Author Topic: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?  (Read 3762 times)

Offline StreamOfTheSky

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[3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« on: March 02, 2012, 05:07:09 PM »
So, my character (gestalt Ranger//Druid) in a PF game has the Tactics (War) domain, which grants this juicy ability:

"Weapon Master (Su): At 8th level, as a swift action, you gain the use of one combat feat for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric druid level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive and you can change the feat chosen each time you use this ability. You must meet the prerequisites to use this feat."

I have BAB of +17 and am focused on volley archery for the most part.  Str/Dex/Con fluctuate due to wildshaping but are quite high all the time.  Wisdom varies between 29-37.  Int is 14, cha is 8.  Race is human.  I can grow anywhere between small and huge size basically at will.  I have the following feats (leaving out metamagic and the like):
Point Blank Shot, Darkstalker, Parrying Shield, Precise Shot, Endurance, Zen Archery, Improved Precise Shot, Woodland Archer, Clustered Shots, Improved Initiative, Rapid Shot, Lightning Reflexes, Manyshot, Skill Focus (Stealth)

What feats does he both qualify for, and would be useful to pull up at a moment's notice?  Thus far I've mostly just used it for Improved Rapid Shot for +2 to hit.  Most stuff from PF and 3.5 is available; if it was updated for PF that version is likely to be used.  "Combat feats" are a defined category in PF and encompass all the original fighter bonus feats plus a bunch more combat-related formerly general feats.  For 3E material, anything that's a Fighter bonus feat is a combat feat, and others potentially could be on a case-by-case basis.

My list so far of useful feats to snap my fingers and gain:
(click to show/hide)

So...having trouble finding many truly useful options.  Also note the PF feats Point Blank Master and Snap Shot are worthless to me; I have a wand chamber for a wand of Arrow Mind.

Thank you for any suggestions.

EDIT: I have an IL of 8 and no known maneuvers for the purposes of Martial Study, if any level 4 or lower ones w/o pre-reqs are useful for my character
« Last Edit: March 03, 2012, 01:24:57 AM by StreamOfTheSky »

Offline Fadier

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2012, 08:22:37 PM »
Flicking through a few feats these are some posible choices:

Depending on how Greater Manyshot works with the pathfinder Manyshot it might be worth using.
Using it with Quick Draw makes you draw your weapon as a swift action.
Flanking Foil is a nice nerf to rogues.
If your party members have teamwork feats you could pick one of those.
Eldritch Claws is situational but could be useful for wild shape.
Lunge is another unlikely choice but one to keep in mind.
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Offline StreamOfTheSky

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2012, 09:21:34 PM »
Hmm...

I don't think Greater Manyshot can actually do anything in PF.  And if it did, it'd probably be a standard that doesn't work w/ rapid shot, so...eh.
Quickdraw to draw a weapon a swift is a great idea!
Flanking Foil is an abomination of the greatest order, and as a rogue lover, it infuriates me that it exists.  It isn't a nerf to rogues, it completely neuters them, it'd be like a feat that made spellcasters lose the ability to cast spells (and that worked at range, because unlike Rogues, who in PF can't really do the ranged SA thing, casters don't need to melee)!  The DM refused to ban it when I asked, but I will not sink to that level of bullshit even if faced with a sneak attacker, it just isn't right. *cue link to Honor Before Reason trope*
Eldritch Claws...I seriously can't see that ever being useful.  Only time I really use natural attacks at all is when in earth elemental form for the push ability.  Arrow Mind really makes the natural weapons pointless...
Lunge won't help on AoOs and the only time I'm melee attacking is on AoOs.  Hmm...I suppose to deliver a melee touch spell it could be useful, though.  I'll add it.

Offline Fadier

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2012, 10:04:05 PM »
Flanking Foil is an abomination of the greatest order

Maybe I should have put nice in quotation marks as I agree with you on that point.
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Offline 10d10

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2012, 09:44:17 AM »
Flanking Foil is an abomination of the greatest order, and as a rogue lover, it infuriates me that it exists.  It isn't a nerf to rogues, it completely neuters them, it'd be like a feat that made spellcasters lose the ability to cast spells (and that worked at range, because unlike Rogues, who in PF can't really do the ranged SA thing, casters don't need to melee)!  The DM refused to ban it when I asked, but I will not sink to that level of bullshit even if faced with a sneak attacker, it just isn't right. *cue link to Honor Before Reason trope*

Preach, sneaky brother  :clap


So, what about all those feats that ignore cover and makes your arrows basically a heat-seeking missile? It's a shame that disruptive shot is a fighter's only thing, it can be very useful... Maybe your DM would consider it?

Offline Basket Burner

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2012, 10:03:54 AM »
...

Wow...

They nerfed Rogues...

Even more...

What the fuck did I just read?

Offline StreamOfTheSky

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2012, 10:27:00 AM »
So, what about all those feats that ignore cover and makes your arrows basically a heat-seeking missile? It's a shame that disruptive shot is a fighter's only thing, it can be very useful... Maybe your DM would consider it?

Well, I already ignore cover w/ IPS (which is delicious w/ Arrow Mind, 15 ft reach, and opponents assuming if they have cover I can't AoO them, btw), what other feats are there?

I don't think Disruptive Shot would be that useful even if DM did allow it.  Besides, he was already nice and allowed me to use the ability to gain Elven Accuracy despite not being an elf.  Rather not ask for more favors, the ability is already pretty awesome.  The one Fighter feat I really wish I could get is Pin Down, but oh well.

What the fuck did I just read?

The worst feat ever printed.

I think the intent, based on the name and fluff text, was to prevent someone from flanking you if you hit them in melee.  Which is still total bs, considering you just gave away a mid level class feature as a BAB +1 feat.  But, as written... holyfuckshit!  But I don't see Paizo in any rush to fix the feat, unlike say...how fast they jumped on the loophole w/ Cloud Step feat that let a level 20 Monk *gasp* effectively teleport at will.  They were pretty quick at addressing that, because monks are so overpowered and level 20 play is so common.

I hate Flanking Foil.  In discussion threads, I refuse to mention it by name usually, and preferably don't mention anything about it at all.  In the hopes people will not notice it exists.  Because unlike those of us here...the Paizils...actually beyond that, gamers at large don't seem to see the problem with this feat.  I requested it be banned despite not even using sneak attack, it offends me so much.  That all of my other friends think it's ok disturbs me greatly.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2012, 10:34:02 AM by StreamOfTheSky »

Offline 10d10

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2012, 10:57:35 AM »
I was mostly thinking on Elven Accuracy (if your DM allowed) and Pinpoint Targeting :)

On a roguish note, I'm getting all your and Basket Burner's comments and ideas on PF treating rogues like shit and taking to my group. The DM will probably be OK giving them some buffs from now on.

Offline StreamOfTheSky

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2012, 11:43:45 AM »
I actually qualify for Pinpoint Targeting most of the time (Earth Elemental hurts teh dex).  But only time I'd use it would be surprise round.  Only other time I don't tend to have a full attack is if I need to move.

I asked my DM about the 3E Ranged Pin feat.  It'd be a single combat maneuver check using dex instead of str (wis in my case due to zen archery), but would be a standard action, not an attack replacer.  Making it kinda worthless.

Other feats I was looking at:

Dragon Foe and Dragon Hunter - We're fighting Tiamat soon.  Maybe...
Mage Slayer - The -4 CL would normally be an instant no-deal.  But as a temporary hit while the feat is active, this might be situationally useful.
Steadfast Determination - When you have obscene wis, the only real use of this feat is when you expect you could make fort saves on a 1.  Not likely to be helpful.
Danger Sense - Reroll init 1/day.  Probably would need to put it up before combat started, and it feels too abusive for my taste.  Also, Tactics domain already lets me and/or an ally "roll 2d20 take better" for initiative like 15 times a day.  :)

Offline Basket Burner

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Re: [3.P] What (useful) combat feats do I qualify for?
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2012, 12:19:07 PM »
What the fuck did I just read?

The worst feat ever printed.

I think the intent, based on the name and fluff text, was to prevent someone from flanking you if you hit them in melee.  Which is still total bs, considering you just gave away a mid level class feature as a BAB +1 feat.  But, as written... holyfuckshit!  But I don't see Paizo in any rush to fix the feat, unlike say...how fast they jumped on the loophole w/ Cloud Step feat that let a level 20 Monk *gasp* effectively teleport at will.  They were pretty quick at addressing that, because monks are so overpowered and level 20 play is so common.

I hate Flanking Foil.  In discussion threads, I refuse to mention it by name usually, and preferably don't mention anything about it at all.  In the hopes people will not notice it exists.  Because unlike those of us here...the Paizils...actually beyond that, gamers at large don't seem to see the problem with this feat.  I requested it be banned despite not even using sneak attack, it offends me so much.  That all of my other friends think it's ok disturbs me greatly.

I don't even care about the whole shutting down Rogues thing. I mean in 3.5 they're already blocked by everything at high level and have to go through a long chain of roundabout loops in order to get off sneak attack at all. But they can do it.

Then PF comes and nerfs everything but flanking.

And then they take that.

At this point they're just intentionally trying to drive people to pull a Blackleaf.