Douglas
2012-01-29, 01:22 PM
First, a bit of context since the feats I'm about to post are clearly overpowered compared to RAW 3.5 and I don't want the entire thread consumed by people pointing that out:
These feats are part of an effort to boost melee characters closer to casters in terms of power. The DM of the campaign they're intended for also likes the idea of a single feat scaling with level rather than a long feat chain. Some of the feats from Frank and K's Races of War (http://turing.bard.edu/~mk561/frank_k_0.5.1.pdf) have already been approved (specifically Point Blank Shot, Sniper, and Elusive Target), so keep that in mind for comparison power-wise.
I am following the scaling paradigm of Frank and K feats, here, which is that each feat has five benefits of increasing power that are granted as you level up. When each benefit is gained is based on a core stat that all characters interested in the feat should care about and that has varying rates of scaling with level - for example, BAB for combat feats, and skill ranks for skill-based feats. The first and most basic benefit is available for all, and the rest are set so that the fastest available progression gets them at levels 1, 6, 11, and 16. With these feats being for Tome of Battle characters, the obvious stat to use is Initiator Level.
1
Adaptive Style
You can quickly customize your prepared maneuvers to face your current foe.
IL 0: You can change your readied maneuvers at any time by taking a full round action. This works just like the normal 5 minute period to choose new maneuvers, just faster, and the maneuvers chosen are readied and unexpended just as they would be for that. This can be used to effectively just recover your current set of maneuvers with no change if you choose. If you are a Crusader, your maneuvers granted are also reset.
IL 1: You gain one additional maneuver readied. If you are a Crusader, you may instead gain one additional maneuver granted. If you have multiple martial adept classes, only one of them receives this benefit.
IL 6: The time required to change your readied maneuvers decreases to a standard action.
IL 11: The time required to change your readied maneuvers decreases to a move action.
IL 16: The time required to change your readied maneuvers decreases to a swift action. You can still use a move instead instead if you prefer.
Special: Regardless of how quickly you recover maneuvers, using this feat to recover maneuvers cannot allow you to use the same maneuver in two consecutive rounds.
This feat replaces 3.5 Adaptive Style, Extra Readied Maneuver, and Extra Granted Maneuver.
Analysis/explanation:The basic benefit is identical to Adaptive Style as written, with the exception that it doesn't require martial adept class levels and could in theory be used by someone who just has Martial Study. I figure if someone's willing to spend that much effort to recover a selection that limited, letting him do it isn't going to break anything. It's also explicit about the recovery use, which by the book requires some logic and interpretation and possibly reference to a WotC Q&A to figure out.
The level 1 benefit is there for three reasons - I needed a fifth benefit, I couldn't think of any reasonable way to turn Extra Readied/Granted Maneuver into scaling feats on their own, and it seems to fit the theme reasonably well. Expanding the length of your list of options is another way to help get the exactly right selection.
The higher level benefits are a progression of seriously major upgrades to the base feat, but I think in context they are reasonable. On a Crusader, the normal class recovery mechanic still has it outclassed at all levels unless you're burning through maneuvers at an incredible rate or really need a specific one for some reason. On a Warblade, it's a significant trade-off between this and the class recovery method until level 16, at which point we're looking at 8th and 9th level spells and other such powerful mechanics entering play. On a Swordsage, it's a serious upgrade but I don't think it's unwarranted. It takes to level 11 to be able to recover and attack in the same round, and while the reduced action cost is of greatest importance to Swordsages due to their crappy default recovery method it will also come into play least often due to Swordsages taking longer to run out in the first place.
In any case, what I think is the primary purpose of the recovery paradigm - preventing people from just spamming their one best move all the time - is preserved by the Special requirement at the bottom.
1
Cross-Disciplinary Warrior
You mix and match techniques from disparate traditions to craft your own style of combat.
IL 0: Choose one mental ability score that is used for class abilities of a martial adept class you have. All of your martial adept classes now use that ability score for their class features.
IL 1: All of your martial adept classes count full rather than half towards each others' Initiator Levels. Other classes still count half. A Fighter 2/Swordsage 3/Warblade 4 would, therefore, have Initiator Level 8 for both Swordsage and Warblade.
IL 6: You combine your discipline class lists from all classes. Any maneuver you learn from any class can come from any discipline that any of your classes has access to.
IL 11: You combine your maneuvers known lists into one list. Any class can ready maneuvers known from any of your classes.
IL 16: When you recover maneuvers from one class, you recover maneuvers from all classes. If your Crusader maneuvers reset, your Swordsage and Warblade maneuvers are also recovered. If you recover Warblade maneuvers, your Swordsage maneuvers are also recovered and your Crusader maneuvers reset. If you recover a Swordsage maneuver, all of your Warblade and Swordsage maneuvers are recovered (yes, this upgrades the Swordsage recovery technique, which by default is absurdly bad) and your Crusader maneuvers reset.
This is a new feat designed for multiclass martial adepts.
Analysis/explanation:The basic benefit is just eliminating a bit of MAD. Needing physical stats for being a melee character plus one mental score for class features is quite enough MAD, thank you.
The level 1 benefit varies from near meaningless (for dip builds) to removing a major disadvantage (for near even split builds) - seriously, have you seen some of those high level maneuvers? In the latter case, this is almost required to keep a multiclass build competitive. Tome of Battle may be multiclass-friendly out of the box, but that's only relative by comparison to standard casters.
The level 6 benefit might need some limiting to reduce the benefit of dipping. I could see a crusader taking this feat and just 1 level in Swordsage to add 5 disciplines to his class list. Maybe limit the number of "borrowed" disciplines to the number of levels in the class borrowed from? So a Crusader wanting maneuvers from all Swordsage disciplines would have to take 5 Swordsage levels in order to do it?
At level 11, we're starting to get into powerful stuff. A maneuvers readied set that has languished out of date because you're not advancing that class any more can suddenly partake of the higher level fare learned by another class. Also, you may be able to shift your more important maneuvers readied to a class with a more favorable recovery method. You still can't ready the same maneuver multiple times, though, and this has no effect on the raw power measure of the most powerful maneuver available to you.
Level 16 is the big leagues. Yes, this is a powerful benefit. For the most powerful possibility, applying Crusader free action recovery (every 3 or 4 rounds) to Warblade or Swordsage is major. This is level 16, it's supposed to be. The longer, more in depth wording is because of how the Crusader recovery mechanic is tied to the randomized "granting" mechanism, which I do not want to carry over to Swordsage and Warblade maneuvers. Maneuvers readied under those two classes are still reliably available on round 1 just like always, and that difference is why I can't just say something like "combine your maneuvers readied lists and use any class's recovery method for the whole thing".
So, comments? Suggestions? Keep in mind that a higher power level is intentional, though exactly how much higher is appropriate is open to interpretation and debate.
These feats are part of an effort to boost melee characters closer to casters in terms of power. The DM of the campaign they're intended for also likes the idea of a single feat scaling with level rather than a long feat chain. Some of the feats from Frank and K's Races of War (http://turing.bard.edu/~mk561/frank_k_0.5.1.pdf) have already been approved (specifically Point Blank Shot, Sniper, and Elusive Target), so keep that in mind for comparison power-wise.
I am following the scaling paradigm of Frank and K feats, here, which is that each feat has five benefits of increasing power that are granted as you level up. When each benefit is gained is based on a core stat that all characters interested in the feat should care about and that has varying rates of scaling with level - for example, BAB for combat feats, and skill ranks for skill-based feats. The first and most basic benefit is available for all, and the rest are set so that the fastest available progression gets them at levels 1, 6, 11, and 16. With these feats being for Tome of Battle characters, the obvious stat to use is Initiator Level.
1
Adaptive Style
You can quickly customize your prepared maneuvers to face your current foe.
IL 0: You can change your readied maneuvers at any time by taking a full round action. This works just like the normal 5 minute period to choose new maneuvers, just faster, and the maneuvers chosen are readied and unexpended just as they would be for that. This can be used to effectively just recover your current set of maneuvers with no change if you choose. If you are a Crusader, your maneuvers granted are also reset.
IL 1: You gain one additional maneuver readied. If you are a Crusader, you may instead gain one additional maneuver granted. If you have multiple martial adept classes, only one of them receives this benefit.
IL 6: The time required to change your readied maneuvers decreases to a standard action.
IL 11: The time required to change your readied maneuvers decreases to a move action.
IL 16: The time required to change your readied maneuvers decreases to a swift action. You can still use a move instead instead if you prefer.
Special: Regardless of how quickly you recover maneuvers, using this feat to recover maneuvers cannot allow you to use the same maneuver in two consecutive rounds.
This feat replaces 3.5 Adaptive Style, Extra Readied Maneuver, and Extra Granted Maneuver.
Analysis/explanation:The basic benefit is identical to Adaptive Style as written, with the exception that it doesn't require martial adept class levels and could in theory be used by someone who just has Martial Study. I figure if someone's willing to spend that much effort to recover a selection that limited, letting him do it isn't going to break anything. It's also explicit about the recovery use, which by the book requires some logic and interpretation and possibly reference to a WotC Q&A to figure out.
The level 1 benefit is there for three reasons - I needed a fifth benefit, I couldn't think of any reasonable way to turn Extra Readied/Granted Maneuver into scaling feats on their own, and it seems to fit the theme reasonably well. Expanding the length of your list of options is another way to help get the exactly right selection.
The higher level benefits are a progression of seriously major upgrades to the base feat, but I think in context they are reasonable. On a Crusader, the normal class recovery mechanic still has it outclassed at all levels unless you're burning through maneuvers at an incredible rate or really need a specific one for some reason. On a Warblade, it's a significant trade-off between this and the class recovery method until level 16, at which point we're looking at 8th and 9th level spells and other such powerful mechanics entering play. On a Swordsage, it's a serious upgrade but I don't think it's unwarranted. It takes to level 11 to be able to recover and attack in the same round, and while the reduced action cost is of greatest importance to Swordsages due to their crappy default recovery method it will also come into play least often due to Swordsages taking longer to run out in the first place.
In any case, what I think is the primary purpose of the recovery paradigm - preventing people from just spamming their one best move all the time - is preserved by the Special requirement at the bottom.
1
Cross-Disciplinary Warrior
You mix and match techniques from disparate traditions to craft your own style of combat.
IL 0: Choose one mental ability score that is used for class abilities of a martial adept class you have. All of your martial adept classes now use that ability score for their class features.
IL 1: All of your martial adept classes count full rather than half towards each others' Initiator Levels. Other classes still count half. A Fighter 2/Swordsage 3/Warblade 4 would, therefore, have Initiator Level 8 for both Swordsage and Warblade.
IL 6: You combine your discipline class lists from all classes. Any maneuver you learn from any class can come from any discipline that any of your classes has access to.
IL 11: You combine your maneuvers known lists into one list. Any class can ready maneuvers known from any of your classes.
IL 16: When you recover maneuvers from one class, you recover maneuvers from all classes. If your Crusader maneuvers reset, your Swordsage and Warblade maneuvers are also recovered. If you recover Warblade maneuvers, your Swordsage maneuvers are also recovered and your Crusader maneuvers reset. If you recover a Swordsage maneuver, all of your Warblade and Swordsage maneuvers are recovered (yes, this upgrades the Swordsage recovery technique, which by default is absurdly bad) and your Crusader maneuvers reset.
This is a new feat designed for multiclass martial adepts.
Analysis/explanation:The basic benefit is just eliminating a bit of MAD. Needing physical stats for being a melee character plus one mental score for class features is quite enough MAD, thank you.
The level 1 benefit varies from near meaningless (for dip builds) to removing a major disadvantage (for near even split builds) - seriously, have you seen some of those high level maneuvers? In the latter case, this is almost required to keep a multiclass build competitive. Tome of Battle may be multiclass-friendly out of the box, but that's only relative by comparison to standard casters.
The level 6 benefit might need some limiting to reduce the benefit of dipping. I could see a crusader taking this feat and just 1 level in Swordsage to add 5 disciplines to his class list. Maybe limit the number of "borrowed" disciplines to the number of levels in the class borrowed from? So a Crusader wanting maneuvers from all Swordsage disciplines would have to take 5 Swordsage levels in order to do it?
At level 11, we're starting to get into powerful stuff. A maneuvers readied set that has languished out of date because you're not advancing that class any more can suddenly partake of the higher level fare learned by another class. Also, you may be able to shift your more important maneuvers readied to a class with a more favorable recovery method. You still can't ready the same maneuver multiple times, though, and this has no effect on the raw power measure of the most powerful maneuver available to you.
Level 16 is the big leagues. Yes, this is a powerful benefit. For the most powerful possibility, applying Crusader free action recovery (every 3 or 4 rounds) to Warblade or Swordsage is major. This is level 16, it's supposed to be. The longer, more in depth wording is because of how the Crusader recovery mechanic is tied to the randomized "granting" mechanism, which I do not want to carry over to Swordsage and Warblade maneuvers. Maneuvers readied under those two classes are still reliably available on round 1 just like always, and that difference is why I can't just say something like "combine your maneuvers readied lists and use any class's recovery method for the whole thing".
So, comments? Suggestions? Keep in mind that a higher power level is intentional, though exactly how much higher is appropriate is open to interpretation and debate.