[3.5] What should spring attack actually do?

[Nagukuk]

 I was reading over Champion of Corellon today thinking yea the feat tax sucks,yea spring attack sucks, and is "taxed" heavily it self. But the "taxes" sort of mesh together at least.


SO, What should SPRING ATTACK actually do to make it worth while?


Upon further musing on Champion of Corellon; ToB pretty much makes this class obsolete, shadow hand and the feat taxs etc as I stated above... then reading about the Elvin Courtblade and how it is treated as a greatsword for "this and that" got me thinking,


 WHAT IF - Elegant strike - used with two handed court blade did 1.5 Str and 1.5Dex?

[SolEiji]

IMHO, pounce.  At least for it's feat cost.

If the feat cost was remove, exactly what it is doing now.

[faeryn]

Merge Bounding Assult with Spring Attack... or remove the feat tax...

Though honestly the two feats required for it are likely to be taken by most martial characters anyway...

Also, you can always just get a 9th Lv Cleric to cast Divine Agility on you to gain the benefits of Spring Attack...

[Solo]

IMHO, pounce.  At least for it's feat cost.

Pounce + the ability to move before and after your attack

[bhu]

"You must announce the use of this feat before making any melee attack.  If your attack is successful your opponent must make a fortitude save (DC 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Des Mod) or be thrown 30 feet directly upwards into the air"

[faeryn]

"You must announce the use of this feat before making any melee attack.  If your attack is successful your opponent must make a fortitude save (DC 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Des Mod) or be thrown 30 feet directly upwards into the air"

lol... would they be forced to spend their next round as a move action to fall 30ft if their move speed isn't greater than 30?

[Solo]

"You must announce the use of this feat before making any melee attack.  If your attack is successful your opponent must make a fortitude save (DC 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Des Mod) or be thrown 30 feet directly upwards into the air"

What does Slovakian Nu metal have to do with this?

[bhu]

"You must announce the use of this feat before making any melee attack.  If your attack is successful your opponent must make a fortitude save (DC 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Des Mod) or be thrown 30 feet directly upwards into the air"

lol... would they be forced to spend their next round as a move action to fall 30ft if their move speed isn't greater than 30?

 

[Tonymitsu]

For the feat tax it requires, not even just pounce.

"As a full round action, you may move a distance equal to your normal movement speed for the round. At any time during this movement, you may make a melee attack against a foe you move into range of, then finish your movement. If you have more than one attack as a result of high BAB, natural weapon, a special ability, or other effect (such as the Haste spell), you may make those attacks any time during your movement for the round as well. The attacks can be directed against a single foe, or as many enemies as you can reach. If your movement for the round is in a straight line, you may move double your normal movement speed. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal, but you may choose to Tumble to avoid them, either taking the appropriate movement speed penalties or skill check penalties to the roll."

Then I'd make interactions for Twisted Charge and Psionic Charge to allow you to turn during the double movement.

So yeah, pretty much Pounce+

[Jackinthegreen]

Tonymitsu, that's basically the main class feature of the Dervish but with fewer limits other than some of the movement.

Regarding the OP, I'd change mobility to not need dodge as a prereq, plus give it some other bonus that makes it worthwhile to someone not using Tumble.  Some sort of bonus for moving, or allow movement to be easier.  Maybe it boosts AC by 4 when using Tumble, but 2 otherwise when moving through a threatened square.  Spring Attack would still need Mobility, but it would then play into the bonus Mobility gave.  Give an attack and damage bonus for moving, attacking, and then moving again.  At a certain BAB it'd negate a single AoO for moving through a threatened area, and then at a higher BAB it'd allow for a second attack.

[Keldar]

For the feat tax, Spring Attack should be as awesome as Tonymitsu suggested.  But if Dodge and Mobility are changed to something not garbage, then pounce is good.  And as SolEiji suggested, what it is now would be good with no prerequisites.

For cripes sake, Spellcasters can make a spell last all day with a feat, and its prerequisite is actually a good feat too!  Noncaster feats are just insulting in comparison to caster feats.  You'd have to make a feat pretty powerful to trump what lone feats with no prerequisites do for casters already.  Its not like every good caster feat requires Combat Casting or Spell Focus (Divination).

[jeffrie]

Good point.