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Thread: Fixing SKR's Feat Point System

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    Default Re: Fixing SKR's Feat Point System

    Quote Originally Posted by Aeryr View Post
    As I mentioned in another post even if this is interesting I feel that it might end failing due to feats being valuable depending on the rest of the character options and there being to many feats to really consider all the interactions.

    For example a 1st level half elf (because they are so OP) warlock can get a really good use of skill focus [bluff] and deceitful
    Could have a charisma of 18 (not even going for aging) mod =+4
    Bluff ranks +4
    Skill focus (bluff) +3
    Deceitful +2
    Beguiling influence +6
    Racial +2
    Master work tools +2

    That's a 23 mod and supposing that you roll a 1 on the check it goes up to a bluff check of 24. The bluff penalty to "almost too incredible to consider." is -20 (drops the check to 4) so unless the opposition has ranks in sense motive and a decent wisdom its going to outright believe your bluff in a roll of 1.

    If flaws and traits are on (or just be human) you can raise the bluff check higher be it via silvertongue mask (shape soulmeld) or nymph kiss or even using traits to increase it.

    If you don't consider age penalties cheesy well that adds some more too.

    Does that make skill focus a strong feat? For that level 1 example, sure, it is, for anyone else? No.

    Edit: Actually checking my numbers the half elf still has 1 feat point left so he can grab any feat that he wants (he will contract a debt, but who cares) let's say nymph kiss for another +2. Now he has a bluff check of 26 (rolling a 1) and the opposition has to have 4 skill ranks in sense motive and 14 wisdom to be able to not believe the most outrageous lie.
    While it should be immediately obvious that the same feat can have radically different values for different characters, I don't think we need to consider every niche use. It's entirely acceptable if a particular specialized character finds certain feats especially good deals for them. That's going to be the case with any system. Pretty much every RPG ever will have that happen. The point is just to provide a reasonable baseline.

    In general, I try to assume the character taking the feat has a valid reason for wanting it. This is why Skill Focus is a 5 instead of, say, a 3. For an average Rogue, "Skill Focus: Search" isn't worth even 5 points. But for someone who's getting good mileage out of a particular skill, it's got at least moderate value. But it already takes effort getting to the point where +3 to a skill is something you care about, and most of the time it's not really going to be a gamechanger, so it's not worth the big points even then.

    Make sense?
    Last edited by sonofzeal; 2012-06-02 at 08:16 AM.
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