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Feats

The feats below include feats which have been modified from their published versions, as well as new feats designed for the Beyond Ragnarok campaign. (New feats are marked with a red asterisk [*].)

See the Feats Index page for a complete list of all the feats available in Beyond Ragnarok, and the Epic Feats page for descriptions of feats available only to epic characters.

Note on metamagic feat stacking: The effects of metamagic feats stack. For example, an Empowered, Maximized spell does 150% of maximum normal damage (rather than maximum normal damage, plus 50% of normal damage); likewise, a Maximized, Cold Admixed spell does twice maximum normal damage (half cold, half whatever the spell’s normal energy type is).

Advanced Learning

Your study of the fundamental nature of magic enables you to cross the boundaries that normally divide the various sources of magical power.

Prerequisites: Any metamagic feat, able to cast 2nd-level spells from at least two spellcasting level progressions.

Benefit: When you gain this feat, and at every second level thereafter, you may add one spell from any spell list to which you have access to any other spell list to which you have access. This spell may not be higher than the highest level spell you can cast. The spell becomes a spell of the same type as other spells of the target spell list.

Example: Nikolai, a 5th level wizard/7th level ur-priest, takes Advanced Learning as his 12th level feat and chooses to add circle of death, a 6th-level wizard spell, to his ur-priest spell list. Nikolai may now prepare circle of death in a 6th-level ur-priest spell slot, and he casts it as a divine spell when he does so. Two levels later, at 14th level, Nikolai may choose another spell from either of his spell lists to add to the other, even if he has not gained any levels in any spellcasting classes.

Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting

You are a master at fighting with a weapon in each hand.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +11, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting.

Benefit: Your two-weapon fighting penalties are lessened by 1, to a minimum of −0.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times, decreasing your Two-Weapon Fighting penalties by 1 each time.

Special: A fighter may select Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Cold Focus

Your cold spells are more potent than normal.

Benefit: Add +2 to the DC for all saving throws against spells you cast with the cold descriptor. This bonus stacks with similar bonuses, such as those granted by Spell Focus.

Crushing Strike

You wield a bludgeoning weapon with superior power, allowing you to batter aside an opponent’s defenses.

Prerequisites: Proficiency with a bludgeoning weapon, Weapon Focus with a bludgeoning weapon, Weapon Specialization with a bludgeoning weapon, base attack bonus +12.

Benefit: When you use a full attack action while fighting with any bludgeoning weapon, each attack that connects beats down your foe’s defenses, granting a cumulative +1 bonus on attack rolls until the end of your current turn.

Deflect Arrows

You can knock arrows and other projectiles off course, preventing them from hitting you.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit: You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat. When you would normally be hit with an attack from a ranged weapon, you may expend an attack of opportunity to attempt to deflect it. You add your base Reflex save bonus to your AC against the attack; if the attack would miss this increased AC, you take no damage from it. Unusually massive ranged weapons (such as boulders or ballista bolts), ranged attacks generated by spell effects, and energy-based attacks (such as acid spit and the like) can’t be deflected.

You cannot use this feat if you have no attacks of opportunity remaining for that round, or if you are unable to make attacks of opportunity for any reason. You must be aware of the attack in order to use this feat.

Special: A fighter may select Deflect Arrows as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Disciple of Darkness

You choose to follow or serve a demon lord or other mighty agent of evil. In return for your obedience and loyalty, you gain a small measure of power.

Benefit: Once per day, while performing an evil act or acting to further your patron’s interests, you may call upon the power you serve to add a +5 luck bonus on any one die roll.

Special: If you fail in your devotion to your dark patron, you lose the benefits of this feat. You may regain them if your patron wishes it, which requires a great quest of atonement, at the least.

Dodge

You are adept at dodging blows.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 13.

Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class.

When you are fighting defensively or using the total defense action, this dodge bonus increases to +2.

A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses (such as the one granted by this feat, and a dwarf’s racial bonus on dodge attempts against giants) stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses.

Special: A fighter may select Dodge as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Energy Admixture (metamagic)

You can modify a spell that uses one type of energy to add an equal amount of another energy type.

Prerequisites: Energy Substitution.

Benefit: Choose one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, or fire) that matches an energy type you have selected for substitution via the Energy Substitution feat. You can then modify any spell with an energy descriptor by adding an equal amount of the chosen type of energy to the spell’s normal effects. The altered spell works normally in all respects except for the type and amount of damage dealt, with each type of energy counting separately toward the spell’s damage cap. Thus, an acid fireball cast at 6th level deals 6d6 points of fire damage and 6d6 points of acid damage (rolled separately), while the same acid fireball cast at 10th level or higher deals 10d6 points of fire damage and 10d6 points of acid damage. Even opposed types of energy (such as fire and cold) can be combined using this feat.

An energy admixed spell uses up a spell slot four levels higher than the spell’s actual level. As well, the spell’s descriptor changes to include both energy types present in the spell—for example, the acid fireball described above is an evocation [acid, fire] spell.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, choosing a different type of energy each time. The type of energy selected with this feat must match a type of energy you have also selected for substitution via the Energy Substitution feat (so you can select cold as your energy type with Energy Admixture if you have selected cold as your Energy Substitution energy type). You can use Energy Admixture to further alter a spell that has already been modified with Energy Substitution, and you can also admix your chosen energy type with a spell that already uses the same type, in effect doubling its normal damage dice.

This feat cannot be applied to Conjuration (Creation) spells.

Energy Substitution (metamagic)

You can modify an energy-based spell to use another type of energy instead.

Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, any metamagic feat.

Benefit: Choose one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). You can then modify any spell with an energy descriptor to use the chosen type of energy instead. An energy substituted spell uses a spell slot of the spell’s normal level. The spell’s descriptor changes to the new energy type—for example, a fireball composed of cold energy is an evocation [cold] spell.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, choosing a different type of energy each time.

This feat cannot be applied to Conjuration (Creation) spells.

Greater Weapon Focus

You are even more skilled at using your chosen weapons.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, fighter level 8th.

Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using weapons with which you have Weapon Focus. This bonus stacks with other bonuses on attack rolls, including the one from Weapon Focus.

Special: A fighter may select Greater Weapon Focus as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Greater Weapon Specialization

You are even more skilled at dealing damage with your chosen weapons.

Prerequisites: Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, fighter level 12th.

Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls you make using any weapon with which you have Weapon Focus. This bonus stacks with other bonuses on damage rolls, including the one from Weapon Specialization.

Special: A fighter may select Greater Weapon Specialization as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Heighten Spell

You can cast a spell as if it were a higher-level spell than it actually is.

Prerequisites: Any metamagic feat.

Benefit: Any spell you cast is considered to have an effective level (for the purposes of save DCs, interaction with a globe of invulnerability, etc.) equal to the level of the spell slot which you use to cast it.

Normal: Casting a spell using a spell slot of a higher level than the spell’s normal level does not modify the spell’s effective level.

Improve Class Ability

One of your class abilities is improved.

This feat offers a variety of benefits for characters of various classes. See the Improve Class Ability feat description page for details.

Improved Critical

With your chosen weapons, you know how to hit where it hurts.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +8.

Benefit: When using any weapon with which you have Weapon Focus, your threat range is doubled. For example, a longsword usually threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19–20 (two numbers). If a character using a longsword has Improved Critical and Weapon Focus (longsword), the threat range becomes 17–20 (four numbers).

Special: The benefit of this feat stacks with the effects of the keen edge spell or the keen weapon property. (Remember that two doublings is a tripling, etc.) It may or may not stack with other effects or abilities that increase a weapon’s critical threat range; see individual ability descriptions for details.

A fighter may select Improved Critical as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Improved Two-Weapon Fighting

You are an expert in fighting two-handed.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 17, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +6.

Benefit: You get as many attacks with your off-hand weapon as you do with your main-hand weapon, at the same base attack bonuses.

Normal: Without this feat, you can only get a single extra attack with an off-hand weapon.

Special: A fighter may select Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as one of his fighter bonus feats.

A 6th-level ranger who has chosen the two-weapon combat style is treated as having Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, even if he does not have the prerequisites for it, but only when he is wearing light or no armor.

Infernal Wild Shape

You can assume the form of certain fiends with bestial qualities.

Prerequisites: Base Fortitude save bonus +8, wild shape ability, evil alignment.

Benefit: You may use your wild shape ability to assume the form of any of the following outsiders. Your new form must still fall within the size limitations of your wild shape ability. Where indicated, you also gain certain supernatural qualities of the assumed shape (listed in parentheses). In all cases, if the assumed shape has any ability to overcome damage reduction with its natural weapons, you gain this quality as well. This otherwise works just like the normal wild shape ability.

Mage Slayer

You have studied the ways and weaknesses of spellcasters and can time your attacks against them expertly.

Prerequisites: Spellcraft 2 ranks, base attack bonus +3.

Benefit: Spellcasters you threaten take a penalty on their Concentration checks made to cast spells defensively. This penalty is equal to your base attack bonus.

Special: Taking this feat reduces your caster level for all your spells and spell-like abilities by 4.

Power Attack

You can make exceptionally powerful melee attacks.

Prerequisites: Strength 13.

Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn.

Special: If you attack with a two-handed weapon, or with a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands, instead add twice the number subtracted from your attack rolls. If you attack with a light weapon, instead add one-half the number subtracted from your attack rolls. (This does not apply to unarmed strikes or natural weapons, even when they are considered to be light; such attacks receive the full damage bonus from this feat.) (Normally, you treat a double weapon as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. If you choose to use a double weapon like a two-handed weapon, attacking with only one end of it in a round, you treat it as a two-handed weapon.)

A fighter may select Power Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Skill Focus

You are dedicated to mastery of the chosen skill, regardless of your class.

Benefit: Select one skill. That skill is always a class skill for you (thus you can always purchase ranks in the chosen skill at a cost of 1 skill point per rank, and your maximum number of ranks in the skill is 3 + your character level).

Special: You may take this feat multiple times, selecting a new skill each time.

Taking Skill Focus (Poisonmaking) also grants a character the poison use ability (enabling him to handle poisons without risking exposing himself to their effects).

Slashing Flurry

You swing your weapon with uncanny speed, slicing apart a foe in the blink of an eye.

Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected slashing weapon, Weapon Focus with selected slashing weapon, Weapon Specialization with selected slashing weapon, base attack bonus +12.

Benefit: When you use a standard action to attack with any slashing weapon, you can choose to make a second attack with that weapon. You take a –5 penalty on the first attack, and a –10 penalty on the second.

When you use a full attack action with any slashing weapon, you gain one additional attack at your highest base attack bonus. That attack and all other attacks you make in the current round take a –5 penalty.

Sneak Attack of Opportunity

Whenever your opponent lets his guard down, you can make a sneak attack.

Prerequisites: Sneak attack +6d6, opportunist class feature.

Benefit: Any attack of opportunity you make is considered a sneak attack.

Spell Focus

Choose a school of magic, such as illusion. Your spells of that school are more potent than normal.

Benefit: Add +2 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new school of magic.

Superior Whirlwind Attack

You strike out at all nearby enemies with both your weapons.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 17, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11.

Benefit: If you are wielding a weapon in each hand, you may use both weapons with Whirlwind Attack. You make one melee attack each with your main-hand and off-hand weapons against each opponent within reach. Your two-weapon fighting penalties still apply.

Normal: Without this feat, you can only make a single melee attack against each opponent when using the Whirlwind Attack feat.

Special: A fighter may select Superior Whirlwind Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Toughness

You are tougher than normal.

Prerequisites: Base Fortitude save bonus +2.

Benefit: You gain additional hit points per hit die as if your Constitution score were 2 points higher. These bonus hit points are recomputed every time you gain or lose hit dice.

Transcendent Learning

Your command of magic has transcended that of ordinary mortals.

Prerequisites: Advanced Learning, any metamagic feat, able to cast 2nd-level spells from at least two spellcasting level progressions.

Benefit: Your caster level for any spellcasting class that you have levels in is equal to the sum of all your levels in all spellcasting classes you possess, if it does not already exceed this value.

Twin Sword Strike

You can strike with both your weapons at once.

Prerequisites: Dexterity 17, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11.

Benefit: When taking the attack action, attacking as part of a charge, or using the Spring Attack feat, you may take an additional attack with your off-hand weapon. Normal two-weapon fighting penalties apply to both attacks.

Normal: You may only attack with your main-hand weapon when taking the attack action, charging, or using Spring Attack.

Special: A fighter may select Twin Sword Strike as one of his fighter bonus feats.

An 11th-level ranger who has chosen the two-weapon combat style is treated as having Twin Sword Strike, even if he does not have the prerequisites for it, but only when he is wearing light or no armor.

Weapon Specialization

You are an expert at dealing damage with your chosen weapons.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, fighter level 4th.

Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus when dealing damage with all weapons with which you have Weapon Focus.

Special: A fighter may select Weapon Specialization as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Weapon Supremacy

You are a grandmaster in the use of your chosen weapons. When you hold them in your hands, no foe can stand against you.

Prerequisites: Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, fighter level 16th.

Benefit: When fighting with any weapon for which you have Weapon Focus, you gain a number of additional advantages.

You gain a +4 bonus on all checks made to resist being disarmed.

You can wield your weapon against a foe who grapples you without penalty and without first making a grapple check. In this situation, you can take a standard action or a full attack action as normal.

When you take a full attack action, you can apply a +5 bonus to any single attack after your first strike.

Once per round before making an attack roll, you can instead choose to treat your d20 result as a 10.

You gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Special: A fighter may select Weapon Specialization as one of his fighter bonus feats.