Mage slayer vs Spellcasting harrier

[HurinTheCursed]

I think epic feats for mundane are mostly epically underwhelming.

But in our current campaign, characters should reach epic levels.
My character is a mix of ubercharger / space controller / intimidator. My build should be mostly complete shorly before, I have no space for a feat chain.

I'll be too poor for a permanent freedom of movement so close-quarters fighting seemed a good way to solve the problem of gargantuan creatures with improved grab. But in the end, preventing enemy casters from casting is probably a lot more useful, mage slayer and spellcasting harrier both fill the role and go very well with my roleplay. I've read everywhere that people find mage slayer better, I don't get why.

Mage slayer:
- is not an epic feat, good point but if you have access to epic feats it's not a criteria
- its requirements are useless for mundane
- there is a side effect (latest version from MM5) that is nasty for casters (who would have spellcraft ranks), limiting its use to mundane
- enemies are aware and will not stay in your range unless they feel confident enough not to cast defensively, provoking multiple AOO
- brings a nice +1 will in all circumstances

Spellcasting harrier:
- is an epic feat, limiting its scope to very few characters
- has a feat as requirement, further limitating its use, but it's a good one for controllers
- has no side effect
- enemies are not aware, provoking AOO from everyone around, probably causing a spell to be lost
- only brings a bonus to hit in this circumstance, but +4 against a buffed mage or a dragon is pretty useful !

If you had an epic character, which would you prefer and why ?

[Crake]

i would pick mage slayer simply because it leads into pierce magical concealment/protection, which is very useful in stripping most of the buffs on an enemy mage

[Avigor]

While the chain is useful, if you don't have room for the chain and can only afford the single feat, Spellcasting Harrier wins IMO, due to enemies not realizing they're provoking till it's too late.

Course, if you could get both the full Mage Slayer chain and Spellcasting Harrier and the DM read it as the epic feat "overriding" the non-epic feat so the enemies don't know about the AoO in advance... *evilgrin*

[emeraldstreak]

Arguably, there are ways to get Epic feats without being Epic character.

[Anxe]

My PCs are mostly casters and use the nasty trick of casting defensively all the time. Mage Slayer isn't good enough to stop them because then they just 5 foot step away or something else just as horrid and unforgivable. Only Spellcasting Harrier prevents their shennanigans. Now the reoccuring Occult Slayer villain can slaughter them without fearing an errant defensively cast spell blowing up in his face.

Of course, the players may eventually get wise and 5 foot step away, but that's why the Occult Slayer Villain has his trip master bodyguard with reach.

[HurinTheCursed]

Thank you for your answers.

First Pierce magical concealment/protection is really good for this purpose but I have no room for 3 feats.

My group is not over optimizing and we are pretty sure to reach epic so i'm not really looking for an alternative way to get epic feats.

My character has 20' reach. I guess without reach or Thicket of blades it is hard to get anything out of those feats.