New defensive feats. [Archive] - Wizards Community

New defensive feats. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sagelyone
11-20-07, 08:05 PM I'm concocting a few new feats to flesh out the archetype of the meatshield. As it is, it's far too difficult to keep the bad guys off your unarmored friends if the DM simply says "he's angry at the wizard, so he ignores the guy standing in front of him with a sword and goes to attack you." So, I present to you, my new feats:

Ardent defense- You defend yourself better when you meet the attack head on and let your strength decide.
Prerequisites: Strength 14, BAB +5
Benefits: You add your strength to your AC instead of your dexterity while wielding a shield. You are still denied this bonus if you are caught flat footed.

Hold the line- Enemies do not easily get past you.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Once per turn as an instant action, you may move a distance equal to your base movement speed to intercept an enemies movement or attack. If you intercept a movement, you and your enemy make opposing strength checks. If you succeed, he is knocked prone and cannot take any more actions for the round. If you fail, you are knocked prone. If you intercept an attack, it is simply made against you instead of its previous target. NOTE: To intercept an attack you must interrupt line of sight of the attack.

Spell defense- Your defenses do not stop at swords or axes.
Prerequisites: Improved shield bash.
Benefit: You may substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save against any spell that would allow a reflex save. If you are caught flat footed you do not gain the benefit of this feat. Any spells saved in this way are effectively counterspelled.
Slimgauge
11-21-07, 12:39 PM Ardent defense- You defend yourself better when you meet the attack head on and let your strength decide.
Prerequisites: Strength 14, BAB +5
Benefits: You add your strength to your AC instead of your dexterity while wielding a shield. You are still denied this bonus if you are caught flat footed.

I think you mean you add your strength BONUS to your AC instead of your dexterity BONUS. You also need to clarify if this bonus is limited by armor the way a dex bonus is (or not, but be explicit about it). I'd also reword it so you lose this bonus anytime you would lose your dex bonus to AC (more situations than just flat-footed).

Hold the line- Enemies do not easily get past you.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Once per turn as an instant action, you may move a distance equal to your base movement speed to intercept an enemies movement or attack. If you intercept a movement, you and your enemy make opposing strength checks. If you succeed, he is knocked prone and cannot take any more actions for the round. If you fail, you are knocked prone. If you intercept an attack, it is simply made against you instead of its previous target. NOTE: To intercept an attack you must interrupt line of sight of the attack.

There is already a "Hold the Line" feat (Complete Warrior p100 is the most recent) so I'd choose another name. There's no such thing as an "instant" action, I think you mean "immediate" action.

I'd use the mechanic of either a bull-rush or a trip attempt, and make one or the other a prerequisite. Actually, make this one a lot simpler. Have a look at "Cometary Collision" (PH2 p77). In fact, you could make this work as if the character had prepared a move action followed by a standard action, and the trigger is anyone attacking (that is, performing an attack action) or moving (actual movement, not just a move action) within a distance <= the character's move distance. Normally, you can't prepare more than a standard action (more OR attack).

Spell defense- Your defenses do not stop at swords or axes.
Prerequisites: Improved shield bash.
Benefit: You may substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save against any spell that would allow a reflex save. If you are caught flat footed you do not gain the benefit of this feat. Any spells saved in this way are effectively counterspelled.

This one I don't understand your intent. How would you substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save ? Perhaps instead it should be you may add your shield's armor bonus to AC (including any enhancement bonus) to your reflex save as an untyped bonus unless you would be denied your dex bonus to AC. Lose the counter-spell part. Why would a character saving against a fireball protect anyone else ?
StevenO
11-21-07, 02:26 PM I'm concocting a few new feats to flesh out the archetype of the meatshield. As it is, it's far too difficult to keep the bad guys off your unarmored friends if the DM simply says "he's angry at the wizard, so he ignores the guy standing in front of him with a sword and goes to attack you." So, I present to you, my new feats:

Ardent defense- You defend yourself better when you meet the attack head on and let your strength decide.
Prerequisites: Strength 14, BAB +5
Benefits: You add your strength to your AC instead of your dexterity while wielding a shield. You are still denied this bonus if you are caught flat footed.

Hold the line- Enemies do not easily get past you.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Once per turn as an instant action, you may move a distance equal to your base movement speed to intercept an enemies movement or attack. If you intercept a movement, you and your enemy make opposing strength checks. If you succeed, he is knocked prone and cannot take any more actions for the round. If you fail, you are knocked prone. If you intercept an attack, it is simply made against you instead of its previous target. NOTE: To intercept an attack you must interrupt line of sight of the attack.

Spell defense- Your defenses do not stop at swords or axes.
Prerequisites: Improved shield bash.
Benefit: You may substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save against any spell that would allow a reflex save. If you are caught flat footed you do not gain the benefit of this feat. Any spells saved in this way are effectively counterspelled.
Ardent Defense: This is probably way too good if it works as I think you intend it too. To work it needs some severe restrictions. While strong characters often use 2H weapons for the damage increase I think this is still too helpful to those high STR, low DEX types who may be willing to forgo a small damage increase for a big AC increase. Also note that feat Prereqs. always use ODD (13,15,17,...) ability scores to minimize max/min.

Hold the Line: Name already used. Free movement is abusive and this feat also includes an improvement on Bull Rushing which is not needed. As far as I can tell this "feat" is easy enough to replicate with a readied action.

Spell Defense: I also have a hard time understanding the intent here. I guess your objective it to use your shield to "block" an incoming spell and knock it away. Unfortunately using that for reflex saving spells just doesn't work. I believe this feat's intent is already covered by a feat (I believe in the PHB2) that allows you to include your shield bonus to AC vs ranged touch attacks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sagelyone 11-20-07, 08:05 PM	I'm concocting a few new feats to flesh out the archetype of the meatshield. As it is, it's far too difficult to keep the bad guys off your unarmored friends if the DM simply says "he's angry at the wizard, so he ignores the guy standing in front of him with a sword and goes to attack you." So, I present to you, my new feats: Ardent defense- You defend yourself better when you meet the attack head on and let your strength decide. Prerequisites: Strength 14, BAB +5 Benefits: You add your strength to your AC instead of your dexterity while wielding a shield. You are still denied this bonus if you are caught flat footed. Hold the line- Enemies do not easily get past you. Prerequisites: None Benefit: Once per turn as an instant action, you may move a distance equal to your base movement speed to intercept an enemies movement or attack. If you intercept a movement, you and your enemy make opposing strength checks. If you succeed, he is knocked prone and cannot take any more actions for the round. If you fail, you are knocked prone. If you intercept an attack, it is simply made against you instead of its previous target. NOTE: To intercept an attack you must interrupt line of sight of the attack. Spell defense- Your defenses do not stop at swords or axes. Prerequisites: Improved shield bash. Benefit: You may substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save against any spell that would allow a reflex save. If you are caught flat footed you do not gain the benefit of this feat. Any spells saved in this way are effectively counterspelled.
Slimgauge 11-21-07, 12:39 PM	Ardent defense- You defend yourself better when you meet the attack head on and let your strength decide. Prerequisites: Strength 14, BAB +5 Benefits: You add your strength to your AC instead of your dexterity while wielding a shield. You are still denied this bonus if you are caught flat footed. I think you mean you add your strength BONUS to your AC instead of your dexterity BONUS. You also need to clarify if this bonus is limited by armor the way a dex bonus is (or not, but be explicit about it). I'd also reword it so you lose this bonus anytime you would lose your dex bonus to AC (more situations than just flat-footed). Hold the line- Enemies do not easily get past you. Prerequisites: None Benefit: Once per turn as an instant action, you may move a distance equal to your base movement speed to intercept an enemies movement or attack. If you intercept a movement, you and your enemy make opposing strength checks. If you succeed, he is knocked prone and cannot take any more actions for the round. If you fail, you are knocked prone. If you intercept an attack, it is simply made against you instead of its previous target. NOTE: To intercept an attack you must interrupt line of sight of the attack. There is already a "Hold the Line" feat (Complete Warrior p100 is the most recent) so I'd choose another name. There's no such thing as an "instant" action, I think you mean "immediate" action. I'd use the mechanic of either a bull-rush or a trip attempt, and make one or the other a prerequisite. Actually, make this one a lot simpler. Have a look at "Cometary Collision" (PH2 p77). In fact, you could make this work as if the character had prepared a move action followed by a standard action, and the trigger is anyone attacking (that is, performing an attack action) or moving (actual movement, not just a move action) within a distance <= the character's move distance. Normally, you can't prepare more than a standard action (more OR attack). Spell defense- Your defenses do not stop at swords or axes. Prerequisites: Improved shield bash. Benefit: You may substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save against any spell that would allow a reflex save. If you are caught flat footed you do not gain the benefit of this feat. Any spells saved in this way are effectively counterspelled. This one I don't understand your intent. How would you substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save ? Perhaps instead it should be you may add your shield's armor bonus to AC (including any enhancement bonus) to your reflex save as an untyped bonus unless you would be denied your dex bonus to AC. Lose the counter-spell part. Why would a character saving against a fireball protect anyone else ?
StevenO 11-21-07, 02:26 PM	I'm concocting a few new feats to flesh out the archetype of the meatshield. As it is, it's far too difficult to keep the bad guys off your unarmored friends if the DM simply says "he's angry at the wizard, so he ignores the guy standing in front of him with a sword and goes to attack you." So, I present to you, my new feats: Ardent defense- You defend yourself better when you meet the attack head on and let your strength decide. Prerequisites: Strength 14, BAB +5 Benefits: You add your strength to your AC instead of your dexterity while wielding a shield. You are still denied this bonus if you are caught flat footed. Hold the line- Enemies do not easily get past you. Prerequisites: None Benefit: Once per turn as an instant action, you may move a distance equal to your base movement speed to intercept an enemies movement or attack. If you intercept a movement, you and your enemy make opposing strength checks. If you succeed, he is knocked prone and cannot take any more actions for the round. If you fail, you are knocked prone. If you intercept an attack, it is simply made against you instead of its previous target. NOTE: To intercept an attack you must interrupt line of sight of the attack. Spell defense- Your defenses do not stop at swords or axes. Prerequisites: Improved shield bash. Benefit: You may substitute a shield bash attack for your reflex save against any spell that would allow a reflex save. If you are caught flat footed you do not gain the benefit of this feat. Any spells saved in this way are effectively counterspelled. Ardent Defense: This is probably way too good if it works as I think you intend it too. To work it needs some severe restrictions. While strong characters often use 2H weapons for the damage increase I think this is still too helpful to those high STR, low DEX types who may be willing to forgo a small damage increase for a big AC increase. Also note that feat Prereqs. always use ODD (13,15,17,...) ability scores to minimize max/min. Hold the Line: Name already used. Free movement is abusive and this feat also includes an improvement on Bull Rushing which is not needed. As far as I can tell this "feat" is easy enough to replicate with a readied action. Spell Defense: I also have a hard time understanding the intent here. I guess your objective it to use your shield to "block" an incoming spell and knock it away. Unfortunately using that for reflex saving spells just doesn't work. I believe this feat's intent is already covered by a feat (I believe in the PHB2) that allows you to include your shield bonus to AC vs ranged touch attacks.