 squares around and in front of you up to a number of attacks that you are allowed to block.
tarkin 05-14-07, 12:49 PM	How about disarm instead of Sunder. I definitely agree that the feat needs some kind of additional balance. Or you could rule that when doing this, you do not threaten and can not take any AoO's.