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BOOK OF EXPERIMENTAL MIGHT II
BLOODY, BOLD, AN A N D R E S O L U T E A combat sourcebook By Monte Cook Requires use of the Third Edition rules. This book utilizes updated material from the v. 3.5 revision.
Additional Credits Credits
Editing and Production: Sue Weinlein Cook Cover Illustration: Michael Komarck Interior Illustrations: Caleb Cleveland, Cleveland, Kev Crossley, Crossley, Scott Purdy, Purdy, Sam Wood, and Kieran Yanner Yanner Cover Design: Peter Whitley and Caroline McKee Interior Page Design: Peter Whitley Playtesters: Sue Cook, Cook, Matt Filla, Jude Gagliano, Gagliano, Tod Gagliano, Gagliano, Sarah Schneider, and Kent Wayson Wayson For supplemental material, visit Monte Cook’s Website: < www.montecook.com www.montecook.com>>
Malhavoc is a registered trademark and Eldritch Might is a trademark owned by Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. All other content ©2008 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This book is compatible with 3rd Edition and Revised 3rd Edition rules. This edition edition of Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and and Resolute is produced under version 1.0a and/or draft versions of the Open Game License and the System Reference Document by permission of Wizards of the Coast. Subsequent versions of this product will incorporate later versions of the license and document. Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, version 1.0a: Any and all Malhavoc Press logos and identifying marks and trade dress, such as all Malhavoc Press product and product line names including but not limited to The Complete Book of Eldritch Might, The Book of Experimental Might, and Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved; any specific characters, monsters, creatures, and places; capitalized names and names of places, artifacts, characters, countries, creatures, geographic locations, gods, historic events, magic items, organizations, and abilities; any and all stories, storylines, histories, plots, thematic elements, and dialogue; and all artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, illustrations, maps, and cartography, likenesses, poses, logos, or graphic designs, except such elements that already appear in final or draft versions of the System Reference Document or as Open Game Content below and are already open by virtue of appearing there. The above Product Identity is not Open Game Content. Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity designation above, the following portions of Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and and Resolute are designated as Open Game Content: the feats in their entirety in Chapter Two, and anything else contained herein which is already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing in the System Reference Document or some other Open Game Content source. Some portions of this book which are Open Game Content originate from the System Reference Document and are ©1999–2008 ©1999–2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The remainder of these Open Game Content Content portions of this book is hereby added to Open Game Content and, if so used, should bear the COPYRIGHT NOTICE “Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute ©2008 Monte J. Cook.” This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction, retransmission, or unauthorized use of the artwork or non-Open Game Content herein is prohibited without express written permission from Monte Cook, except for purposes of review or use of Open Game Content consistent with the Open Game License. The original purchaser may print or photocopy copies for his or her own personal use only. This document is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. coincidental.
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Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
Table of Contents DANGEROUS DESIGNS Introduction: DANGEROUS Overview ....................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................3 .............................................3 Using This Book ............................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................3 .........................3 Chapter One: FIGHTING DOMAINS Domain Benefits ..................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................5 ..................5 Basic Power and Bonus Power ................ ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................5 Key Feat and Domain Feats ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................ ................. .....5
Design Decisions: Domain Feats ............... ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................ ......6
Selecting Fighting Domains ...................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................6 ............6 Domain Descriptions ............................................................................................................. ...............................................................................................................................6 ..................6 The Domain of Agility...................................................................................................................................................................6 The Domain of Ferocity................................................................................................................................................................6 The Domain of Fighting Dirty ................ ................. ................ ................. ................ .................. ................ ................. ................7 The Domain of Intellect...............................................................................................................................................................7
Sidebar: Training in Fighting Domains .........................................................................................................................................7 The Domain of Leadership............................................................................................................................................................8 The Domain of Might ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................. ................ ..............9 The Domain of Mounted Combat ................ ................ ................. ................. ................ .................. ................ ................. ...........9 The Domain of Quick Defense ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................. .............10 The Domain of Ranged Combat..................................................................................................................................................10 The Domain of Speed ................ ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................. .............10 The Domain of Stalwart Defense ................ ................ ................. ................. ................ .................. ................ ................. ..........11 The Domain of Two-Weapon Fighting.......................................................................................................................................12 The Domain of Unarmed Combat ............... ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ...........12
Sidebar: Why Not Just Be a Monk?..................................................................................................................................................12 The Domain of Weapon Mastery.................................................................................................................................................12 The Domain of Weapon and Shield Fighting...........................................................................................................................13
Sidebar: Game
Balance.....................................................................................................................................................................13
Chapter Two: FEATS OF DARING Fighter Bonus Feats Feats ........................................................................................................ ...............................................................................................................................14 .......................14 Feat B oosts........................................................................................................................................ oosts...............................................................................................................................................14 .......14 Design Decisions: Boost
Development..............................................................................................................................................15
New Feat Types.............................................................................................. Types..........................................................................................................................................15 ............................................15 Double
Feats..................................................................................................................................................................................15
Uberfeats
.......................................................................................................................................................................................15
Oblation Feats ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. .......16
Feat Descriptions Descriptions ............................................................................................................. ...................................................................................................................................27 ......................27 Sidebar: Feat Presentation.............................................................................................................................................................27 Design Decision Decisions: s: Fighter Fighter Bonus Feat Feat Abilities............................ Abilities.................................................. ............................................ ............................................. ............................................. .............................29 .......29 Design Decision Decisions: s: Whither Whither Dodge?............. Dodge?....................... ................... ................... ................... .................. ................... ................... ................... ................... .................. .................. ................... ................... ................... ..............33 ....33 Sidebar: Rerolls ...............................................................................................................................................................................37 Sidebar: Multiple Effects...............................................................................................................................................................43 Sidebar: Dodge Bonuses ................ ................. ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ...........47 Sidebar: Making New Oblation Feats ................ ................. ................ ................. ................. ................ .................. ................ ......49 Sidebar: Bonus Damage Dice ..........................................................................................................................................................51 Design Decisions: Superior Flanking................................................................................................................................................57 Sidebar: Using the Feats for Monsters ......................................................................................................................................60
Chapter Three: VERY OPTIONAL RULES Maneuver Options ............................................................................................................ ..................................................................................................................................62 ......................62 Crazy Legs Charge ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. 62 Knock
Down
.................................................................................................................................................................................62
Throw.............................................................................................................................................................................................62 Turning Charge ...........................................................................................................................................................................62
Hit Points.................................................................................. Points.................................................................................................................................................62 ...............................................................62 Spending Grace ................ ................. ................ ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................. ................ ......62 Grace and Nonlethal Damage ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................ ..............63 Grace and Forced Rest................................................................................................................................................................63
Sidebar: Grace as a Commodity ................ ................ ................. ................. ................ ................. ................. ................. ................ 63 Minimum Hit Points.....................................................................................................................................................................63
Appendix Open Game License.................................................................................................................................64
Introduction
Dangerous Designs And then we were surrounded. I knew we had to fi ght our way out, but many of the others questioned whether “brute force” was the answer. When they approached the enemy under the flag of truce to parlay, they discovered that the cultists were actually all demons in disguise.My allies were murdered quickly, and all they gained for us was an even smaller fighting force. “‘Brute force,’” I should have told them, “is indeed not the answer. Skill, bravery, and fortitude are the answer.” One way or another, they are always the answer. —Dierna Hillerchaun,leader of the Knights of the Pale
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hen Malhavoc Press released The Book of Overview Experimental Might , I was overwhelmed by how The book’s subtitle, “Bloody, Bold, and Resolute,” comes from Macbeth, my favorite work of Shakespeare. It’s probably my well it was received. Among those who did find fault with it, however, the most common criticism was that favorite because it was the first Shakespeare play I ever read the book didn’t devote enough space to nonspellcasters. A long, long ago, and the first I ever saw performed. It’s also the few readers contended that the rules actually hurt the fighter best I’ve ever seen performed. Its dark, hard-edged nature class. (I pointed out this possible perception myself in the appealed to me as a teenager, and it appeals to me still. book, although I still contend that the class is quite viable.) I think the line, “Be bloody, bold,and resolute; laugh to Still, the comment got me thinking. scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Some readers wanted to know, “Why don’t fighters get Macbeth,” is very appropriate to the fantasy adventurer. disciplines?” Well, disciplines were designed to make spell(And it is spoken by an apparition conjured by a witch, so all casters more like fighters,so the question makes no sense. the better.) Every fighter could do worse than to strive to be The Book of Experimental Might de-emphasizes what are basibloody, bold, and resolute. Bloody because he shouldn’t be cally per-day abilities (spells) and gi ves characters with few afraid to get in there and take damage as well as deal it. Bold or no per-round abilities the option of always having somebecause fear and hesitation don’t get you the treasure. thing to do. This isn’t an area where fighters need any help. Resolute because your friends depend on you to go toe-toThey’re the kings of always having something to do—they’re toe with the enemy,not run away. ready to use their best attack every round. To help you achieve these three goals, this book centers Perhaps, then, what nonspellcasters needed was some per- around new feats and feat-related concepts. There are only day abilities that functioned like spells. A resource to manthree chapters. Chapter One: Fighting Domains—This chapter presents age. Except I’d already gone down this path with Arcana Evolved’s ritual warrior and combat rites. the concept of fighting domains, which are basically feat So for this book, I designed a less intrusive solution. It’s groupings based on combat style. These domains reward not a whole new class, but a method of allowing fighters to characters for taking feats that all match a similar style. “boost” their main power source—feats—a limited number Chapter Two: Feats—In this large chapter you’ll find a of times a day. But I wanted a little more. I’ve always liked massive listing of new feats and updated core feats. The the idea that fighters (and anyone who does a lot of physical chapter introduces new concepts such as double feats, ubercombat) specialize in certain styles. With 3rd Edition, this feats, feat boosts,and special abilities for those who take a concept became workable with “feat chains” based on Power feat as a fighter bonus feat. Chapter Three: Very Optional Rules— The book wraps Attack, Combat Expertise, or Point Blank Shot, for example. I decided to take this a step further, though, and actually up with a brief discussion of some potential gamebusting rules that nevertheless might be fun to try. In the Books of reward characters for focusing on one area. That’s how fighting domains were born. Experimental Might , these ideas are the most experimental of all. Here’s something I want to be up-front about: This book makes fighters more complicated to play. I mention this Using This Book because I do feel there needs to be a class for the player who You can,of course, use just some of this book rather than all doesn’t want to have a lot of abilities to keep track of or a lot of it. New feats are easy to introduce into any campaign. The of options to juggle.If you’re that player,this book might not design of this book does assume, however, that you are also be for you. At the very least, you might not want to adopt all using the rules from the first Book of Experimental Might , the options presented here. such as gaining a feat at every level and using Grace and Health points.
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Contributors to Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute About the Author Monte Cook has worked professionally in the game industry since 1988 for companies including Iron Crown Enterprises, TSR Inc., and Wizards of the Coast. He is a codesigner of Dungeons & Dragons ® 3rd Edition and author of the 3rd Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide. He has designed dozens of popular roleplaying books through his own company Malhavoc Press and also has authored miniatures games, novels, comic books, and short stories.
About the Illustrators Self-taught cover artist Michael Komarck has worked as a projectionist at the local cineplex, a children’s book illustrator, graphic designer, and owner of a small publishing company. Since 2003 he has illustrated covers for fantasy authors including Robert Asprin and George R.R. Martin and many game companies. Visit . Caleb Cleveland is a 2d concept artist and illustrator whose designs have been seen in roleplaying publications, interior design catalogues, on stage, on film, in furniture showrooms, and in the proposals of marketing and advertising companies. Caleb lives in Irvine, California, with his beautiful wife Karen. View samples of his artwork at his website . Leeds, England, illustrator Kev Crossley learned early on that a monster lived in the abandoned house down the street—after that, he saw monsters everywhere. He drew them all the way through school, but in art college and university he was told to stop. After getting a job in computer games, h owever, people started paying him to draw monsters. The moral of the story? Art college and university were a waste of time. Check out his work at . , a UK-based illustrator, has a great love of horror, evil, and all things tentacular. He wills clients his way if they have Scott Purdy need of nasty critters to bring to life. You can see more of Scott’s work at . Seattle-based illustrator Sam Wood is well known in the roleplaying and electronic game industries. While a staff artist at Wizards of the Coast, Sam illustrated Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering , and many other games. In addition to Malhavoc Press, he's worked for a wide range of companies, from Green Ronin to Microsoft. Born and raised in the Australian coastal city of Darwin, illustrator Kieran Yanner came to the U.S. at the age of twenty to pursue his dreams. With some hard work and many a sleepless night he has amassed a broad client base from around the world and has produced creative works for a number of leading entertainment companies. See more of his work at .
Malhavoc Press Malhavoc Press is Monte Cook’s roleplaying game imprint devoted to the publication of evocative elements that go beyond traditional fantasy. Malhavoc products such as Ptolus, Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved, and The Complete Book of Eldritch Might exhibit a mastery of the 3rd Edition rules that only one of its original designers can offer. Current titles are available to purchase in print or electronic (PDF) format at .
Like the material in that book, the contents of this one explain why I use a particular new rule or suggest some things to is of a more tentative nature than that of most previous Malhavoc consider if you’re thinking about using it. Press releases. It really stretches some of the central concepts from This book is not a condemnation of the Core Rules. It simply the Core Rules. It introduces all-new ideas that take things in fresh provides ideas and material for doing something new with them, directions. It might not mix well in your games with non-core just for fun. It’s not a “fix,” because, in my opinion, nothing in the material. DMs should carefully consider everything they read in Core Rules is really all that broken. Instead, consider these chapthis book and feel free to experiment with it themselves. ters some new options designed for people who are really familiar Throughout Book of Experimental Might II , all references to with the rules—so familiar, in fact, that a new spin might make spells, feats, and other rules not in this book come from the v. 3.5 for a refreshing change. revision of the three Core Rulebooks: the Player’s Handbook, Monte Cook DMG, and MM. This sourcebook is protected content except for April 2008 items specifically called out as Open Gaming Content on the title page. For full details, please turn to the Appendix on page 64. Open content is not otherwise marked in the text of this book. As I did in The Book of Experimental Might , I’ve annotated these pages to show you not only what rules I have added, but why. You’ll find numerous asides, many of them set apart as sidebars, that
Chapter One
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Fighting Domains When you are sizing up your opponent, it’s not enough just to see what weapon he uses.It’s more important, in fact, to figure out how he’s going to use it. A longsword in the hand of a ferocious beast of a man is a completely different weapon than one in the hand of someone with finesse.Both can be deadly, of course, but in different ways. —Tiel Lawley,battle cleric
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lso called styles, schools, or foci, fighting domains as a character meets the prerequisites. There are no restrictions allow characters to concentrate their efforts on one on taking feats outside the domain. In fact, some domain feats method of combat and gain additional benefits may have prerequisite feats that lie outside the domain. from this specialization. Each domain represents a different The main benefit of taking domain feats comes when the method of fighting. Some domains focus on offense, some character has collected eight feats from the same domain; on defense, and some on a combination of the two. But in this total qualifies him to receive the domain’s bonus power, any case, domains reward characters—particularly fighters— as described above. Taking the same feat twice, which is for focusing on just a few styles of combat. allowed for some feats (such as Weapon Focus), counts as Just as a cleric domain includes a set of spells appropriate two different feats. A double feat or an uberfeat (see page 15) to its overall concept, fighting domains contain collections counts as only one feat. of feats along a given theme. There is some overlap in DMs who allow feats from other books are free to add concept—and, in fact, overlap in feats—offered by each more options to domain feat lists. The size of a domain feat domain. For example, the similar domains of Speed and list does not appreciably affect the domain’s overall value. Agility both share a few qualities with the domain of Quick Defense. Still, each fighting domain is distinct and special, Reselecting Domain Feats providing characters with unique powers as well as thematic Another benefit of choosing domain feats is that characters feat offerings. can swap out a particular feat for another one that might be Characters gain access to domains based on their class more helpful in a particular situation. A character may trade (see next page). Fighters have the easiest access and are like- one feat for another within the same domain at no cost, as ly to gain the largest benefit from them. long as he has access to the domain in question. Switching one’s domain feats takes one full day of practice, study, and Domain Benefits preparation for each feat a character wishes to swap. He Each fighting domain offers a basic power and a bonus must still qualify for all his feats (i.e., he must have all prepower to those who select it. They also include a key feat and requisites) and, once he has made a swap, he retains that domain feats grouped around a particular concept. feat assortment until he reselects again. A character can never switch out a domain’s key feat. For example, Hyurth is a 12th-level fighter with the Might Basic Power and Bonus Power When a character chooses a fighting domain, he immediately and Stalwart Defense fighting domains. Hyurth has the folgains that domain’s basic power, which is called out in the lowing domain feats from the Might domain: Athletic, domain’s description. Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Power Charge,and Characters who have selected eight of the feats associated Knock Back. Before going on his next mission, Hyurth can with the domain also receive its listed bonus power. One of change some of his feats. He cannot swap Power Attack for the eight feats must be the domain’s key feat. (However, having anything else, as it is the Might key feat. He cannot trade in the key feat is not required to access a domain’s basic power.) Improved Bull Rush without also losing Knock Back, because the former is a prerequisite of the latter. But with little fuss, he could swap Athletic for Great Cleave, or Power Charge for Key Feat and Domain Feats The key feat is simply a feat that makes a good first choice Knock Down. Each trade would take one day,as Hyurth refofor those who select the domain. It is often a prerequisite for cuses his training to utilize his might in different ways. many of the domain feats, and having it is required for a While feat reselection is unlikely to happen too often, it character to gain the domain’s bonus power. gives the fighter something to do while he waits for the wizard Each domain has a dozen or so domain feats. All of these are to identify items, prepare scrolls, copy spells into his spellavailable to take as regular feats or fighter bonus feats, as long book, or whatever it is that those mages do with their time.
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Design Decisions: Domain Feats Not all the feats on the domain feat lists are the kind of feat you’d want to be saddled with forever. This flexible assortment is intentional and is meant to work hand in hand with the fighter’s ability to reselect domain feats. Strikes From All Around isn’t handy if you know you’re going up against a lot of undead, for example. Even old stand-bys like Cleave aren’t useful on every adventure.
It’s possible that exotic races or cultures could have their own domains. Dark elves might have a domain based on trickery, for example, or a winged race could develop one based on aerial combat. Throughout this section, in the descriptions of the basic and bonus power for each domain, all references to “level” refer specifically to a level in the class that granted the domain. All the key feats and domain feats listed in these descriptions are detailed in Chapter Two.
The Domain of Agility Characters cannot swap double feats or uberfeats (see Chapter Two: Feats of Daring). This ability is designed to work alongside the rules in Chapter Three of The Book of Experimental Might that allow characters to swap a feat that they have not used during the preceding level for another at the time they gain a level. While reselecting as described here works well for feats within the same domain, the previous swapping rules can apply to feats that lie outside a single domain. Note that characters who swap out a key feat in this fashion lose access to the domain’s bonus power.
You have trained to utilize your speed and reflexes to improve your ability to strike foes when and where they are the most vulnerable. Characters often use lighter weapons with this domain—they are sometimes seen as fencers. Those with this domain almost always have high Dexterity scores but not always high Strength scores. Fighters and rogues often train in this domain. The Nidaris school in the Dragonsbirth Mountains is one of the foremost training facilities for Agility, but no one is allowed within the fortress-school without a written recommendation from an instructor or a graduated student. “Alacrity over brutality” is their motto. Selecting Fighting Domains Humans, elves, halflings, and gnomes typically prefer this style All fighters should pick a fighting domain at 1st level. At 9th level, more than do the other major races. Basic Power: You can choose to add a competence bonus to your they choose a second domain. At 17th level, they get a third. While fighting domains are primarily the purview of fighters, melee attack roll three times each day. The competence bonus is other classes can use them, too, if the DM allows it. Some classes equal to +1 plus an additional +1 for every three levels. You cannot may gain access to a single fighting domain if they give up some use Power Attack on the same round as you use this power. Bonus Power: When you are struck in melee combat, you can class abilities, as follows: • A barbarian that gives up the improved uncanny dodge abili- immediately make an attack against the foe that struck you as a free ty can select a fighting domain at 5th level. action, as if making an attack of opportunity. You can use this • A monk that gives up the improved evasion ability can select a power three times per day. This counts against the total number of fighting domain at 9th level. attacks of opportunity you can make in 1 round. • A paladin that gives up the remove disease ability (at all levKey Feat: Weapon Finesse Domain Feats: els) gains a fighting domain at 6th level. • A ranger that gives up the animal companion ability gains a • Agile • Astounding Dexterity fighting domain at 4th level. • A rogue that gives up the improved uncanny dodge ability can • Canny Strike • Careful Eye select a fighting domain at 9th level. • Careful Strike • Combat Reflexes Otherwise, nonfighters must spend a feat slot to select a fighting • Crippling Strike domain and gain its basic power. They must be at least 10th level to • Draw Attack do so. Nonfighters can then earn the fighting domain’s bonus • Fencing Master (uberfeat) power by selecting domain feats as a fighter would (but, of course, • Full Opportunity they do not get the fighter bonus feats that a fighter does). • Light as a Feather Nonfighters cannot select double feats or uberfeats (see Chapter • Light Weapon Mastery Two: Feats of Daring). • Rapid Strike Monsters without appropriate class levels should not have access • Sudden Attack (double feat) to fighting domains. • Uncanny Agility
Domain Descriptions
The following is a list of the fighting domains available. DMs could create more if they wish, but these fifteen domains cover most standard fighting styles.
The Domain of Ferocity You have trained to release your inner beast. You kill foes quickly and savagely—woe to anyone who stands in your way.
Chapter One: Fighting Domains
Characters with this domain typically (but not always) wear light armor and wield large weapons. They prefer melee to ranged combat, and they usually have high Strength and Constitution scores. A focus on this domain usually requires a journey into the deep wilderness, for the greatest teachers live far from civilization for fear of losing control of their own inner beast. Their training often includes a mystical spirit-quest in which the student must confront the animal inside them—literally. Humans, half-orcs, and the rare dwarf are devotees of this fighting domain. Basic Power: If you take a –2 penalty to attack rolls and hit a foe in melee combat, you can daze that foe for 1 round, due to your ferociousness. The target may attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Strength modifier) to resist. You can use this power once per day plus one additional time per day for every three levels. Bonus Power: All foes within 30 feet of you must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Charisma bonus) or become shaken for 1 round plus 1 round per four levels. You can use this power once per day plus one additional time per day for every three levels. Key Feat: Berserk Attack Domain Feats: • Accept Attack • Diehard • Endurance • Greater Increased Vigor • Improved Initiative • Increased Vigor • Large Bruiser • Leap Into the Fray • Master of the Inner Beast (uberfeat) • Outlast Foe • Small Scrapper • Smash and Grab • Terrify • Unnerve • Wild Swing
The Domain of Fighting Dirty You do what you need to do get the job done, and in this case the job is winning the fight. You aren’t interested in honor, tradition, or nobility—you’re a scrapper and a backstabber, and that’s why you’re still alive. There’s no such thing as an unfair fight. Characters devoted to this domain typically wear light or no armor and use one-handed weapons, or fight with two weapons. However, you never know who’s going to turn out to be a dirty fighter. Fighters and rogues typically favor this domain moreso than other classes, but barbarians and even rangers might use it as well. A paladin likely will not. Fighting dirty is usually taught on the streets and dank alleyways of the less pleasant parts of town. Fister Allet is a difficult man to find, but if you know the right people in the wrong sections of Dohrinthas, you might find him as a teacher—if he doesn’t rob you and leave you for dead, that is.
Of all the races, humans, halflings, and half-orcs are the most common dirty fighters, although the occasional half-elf and gnome may utilize some of its tricks. Basic Power: Whenever you knock a foe prone in melee (including if you slay him or knock him unconscious), you get to make an attack of opportunity on that foe immediately. This counts against the total number of attacks of opportunity you can make in 1 round. Bonus Power: If a melee opponent in your threatened area does anything other than attack you or use full defense on his turn, you may attack him on your next turn as though you were flanking him— with a +2 bonus to attack rolls and the possibility of a sneak attack. Key Feat: Distraction Domain Feats: • Blinding Strike • Canny Strike • Careful Eye • Deafening Strike • Debilitating Strike • Hamper Defense • Hamper Movement • Hampering Shot • Low Blow • Paralyzing Blow • Pinning Shot • Punishing Blow • Quick Poison • Right Bastard (uberfeat) • Unexpected Blow (double feat) • Unexpected Shot (double feat)
The Domain of Intellect Brains over brawn,you always say.You focus on how best to use your weapon, not on how hard you hit, for you know that the proper strike in the proper place can be more valuable than a hundred lesser blows. Characters focused upon the Intellect domain use many different types of weapons and armor, because it is the mind of the wielder that is truly important. They are quite skilled at both offense and defense. Typically, students of this domain have high Intelligence
Training in Fighting Domains Many DMs will want to enforce some kind of training regimen for fighters, or anyone with a fighting domain. This is the kind of thing the character can do while the wizard is copying spells into his spellbook or scribing scrolls. Generally, one day per level upon gaining each new level might be appropriate. Failure to continue training means a temporary loss of all domain basic and bonus powers until the training is completed. In addition, at 1st, 3rd, and 5th levels, at least one day of training should be with an instructor of higher level. This typically costs 5 gp or 10 gp per day. After that time, characters can train again on their own. Instructional manuals can take the place of a trainer in a pinch. Whenever possible, the DM should try to be casual in the enforcement of these training “rules” to fit the flow of the campaign.
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Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
scores. While it is primarily the domain of fighters, sometimes a rogue or ranger will learn its secrets as well. Trainers in this fighting domain are common, particularly in cities—although not all trainers are the same. The best is perhaps a human man named Jerenam Thasanou in the city of Tarsis. His methods are harsh, but his students are the best. Humans and elves typically embrace this domain more than other races do. Basic Power: Five times each day, you can make an opposed Intelligence check with a foe. If you succeed, you gain a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls against that foe, plus an additional bonus of +1 per five levels. This bonus lasts for 1 round. Bonus Power: You add your Intelligence bonus to your weapon damage rolls and add it as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class. Key Feat: Combat Expertise Domain Feats: • Blind-Fight • Blinding Strike • Bloody Strike • Canny Strike • Combat Reflexes • Compensate for Size • Counterstroke (double feat) • Deafening Strike • Debilitating Strike • Elude Blows • Honored Master (uberfeat) • Improved Disarm • Improved Feint • Improved Trip • Just a Touch • Modify Combat Style • Opportunist • Outmatched Opponent • Paralyzing Blow • Parry • Superior Flanking • Using the Advantage
The Domain of Leadership The key to winning a battle is leadership. You know that combatants need organization and discipline, and you have studied strategies from throughout history written by some of the greatest military commanders that have ever lived. Characters who focus on this domain usually have good Intelligence and Charisma scores. Fighters and paladins are the most likely to gravitate toward Leadership training.
Chapter One: Fighting Domains
The Imperial Military Academy on the Plains of Panish turns out opponent gains a +4 bonus if he has more than two legs or is otherwise some of the world’s best battlefield leaders. There, instructors stress more stable than a normal humanoid (such as a dwarf). (However, both tactical thinking and historical perspective. They encourage you do not receive a similar bonus if you have extra stability.) their emerging leaders to be creative as well as disciplined. You must inflict 30 points of damage in a single blow to push Although every race values good leadership, humans likely focus back a Large creature, 40 points to push back a Huge creature, 50 on it the most, and half-orcs the least. points to push back a Gargantuan creature, and 60 points to push Basic Power: When you strike a foe in combat, all allies within back a Colossal creature. Key Feat: Power Attack 30 feet of you gain a +1 attack and damage bonus with regard to that foe. This competence bonus lasts until the beginning of your next Domain Feats: • Athletic turn. Bonus Power: All allies within 30 feet of you gain a +1 morale • Avatar of Might (uberfeat) • Cleave bonus to attacks, saves, and checks all the time. They must be able to • Crushing Blow both hear you and see you to gain the bonus. Key Feat: Command • Great Cleave Domain Feats: • Impressive Cleave (double feat) • Battlefield Tactics • Improved Bull Rush • Bolstered by Success • Improved Overrun • Combat Advice • Improved Sunder • Commanding Presence • Knock Back • Defensive Advice • Knock Down • Demoralize • Mighty Strength • Driven by Failure • Power Charge • Got Your Back • Smash • Inspiring Presence • Stunning Blow • Iron Will • Leadership The Domain of Mounted Combat • Master and Commander (uberfeat) You have trained to fight on the back of your mount as well as or • Negotiator better than those on their feet. You use your mount to gain a terrible advantage of speed and power. Many of those who focus on Mounted Combat have high The Domain of Might You have trained in what is perhaps the most straightforward comDexterity scores and wield a lance in combat. Fighters and paladins bat style. The domain of Might hones brute force to a fine edge to are the most likely candidates to devote themselves to this domain. maximize its potential. The great horseclans of Nall have teachers called Tharhanes that Characters with this domain typically have high Strength scores are perhaps the greatest instructors in the art of mounted combat. and often use two-handed weapons. Fighters and barbarians are the They are also some of the greatest horse trainers in the world. most common devotees. Humans are the most common students of this domain. However, Trainers and schools for this fighting domain are ver y common, just about every race has a few individuals who like to fight astride but none is better known than the Coliseum of Nur, where gladiators mounts that may vary from riding dogs to dire boars to giant eagles. Basic Power: Whenever your mount makes a successful attack, train with captive ogres and even giants to learn various techniques. All races other than elves, halflings, and gnomes frequently train you gain a competence bonus equal to +1 plus an additional +1 for their young warriors in this style. every three levels to attack the same opponent. Bonus Power: Whenever your mount attacks successfully, you can The Ferocity and Stalwart Defense domains complement this one thematically. make an immediate attack of opportunity against the same foe. This Basic Power: You can choose to inflict additional damage three counts against the total number of attacks of opportunity you can times per day in the amount of +1 plus an additional +1 for every two make in 1 round. Key Feat: Mounted Combat levels. This bonus works only in melee or with thrown weapons, and Domain Feats: it lasts for 1 round. Bonus Power: If you inflict 20 points of damage or more in a single • Advance Mount • Animal Affinity blow to a Medium or smaller creature, you can choose to push the target • Leap From the Saddle straight back 5 feet as well. You make a Strength check with a +4 bonus, • Mounted Archery opposed by your opponent’s Strength check. Both combatants gain a • Mounted Defense +4 bonus for every size category they are larger than Medium or a –4 • Power of the Steed penalty for every size category they are smaller than Medium. Your
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Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
• • • • • • • •
Ride-By Attack Saddlemaster (uberfeat) Spirited Charge Spur Mount (double feat) Terrify Trample Unnerve Unsteady
The Domain of Quick Defense
The Domain of Ranged Combat Be it with a bow, a crossbow, or a thrown dagger, you know the true secret to success in combat is to keep your foes at a distance. Your skills involve precision at range as well as speed and agility. Devotees of this domain typically have high Dexterity scores. Fighters, rangers, and some rogues tend to favor it. Whole martial orders are built around ranged combat, such as the Order of the Bow in the elven sanctuary known as Iridithil’s Home. If you can impress teacher Nyphistree Silvertree with your dedication and skill, she can help you become a world-class archer. This domain appeals to elves, humans, and halflings most often. Basic Power: You can choose to inflict additional damage three times per day in the amount of +1 plus an additional +1 for every two levels. The power works only with ranged weapons (including thrown weapons). Bonus Power: Point Blank Shot range becomes 60 feet rather than 30 feet for you. Sneak attacks are now possible at that range as well, if applicable. Key Feat: Point Blank Shot Domain Feats: • Careful Eye • Close-Quarter Fire • Covering Fire • Deadly Sniper (uberfeat) • Far Shot • Hampering Shot • Improved Precise Shot • Manyshot • Mighty Hurl • Pinning Shot • Precise Shot • Quick Draw • Ranged Mastery (double feat) • Rapid Reload • Rapid Shot • Shot on the Run • Unexpected Shot (double feat)
Your training has honed your ability to move quickly, dodge blows, and otherwise defend yourself with your natural agility while you fight. The central focus is simply to not get hit. Characters with this domain always wear light (or no) armor and may use lighter weapons—they are sometimes seen as fencers. Rapiers and daggers are great for quick, rapid thrusts while ducking, weaving, and dodging about to avoid all damage. Quick Defense specialists almost always have high Dexterity scores. Mainly fighters and rogues, and occasionally rangers, pursue this type of training. As with Agility (see page 6), the Nidaris school in the Dragonsbirth Mountains is perhaps the premier training facility for this domain. The greatest teacher, the female elf Everaen, is a total pacifist. Humans, elves, halflings, and gnomes typically prefer this style moreso than do the other major races. Basic Power: You can choose to add a dodge bonus to your Armor Class three times each day. The dodge bonus is equal to +1 plus an additional +1 per three levels. This power lasts for 1 round, and it remains in effect only while you wear light or no armor. Bonus Power: You dodge and weave so qu ickly you are a blur. For 1 round plus 1 round for every five levels, you have a 25 percent miss chance. You can use this power three times per day. This power remains in effect only while you wear light or no armor. Key Feat: Defensive Move Domain Feats: • Acrobatic • Alertness • Block • Can’t Lay a Hand • Combat Expertise The Domain of Speed • Counterstroke (double feat) You specialize in moving quickly to enhance your attacks, to make • Defensive Stance yourself harder to hit, and simply to get from one place on the • Elude Blows battlefield to another more quickly. • Foil Readied Action (double feat) Characters with this fighting domain typically have high • Ghost (uberfeat) Dexterity scores. Fighters, barbarians, and monks are the most • Improved Uncanny Dodge common followers of this style, although occasionally rogues and • Leap Back (double feat) even rangers train to master it. • Light Armor Specialization One who wishes to learn the secrets of speed should seek out an • Lightning Reflexes Esthanal teacher. These wandering fighter/monks are said to move • Magical Parry (double feat) with supernatural alacrity. Their origin is a mystery. • Mobility All races occasionally study this style. Thematically, it works well • Parry along with the domains of Agility and Quick Defense. • Uncanny Dodge Basic Power: You can choose to add +10 feet to your speed for 1 • Weave and Dodge round three times each day. This addition stacks with Fleet of Foot.
Chapter One: Fighting Domains
Bonus Power: Your 5-foot steps become 10-foot steps, but in all other ways they obey the rules of 5-foot steps. Key Feat: Fleet of Foot Domain Feats: • Acrobatic Charge • Acrobatic Run • Defensive Move • Defensive Run • Dodging Charge • First Strike • Improved Initiative • Mobility • Moving Strike • Power Charge • Quick Draw • Run • Running Circles • Speed Burst • Speed Demon (uberfeat) • Spring Attack • Whirlwind Attack
The Domain of Stalwart Defense You have learned to become a bastion that can stand against the tide. You are a rock that cannot be moved. A living fortress. Heavy armor, huge shields, and big weapons are the order of the day. You are less concerned about avoiding blows as you are about surviving them. Characters using this domain typically have high Constitution scores. Usually only fighters study this art, although the occasional paladin may as well. Deep beneath the earth, in the dwarven citadel of Amur-Rus, lie the Tablets of Bokal: the greatest repository of knowledge regarding Stalwart Defense. The best teachers have studied these tablets—many dwarven teachers have made the pilgrimage to the citadel to read from them. The most dedicated students make the pilgrimage as well. Dwarves, humans, and some half-orcs prefer this domain. Basic Power: You gain permanent bonus hit points equal to the amount you would normally gain when advancing a level: your Hit Die plus your Constitution modifier. Bonus Power: Once per day you can choose simply to ignore one melee or ranged attack that strikes you. You also ignore any other effects associated with that attack (poison, level drain,disease, and so on). Key Feat: Stalwart Stance Domain Feats: • Accept Attack • Acrobat’s Foe • Anchor Foe (double feat) • Armor Spiking • Counterstroke (double feat) • Diehard • Endurance • Great Fortitude
• • • • • • • • • • •
Greater Ignore Condition Heavy Armor Specialization Ignore Condition Impact Reduction Living Fortress (uberfeat) Outlast Foe Readied Burst of Blows Rejuvenate (double feat) Resist Charge Resist Critical (double feat) Revitalize
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Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
Why Not Just Be a Monk? A fighter taking the feats Improved Unarmed Strike and Iron Fist (even multiple times) is hard pressed to be as good as the monk at unarmed combat. But an unarmed fighter has a better base attack bonus, no restrictions on armor, and a much greater opportunity to specialize in specific areas through feats. The fighter also may match a player’s character concept without a monk’s alignment restrictions and quasimagical powers.
The Domain of Two-Weapon Fighting You are trained in the complex art of fighting with two weapons, dividing your attention and focus evenly, attacking multiple foes at once, and making intricate maneuvers. Your combat style resembles a choreographed dance of death. Characters using the Two-Weapon Fighting domain obviously use both a one-handed weapon and a light weapon, although they can learn to use larger weapons as well. They also may use double weapons. Two-Weapon Fighting is taught more often by individual trainers than in academies or military camps. The half-elf pirate Niamises, for example, has trained many of the greatest two-weapon fighters in the world on the deck of her ship, Rapier . Elves and half-elves make good use of this domain, as do humans. Dwarves and half-orcs who adhere to this style typically do so using a double weapon. Basic Power: Whenever you hit with your main weapon, you gain a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls with your off-hand weapon. Bonus Power: Whenever you strike a foe with both your main weapon and your off-hand weapon in the same round, the opponent must attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Dexterity modifier). On a failure, the foe is dazed for 1 round. Key Feat: Two-Weapon Fighting Domain Feats: • Divided Attention • Double Effect • Double Smash • Double Strike (double feat) • Great Blow • Greater Two-Weapon Fighting • Improved Two-Weapon Fighting • Massive Two-Weapon Fighting • Quick Feint • Strikes From All Around • Two-Weapon Defense • Two-Weapon Set-Up (double feat) • Whirling Dervish (uberfeat)
The Domain of Unarmed Combat You don’t need weapons. Your body is a weapon. You can accomplish with your hands and feet what others cannot do even with swords and axes. Characters who focus on this fighting domain are generally unarmored and, obviously, unarmed, although some adherents learn to use their fists in addition to a blade. Fighters and monks generally devote themselves most often to the domain of Unarmed Combat. Far in the unknown mountains of the south lies the Fortress of Nai, a school for training unarmed combatants. The master monk there, Uo, is said to have slain dragons singlehandedly with his bare hands. Members of all major races may learn to use their bodies as weapons. Basic Power: When fighting unarmed, you gain a damage bonus equal to +1 plus an additional +1 for every three levels. Bonus Power: Your unarmed attacks affect creatures that normally are affected only by magic weapons. If you already have this power from a feat or class ability, choose one other quality (holy, silver, etc.); your attacks are considered to have this quality for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Key Feat: Improved Unarmed Strike Domain Feats: • Acrobatic • Acrobatic Charge • Acrobatic Run • Catch Attack (double feat) • Deflect Arrows • Deflect Grappler • Hands as Weapons • Improved Grapple • Iron Fist • Leap Back (double feat) • Leap Into the Fray • Living Weapon (uberfeat) • Paralyzing Blow • Smash and Grab • Snatch Arrows • Stunning Fist • Tackle • Throw • Unarmed Parry
The Domain of Weapon Mastery You know that you cannot be a successful combatant if you do not understand your weapons. Your weapons are an extension of yourself, and each of them has its own secrets. Characters studying this fighting domain use any and all weapons and armor. Generally speaking, only fighters pursue Weapon Mastery. Schools where a character can learn these secrets are common, but they usually specialize in only one or two weapons, or perhaps
Chapter One: Fighting Domains
a limited grouping of weapons. The Sword School of Thewen is Bonus Power: one, the Glass Academy (focusing on thrown weapons) is another. All races value this kind of training. Once per Basic Power: Whenever you wield a weapon you chose to use with round, when a the Weapon Focus feat, and you face a foe who uses the same melee opponent weapon, you gain a +2 competence bonus to attack and damage misses you in rolls. If both you and your opponent have this ability, the one with combat, you can the higher base attack bonus gains the benefit of this power. If the make an immedibase attack bonuses are the same, no one gains the benefit. ate attack of opportuBonus Power: You enjoy Weapon Focus with all weapons (but not nity against him with unarmed combat or spells that require attack rolls, unless you specif- your shield bash. Key Feat: Shield ically take Weapon Focus for those types of attacks). Specialization Key Feat: Weapon Focus Domain Feats: Domain Feats: • Axefighter • Block • Elude Blows • Can’t Lay a Hand • Flail Defense • Got Your Back • Greater Weapon Focus • Impact Reduction • Greater Weapon Specialization • Improved Shield • Honored Master (uberfeat) Bash • Improved Critical • Improved Shield • Macefighter Specialization • Magical Weapon Focus • Massive Weapon • Melee Master (double feat) and Shield • Outmatched Opponent • Reflective Shield (double feat) • Paralyzing Blow • Reflexive Shield • Parry • Shared Shield • Quick Draw • Sword and Board Master (uberfeat) • Skill Over Luck • Weapon Focus • Spearfighter • Weapon Specialization • Swordsman • Using the Advantage Game Balance • Weapon Mastery • Weapon Specialization
The Domain of Weapon and Shield Fighting You have learned to use a shield for defense and a weapon for offense, the perfect combination to win any fight. Characters who study this domain generally use axes, maces, or swords with their shields, and often wear heavy armor. Weapon and Shield Fighting is a very common domain, and instructors are everywhere. The Order of Iron Might trains all comers (who can pay the training fees) in this domain. The Imperial Military Academy trains most of its soldiers using this combat style as well. Fighters and some paladins focus on this domain. Members of all races find it equally appealing. Basic Power: Once per round, when a melee opponent misses you in combat, you can shove him with your shield. If you succeed in an opposed Strength check, you knock him off balance and make him easier to hit: You gain a bonus to attack rolls against him equal to +1 plus an additional +1 for every five levels.
Some readers of The Book of Experimental Might thought that giving spellcasters disciplines and giving everyone more feats left fighters—and, by implication, rogues, barbarians, and monks—out in the cold. I’m not convinced that’s true, but what is clear is that spellcasters got a lot of new toys and nonspellcasters didn’t. So I think that, while the fighting domain idea does give fighters a slight increase in power, what it really does is make them more interesting. They’ve got some new toys to play with. There are game balan ce issues to consider, however. Some of the new feats (such as those in the Agility domain) “steal” rogue abilities and m ake them accessible to others. However, the rogue class is still far and away the best class to choose for characters interested in sneak attacks. And nothin g beats their skill points. And what’s more, rogues can take those feats too, and become even better at what they do. Likewise with barbarians and the Ferocity domain, and monks and the Unarmed Combat domain. I like the fact that these new rules allow you to build a roguish fighter, a barbarian-style fighter, or even a monk-style fighter (particularly without all the quasi-mystical stuff ). But it’s more than just that. Now you can more easily build an unarmed barbarian, a rogue that fights with his wits, or a ferocious monk.
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Chapter Two
Feats of Daring Come on, men! The path to glory and honor starts with the hilt of your sword. —Lord Dorant Khatru,Order of Iron Might
T
his chapter contains feats. Most of them are new, but some are familiar, albeit with new additions. All of the feats found here can be taken as fighter bonus feats, including some core feats that were not originally on the fighter bonus feat list. The feats taken from the Core Rules are complete in this chapter, however, so if you are a fighter, this is all you need to select and reference your bonus feats—and likely most of the rest of your feats, as well. “Feats of Daring” also describes three new feat types— double feats, uberfeats, and oblation feats—and some additional built-in abilities, such as boosting. These feats and related rules are designed to coordinate with the “feat ever y level” rule introduced in The Book of Experimental Might.
Fighter Bonus Feats Most of the feats described in this book offer a special, additional ability or bonus that a fighter gains at a given level if he chose the feat as one of his fighter bonus feats as opposed to choosing it as a normal feat. These abilities always take effect at a level for which a fighter does not gain a new fighter bonus feat (the odd-numbered levels, 3rd and higher). Of course, no fighter ever has more than eleven bonus feats, so the majority of his feats will not offer him this special ability. He will have to choose his bonus feats carefully, weighing future benefits he will gain from their special abilities with the more immediate benefits other feats might offer. A player should designate on his character sheet whether or not he took a feat as a fighter bonus feat, and then be aware of the level at which new abilities kick in. A fighter who has already attained the given level for a feat’s fighter bonus feat additional ability to take effect gains that ability immediately.
Feat Boosts A “feat boost” is a method characters can use to unlock a potent power associated with a feat. Boosting a feat can allow a character such benefits as a reroll on a single skill check or attack, a brief +20 foot bonus to speed, or the ability to force an adjacent foe to stand still for the rest of the round. Most feat descriptions in this chapter include a note that explains the feat’s special “boosted” power. Starting at 3rd level, and at every odd-numbered level after that, a fighter earns one feat boost per day. This means that at
3rd level the fighter has one boost per day, at 5th he has two per day, at 7th he has three, and so on. Rogues and barbarians earn their first feat boost at 4th level and gain another at 8th, another at 14th, and another at 20th level. Other classes do not have access to feat boosts in this fashion but may take a feat that grants them boosts (see “Boost Feat” on page 30 and the sidebar on the next page). These boost totals are daily totals; characters regain their full allotment of boosts after a full night’s rest. A character can boost a given feat only once per day. A feat boost power never lasts more than 1 round, and it usually applies only to one die roll. When a feat boost gives you the ability to reroll one die roll, unless the feat description says otherwise, you can apply this power only to your own rolls. If forcing an opponent to make a reroll, unless otherwise noted in the feat description, the roll must be a part of an attack or effect targeting you.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Design Decisions:Boost Development The obvious game design solution to the question of, “Hey, the fighter needs a little something,” would be to give him more feats, but I didn’t want to do that in this book. After all, the first Book of Experimental Might already increased characters’ total feats by offering a new feat every level. Instead, I wanted to give fighters an opportunity to do more with the feats they already had. That’s where the idea of feat boosts came from. Basically, the fighter gains a new feat boost at every level at which he does not gain a new bonus feat. The rogue gets a few feat boosts, too, but they are mainly the purview of the fighter. For DMs interested in developing the concept of feat boosts further, there’s a lot here to build upon. For instance, a magic item that grants feat boosts to anyone with “boostable” feats would be very valuable, interesting, and fun. Here’s an example of such an item: Belt of Adrenaline: This woven leather belt is covered in metal studs. Once per day, when desired, it tightens ever so slightly, just for a second. The wearer suddenly sees things with a moment of greater clarity and acts with a microburst of extra energy. It grants the character a single feat boost.
Faint enchantment; CL 5th; Create Wondrous Item, prayer; Price 3,000 gp You could also design magical weapons, armor, or other items that grant boosts only to the feats of a specific fighting domain. The sword of the tactician might add feat boosts for feats from the domain of Leadership, for example. The shield of Thatar adds boosts for the feats of the domain of Weapon and Shield Fighting. (The cost for a boost of only one domain should probably be about 2,000 gp.) And if there are “boosting” items, why not spells? Particularly for clerics, a 4th-level spell that grants the target a boost as a bequeathal from a deity—a bit of holy luck as a blessing—would certainly be appropriate. (Note: This spell is 4th level according to the spell progression in The Book of Experimental Might ; it would be 2nd level in the Core Rules). But you can go even further than that. A god could reward faithful service with boons in the form of feat boosts that recipients can use whenever they wish, and that last until used. A paladin who destroys an evil magic item might gain such a boon. Any character who performs a service that helps the followers of a particular god and then prays at that deity’s altar might earn one as well. Or, the DM could hand out feat boosts as rewards for nice roleplaying, heroic actions, or just for being a good player. Maybe everyone gets a feat boost or two when they reach the midway point of a level as they gain experience points. You can do a lot with them. Those aforementioned items that tie to domains could do more than just grant extra boosts, too. Perhaps the sword of the tactician also adds to the total of the command point pool of anyone with the Command feat (see page 31). The rapier of expertise might allow someone to gain the bonus power of the domain of Intellect without taking eight associated feats. Boots of combat sprinting could give someone the fighter bonus feat ability of Defensive Run (page 33). And so on.
Core Rules feats that are not listed in this chapter cannot be boosted. Likewise, uberfeats cannot be boosted (see below). Boosting a feat is not an action, and it can be done on your turn or someone else’s turn.
New Feat Types The three new types of feat introduced in this chapter are designed to increase the overall flexibility of the role that feats play in the game. These new types are called double feats, uberfeats, and oblation feats.
Note that double feats never provide a fighter bonus feat special ability, because taking a double feat always requires a bonus feat slot as well as a regular feat slot (there is no choice). Nonfighter Double Feats: A DM may allow a nonfighter to select a double feat by using a feat slot for a level and giving up a class-based ability gained at that level, such as a barbarian’s greater rage ability or a ranger’s camouflage ability. This option is entirely at the discretion of the DM and should be allowed only rarely.
Uberfeats Double Feats Double feats are special, particularly powerful feats that require two feat slots. The feat slots must be available immediately—a character cannot save a feat slot in order to use it with his next level’s feat slot to gain a double feat. This means, essentially, that only fighters can gain double feats, for only members of this class may have two slots available at once. A fighter can select any double feat for which he qualifies by “spending” the feat slot he earned upon gaining a level plus his fighter bonus feat slot for that level (assuming he has one).
An uberfeat is the ultimate expression of a combat style. Each uberfeat offers extremely powerful abilities that are available only to high-level fighters. For instance, the Deadly Sniper uberfeat allows a character to treat all targets within his maximum range as within point blank range, grants his ranged attacks additional dice of damage, and places foes at risk of being shaken and dazed with each attack. The prerequisites of such powerful feats are often challenging to meet, but their benefits more than make up for this difficulty—and even compensate for the special cost of an uberfeat.
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Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
Special costs are one of the unique aspects of the uberfeat. In addition to requiring a feat slot, an uberfeat requires a character to “retire” a certain number of feats from play. The player selects these feats and, once they are retired, the character no longer enjoys the benefits they granted. However, the character does not lose a retired feat, so it still counts toward prerequisites of other feats. For example, if a character chose to retire his Weapon Focus feat, he would no longer gain the +1 attack bonus it had given him with the chosen weapon. However, he would not lose his Weapon Specialization feat, which requires Weapon Focus as a prerequisite. Later on, he could take Greater Weapon Specialization as a new feat, even though it also requires Weapon Focus. A retired feat cannot be reactivated or reassigned through the rules for reselecting domain feats or swapping feats (see page 5). A fighter cannot choose the feat again at a later level to regain its benefit, except in one specific case. If a fighter chooses to retire a feat that specifies a particular weapon, such as Improved Critical (longsword), he can take the feat again and choose another weapon. Each uberfeat is tied thematically to one of the fighting domains described in Chapter One. (For instance, the Deadly Sniper feat mentioned above belongs to the domain of Ranged Combat.) In order to select an uberfeat, a character must first have access to the domain to which it is tied. Only fighters can gain uberfeats. Uberfeats cannot be boosted.
Oblation Feats Oblation feats involve paying homage to a god by offering up one’s foes to the divinity. In return, the god grants a small blessing upon the devoted worshipper. For instance, an Oblations to the God of Battle grants a character with this feat a free attack whenever his total damage inflic ted in honest combat reaches 200 points. Basically, as you keep a running total of damage you inflict upon your foes, different abilities “cost” you points from your total. So to use the free attack gained from the Oblations to the God of Battle, you spend 200 points. A character with 213 points in such a situation has his total reduced to 13, although as soon as he inflicts 87 more points, he will be able to afford to use the ability again. This means that points can be saved up for multiple uses, although never more than one use per round. For each of these feats, the player must keep track of the damage a character inflicts over time, and to what type of foe. This is a new concept—a new bit of “bookkeeping”—but not an arduous one. In fact, many players will find it fun. While the players should keep track for themselves (it’s not the DM’s job), the DM should help by always making it very clear to the player when he is inflicting damage of a type appropriate to his oblation feat (see each feat on pages 48–49 for more information). Remember that damage stopped by damage reduction does not count toward the damage total. Oblation feats cannot be boosted and have no special effect if taken as fighter bonus feats.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
General Feats (Beginning With A–C) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level*
Accept Attack
Ferocity, Stalwart Defense
—
—
Inflict maximum damage after your foe automatically hits you
Acrobatic
Quick Defense, Unarmed Combat
—
9th
+2 bonus to Jump and Tumble
Acrobatic Charge
Speed, Unarmed Combat Fleet of Foot, Dex 15
9th
Turn once while charging
Acrobatic Run
Speed, Unarmed Combat Fleet of Foot, Dex 15
9th
Turn once while running
Acrobat’s Foe
Stalwart Defense
—
15th
+10 bonus to oppose Tumble checks
Advance Mount
Mounted Combat
Handle Animal (5 ranks) 5th
Increase mount’s Hit Dice by +2
Agile
Agility
—
9th
+2 bonus to Balance and Escape Artist
Alertness
Quick Defense
—
9th
+2 bonus to Listen and Spot
Anchor Foe**
Stalwart Defense
—
—
Keep an adjacent foe in his square
Animal Affinity
Mounted Combat
—
9th
+2 bonus to Handle Animal an d Ride
Armor Spiking
Stalwart Defense
BAB +3
—
+1d6 points of extra damage in a full attack action
Astounding Dexterity Agility
Dex 13
15th
Add half your level to Dexterity-related checks
Athletic
Might
—
9th
+2 bonus to Climb and Swim
Axefighter
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, Dex 13
15th
+2 morale bonus to attack and d amage when you drop a foe with an axe
Battlefield Tactics
Leadership
Combat Advice, Cha 15, BAB +8
Berserk Attack
Ferocity†
—
11th
Subtract a number from your AC and add it to your melee damage rolls
Blind-Fight
Intellect
—
—
Reroll miss chance for concealment, grant no bonuses to invisible attackers, move at threequarter speed in poor visibility
Blinding Strike
Fighting Dirty, Intellect
BAB +7
11th
Foe is temporarily blinded
Block
Quick Defense, Weapon and Shield Fighting
Combat Expertise, Dex 13
11th
Subtract a number from your AC and add it to your ally’s
Bloody Strike
Intellect
BAB +5
11th
Foe loses 1 hp per round due to bleeding
Bolstered by Success
Leadership
—
13th
+2 morale bonus to attack and damage when you drop a foe
Boost Feat
—
—
—
Gain one feat boost (or one more boost) per day
Canny Strike
Agility, Fighting Dirty, Intellect
Distraction, Int 15, Wis 13
9th
Sneak attack like a rogue three times per day
Can’t Lay a Hand
Quick Defense, Weapon and Shield Fighting
—
5th
+2 dodge bonus to touch AC
Careful Eye
Agility, Fighting Dirty, Ranged Combat
Int 13, Wis 11
10th
Foe loses Dex bonus to AC against your attack
Careful Strike
Agility
Dex 13, Int 13
—
Catch Attack**
Unarmed Combat
Improved Unarmed Strike, — Improved Grapple, Improved Disarm, Unarmed Parry, Dex 15, Str 13, BAB +9
Block and grab a foe’s next melee attack
Cleave
Might
Power Attack, Str 13
—
Make an extra melee attack after dropping a foe
Close-Quarter Fire
Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot, Dex 13
17th
Draw no attack of opportunity when firing into a threatened area
Combat Advice
Leadership
Cha 15, BAB +6
11th
Grant allies +1 bonus to attack and damage
—
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed fighting domain.
Benefit
Grant allies an extra 5-foot step
Subtract a number from your damage rolls and add it to your melee attack rolls
17
18
Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
General Feats (Beginning With C–D) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Combat Expertise
Intellect†, Quick Defense Int 13
15th
Subtract a number from your attack roll and add it to your AC
Combat Reflexes
Agility, Intellect
—
13th
Gain extra attacks of opportunity
Command
Leadership†
Cha 13
15th
Grant competence bonuses to your allies
Commanding Presence
Leadership
Command, Cha 13
Compensate for Size
Intellect
Dex 13
Counterstroke**
Intellect, Quick Defense, Parry, Dex 15, BAB +6 Stalwart Defense
Covering Fire
Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
15th
Foes suffer a morale penalty to attack rolls
Crippling Strike
Ag ilit y
Sneak at tack, In t 17
9t h
Foe loses 1 point of Strength after a sneak attack
Crushing Blow
Might
Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Str 17, BAB +8
15th
Deal extra damage to constructs and objects
Deafening Strike
Fighting Dirty, Intellect
BAB +6
13th
Your attack may deafen foe
Debilitating Strike
Fighting Dirty, Intellect
—
7th
Foe suffers –1 penalty to attack rolls
Defensive Advice
Leadership
Cha 15, BAB +6
11th
Grant allies +1 bonus to AC
Defensive Move
Quick Defense†, Speed
Dex 13
19th
+4 dodge bonus to AC against ranged attacks
Defensive Run
Speed
Fleet of Foot, Run, Dex 13 11th
+2 dodge bonus to AC when running or charging
Defensive Stance
Quick Defense
Dex 13
+1 dodge bonus to AC against melee attacks
Deflect Arrows
Unarmed Combat
Improved Unarmed Strike, Dex 13
Deflect Grappler
Unarmed Combat
—
11th
Demoralize
Leadership
—
—
Foe’s allies suffer a –2 morale penalty to attack and damage when you drop the foe
Diehard
Ferocity, Stalwart Defense Endurance
13th
Automatically stabilize when dying and act as though only disabled
Disrupt Caster**
—
Mage Fighter, Dex 15, BAB +3
—
Ruin a spellcasting attempt as a free action
Distraction
Fighting Dirty†
—
—
Dazzle a foe as part of a full attack action
Divided Attention
Two-Weapon Fighting
Two-Weapon Fighting, Dex 15
9th
+2 competence bonus when attacking different foes with different weapons
Dodging Charge
Speed
Fleet of Foot, Dex 13
9th
Draw no attacks of opportunity while charging
Double Effect
Two-Weapon Fighting
Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Dex 17, BAB +6
11th
Attack with both weapons on a full attack action to gain another feat’s benefit
Double Smash
Two-Wea pon Fig hting
Two-Weapon Fighting, Dex 15
7th
Combin e th e d amage of two weapons to determine various outcomes
Double Strike**
Two-Weapon Fighting
Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Dex 15
—
Attack with weapons as a standard attack
Draw Attack
Agility
Defensive Stance or Defensive Move, Mobility, Dex 15
15th
Make an attack of opportunity against a foe who makes one against you
Driven by Failure
Leadership
—
7th
+4 bonus to attack and damage when you see an ally fall
—
NPC allies obey you
7th
Bonuses to AC, attack, and damage against bigger foes
—
Block all a foe’s melee attacks
17th —
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed fighting domain.
Take no damage from ranged attack +4 dodge bonus to AC against grapples and related touch attacks
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
General Feats (Beginning With E–I) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Elude Blows
Intellect, Quick Defense, — Weapon Mastery
9th
Subtract a number from your melee damage rolls and add it to your AC vs. melee attacks
Endurance
Ferocity, Stalwart Defense —
7th
+4 bonus to stamina-related checks and saves
Far Shot
Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot
11th
Increase range increment by one-half or more
Fast Healer
—
—
—
Heal at double the normal rate
First Strike
Speed
Dex 13
7th
+1d6 points of damage or more against flat-footed foes
Flail Defense
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, Dex 13
7th
+2 parry bonus to AC when using a flail
Fleet of Foot
Speed†
—
19th
+10 to your ground speed
Foil Readied Action** Quick Defense
Dex 17, BAB +3
—
Full Opportunity
Agility
Dex 13, BAB +6
15th
Make all your attacks in an attack of opportunity
Got Your Back
Leadership, Weapon and Shield Fighting
—
9th
Adjacent ally gains +1 bonus to AC
Great Blow
Two-Weapon Fighting
Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Str 17, Dex 17, BAB +6
11th
Make one attack with two weapons to achieve maximum damage on a hit
Great Cleave
Might
Cleave, Power Attack, Str 13, BAB +4
17th
Make extra melee attacks after dropping a foe
Great Fortitude
Stalwart Defense
—
9th
+2 bonus to Fortitude saves
Greater Ignore Condition
Stalwart Defense
Ignore Condition
13th
Ignore debilitating conditions for 1 round per level
Greater Increased Vigor
Ferocity
Increased Vigor, base attack bonus +15
19th
Gain 40 temporary hit points
Greater TwoWeapon Fighting
Two- Weapon Fight ing
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, Dex 19, BAB +11
—
Greater Weapon Focus
Weapon Mastery
Proficiency and Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 8th
13th
+1 bonus on attack rolls with selected weapon
Greater Weapon Specialization
Weapon Mastery
Proficiency, Weapon Specialization, and Greater Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 12th
13th
+2 bonus on damage rolls with selected weapon
Hamper Defense
Fighting Dirty
—
7th
Allies gain a +2 circumstance bonus to attacks against a foe you hit
Hamper Movement
Fighting Dirty
—
11th
Struck foes suffer a –10 penalty to speed
Hampering Shot
Fighting Dirty, Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot, BAB +6
13th
Foe takes only one action per round after a successful ranged attack
Make a third at tack with your off-ha nd wea pon a t –10 penalty
Han ds as Wea pon s Un arm ed C om bat
Improved Unarmed Strike
Heavy Armor Specialization
Stalwart Defense
BAB +9
15th
+1 dodge bonus to AC
Ignore Condition
Stalwart Defense
—
11th
Ignore a debilitating condition for 1 round per level
Impact Reduction
Stalwart Defense, Weapon and Shield Fighting
BAB +8
13th
DR 1/piercing
Impressive Cleave** Might
Power Attack, Cleave, Str 15, BAB +12
—
Cause foe to lose a readied action against you
—
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed fighting domain.
Add an en han cemen t bonus or weapon specia l ability to your unarmed attacks
+5d6 damage on a Cleave attack
19
20
Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
General Feats (Beginning With I–L) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Improved Bull Rush Might
Power Attack, Str 13
13th
Improved Critical
Weapon Mastery
Proficien cy wit h weapon, 15th BAB +8
Doub le your critical threat ra nge wit h selected weapon
Improved Disarm
Intellect
Combat Expertise, Int 13
13th
+4 bonus on opposed attack rolls to disarm with no opportunity attack or disarm attempt from foe
Improved Feint
Intellect
Combat Expertise, Int 13
7th
Make a Bluff check to feint in combat
Improved Grapple
Unarmed Combat
I mproved Unarmed Strike, Dex 13
13th
+4 bonus on grapple ch ecks wit h no atta ck of opportunity on initial touch attack
Improved Initiative
Ferocity, Speed
—
15th
+4 bonus on initiative checks
Improved Overrun
Might
Power Attack, Str 13
13th
+4 bonus on Strength check to knock down foe; he cannot avoid you
Improved Precise Shot
Ranged Comba t
P oin t Blank Sh ot , Precise Shot, Dex 19, BAB +11
—
Improved Shield Bash
Weapon and Shield Fighting
Shield proficiency
Improved Shield Specialization
Weapon and Shield Fighting
Shield Proficiency, Shield — Specialization, BAB +10
Block melee attack with your shield after successful opposed attack roll
Improved Sunder
Might
Power Attack, Str 13
11th
+4 bonus on attack rolls against objects with no attack of opportunity from their holders
Improved Trip
Intellect
Combat Expertise, Int 13
9th
+4 bonus on Strength check to trip foe with no attack of opportunity from foe; if successful, you get to attack
Improved TwoWeapon Fighting
Two-Wea pon Fig hting
Two-Weapon Fighting , Dex 17, BAB +6
—
Make a second a tta ck wit h your off- hand weapon at a –5 penalty
Improved Unarmed Unarmed Combat† Strike
—
—
Provoke no attacks of opportunity from armed foes whom you attack while unarmed; deal lethal or nonlethal damage
Improved Uncanny Dodge
Quick Defense
Uncanny Dodge, Dex 15
—
You cannot be flanked
Increased Vigor
Ferocity
—
15th
Gain 1d8 temporary hp + 1d8 per five levels
Inspiring Presence
Leadership
—
9th
Allies gain +1 morale bonus to Will saves
Iron Fist
Unarmed Combat
Improved Unarmed Strike, BAB +8
Iron Will
Leadership
—
9th
+2 bonus on Will saves
Juggernaut Charge
—
Power Attack, Knock Down, Improved Overrun, Power Charge, Str 18, BAB +16
19th
Attack and knock down multiple opponents while charging
Just a Touch
Intellect
Dex 15, BAB +7
9th
Melee attack becomes a touch attack
Knock Back
Might
Power Attack, Improved 18th Bull Rush, Str 15, BAB +10
Knock a target back 5 feet after inflicting 20 points of damage in one attack
Knock Down
Might
Power Attack, Str 15, BAB +6
13th
Knock a foe prone after inflicting 20 points of damage in one attack
Large Bruiser
Ferocity
Size Large or larger, Str 15, BAB +8
15th
Make an attack of opportunity when smaller foes step into your threatened area
Leadership
Leadership
Character level 6th
—
11th
11th, 16th
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed fighting domain.
+4 bonus on bull rush opposed Strength checks with no attack of opportunity from defender
You r rang ed a tta cks ignore a nything less t han total cover or concealment; target a grappling foe automatically from range Add shield bonus to your AC while bashing
Trade –2 attack penalty for +1d6 damage in unarmed strikes
Gain a cohort or followers
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
General Feats (Beginning With L–N) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Lea p B ack**
Qu ick Defense, Un armed C om bat
Def en sive Move, Mobilit y,Spring Atta ck, Dex 13, BAB +4, Jump (5 ranks)
—
Leap 15 feet away from a threa t as a free a ct ion
Leap From the Saddle
Mounted Combat
Mounted Combat, Jump (5 ranks), Ride (3 ranks)
11th
+4 damage bonus when charging while mounted
Leap Into the Fray
Ferocity, Unarmed Combat
—
9th
+4 attack and damage bonus when charging
Light Armor Specialization
Quick Defense
BAB +9
15th
+1 dodge bonus to Armor Class
Light as a Feather
Agility
Jump (5 ranks), Tumble (5 ranks)
—
Reduce the effective distance fallen after a successful check
Light Weapon Mastery
Agility
Weapon Finesse, Dex 13
—
Increase the damage die of a light weapon
Lightning Reflexes
Quick Defense
—
9th
+2 bonus on Reflex saves
Low Blow
Fighting Dirty
—
11th
Daze a struck foe for 1 round + 1 round per 5 levels
Macefighter
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, BAB +3
11th
Ignore part of a foe’s armor bonus to AC when using a mace
Mage Fighter
—
—
15th
+10 bonus to oppose spellcaster’s Concentration checks
Magical Parry**
Quick Defense
Parry, BAB +9
—
Add magic weapon’s enhancement bonus to your AC and Reflex saves
Magical Weapon Focus
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, BAB +6, Spellcraft (1 rank)
13th
Grant selected magic weapon +1 weapon quality
Manyshot
Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Dex 17, BAB +6
15th
Fire multiple arrows at one target as a standard action
Ma ssive TwoWeapon Fighting
Two- Weapon Fight ing
Two-Wea pon Figh ting, Str 17, Dex 15, BAB +7
11th
Use any one-han ded weapon in your off han d as though it were a light weapon
Massive Weapon and Shield
Weapon and Shield Fighting
Str 18, BAB +13
15th
Wield a two-handed weapon with a shield
Medium Armor Specialization
—
BAB +9
15th
+1 dodge bonus to AC
Melee Master**
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, BAB +10
—
Target may make only one action per round
Mighty Hurl
Ranged Combat
—
7th
Ignore first range increment with thrown weapon; +1 damage with thrown weapons
Mighty Strength
Might
Power Attack, Str 13
15th
Add half your level to Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks
Mobility
Quick Defense, Speed
Defensive Move or Defensive Stance, Dex 13
—
+4 dodge bonus to AC against opportunity attacks caused by moving
Modify Combat Style Intellect
BAB +7
15th
+2 competence bonus to attack rolls against one foe
Mount ed A rchery
Mou nted Combat
Mounted Comba t, Ride (1 rank)
15th
Ha lf pen alty for rang ed a tta cks wh ile mount ed
Mounted Combat
Mounted Combat†
Ride (1 rank)
9th
Negate hits on mount with Ride check
Mounted Defense
Mounted Combat
Mounted Combat, Ride-By-Attack, Defensive Move, Dex 15, Ride (3 ranks), BAB +6
15th
+2 bonus to AC and saves while mounted
Moving Strike
Speed
—
13th
Move, attack, then move in a single turn
Negotiator
Leadership
—
9th
+2 to Diplomacy and Sense Motive
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed fighting domain.
21
22
Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
General Feats (Beginning With O–R) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Opportunist
Intellect
Int 15
—
Make opportunity attack against newly damaged foe
Outlast Foe
Ferocity, Stalwart Defense
Con 13
—
Foe becomes fatigued after a hit 5 rounds into combat
Outmatched Opponent
Intellect, Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, BAB +10
Paralyzing Blow
Fighting Dirty, Intellect, Weapon Mastery
BAB +15
Parry
15th
Automatically inflict max damage on all attacks
—
Foe paralyzed for 1 full round
Intellect, Quick Defense, BAB +6 Weapon Mastery
—
Use your attacks to block your foe’s
Pinnin g Shot
Fight ing Dir ty, Ranged Combat
P oin t Blank Sh ot , B AB +6
—
Ranged a ttack pins f oe to th e floor, wall, et c.
Point Blank Shot
Ranged Combat†
—
9th
+1 bonus on ranged attack and damage within 30 feet
Power Attack
Might†
Strength 13
11th
Trade attack bonus for damage (up to BAB)
Power Charge
Might, Speed
Power Attack, Str 13
15th
+2d6 points of damage when charging with a melee weapon
Power of the Steed
Mounted Combat
Mounted Combat
15th
+2 damage bonus to adjacent foes
Precise Shot
Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot
—
Punishing Blow
Fighting Dirty
BAB +6
Quick Draw
Ranged Combat, Speed, BAB +1 Weapon Mastery
—
Draw a weapon as a free action
Quick Feint
Two-Weapon Fighting
Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Feint, Combat Expertise, Dex 15, Int 13
—
Feint as a free action when wielding two weapons
Quick Poison
Fighting Dirty
—
—
Apply poison as a free action
Ran ged Ma st ery**
Ranged Comba t
P oin t Blank Shot , Precise — Shot, Improved Precise Shot
Use melee-orient ed feats with ra nged at tacks
Rapid Reload
Ranged Combat
Weapon Proficiency (crossbow type chosen)
15th
Reload crossbow faster than normal
Rapid Shot
Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot, Dex 13
15th
Make one extra ranged attack per round with a full attack action
Rapid Strike
Agility
Weapon Focus, Dex 15, BAB +3
13th
Make extra melee attack once per day per level
Readied Burst of Blows
Stalwart Defense
Dex 13, BAB +6
—
Ready a full attack action
Reflective Shield**
Weapon and Shield Fighting
Reflexive Shield, Shield Specialization, Shield Proficiency, Dex 13, BAB +10
—
Use your magic shield to reflect spell back at the caster
Reflexive Shield
Weapon and Shield Fighting
Shield Specialization, Shield Proficiency, Dex 13, BAB +4
11th
+4 bonus to Reflex saves against area attacks
Rejuvenate**
Stalwart Defense
Revitalize, Stalwart Stance
—
Spend 1 full round to regain all Grace hit points
Resist Charge
Stalwart Defense
BAB +4
Resist Critical**
Stalwart Defense
Stalwart Stance, Impact Reduction, Heavy Armor Specialization, BAB +12
15th
11th —
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed fighting domain.
Ignore –4 penalty for firing into melee +1d6 damage per iterative attack
Foes gain no benefit from charging you; you may make an attack of opportunity against them Resist half of all critical hits dealt to you
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
General Feats (Beginning With R–S) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Revitalize
Stalwart Defense
—
9t h
Add your Con bonus to the hit point total you recover from taking a breather
Ride-By Attack
Mounted Combat
Ride (1 rank), Mounted Combat
11th
Move before and after a charge attack while mounted
Run
Speed
—
5t h
Move four or five times your normal speed; +4 bonus to Jump after running start
Running Circles
Speed
—
—
Draw no attacks of opportunity from adjacent foe for moving through his threatened areas
Shared Shield
Weapon and Shield Fighting
Dex 15, BAB +8
—
Share your shield’s AC bonus with adjacent ally
Shiel Shield d Speci Speciali aliza zatio tion n Weapon Weapon and Shield Shield Fighting†
Shield Shield profic proficien iency cy,, BAB +4
—
Extra Extra +1 or +2 armor armor bonus bonus while while using using a shield shield
Shot on the Run
Ranged Combat
Defensive Move — (or Defensive Stance), Mobility, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Dex 13, BAB +4
Move before and after ranged attack
S ki kill Over Luck**
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focu s, s, Grea te ter Weapon Focus, Int 15, fighter level 14th
—
Use the bett er er of two a tt ttack rolls with ch os osen weapon
Small Scrapper
Ferocity
Size Small or smaller, Dex 15, BAB +2
15th
+1 dodge bonus to AC and +1 bonus to attacks against larger foes
Smash
Might
Power Attack, Domain of Might, Str 15, BAB +8
11th
Might domain’s basic power grants +1 damage per level
Smash and Grab
Ferocity, Unarmed Combat
—
—
Grab foe after a hit to either grapple or inflict a –2 penalty to attacks, saves, and checks
Snatch Arrows
Unarmed Combat
Deflect Arrows, Improved Unarmed St Strike, Dex 15
11th
Catch ranged or thrown weapon used against you; ei either ke keep itit or or send itit ba back at at at attacker
Spearfighter
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, BAB +3
11 t h
Make an attack of opportunity with your spear against foe who used full attack action against you
Speed Burst
Speed
Character level 4th
S pi pirited Cha rg rge
Mounted Comba t
Ride (1 ra nk nk), Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack
1 1t 1th
Dea l d ou oub le le or t ririple dama ge ge on a m ou ou nt nted charge
Spring Attack
Speed
Defensive Move (or Defensive Stance), Mobility, Mobility, Dex 13, BAB +4
—
Move before and after melee attack
Spur Mount**
Mounted Combat
Ride (10 ranks), Mounted Combat
—
+30 to mount’s speed plus Pounce or Hover
Stalwart Stance
Stalwart Defense†
Dex 13, BAB +6
7th
+1 dodge bonus to AC and +4 bonus to oppose being moved or knocked down
Stri Strike kess Fr From om All Around
Two-W wo-Wea eapo pon n Figh Fightin ting g
Two-W wo-Weap eapon on Fight Fightin ing, g, Improved Two-Weapon Two-Weapon Fighting, Dex 17, BAB +6
11th 11th
Foe Foe stru struck ck by both both your your weap weapon onss must must save save or be shaken
Stunning Blow
Might
Power Attack, BAB +9
15th
Foe is stunned for 1 round
Stunning Fist
Unarmed Combat
Improved Unarmed Strike, Dex 13, Wis 13, BAB +8
13th
Damaged foe must save or be stunned
Sudden Attack**
Agility
Weapon Finesse, B A B + 11
—
Attack with a light weapon or a rapier during someone else’s turn
Superior Flanking
Intellect
Uncanny Dodge, BAB +5
9th
+4 to flanking attacks; foe is considered flanked by all
—
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed listed fighting domain. domain.
Extra move action once per day per two levels
23
24
Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
General Feats (Beginning With S–W) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Swordsman
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Dex 13
13th
Follow up a successful sword strike with an immediate disarm attempt as a free action
Tackle
Unarmed Combat
Jump (5 ranks), Improved Grapple
9t h
+4 to touch attack and leaping grapple check
Taking Advantage
—
Distraction
9t h
+1 competence bonus to attack and damage against foes with a detrimental condition
Terrify
Ferocity, Mounted Combat
Berserk Attack, Unnerve, BAB +5
9t h
Foe must save or be panicked for 1 round per level
Throw
Unarmed Combat
Jump (5 ranks), Improved Grapple
13th
Immediately attempt to throw a foe you are grappling
Torchfighting
—
—
7t h
Torch attacks deal 1d4 damage + Str modifier + 1d4 fire and may blind/dazzle foes
Toughness
—
—
13th
Get hit points as though you had gained a level
Trample
Mounted Combat
Ride (1 rank), Mounted Combat
9t h
Target cannot avoid your mounted overrun attempt; if successful, mount gets an attack
Two-W wo-Wea eapo pon n Defense
Two-W wo-Wea eapo pon n Fight Fightin ing g
Two-W wo-Wea eapo pon n Figh Fighti ting, ng, Dex 15
9th
+1/+ +1/+2 2 shie shield ld bonus bonus to AC when when usin using g doub double le weapon or two weapons
Two-Weapon Fighting
Two-Weapon Fighting†
Dex 15
—
Penalties for using two weapons reduced by 4
Two-W wo-Wea eapo pon n Set-Up**
Two-W wo-Wea eapo pon n Figh Fighti ting ng
Two-W wo-Wea eapo pon n Figh Fighti ting ng,, Improved Critical, BAB +9
—
Expa Expand nded ed thre threat at rang range e and and +1d1 +1d10 0 dama damage ge afte after r a hit with one weapon
Unarmed Parry
Unarmed Combat
Dex 15
9t h
+1 dodge bonus to AC while unarmed
Uncanny Agility
Agility
Dex 15
9t h
+10 bonus to Climb, Tumble, Jump, or Balance check each day
Uncanny Dodge
Quick Defense
Dex 15
—
Retain your Dex bonus to AC while wearing light armor or no armor
Unexpected Blow** Fighting Dirty
Base attack bonus +7
—
Make extra melee attack at your full attack bonus +2 with +1d6 damage; foe loses Dex bonus to AC
Unexpe Unexpecte cted d Shot** Shot** Fighti Fighting ng Dirty Dirty,, Ranged Combat
Point Point Blank Blank Shot, Shot, BAB +7
—
Make Make extr extra a rang ranged ed attac attack k at your your full full attac attack k bonus bonus +2 with +1d6 damage; foe loses Dex bonus to AC
Unnerve
Ferocity, Mounted Combat Berserk At Attack, BAB +3 +3
11t h
Foes suffer –1 –1 morale penalty to their attacks after you hit
Unsteady
Mounted Combat
Mounted Combat
11th
Foe loses Dex bonus to AC against your mounted melee attack
Using the Advantage
Intellect, Weapon Mastery
BAB +10
15th
+1d6 damage when you have a combat advantage
Weapon Finesse
Agility†
BAB +1
13th
Use Dex instead of Str on attacks with light melee weapons
Weapo eapon n Focu Focuss
Weap Weapon on Mast Master ery† y†,, Weapon and Shield Fighting
Pr Prof ofic icie ienc ncyy with with selected weapon, BAB +1
9th 9th
+1 to atta attack ck roll rollss with with one one spec specif ific ic weap weapon on
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Mastery
Weapon Focus
7th
+2 competence bonus to attack rolls against foes who use your selected weapon
Weapo Weapon n Spec Specia iali liza zati tion on
Weap Weapon on Mast Master eryy, Weap Weapon on and and Shie Shield ld Fighting
Pr Prof ofic icie ienc ncyy with with sele select cted ed weap weapon on,, Weap Weapon on Focu Focuss with selected weapon, fighter level 4th
9th
+2 bonu bonuss to damag damage e roll rollss with with sele select cted ed weap weapon on
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed fighting domain.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
General Feats (Beginning With W to End) General Feat
Domains
Prerequisites
Bonus Level* Benefit
Weave and Dodge
Quick Defense
Defensive Move, Quick Defense domain, Dex 15, BAB +8
—
Quick Defense domain grants miss chance of 50% (not just 25%)
Whirlwind Attack
Speed
Combat Expertise, Defensive Move (or Defensive Stance), Mobility, Mobility, Spring Attack, Dex 13, Int 13, BAB +4
—
Make one melee attack against each opponent within reach
Wild Swing
Ferocity
BAB +8
11th
All adjacent foes immediately move back 5 feet or risk a +2 attack from you
* “Bonus level” refers to the level at which any fighter bonus feat special abilities take effect. ** Indicates a double feat. † Indicates the key feat for the listed listed fighting domain. domain.
Oblation Feats Oblation Feat
Tracking
Benefit
Oblat io ion s to the God of Ba tt ttle
200 points of honest comba t dama ge ge
Free a tt tta ck ck at your highest bonus
Obla Oblati tion onss to to the the God God of of Dea Death th
200 200 poi point ntss of of dam damag age e to to liv livin ing g cr creatu eaturres
+3d6 +3d6 poin points ts of nega negati tivve ene enerrgy dama damage ge
Obla Oblati tion onss to to the the God of Life Life
100 100 poi point ntss of of dam damag age e to to und undea ead d cr creatu eaturres Resto estorre 3d6 3d6 hp, hp, 1d4 1d4 abil abilit ityy sco scorre poi point ntss, or one negative level
Oblati Oblations ons to to the God of Righte Righteous ous Justic Justice e 150 poin points ts of damage damage to to evil evil crea creatur tures es
Declar Declare e an attac attack k agains againstt you you a miss miss
Oblations Oblations to the God of Vile Darkness Darkness
Declare Declare an attack against against you a miss
150 points of damage to good creatures creatures
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Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
Uberfeats Uberfeat
Domain(s)
Prerequisites
Cost
Avatar of Might
Might
Power Attack, Smash, Knock Down, Knock Back, Str 18, BAB +16, Might domain
4 retired feats, Damage bonus points equal to twice 1 feat slot your fighter level on full attack actions
Deadly Sniper
Ranged Combat
Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Hampering Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Pinning Shot, Dex 18, BAB +18
4 retired feats, Expanded point blank range, +2d6 1 feat slot damage, foes are shaken and possibly dazed
Fencing Master
Agility
Combat Reflexes, Light Weapon Mastery, Rapid Strike, Weapon Finesse, Dex 18, BAB +18
4 retired feats, +2 attack bonus, +2d6 damage, and 1 feat slot extra attack with light weapon or rapier
Ghost
Quick Defense
Combat Expertise, Defensive Move, Def en sive St ance, Can’t La y a Han d, Parry, Dex 19, BAB +18
4 retired feats, 50% miss chance under most conditions 1 f ea t slot
Honored Master
Intellect, Weapon Mastery
Combat Expertise, Outmatched Opponent, Parry, Using the Advantage,Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Int 17, BAB +16
4 retired feats, Trade –2 attack penalty for max damage 1 feat slot and automatic confirmation of critical threats, dodge bonus to AC; use full attack to hit automatically with a critical strike; immune to disarm, trip, and feint
Living Fortress
Stalwart Defense
Stalwart Stance, Endurance, Diehard,Impact Reduction, Resist Critical, Heavy Armor Specialization, Ignore Condition, Con 18, BAB +18
4 retired feats, Immune to critical hits; +4 bonus to AC; 1 feat slot DR 3/—; exempt from various conditions
Living Weapon
Unarmed Combat
Improved Unarmed Attack, Iron Fist, Stunning Fist, Acrobatic, Dex 17, BAB +16
5 retired feats, Successful attack on foe in a full attack 1 feat slot action actually hits all foes within range or hits one with all your attacks automatically
Master and Commander
Leadership
Command, Battlefield Tactics, Combat Advice, Defensive Advice, Inspiring Presence, Cha 18, BAB +18
4 retired feats, Grant generous competence bonuses to 1 feat slot yourself and your allies
Master of the Inner Beast
Ferocity
Berserk Attack, Endurance, Diehard, Increased Vigor, Greater Increased Vigor, Terrify, Unnerve, Con 18, BAB +16
3 retired feats, 1d10 hp per round, +4 attacks, +6d6 1 feat slot damage, and foes may become panicked while you are disabled or dying
Right Bastard
Fighting Dirty Canny Strike, Deafening Strike, Debilitating Strike, Distraction, Blinding Strike, Punishing Blow, BAB +13
4 retired feats, Foes lose Dex bonus to AC on alternate 1 feat slot rounds; you get +7d6 sneak attack damage and may stun them; +2 bonus to attack stunned foes, plus chance to blind them
Saddlemaster
Mounted Combat
Ride (20 ranks), Mounted Combat, Animal Affinity, Power of the Steed, Dex 17, BAB +16
3 retired feats, Bonus points equal to your level to add 1 feat slot to your (or your mount’s) attacks, damage, checks, and saves
Speed Demon
Speed
Fleet of Foot, Moving Strike, Mobility, 4 retired feats, Defensive Move, Dodging Charge, 1 feat slot Spring Attack, Running Circles, Dex 18, BAB +18
Sword and Board Master
Weapon and Shield Specialization, Improved Shield Fighting Shield Specialization, Weapon Focus, Block, Dex 17, BAB +16
Whirling Dervish
Two-Weapon Fight ing
Two-Weapon Fighting, Double Sma sh , Double Strike, Grea ter TwoWeapon Fighting, Improved TwoWeapon Fighting, Dex 18, BAB +18
Benefit
+10 speed; extra move action every round; never provoke opportunity attacks by moving; never lose your Dex bonus to AC
4 retired feats, Bonus points equal to your fighter level 1 feat slot to add to your attacks, damage, and AC 4 retired feats, Bonus points equal to up to twice your 1 f ea t slot fight er level t o a dd to your at tack or damage rolls
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Feat Descriptions
Acrobat’s Foe [General]
This chapter presents 228 feats for you to choose from, available to all characters who qualify. They are designed to work with the various fighting domains described in Chapter One. You’ll note that, while many feats are new, some of those described here are modified versions of core feats. Details are provided in the feat descriptions below. The tables on the previous pages list these feats in brief by category.
You are experienced in fighting tumblers. Benefit: When making an attack roll as an opposed check to a foe’s Tumble check, you gain a +10 bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can reroll any opposed check made against a foe’s Tumble check if desired (but you must take the second roll). Boosted: You can force your opponent to reroll a single attack roll.
Accept Attack [General] You allow a foe to hit you in order to gain the advantage over him. Advance Mount [General] Benefit: You allow an opponent in melee combat to hit you auto You improve your mount. matically. No attack roll is made. The damage is automatic. As a free Prerequisite: Handle Animal (5 ranks) action, you immediately inflict maximum damage (no attack roll Benefit: After spending one month with your mount, you increase needed) on that opponent. This feat works only against opponents its Hit Dice by 2. With this increase, you also raise all associated sta who can possibly hit you and whom you can possibly hit. For example, tistics, such as base attack bonus, skills, feats, and so on. You may a character fighting an incorporeal spirit without a magic weapon spend this month training intensely with your mount before you cannot use this feat. You cannot use Power Attack to increase the select this feat. damage using this feat. If your mount dies, you can apply this feat to a new mount, but Boosted: You can force your opponent to reroll a single attack roll. only after you have spent a month training with it. Special: You can take this feat mor e than once, applying it each time to your mount. You cannot increase your mount’s Hit Dice Acrobatic [General] You have excellent body awareness and coordination. faster than your own, however, so you cannot take this feat more Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all Ju mp checks and Tumble than every other level. checks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 5th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can also increase one of the mount’s ability Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, a fighter who took this as a fighter bonus feat gains a +4 bonus on Jump checks and Tumble scores by +1. checks. Boosted: You can reroll a Jump check or Tumble check.
Feat Presentation
Acrobatic Charge [General]
Below is an explanation of the format used in the feat descriptions in this chapter:
You can turn as you charge. Prerequisites: Fleet of Foot, Dexterity 15 Benefit: When using a charge action, you can make one turn rather than moving only in a straight line. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can make more than one turn during a charge, but you must succeed at a Balance check (DC 15 + number of previous turns) to attempt each turn past the first one. Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to sp eed for 1 round while using this feat.
Tracking: Type of damage the character must inflict before gaining the benefit (applies only t o oblation feats).
Acrobatic Run [General]
Benefit: What the feat enables the character to do, in game terms.
You can turn as you run. Prerequisites: Fleet of Foot, Dexterity 15 Benefit: When using a run action, you can make one turn rather than moving only in a straight line. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can make more than one turn during a run, but you must succeed at a Balance check (DC 15 + number of previous turns) to attempt each turn past the first one. Boosted: You gain a +20 bonus to speed for 1 round while using this feat.
F e a t N a m e [Type of Feat] Description of what the feat does or represents in plain language. Prerequisite: A minimum ability score, another feat or fea ts, a minimum base attack bonus, a skill, or a minimum level a character must have in order to acquire this feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite. A feat may have more than one prerequisite.
Special: Additional facts about the fea t, if any, including an uberfeat’s special cost. Fighter Bonus Feat: An additional ability available to fighters who take this feat as one of their fighter bonus feats. This entry includes the level at which this special ability takes effect. Boosted: The special benefits characters gain by spending one of their daily feat boosts on this feat. (See “Feat Boosts,” page 14.) Design Note: An occasional tactic or suggestion for getting the most out of the feat.
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Boosted: For 1 round, you give your mount a +4 bonus to all its attacks and its Armor Class.
You are particularly flexible and poised. Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all Balance checks and Escape Artist checks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus on Balance checks and Escape Artist checks. Boosted: You can reroll a Balance check or Escape Artist check.
not all of the attacks merely results in +1d6 points of damage. The armor spikes must be capable of hurting the foe in order to provide the additional damage. For example, a foe with DR 10/magic does not suffer the bonus damage unless the armor spikes are a magical weapon. Do not multiply the bonus damage from this feat in the case of a critical hit. Boosted: With spikes on your armor, you gain a free additional attack at your highest attack bonus when using the full attack action. This attack inflicts 1d6 points of piercing damage plus whatever damage bonuses are appropriate.
Alertness [General]
Astounding Dexterity [General]
You have finely tuned senses. Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all Listen checks and Spot checks. Special: The master of a familiar gains the benefit of the Alertness feat whenever the familiar is within arm’s reach. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus on Listen checks and Spot checks. Boosted: You can reroll a Listen check or Spot check.
You can call upon impressive dexterity when it matters most. Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 Benefit: Once each day, you can add one-half your level to your Dexterity bonus for 1 round to benefit your Dexterity checks or skill checks that use Dexterity as their key ability. (This does not benefit your Armor Class or Reflex saves.) You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your roll. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use the benefit three times each day. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Agile [General]
Anchor Foe [General—Double Feat] You prevent a foe from moving. Benefit: When you are adjacent to a foe, you can use a move action to force him to stay in place with feints and jabs. Every round you use a move action in this fashion, you keep the foe from leaving his current square(s) until the beginning of your next action. You cannot anchor a foe more than two sizes larger than yourself. Boosted: As a free action, you force one foe to whom you are adjacent to remain in the same square until the beginning of your next turn.
Athletic [General] You have a knack for athletic endeavors. Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all Climb checks and Swim checks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus on Climb checks and Swim checks. Boosted: You can reroll a Climb check or Swim check.
Avatar of Might [Uberfeat] Animal Affinity [General] You are good with animal s. Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all Handle Animal checks and Ride checks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus on Handle Animal checks and Ride checks. Boosted: You can reroll a Handle Animal check or Ride check.
Armor Spiking [General] You use the spikes on your armor to hurt your opponent. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +3 Benefit: If you have spikes on your armor and successfully strike an opponent at least once in melee as a part of a full attack action, you inflict +1d6 points of additional piercing and slashing damage by thrusting the armor’s spikes at the foe. If you hit a single foe with all the attacks of your full attack action, you inflict +1d6 damage plus an additional +2 for each attack. Hitting with some but
You are a paragon of strength. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Smash, Knock Down, Knock Back, Strength 18, base attack bonus +16 Benefit: If you use the full attack action, you have a damage bonus pool equal to twice your fighter level that you can use each round to supplement your individual damage rolls. Decide how you are going to divide this resource among your attacks before you make your attack rolls. For example, if you are 16th level and make four attacks in your round, you could add +8 damage to each attack, +23 damage to one attack and +3 damage to the other three, +32 damage to one attack and nothing to the others, and so on. Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is the uberfeat for the domain of Might.
Axefighter [General] You know the secrets of the axe and revel in its ability to take down foes quickly. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, Dexterity 13
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Benefit: When you use the Weapon Focus feat with a battleaxe, greataxe, throwing axe, handaxe, double axe, dwarven urgrosh, or dwarven waraxe, you gain a +2 morale bonus to attack and damage each time you drop a foe (unconscious or dead). This bonus lasts for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +3 bonus rather than a +2 bonus. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll made with a weapon listed above.
Battlefield Tactics [General] You instruct your allies in how to position themselves. Prerequisites: Combat Advice, Charisma 15, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: After you spend a move action surveying the area and issuing orders, all allies within sight and hearing of you gain an additional 5-foot step until your next turn. This can be combined with an existing 5-foot step (allowing a character to make two such steps), but not with other movement. Special: A character cannot receive bonuses from this feat from two different characters in the same day. Boosted: You can gain this feat ’s benefit as a free action for 1 round.
Berserk Attack [General]
Design Decisions: Fighter Bonus Feat Abilities For those of you familiar with Arcana Evolved , fighter bonus feat special abilities are a lot like height ened spell effects. There was no easy way to do a “diminished” version, though. Still, I like the way these special abilities allow feats to scale with experience level, at least for fighters. And, let’s face it, the fighter really is the “feat guy” in the game.
Boosted: You can reroll the miss chance percentile roll twice, not just once.
Blinding Strike [General] You are skilled at striking at a foe’s eyes. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +7 Benefit: As a full attack action, you can make a single attack that inflicts normal damage. If you damage an opponent with discernable eyes, the foe must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half your level + your Wisdom bonus). Should he fail the save, the foe is blinded for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every three levels, due either to damage to his eyes or to getting blood in them. Special: Against certain foes with eye-related powers (such as creatures with eyebeams or gaze attacks), this benefit may negate a special ability if the DM rules it applicable. On the other hand,this benefit may not completely blind a creature with many eyes, again, as the DM rules. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use the benefit as a standard action, or with an attack that is a part of a full attack action, but only three times each day. Boosted: You can force the target to reroll the saving throw to resist. Design Note: This feat can be used with melee or ranged attacks.
You attack without regard to your own safety. Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from your Armor Class and add it to all your melee damage rolls for that round. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus, nor may it exceed your current Armor Class. You cannot use this feat in the same round as you use Elude Blows, Power Attack, or Weapon Expertise. Block [General] Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, using this benefit forces one foe struck to attempt You can defend your nearby a llies while in combat. a Will save (DC 10 + half your fighter level + your Charisma modifiPrerequisites: Combat Expertise, Dexterity 13 Benefit: When you are adjacent to an ally and have a weapon or a er). Failing the save renders the foe shaken for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels. shield in hand, subtract any amount of your own Armor Class (up to your Dexterity bonus) and add it to the AC of your ally. Boosted: You can reroll one damage roll with a melee weapon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can give your ally a +2 bonus to Armor Class Blind-Fight [General] You know how to fight in melee without being able to see your foes. for every –1 penalty you take to your own AC. Benefit: In melee combat, every time you miss because of concealBoosted: You can force an opponent to reroll an attack roll made ment, you can reroll your miss chance percentile roll once to see if against an adjacent ally (not against you). you hit after all. In addition, an invisible attacker gains no advantages related to hitting you in melee. That is, you don’t lose your Bloody Strike [General] Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, and the attacker doesn’t enjoy the You know how to inflict wounds that prove particularly troubling to usual +2 bonus for being invisible. (The invisible attacker’s bonuses your opponents. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +5 do still apply for ranged attacks, however.) Finally, you take only half the usual penalty to speed for being unable to see: Darkness and Benefit: You must wield a slashing or piercing weapon to use this poor visibility in general reduce your speed to three-quarters normal, feat. As a full attack action, you can make a single attack that inflicts instead of one-half. normal damage. If you damage your opponent, he must attempt a Special: The Blind-Fight feat is of no use against a character Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Wisdom under the effect of a blink spell. bonus). An opponent who fails the save bleeds profusely, losing 1 hit
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point per round until he receives magical healing, someone performs a Heal check (DC 15) upon him, or he makes a successful save (the second save attempt requires a full-round action as he nurses the wound himself). Special: Foes without conventional anatomies might not be affected by this feat. Certainly any creature immune to critical hits due to having no discernable anatomy is also immune to the effects of this feat. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use the benefit as a standard action, or with an attack that is a part of a full attack action, but only three times each day. Boosted: You can force the opponent to reroll the Fortitude saving throw made to resist the effect. Design Note: This feat can be used with melee or ranged attacks.
Bolstered by Success [General] You feel invigorated when you fell a foe. Benefit: You gain a +2 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls when you drop (kill or knock out) a foe. You enjoy this bonus starting immediately after the action you used to drop the foe until the end of your next turn. If, during a single round, you drop more than one foe, the bonus increases by an additional +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls for each dropped foe after the first (to a maximum attack bonus equal to your base attack bonus). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls and a +4 morale bonus to damage rolls. Each successive dropped foe in a single round grants an additional +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage. Boosted: Once you have dropped a foe in the current encounter, you can reroll one attack roll. Design Note: This feat works well in the hands of someone with Whirlwind Attack or Great Cleave.
Boost Feat [General] You know how to get the most out of your training. Benefit: Once per day, you can use the boosted effect of any feat you have. Fighters gain an additional boost in a given day. Special: You can take this feat up to two more times to get up to three boosts each day. Boosted: You cannot boost this feat.
Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can take Canny Strike again to add another +1d6 points of damage to your sneak attacks. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Can’t Lay a Hand [General] You know how to keep foes from so much as touching you. Benefit: You enjoy a +2 dodge bonus to your touch Armor Class (but only touch AC, not normal AC) as long as you wear light armor or no armor. You must be aware of the attack to gain this feat’s benefit. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 5th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +3 dodge bonus to touch Armor Class instead of just a +2 bonus. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll one touch attack roll.
Careful Eye [General] You note the brief moment when your foe is unprepared. Prerequisites: Intelligence 13, Wisdom 11 Benefit: Three times per day, but no more than once per round, a foe loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against an attack from you. You can make a sneak attack against this foe if you have the ability to do so. However, you must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 10th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can share this ability with your allies. That means that, when you use the feat, the target loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against the attacks of you and all your allies until your next turn. Rogues can make sneak attacks against this foe. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses. Design Note: Obviously, Careful Eye is a great choice for rogues or for characters with the Canny Strike feat.
Careful Strike [General]
You can sacrifice force for precision in your attacks. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13 Canny Strike [General] You know just where to strike a foe to inflict the most damage. Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all your melee damage Prerequisites: Distraction, Intelligence 15, Wisdom 13 rolls and add it to all your melee attack rolls. This number may not Benefit: Three times per day, but no more than once per round, you can make a sneak attack (like a rogue) against a foe, inflicting exceed your base attack bonus, nor may it exceed your current max+1d6 points of damage. If you can already make sneak attacks (or a imum damage potential (excluding critical hits). The penalty on similar attack, such as that granted by the First Strike feat), you can damage and bonus on attacks applies until your next action. The add this feat’s damage to that which you would normally inflict. minimum amount of damage inflicted is 1 point. You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your You cannot use this feat to increase your attack bonus and then attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). use a feat or maneuver that utilizes your attack bonus but does not
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
inflict damage (i.e., a grapple, a disarm attempt, the Counterstroke feat, etc.). You cannot use this feat in the same round as you use Berserk Attack, Power Attack, or Combat Expertise. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll using this feat.
Catch Attack [General—Double Feat] You not only block but grab incoming attacks. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Improved Disarm, Unarmed Parry, Dexterity 15, Strength 13, base attack bonus +9 Benefit: You initiate a readied action that allows you to try to block and grab the next melee attack from a chosen foe. When that foe attacks, you oppose his attack roll with your own. If you succeed, you block the attack, prevent further actions from the foe this turn, and can make an immediate attack of opportunity against the foe, who has lost his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. If the foe’s attack was an unarmed or natural weapon attack, you have him grappled. If it was a weapon attack, he must beat you at an opposed Strength check or be disarmed. To use this benefit, you must have both hands free. The attack of opportunity you make counts against your total number of attacks of opportunity each round. Boosted: You can reroll the opposed attack roll associated with this feat (your foe does not reroll).
Special: One cannot receive bonuses from this feat from two different characters in the same day. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you grant your allies a +2 competence bonus rather than a +1 bonus. Boosted: You can gain the benefits of this feat for 1 round using a free action rather than a move action.
Combat Expertise [General] You are trained at using your combat skill for defense as well as offense. Prerequisite: Intelligence 13 Benefit: When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty of as much as –5 on your attack roll and add the same number (+5 or less) as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The changes to attack rolls and Armor Class last until your next action. You cannot use this feat in the same round as you use Berserk Attack, Power Attack, or Elude Blows. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class when using this feat. Boosted: You can force your opponent to reroll his attack made against you.
Cleave [General] You can follow through with powerful blows. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 13 Benefit: If you deal a creature enough damage to make it drop (typically by killing it or knocking it unconscious), you gain an immediate, extra melee attack against another creature within reach. You cannot take a 5-foot step before making this extra attack. Make the extra attack with the same weapon and at the same bonus as the one that dropped the previous creature. You can use this benefit once per round. Boosted: You can take a 5-foot step before making the extra attack.
Close-Quarter Fire [General] You can use ranged attacks up close. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Dexterity 13 Benefit: You do not draw attacks of opportunity for using a ranged weapon in a threatened area. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 17th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +1 damage bonus for using ranged attacks on adjacent foes. Boosted: You can reroll one ranged attack roll.
Combat Advice [General] You instruct your allies in the best ways to attack their foes. Prerequisites: Charisma 15, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: When you spend a move action surveying the area and issuing orders, all allies within sight and hearing of you gain a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls until your next turn.
Combat Reflexes [General] You can respond quickly and repeatedly to opponents who let their guard down. Benefit: When foes leave themselves open, you may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity equal to your Dexterity bonus. For example, a fighter with Dexterity 15 can make a total of three attacks of opportunity in 1 round—one attack of opportunity that any character is entitled to, plus two more because of his +2 Dexterity bonus. If four goblins move out of the character’s threatened squares, he can make one attack of opportunity each against three of the four. You can still make only one attack of opportunity per opportunity. You may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional attack of opportunity each round. Boosted: You gain a +4 bonus to the attack roll of one attack of opportunity.
Command [General] You direct your allies efficiently in battle. Prerequisite: Charisma 13 Benefit: You have a pool of command points equal to your level. Every day, on any round in which you use a move action to direct your comrades, you can spend these points to aid your allies (but not yourself ). These points become competence bonuses to individual attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. You can
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never add more to a single roll than your Charisma bonus. So, a 10th-level character with Charisma 15 can grant ten competence bonuses of +1, five bonuses of +2, or some combination thereof. If your allies’ actions are a part of a predetermined plan (DM’s discretion), the allies need not be within sight or hearing of you to enjoy this aid. If your directions are not part of a set plan, however, allies must be able to see or hear you to gain the bonuses. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you may add 5 points to your command pool and +1 point to the limit on your largest single bonus. Boosted: Your command pool gains 5 extra points, which you must use on your next turn.
Commanding Presence [General] People just seem more likely to follow you. Prerequisites: Command, Charisma 13 Benefit: NPC allies within sight and hearing of you obey your orders. If they wish to disobey, they must first succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + half your level + your Charisma modifier). If your orders run counter to those of another character with this feat, you must make a Charisma check opposed by the other commander. The winner’s orders are obeyed. Boosted: You can force a target to reroll the Will saving throw made to resist obeying you.
Compensate for Size [General] You leap up and around when fighting a larger foe, compensating for your small size. Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 Benefit: You leap about when fi ghting a creature larger than yourself. This tactic grants you an additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class, as well as a +1 competence bonus to melee attack rolls for each difference in size category. To use this feat, you must wear either light armor or no armor. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use its ability while wearing medium or heavy armor. Boosted: An adjacent foe larger than you loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class for 1 full round of your choosing.
Counterstroke [General—Double Feat] You know how to counter someone else’s attacks. Prerequisites: Parry, Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: If you beat an adjacent opponent’s opposed roll (your attack roll versus his attack roll), you block all of his melee attacks until your next turn. This full-round action may be used in the
same round as Anchor Foe (see page 28), despite the fact that the latter feat normally requires a move action. Boosted: You can reroll the opposed attack roll associated with this feat (your foe does not reroll). Design Note: Like the counterspell action, Counterstroke is a great option for using your action to render an opponent harmless while your friends slay him.
Covering Fire [General] You use your ranged attacks to worry foes. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot Benefit: Using this feat requires a full-round action and five arrows, bolts, bullets, daggers, or whatever is appropriate for the ranged weapon you use. When you do so, every target within your first range increment or 30 feet (whichever is greater) suffers a –1 morale penalty to all attack rolls until your next turn as they dodge or worry about your attacks. Alternatively, within the range specified above, you can focus your covering fire on a single target. That target suffers a –3 morale penalty to attack rolls until your next turn. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat and you focus on one target, you can force that target to attempt a Will saving throw opposed by your attack roll. Should you succeed, in addition to suffering the morale penalty, the target can take only a single action that round (either a standard action or a move action, but not both). Boosted: You can gain the benefits of this feat using a standard action rather than a full-round action.
Crippling Strike [General] Your attacks slice through muscle and tendons. Prerequisites: Sneak attack, Intelligence 17 Benefit: When you damage an opponent with a sneak attack (or the First Strike feat), the target also suffers 1 point of temporary Strength damage. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use it three times per day on attacks that are not sneak attacks. You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Boosted: You can reroll one melee or ranged damage roll.
Crushing Blow [General] You are adept at destroying objects. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Strength 17, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: You inflict +2d6 points of extra damage against objects and constructs when making melee strikes. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you inflict an additional +1d6 points of damage against objects or constructs. Boosted: You can reroll one melee or ranged damage roll made against an object or construct.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Deadly Sniper [Uberfeat]
Design Decisions: Whither Dodge?
You are deadly at range. Defensive Move and Defensive Stance replace the Dodge feat. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Hampering Shot, Any feat that normally requires Dodge should allow either of Improved Precise Shot, Pinning Shot, Dexterity 18, base attack the other two feats to work in its place. bonus +18 Benefit: All distances up to your maximum range are considered point blank range for you. You can make sneak attacks within this Boosted: You can gain the benefits of this feat for 1 round using range, although targets are no more susceptible to them than usual. Your ranged attacks inflict +2d6 points of damage. Foes struck by a free action. your ranged attacks find themselves shaken for 1 round and must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Dexterity Defensive Move [General] bonus) or be dazed for 1 round. Do not multiply bonus damage from You are trained at avoiding ranged attacks by moving or ducking. this feat in the case of a critical hit. Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 Special: Deadly Sniper costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It Benefit: You enjoy a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all is the uberfeat for the domain of Ranged Combat. ranged attacks in a round in which you move at least 10 feet, or in any circumstance in which you have cover. The Precise Shot feat (see page 51) can negate this Armor Class bonus, but it cannot negate both this Deafening Strike [General] You are skilled at striking at a foe’s ears. bonus and the –4 penalty for firing into melee in a single attack. Thus, a character with this feat fighting in melee against an attacker with Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6 Benefit: As a full attack action, you may make a single attack roll Precise Shot forces the opponent to cope with the +4 dodge bonus but that inflicts normal damage. If you damage an opponent who has not the –4 penalty. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. discernable ears, he must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to your level + your Wisdom bonus). Should he fail the save, he is deaf- Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this ened for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every three levels. one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you daze your struck opponents for 1 round in Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 19th level, if you took this as a addition to deafening them. fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +2 bonus, for a +6 total Boosted: You can force a target to reroll the Fortitude saving dodge bonus to Armor Class. throw associated with this feat. Boosted: You can use this feat to force an opponent to reroll one ranged attack roll.
Debilitating Strike [General] The injuries you inflict hamper your foe. Benefit: Your successful attack not only inflicts damage as normal but imposes on the target a –1 penalty to all attack rolls until your next turn. This penalty does not stack with itself, so multiple strikes—from you or from others with this feat—do not increase the penalty. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you impose a –2 penalty rather than a –1 penalty. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll. Design Note: This feat works with melee and ranged attacks.
Defensive Advice [General] You instruct your allies in the best ways to defend themselves. Prerequisites: Charisma 15, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: You spend a move action surveying the area and issuing orders. All allies within sight and hearing gain a +1 competence bonus to Armor Class until your next turn. Special: One cannot receive bonuses from this feat from two different characters in the same day. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you grant your allies a +2 competence bonus rather than a +1 bonus.
Defensive Run [General] You can duck and weave as you move. Prerequisites: Fleet of Foot, Run,Dexterity 13 Benefit: When using a charge or run action, you gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class. This bonus cancels out the standard AC penalty you incur when charging. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Characters with this feat who have 5 or more ranks in Tumble and wear light armor or no armor gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class when running or charging. A 9th-level fighter who took Dodging Charge as a fighter bonus feat (see page 35) gains a net +2 bonus to Armor Class. (Dodging Charge cancels the penalty and Defensive Run adds the bonus.) Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you also gain the bonus to Armor Class when making a double move. Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to sp eed for 1 round while using this feet.
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Defensive Stance [General] You are trained at avoiding and blocking blows. Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 Benefit: You enjoy a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all melee attacks. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 17th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus, for a +2 total dodge bonus to Armor Class from this feat. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll one melee attack roll using this feat.
Deflect Arrows [General] You can deflect incoming arrows as well as crossbow bolts, spears, and other projectile or thrown weapons. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Dexterity 13 Benefit: You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat. Once per round, when a ranged weapon normally would hit you, you may deflect it and take no damage from it. You must be aware of the attack and not flat footed. Deflecting a ranged weapon is not an action. Unusually massive ranged weapons, such as boulders hurled by giants, can’t be deflected, nor can ranged attacks generated by spell effects. Boosted: You can deflect two ranged weapon attacks in a single round.
Deflect Grappler [General] You are trained at avoiding and blocking blows. Benefit: You gain a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all touch attacks that initiate a grapple. You also enjoy a +4 bonus to grapple checks to resist being grappled. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you also can make an attack of opportunity against a grappler who normally would not provoke attacks of opportunity when starting a grapple—even one with the Improved Grapple feat (see page 41) or the improved grab ability. This counts against your total number of attacks of opportunity each round. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll one grapple check.
Demoralize [General] When you take down a foe, his allies become demoralized. Benefit: When you drop a foe (kill him or knock him unconscious), all the foe’s allies within 60 feet suffer a –2 morale penalty to attack and damage rolls. This effect lasts for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels.
Special: One cannot receive this feat’s penalties from two different characters in the same day. Boosted: You can reroll one melee or ranged damage roll using this feat. Design Note: This is a great choice for character with the Cleave feat.
Diehard [General] You can remain conscious after attacks that would fell others. Prerequisite: Endurance Benefit: When you reach the dying condition (see The Book of Experimental Might, Chapter Four), you automatically become stable. You may choose to act as if you were disabled, rather than dying— in other words, you are “disabled-but-dying.” You must make this decision as soon as you are reduced to the dying condition (even if it isn’t your turn). If you do not choose to act as if you were disabled, you immediately fall unconscious. When disabled-but-dying, you can take either a single move action or a standard action each turn, but not both, and you cannot take a full-round action. You can take a move action without further injuring yourself, but if you perform any standard action (or any other action the DM deems equally strenuous, including free actions like casting a quickened spell), you take 1 point of damage after completing the act. Should you reach a hit point total equal to your Constitution score expressed as a negative number, you immediately die. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can take full-round actions as normal while disabled-but-dying. However, you still lose 1 hit point per round as you do so. Boosted: You gain a +4 bonus to one attack roll, skill check, or saving throw while disabled-but-dying.
Disrupt Caster [General—Double Feat] You disrupt a spellcaster attempting to cast a spell. Prerequisites: Mage Fighter, Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +3 Benefit: Three times per day, you may attempt to disrupt the spell of a caster you are adjacent to. This is a free action that you take on another character’s turn. Handle the attempt normally according to the Core Rules. You can use this feat’s benefit against magical disciplines (as described in Chapter One in The Book of Experimental Might ) and spellsongs (see Chapter Six in The Complete Book of Eldritch Might ) as well as standard spells. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Distraction [General] You use thrown sand, a tos sed rock, a feint with your weapon, a surprising outburst, or virtually any similar tactic to distract an opponent.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Benefit: As a free action, while performing a full attack action, you can force an adjacent foe to make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Dexterity bonus or your Charisma bonus). Foes who fail this save are dazzled until your next turn. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll the Will saving throw associated with this feat.
Divided Attention [General] You are skilled at fighting multiple foes with both of your weapons. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 15 Benefit: When you attack different foes with your different weapons, you gain a +2 competence bonus to each attack. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 competence bonus, for a total bonus of +3 from this feat. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll while using two weapons.
Dodging Charge [General] You duck and weave as you charge. Prerequisites: Fleet of Foot, Dexterity 13 Benefit: When using a charge action, you draw no attacks of opportunity as you pass through threatened areas. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you do not suffer the standard Armor Class penalty when charging. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll one melee attack roll.
Double Effect [General] Your special maneuvers work with both your weapons. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: When using a feat that requires a full attack action to make a single attack—such as Blinding Strike or Bloody Strike (page 29)—you may make a single attack with both your weapons. Each inflicts damage as normal on a hit. If either attack hits, you may apply the other feat’s special effect (blindness, and so on). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat and use it in conjunction with a feat that imposes an effect or condition with a duration, you may double the duration when both your primary and off-hand weapons strike the foe. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll while using two weapons.
Double Smash [General] You are skilled at fighting single foes with both of your weapons. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 15 Benefit: When you use two melee weapons fighting a single foe, you can add together the damage of each weapon’s primary attack (if they both hit) for any situation in which the total damage of one attack determines an outcome. Such situations include the following: • before applying damage reduction • to determine whether you have surpassed the massive damage threshold
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• to compute the Difficulty Class of a struck caster’s • •
Concentration check for the Fortitude save DC of a coup de grace attack to see whether feats such as Knock Back or Knock Down (see pages 43–44) take effect
Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can combine the damage from any two attacks you make in a single round against a single target, as long as you make them with two different weapons. Boosted: You can reroll one damage roll while using two weapons.
Double Strike [General—Double Feat] You are skilled at using both your weapons quickly. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 15 Benefit: When you use two melee weapons, you can choose to attack once with both of them during a standard attack action. Both attacks suffer a –2 penalty to attack rolls, in addition to any other penalties. Boosted: You can reroll a single attack roll while using two weapons.
Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain the bonus for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every three levels. Boosted: Once an ally has fallen in the current encounter, you can reroll one attack roll.
Elude Blows [General] You use your weapon to defend yourself. Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee damage rolls and add it to your Armor Class versus melee attacks. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus, nor may it exceed your current maximum damage potential (not including critical hits). The penalty on damage and bonus to Armor Class applies until your next action. The minimum amount of damage inflicted is 1 point. You cannot use this feat in the same round as you use Combat Expertise, Power Attack, or Berserk Attack. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 parry bonus to Armor Class when you subtract at least 1 point from damage using Elude Blows. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll one melee attack roll.
Endurance [General] Draw Attack [General] Your unique combat style allows you to draw out attacks to place foes at a disadvantage. Prerequisites: Defensive Stance or Defensive Move, Mobility, Dexterity 15 Benefit: When an opponent makes an attack of opportunity against you, you may immediately make one against him. You may use this benefit three times each day. Using this feat counts against your total number of attacks of opportunity each round. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use it every time an opponent makes an attack of opportunity against you. There is no daily limit, although each use of it counts against your total number of attacks of opportunity permitted each round. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll one attack of opportunity roll.
Driven by Failure [General]
You are capable of amazing feats of stamina. Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: • Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage • Constitution checks made to continue running • Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march • Constitution checks made to hold your breath • Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst • Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments • Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation Also, you may sleep in light armor or medium armor without becoming fatigued. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a special damage resistance of DR 3/— that applies only to nonlethal damage. Boosted: You reroll any check or save modified by this feat.
Your intensity grows as you watch your allies drop. Far Shot [General] Benefit: You gain a +4 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls when you see an ally fall (killed or knocked unconscious). You gain You can get greater distance out of a ranged weapon than most this bonus starting on your next turn, and it lasts for 1 round plus people. an additional 1 round for every five levels. This bonus persists even Prerequisite: Point Blank Shot if you observe the ally recover. However, the morale bonus does not Benefit: When you use a projectile weapon, such as a bow, its stack with itself, so seeing multiple allies fall does not grant you range increment increases by one-half (multiply by 1.5). When you higher bonuses. use a thrown weapon, its range increment doubles.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you suffer no penalty for firing into your second range increment. Boosted: You ignore all range penalties for one ranged attack.
Fast Healer [General] When you rest, you heal faster than others. Benefit: You heal at double the normal rate. That means an 8thlevel character with this feat heals 16 hit points per day rather than 8 points. With the help of a healer making a Heal check, the character heals 32 hit points rather than 16. A character who pauses for ten minutes to rest during the day to regain Grace gains 20 hit points back. A character who uses the Take a Breather action gains twice his level in hit points rather than just his level. When you receive magical healing , add a +1 bonus to the hit points regained plus an additional 1 point for every five levels. Boosted: You immediately heal your l evel in Grace as a free action.
Rerolls When a player rerolls her own roll, she must always decide whether to reroll before learning the result of the roll. She must accept the second roll, even if it is worse than the first. When a player could force a foe to reroll, the player can be told whether the initial roll resulted in success or failure, but not the degree of success or failure. For example, if the DM rolled a critical threat, he should not reveal that fact to a player who can make him reroll—he should reveal only that it was a hit. Based only on that information, the player decides whether to make the DM reroll. Once the player knows the attack roll was a critical threat, she can no longer force the reroll.
Benefit: If you wield a light flail, heavy flail, dire flail, nunchaku, or spiked chain while fighting defensively, maintaining full defense, or using the Counterstroke, Parry, or Elude Blows feats, you add a +2 parry bonus to your Armor Class against melee attacks for that round. Normally a flail is difficult to parry with, but those with special training can use its drawback (its flexible nature) as an Fencing Master [Uberfeat] You are a master of agile combat. advantage, wrapping the weapon around a foe’s to help foil his attacks (this adds no extra bonus to grapple or disarm attempts). To Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, Light Weapon Mastery, Rapid Strike, Weapon Finesse, Dexterity 18, base attack bonus +18 gain this benefit, you must have chosen one of the aforementioned Benefit: Whenever you use a light weapon or a rapier, you gain a weapons for your Weapon Focus feat. +2 competence bonus to attack rolls, inflict an extra +2d6 points of Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a damage, and gain an additional attack each round at your highest fighter bonus feat, you may add a +3 parry bonus to Armor Class attack bonus—even when making only a single attack action. Do not rather than a +2 bonus when using the appropriate weapon. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll with a weapon on the list multiply the bonus damage in the case of a critical hit. Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is the above. uberfeat for the domain of Agility.
Fleet of Foot [General] First Strike [General]
You are much faster than you look. Benefit: You add +10 to your ground sp eed. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 19th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you increase your ground speed by another +10, for a total of +20. Boosted: You gain an additional +10 bonus to speed for 1 round.
You skillfully make attacks that take out opponents quickly. Prerequisite: Dexterity 13 Benefit: When you strike a flat-footed foe at the beginning of combat, the attack inflicts +1d6 points of damage. This damage bonus stacks with sneak attack damage and faces the same limitations (creatures immune to critical hits and sneak attacks are immune to this ability). Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit. You can make ranged attacks using First Strike, but only Foil Readied Action when within 30 feet of the target. [General—Double Feat] Special: You can take this feat u p to three times. Each time, add +1d6 points to the damage inflicted against flat-footed opponents. You know how to anticipate someone else’s surprise. Prerequisites: Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +3 So, the second time you take the feat, you inflict +2d6 points of damage, and the third time you inflict +3d6 points of damage. Benefit: Three times per day, but no more than once per round, you may—as a free action that you take on another character ’s Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you may reroll any 1s you roll for damage in a turn—block (and prevent) someone else’s readied action or attack First Strike attack. of opportunity. You must be adjacent to the character attempting the action. This character does not lose the prevented action, so an Boosted: You may reroll one initiative check. action she readies remains readied, a spell she readies stays prepared (and readied for the next trigger), and an attack of opportuFlail Defense [General] You can use a flail to disrupt the attacks of your opponent. nity she readies can go off in the same round, should another be provoked. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, Dexterity 13
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For example, if a character readies a melee attack on anyone that Great Cleave [General] comes within 5 feet, this feat stops her from attacking you. However, You wield a melee weapon with such power that you can strike if another target triggers her readied attack, it is resolved normally. multiple times when you fell your foes. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not Prerequisites: Cleave, Power Attack, Strength 13, base attack count as one of your daily uses. bonus +4 Benefit: This feat works like Cleave (see page 31), except that there is no limit to the number of times you can use it per round. Full Opportunity [General] Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 17th level, if you took this as a Your attacks of opportunity come fast and furious. fighter bonus feat, you can take a single 5-foot step between each of Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: Whenever you make an attack of opportunity, you can use your extra attacks, as long as your total movement in the round the full attack action to make all of your attacks. You may use this abili- does not exceed your speed. Boosted: You gain a +6 damage bonus to all extra attacks made ty only once per round, regardless of how many attacks of opportunity you are allowed to make (thanks to Combat Reflexes, for example). using this feat. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you add a +2 competence bonus to all opportuGreat Fortitude [General] nity attack rolls. You are tougher than nor mal. Boosted: You can reroll one opportunity attack roll. Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saving throws. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus to Fortitude Ghost [Uberfeat] You are very difficult to hit. saving throws, for a total bonus of +3 from this feat. Prerequisite: Combat Expertise, Defensive Move, Defensive Boosted: You may reroll one Fortitude save. Stance, Can’t Lay a Hand, Parry, Dexterity 19, base attack bonus +18 Greater Ignore Condition [General] Benefit: You have a 50 percent miss chance at all times as long as you wear light armor or no armor, are not flat footed, and are You can shrug off detrimental effects for a time through sheer force aware of the attack. of will Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is Prerequisite: Ignore Condition the uberfeat for the domain of Quick Defense. Benefit: Once per day, you can ignore all debilitating conditions affecting you for 1 round per level. Once this benefit lapses, the conditions return for the remainder of their complete durations, Got Your Back [General] You help protect an adjacent ally. as described in Ignore Condition (page 40). Benefit: You offer a +1 bonus to Armo r Class to one adjacent ally. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a You must be aware of any incoming attack on the ally to provide fighter bonus feat, you ignore the condition for 1 round per level, the bonus, and you must be able to act (not held, bound, etc.). This and that time counts as part of the condition’s duration, as AC bonus does not stack with the bonus provided by Shared Shield described in Ignore Condition. (see page 54). Boosted: As a free action, you can immediately attempt a second Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a saving throw to shrug off one unwanted condition. The condition fighter bonus feat, you grant your ally a +2 bonus to Armor Class must have a duration measured in rounds. rather than a +1 bonus. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll an attack roll made Greater Increased Vigor [General] against an adjacent ally (not one made against you). You summon deep reserves of might to make yourself nigh invincible. Prerequisites: Increased Vigor, base attack bonus +15 Great Blow [General] Benefit: You can grant yourself 40 temporary hit points, regard You attack with both of your weapons at once. less of your current hit point total. As with all temporary hit points, Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon these are added to your Grace total. (For background on Grace, see Fighting, Strength 17, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +6 the “Hit Points” section in Chapter Four of The Book of Benefit: As a full attack action while wielding two weapons, you Experimental Might .) make a single attack with both weapons, using your highest attack The temporary hit points last one minute for every level. You can bonus. If either is a hit, you inflict maximum damage for both use this benefit only once per day. weapons. You cannot use Power Attack or Berserk Attack to Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 19th level, if you took this as a increase the damage from this feat. fighter bonus feat, Greater Increased Vigor grants you not temporary hit points, but true healing. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a Boosted: You immediately heal a number of Grace hit points fighter bonus feat, you can attempt a Great Blow using a standard attack action rather than a full attack action. equal to your level as a free action. Boosted: When using two weapons , you can reroll an attack roll.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting [General] You are a master at fighting two-handed. Prerequisites: Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 19, base attack bonus +11 Benefit: You get a third attack with your off-hand weapon, albeit at a –10 penalty. Boosted: Your third attack with your off-hand weapon suffers no –10 penalty for one attack.
Greater Weapon Focus [General]
Hamper Defense [General] Your attack makes it more difficult for your foe to defend himself against others. Benefit: Your successful attack not only inflicts damage upon a foe as normal, but all other characters (your allies or others) gain a +2 circumstance bonus to attack rolls against the foe until your next turn. This bonus does not stack with itself, so multiple strikes— from you or from others with this feat—do not increase the bonus. You can use this ability once per day per level. You must declare that you are using Hamper Defense before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you give others a +4 circumstance bonus to attack rolls rather than a +2 bonus. Boosted: You can reroll one ally’s attack roll against the targeted foe.
Choose one type of weapon, such as greataxe, for which you have already selected Weapon Focus. You are especially good at using this weapon. Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 8th Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on al l attack rolls you make using the Hamper Movement [General] selected weapon. This bonus stacks with other bonuses on attack The injuries you inflict temporarily hamper your foes’ movement. Benefit: Your successful attack not only inflicts damage as normal, rolls, including the one from Weapon Focus. but targets suffer a penalty to their speed. They move 10 feet slower Special: You can gain Greater Weapon Focus multiple times. Its effects do not stack with each other—each time you take the feat, it for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels. A foe applies to a new type of weapon. whose speed is reduced to 0 or below cannot move. This penalty A fighter must have Greater Weapon Focus with a given weapon does not stack with itself, so multiple strikes—from you or from in order to gain the Greater Weapon Specialization feat for that others with this feat—do not increase the penalty. weapon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you inflict a 20-foot penalty to foes’ speed, rather Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus on all attack than a 10-foot penalty. rolls, for a total bonus of +2 from this feat. Boosted: As a free action, you force one adjacent foe to remain in the same square until the beginning of your next turn. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll using this feat.
Greater Weapon Specialization [General] Choose one type of weapon, such as greataxe, for which you have already selected Weapon Specialization. You deal extra damage when using this weapon. Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Greater Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Weapon Specialization with selected weapon, fighter level 12th Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all dama ge rolls you make using the selected weapon. This bonus stacks with other bonuses on damage rolls, including the one from Weapon Specialization. Special: You can gain Greater Weapon Specia lization multiple times. Its effects do not stack with each other—each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus on all damage rolls, for a total bonus of +3 from this feat. Boosted: You can reroll one damage roll using this feat.
Hampering Shot [General] Your ranged attack makes it ha rder for your foe to move. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: When attempting a ranged piercing attack with a weapon or ammunition at least 3 inches long (a bow, a crossbow, a spear, a javelin, a dagger, etc.), you can use a full attack action to make a single attack that inflicts normal damage on a hit. If you hit, however, make a second attack roll (as if you were confirming a critical threat). A success on this second attack roll means that you have hindered the foe in some way—you’ve pinned his shield to his armor, pinned her cloak to her leg, stuck an arrow in its claw, etc. As a result, for 1d6 rounds, the target can take only a single standard action or a move action each round (but not both). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use Hampering Shot once per day as part of a normal attack (an attack action or one of your attacks in a full attack action). You must declare that you are using this feat before you make the attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Boosted: The Hampering Shot affects the target for the maximum amount of time (6 rounds).
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Hands as Weapons [General] You hone your body so that it can hold special magical abilities. Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike Benefit: You or someone else can add an enhancement bonus or a weapon special ability (such as flaming or disruption) to your unarmed attacks. You must add the bonus or abilities normally, such as by enlisting the aid of a character with the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat who pays the gold and XP costs, and so on. Like weapons, these bonuses and abilities can be suppressed, but not permanently dispelled. Obviously, some weapon special abilities, such as dancing , cannot apply to your unarmed attacks. This feat can modify unarmed attacks with natural weapons, such as claws or a bite attack. Characters with more than one unarmed or natural attack need not take this feat multiple times. Boosted: You can reroll an unarmed attack roll.
Benefit: Once per day, you can ignore one debilitating condition (shaken, sickened, paralyzed, and so on) for 1 round per level. Once this benefit lapses, the condition returns for the remainder of its complete duration. In other words,say a character is sickened for 10 rounds but ignores the condition after the third round for 6 rounds. After the 6 rounds have elapsed, he is sickened for 7 more rounds. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can ignore the condition for 1 round per level, and that time counts as part of the condition’s duration. So, say a character is shaken for two minutes and uses this ability immediately to ignore the condition for 12 rounds. At the end of the 12 rounds, the character remains shaken for only 8 rounds. Boosted: As a free action, you can immediately attempt a second saving throw to shrug off one unwanted condition. The condition must have a duration measured in rounds.
Heavy Armor Specialization [General]
Impact Reduction [General]
You know how to move your heavily armored body to deal best with You know how to take blows strategically to accept incoming attacks. incoming attacks. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +8 Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +9 Benefit: You enjoy damage reduction 1/piercing. You must be wearing heavy armor or using a shield to gain this benefit. Benefit: While wearing heavy armor, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to fighter bonus feat, you gain damage reduction 2/piercing instead of Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this only DR 1/piercing. one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike Boosted: For 1 round, you have damage reduction 5/—. most other types of bonus. Impressive Cleave Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus, for a [General—Double Feat] total bonus of +2 from this feat. Boosted: You ignore your armor ’s armor check penalty and maxi- You hit very hard on the follow-through. mum Dexterity bonus for 1 round. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Cleave, Strength 15, base attack bonus +12 Honored Master [Uberfeat] Benefit: When you make a Cleave attack after felling a foe, you You are truly a warrior’s warrior. add +5d6 points of damage to the attack. Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit. Prerequisite: Combat Expertise, Outmatched Opponent, Parry, Boosted: You can reroll one melee damage rol l. Using the Advantage, Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Intelligence 17, base attack bonus +16 Improved Bull Rush [General] Benefit: If you take a –2 penalty on your attack rolls, you inflict maximum damage on your attacks and always confirm your critical You know how to push opponents back. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 13 threats. If you take an additional –2 penalty on your attack rolls in a round, you also gain a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class. Benefit: When you perform a bull rush, you do not provoke an Alternatively, you can use a full attack action to make a single attack of opportunity from the defender. You also gain a +4 bonus attack that automatically hits and inflicts a critical strike (if the tar- on the opposed Strength check you make to push back the defender. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a get is susceptible to criticals; otherwise, it is normal damage). You are immune to disarm, trip, and feint attempts. However, fighter bonus feat, consider yourself one size larger than you actu you cannot use Power Attack or Berserk Attack to increase the dam- ally are when determining the results of a bull rush that you make age using this feat. or one that is made against you. Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is Boosted: You can use this feat to reroll the opposed Strength the uberfeat for the domains of Intellect and Weapon Mastery. check required to push back the defender (your foe does not reroll).
Ignore Condition [General]
Improved Critical [General]
You can shrug off detrimental effects for a time through sheer force of will.
Choose one type of weapon, such as longsword or greataxe. With that weapon, you really know how to hit where it hurts.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Improved Feint [General] You are skilled at misdirecting your opponent’s attention in combat. Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Intelligence 13 Benefit: You can make a Bluff check to feint in combat as a move action. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you get a +4 bonus on Bluff checks used to feint. Boosted: You can attempt one feint as a free action.
Improved Grapple [General]
Prerequisites: Proficiency with weapon, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: When using the weapon you selected, you double your critical threat range. For example, a longsword usually threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19–20 (a range of two numbers). If you use a longsword with Improved Critical (longsword), the threat range becomes 17–20 (a range of four numbers). Special: You can gain Improved Critical multiple times. The effects do not stack—each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon. This benefit doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands a weapon’s threat range (such as the keen edge spell). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you deal an additional 10 points of damage on a critical strike using the selected weapon. Boosted: You automatically confirm one threatened critical using the selected weapon.
Improved Disarm [General]
You are skilled at grap pling opponents. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Dexterity 13 Benefit: You provoke no attack of opportunity when you make a touch attack to start a grapple. You also gain a +4 bonus on all grapple checks, regardless of whether you started the grapple. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, consider yourself one size larger than you actually are when determining the results of any grapple check. Boosted: You can reroll one grapple check.
Improved Initiative [General] You can react more quickly than normal in a fight. Benefit: You enjoy a +4 bonus on initiative checks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +2 bonus on initiative checks, for a total bonus of +6 from this feat. Boosted: You can reroll one initiative check.
Improved Overrun [General] You are skilled at knocking down opponents. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 13 Benefit: When you attempt to overrun an opponent, he may not choose to avoid you. You also gain a +4 bonus on your Strength check to knock him down. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, consider yourself one size larger than you actually are when determining the results of an overrun that you make, or one that is made against you. Boosted: You can use this feat to reroll the Strength check to knock down your opponent.
Improved Precise Shot [General]
You know how to disarm opponents in melee combat. Your ranged attacks can ignor e the effects of cover or concealment. Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Intelligence 13 Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Dexterity 19, base attack bonus +11 Benefit: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when you attempt to disarm an opponent, nor does he have a chance to disarm Benefit: Your ranged attacks ignore the Armor Class bonus granted you. You also gain a +4 bonus on the opposed attack roll you make to targets by anything less than total cover, and the miss chance grantto disarm your opponent. ed by anything less than total concealment. Total cover and total concealment provide their normal benefits against your ranged attacks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +2 bonus to the opposed In addition, when you shoot or throw ranged weapons at a grappling attack roll, for a total bonus of +6 from this feat. opponent, you automatically strike at the opponent you have chosen. Boosted: You can reroll one opposed attack roll when disarming a Boosted: You can reroll a single ranged attack roll when using foe, or when one attempts to disarm you (your foe does not reroll). this feat.
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Improved Shield Bash [General] You can bash with a shield while retaining its protection. Prerequisite: Shield proficiency Benefit: When you perform a shield bash, you may still apply the shield’s shield bonus to your Armor Class. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you may add your shield’s enhancement bonus to your attack and damage rolls when attempting a shield bash with a magic shield. Boosted: You can reroll a shield bash attack roll when using this feat.
Improved Shield Specialization [General] You are incredibly good at using a shield for defense. Prerequisites: Shield Proficiency, Shield Specialization, base attack bonus +10 Benefit: You can block one melee attack with your shield if you succeed at an opposed check using your attack roll against the attacker’s attack roll. This is a free action that you can use once per round on another character’s turn. You must be aware of the incoming attack and not be flat footed. Boosted: You can reroll the opposed check involved with this feat (your foe does not reroll).
Improved Sunder [General] You are skilled at attacking your opponents’ weapons and shields, as well as other objects. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 13 Benefit: When you strike at an object that an opponent holds or carries (such as a weapon or shield), you do not provoke an attack of opportunity. You also gain a +4 bonus on any attack roll made against an object held or carried by another character. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you may add a +4 bonus to the damage you inflict upon a struck object. Boosted: You can reroll an attack roll made to strike an object when using this feat.
attack against the opponent with a bonus of +6. Finally, she takes her last attack at a bonus of +1. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you inflict +1d6 additional points of damage on any opponent prone from having just been tripped. Boosted: You can reroll the Strength check tied to this feat.
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting [General] You are an expert in fighting two handed. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: In addition to the standard single extra attack you get with an off-hand weapon, you also get a second attack with it, albeit at a –5 penalty. Boosted: Your second attack with you r off-hand weapon suffers no –5 penalty for one attack.
Improved Unarmed Strike [General] You are skilled at fighting while unarmed. Benefit: You are considered “armed” even when unarmed—that is, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity from armed foes whom you attack while unarmed. However, you still get to make an attack of opportunity against any foe who attempts an unarmed attack on you. In addition, your unarmed strikes can deal lethal or nonlethal damage, at your option. Boosted: Your can reroll an unarmed attack roll.
Improved Uncanny Dodge [General] You react to danger before your senses would normally allow you to. Prerequisites: Uncanny Dodge, Dexterity 15 Benefit: You cannot be flanked as long as you wear light armor or no armor—you can react to opponents on opposite sides as easily as you can react to a single attacker. This defense denies a foe the ability to sneak attack by flanking you, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than you have class levels. Boosted: You are immune to sneak attacks for 1 round.
Increased Vigor [General] Improved Trip [General]
You summon deep reserves of might to continue fighting. You are trained not only in tripping opponents safely but also in Benefit: If your current hit point total is less than 10,you can following through with an attack. grant yourself 1d8 temporary hit points, plus an additional 1d8 temPrerequisites: Combat Expertise, Intelligence 13 porary hit points for every five levels. As with all temporary hit Benefit: You provoke no attack of opportunity when you attempt points, these are added to your Grace total. (For more on Grace, see to trip an opponent while you are unarmed. You also gain a +4 “Hit Points” in Chapter Four of The Book of Experimental Might .) bonus on your Strength check to trip the opponent. These temporary hit points last one minute per level. You can use If you trip an opponent in melee combat, you immediately get a this benefit only once per day. melee attack against him, as if you hadn’t used your attack for the Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a trip attempt. For example, at 11th level, a fighter gets three attacks fighter bonus feat, Increased Vigor grants you not temporary hit at bonuses of +11, +6, and +1. In the current round, she attempts to points, but true healing. Boosted: You immediately heal a number of Grace hit points trip her opponent. Her first attempt fails (using up her first attack). Her second attempt succeeds, and she immediately makes a melee equal to your level as a free action.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Inspiring Presence [General]
Multiple Effects
You inspire your allies. Many different feats in this chapter are triggered by making a Benefit: All allies within 60 feet of you gain a +1 morale bonus to successful attack. Do they all stack? Can you use Debilitating Will saving throws. Strike, Knock Down, Knock Back, and Stunning Blow all in Special: One cannot receive bonuses from this feat from two difone attack? The short answer is yes. The more complex answer is: if the DM allows it. But the DM must consider it ferent characters in the same day. both balanced and realistically possible for various featFighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a related abilities to apply on the same attack. fighter bonus feat, you make a ranged or melee attack on a foe after As a very general rule, a DM would be justified in saying that which, if it succeeds, all allies within 60 feet of you gain a +4 morale no single attack can convey more than four special effects. If bonus to Will saves. (This effect is in addition to inflicting damage you do impose such a limitation, the player gets to decide which effects are in play. from the successful attack.) This bonus lasts for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels. You may use this benefit three times each day. Just a Touch [General] Boosted: You can reroll one of your Will saving throws (or allow an ally to do so). You make such precise strikes that you ignore the protection your foes’ armor provides. Iron Fist [General] Prerequisites: Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +7 Your unarmed strikes inflict more damage than normal. Benefit: Three times per day, but no more than once per round, your melee attack becomes a touch attack. You suffer a –2 penalty to Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: You have a –2 penalty to your attack rolls for the round and damage rolls when making such an attack, however. a bonus of +1d6 points to the damage you inflict with your unarmed Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a strikes. Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit. fighter bonus feat, you gain the benefit of Just a Touch with no penalty to damage rolls. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not fighter bonus feat, you can take Iron Fist again, gaining an additional +1d6 points of damage (and incurring no additional penalties); count as one of your daily uses. the damage bonuses stack. You can take the feat a third time at 16th level. Knock Back [General] Boosted: You may reroll one unarmed damage roll. You can strike foes so hard you push them backward. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Strength 15, base attack bonus +10 Iron Will [General] You have a stronger than normal will. Benefit: If you inflict 20 points of damage or more to a Medium Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all your Will saving throws. or smaller creature in a single melee attack, you may try to knock the target straight back 5 feet as well. Make a Strength check opposed by Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus to Will saves, for the target’s Strength or Balance check; on a success, you knock back a total bonus of +3 from this feat. the target. Boosted: You may reroll one Will saving throw. You must inflict 30 points of damage in a single blow to attempt to knock back a Large creature, 40 points to attempt to knock back a Huge creature, 50 points to try to knock back a Gargantuan creature, Juggernaut Charge [General] You move like an unstopp able juggernaut. and 60 points to attempt to knock back a Colossal creature. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Knock Down, Improved Overrun, The target gains a +4 bonus on the opposed check for every size Power Charge, Strength 18, base attack bonus +16 category he is larger than Medium or a –4 penalty for every size category he is smaller than Medium. The target gains a +4 bonus if he Benefit: When using the charge action, you can attack and knock down an opponent using the Knock Down feat (see page 44), then has more than two legs or is otherwise more stable than a normal continue moving in a straight line to finish the charge by attacking humanoid (such as a dwarf). another foe without drawing attacks of opportunity from the first If you already have the domain of Might bonus power (see Chapter one. You cannot move more than twice your speed, and all movement One: Fighting Domains), you gain an additional +4 bonus to your must be in a straight line. Strength check to determine whether you knock back the target. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 19th level, if you took this as a Knocking a target back into a solid surface (such as a wall) inflicts fighter bonus feat, you can attack a total of three opponents if you 1d6 points of damage on the target. successfully knock down the first two. You still must move in a Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 18th level, if you took this as a straight line and may move no further than twice your speed. fighter bonus feat, you push foes back 5 feet or 10 feet (your choice). Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to speed for 1 round while using Boosted: You can reroll the opposed check associated with this this feat. feat (your foe does not reroll).
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Knock Down [General]
Leap Back [General—Double Feat]
You can strike foes so hard you knock them down. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 15, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: If you inflict 20 points of damage or more to a Medium or smaller creature in a single melee attack, you may try to knock the target prone as well. Make a Strength check opposed by the target’s Strength or Balance check; on a success, you knock down the target. You must inflict 30 points of damage in a single blow to attempt to knock down a Large creature, 40 points to attempt to knock down a Huge creature, 50 points to try to knock down a Gargantuan creature, and 60 points to attempt to knock down a Colossal creature. The target gains a +4 bonus on the opposed check for every size category he is larger than Medium or a –4 penalty for every size category he is smaller than Medium. The target gains a +4 bonus if he has more than two legs or is otherwise more stable than a normal humanoid (such as a dwarf). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus to your Strength check in the opposed roll. Design Note: Unlike the overrun action, the target creature never has an opportunity to knock the attacker prone, and the attacker does not need to move. Boosted: You may reroll the opposed check associated with this feat (your foe does not reroll).
You leap safely away fr om danger. Prerequisites: Defensive Move, Mobility, Spring Attack, Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +4, Jump (5 ranks) Benefit: Three times each day, you may—as a free action that you take on another character’s turn—leap back up to 15 feet away from a threat. You can use this ability to move away from someone making a melee attack (as the foe announces the attack, but before he makes the attack roll), out of the area of a spell or effect (before saves or damage are rolled), and so on. This ability does not save you from a target spell (as opposed to an area spell) or a ranged attack, unless your new position takes you out of the line of effect. You must be wearing light armor or no armor to enjoy this benefit. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Large Bruiser [General]
Leap From the Saddle [General] You can ride into combat with reckless abandon. Prerequisites: Mounted Combat, Jump (5 ranks), Ride (3 ranks) Benefit: After making a successful charge action while mounted, you may attempt a Jump check (DC 20). Success indicates that you gain a bonus of +4 on the damage from your charge. A success on the Jump check also earns you an immediate chance to knock down the target as if you had the Knock Down feat (see above). If you already have the Knock Down feat, you gain an additional +2 bonus to damage when using this feat. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you may leap from the saddle without suffering the Armor Class penalty involved with a charge. Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to sp eed for 1 round while using this feat.
You use your large size and great reach against smaller foes. Prerequisites: Size Large or larger, Strength 15, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: When fighting foes smaller than you, once per round you get to make an attack of opportunity when they take a 5-foot step in your threatened area. This counts against your total number Leap Into the Fray [General] of attacks of opportunity each round. You can throw yourself into combat with reckless abandon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took Large Benefit: When using the charge action, you may attempt a Jump Bruiser as a fighter bonus feat, you can attempt a special melee check (DC 20). Success means you gain an attack bonus of +4 attack against two smaller foes who are adjacent to each other. rather than one of +2 from the charge. You also gain a damage Make one attack roll: If it strikes the target with the highest Armor bonus of +4 for this attack. However, the Armor Class penalty Class, it strikes both foes. This is a single attack. involved in the charge is –4 rather than –2. Boosted: You can reroll an opportunity attack roll. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain the additional bonuses without sufferDesign Note: This is a great feat for giants and ogres, or any other Large monster. ing the increased Armor Class penalty. Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to sp eed for 1 round while using this feat. Leadership [General] You have a certain quality that encourages others to follow you. Light Armor Specialization [General] Prerequisite: Character level 6th. Benefit: Having this feat enables you to attract loyal companions You know how to move you r lightly armored body to best avoid and devoted followers—subordinates who assist you. Consult your incoming attacks. DM to find out what sort of cohort and how many followers you Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +9 can recruit. Benefit: While wearing light armor, you gain a +1 dodge bonus Boosted: You allow your cohort to reroll one attack, save, or to Armor Class. You must be aware of the attack to gain this check. bonus.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class, for a total bonus of +2 from this feat. Boosted: You ignore your armor ’s armor check penalty and maximum Dexterity bonus for 1 round.
Light as a Feather [General] You are skilled at falling so as to minimize the amount of damage you take. Prerequisites: Jump (5 ranks), Tumble (5 ranks) Benefit: When you succeed at a Tumble or Jump check to reduce your amount of falling damage, you reduce the effective distance fallen by 10 feet plus an additional 10 feet for every three levels. Boosted: You suffer half damage from one fall.
Living Weapon [Uberfeat] Your skill in unarmed combat is unmatched. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Attack, Iron Fist, Stunning Fist, Acrobatic, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +16 Benefit: When using a full attack action to make unarmed strikes against multiple foes, you may make a single attack roll against the foe with the highest Armor Class. The foe must be within your reach. If you hit, you strike all foes within reach or within 10 feet (whichever is greater). When fighting a single foe using a full attack action, you may make one attack roll against him. If you hit, all of your attacks against that foe automatically hit this round. Special: This feat costs five retired feats and one feat slot. It is the uberfeat for the domain of Unarmed Combat.
Low Blow [General]
You are particularly skilled at using light weapons. Prerequisites: Weapon Finesse, Dexterity 13 Benefit: You increase the damage die of a light melee weapon, a rapier, a whip, or a spiked chain by one die size. So for a Medium creature, a dagger inflicts 1d6 points of damage instead of 1d4, a rapier inflicts 1d8 points of damage instead of 1d6, and so on. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll made with a light weapon.
You are skilled at striking vital, debilitating areas on a foe. Benefit: As a full attack action, you may make a single attack roll that inflicts normal damage. If you damage your humanoid or monstrous humanoid opponent, he must attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Wisdom bonus). Should he fail the save, he is dazed for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you stun your struck opponents rather than daze them. Boosted: You can force the target to reroll the Fortitude saving throw to resist.
Lightning Reflexes [General]
Macefighter [General]
You have faster than normal reflexes. Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all Ref lex saving throws. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus to Reflex saves, for a total bonus of +3 from this feat. Boosted: You may reroll one Reflex saving throw.
You know the secrets of the mace and its ability to harm even wellarmored foes. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +3 Benefit: When you use the Weapon Focus feat with a light mace, heavy mace, morningstar, light hammer, or warhammer, you can ignore part of a foe’s armor bonus to Armor Class. You ignore 1 point of armor bonus plus an additional 1 point for every five levels. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, Macefighter allows you to ignore an additional 1 point of armor bonus to Armor Class. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll you make with a weapon listed above that you use with Weapon Focus.
Light Weapon Mastery [General]
Living Fortress [Uberfeat] You are a titan of iron, almost impossible to harm. Prerequisites: Stalwart Stance, Endurance, Diehard, Impact Reduction, Resist Critical, Heavy Armor Specialization, Ignore Condition, Constitution 18, base attack bonus +18 Benefit: When wearing heavy a rmor, you gain the following benefits: • You are immune to critical hits. • You gain an additional +4 bonus to AC. • You gain DR 3/—. • You cannot be dazzled, dazed, stunned, sickened, nauseated, fatigued, or exhausted.
Mage Fighter [General]
You are experienced in battling spellcasters. Benefit: When making an attack roll to oppose a spellcaster’s Concentration check, you enjoy a +10 bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can reroll any opposed check made against a spellcaster’s Concentration check, if you desire. However, you must Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is the take the second roll. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll made to oppose a uberfeat for the domain of Stalwart Defense. Concentration check.
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Magical Parry [General—Double Feat] You draw upon the power in a magic weapon to defend yourself. Prerequisites: Parry, base attack bonus +9 Benefit: When using a magical weapon, you add its enhancement bonus to your Armor Class (against both melee and ranged attacks) and to your Reflex saving throws against spells and all magical effects. If you use two magical weapons, use the higher enhancement bonus. Boosted: You can reroll one Reflex saving throw.
Magical Weapon Focus [General] You draw upon the power in a magic weapon to gain additional abilities. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +6, Spellcraft (1 rank) Benefit: When you use the Weapon Focus feat with a magical weapon, you can coax more power from it than normal. You grant it a +1 weapon quality of your choosing for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels. You can gain this benefit once per day. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use Magical Weapon Focus three times per day, but never to grant more than one weapon quality at a time. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Manyshot [General]
Massive Two-Weapon Fighting [General] You can use heavier than normal weapons in each hand. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Strength 17, Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +7 Benefit: You may use any one-handed weapon in your off hand as though it were a light weapon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use a two-handed weapon in your primary hand. However, using a double weapon in this way grants no extra attacks. You must wield a weapon in your off hand to keep your balance (not a shield or other object). Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll while using two weapons.
Massive Weapon and Shield [General] You can hold a large weapon in one hand and still use a shield. Prerequisites: Strength 18, base attack bonus +13 Benefit: You can use a two-handed weapon in one hand while using a shield in the other, suffering a –1 penalty to attack rolls. You must use a shield in one hand, not another weapon or object. You cannot make shield bash attacks in the same round as you use the two-handed weapon. Using a double weapon in this way grants no extra attacks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you suffer no penalty to attack rolls while enjoying the Massive Weapon and Shield benefit. Boosted: You may reroll one attack roll while wielding a shield.
You can fire multiple arrows simultaneously against a nearby target. Master and Commander [Uberfeat] Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +6 You know how to direct your allies efficiently in battle. Benefit: As a standard action, you may fire two arrows at a single Prerequisites: Command, Battlefield Tactics, Combat Advice, opponent within 30 feet. Both arrows use the same attack roll Defensive Advice, Inspiring Presence, Charisma 18, base attack (with a –4 penalty) to determine success, and they deal damage bonus +18 Benefit: You have a pool of command points equal to your level. normally (but see “Special,” below). For every 5 points of base attack bonus you have above +6, you may add one additional arrow Every round, you can spend these points to aid your allies (includto this attack, to a maximum of four arrows at a base attack bonus ing yourself). These points become competence bonuses to individof +16. However, each arrow after the second adds a cumulative –2 ual attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. You can penalty on the attack roll (for a total penalty of –6 for three arrows never add more to a single roll than your Charisma bonus. So, an and –8 for four). Damage reduction and other resistances apply 18th-level character with Charisma 18 can grant eighteen compeseparately against each arrow fired. tence bonuses of +1, nine bonuses of +2, a +4 bonus with seven +2 bonuses, or some combination thereof. Special: Regardless of the number of arrows you fire, you apply precision-based damage (such as sneak attack damage) only once. Your allies do not need to be within sight or hearing of you to If you score a critical hit, only the first arrow fired deals critical gain the bonuses if their actions are a part of some predetermined damage; all others deal regular damage. plan (DM’s discretion). The command points granted by this feat are separate from, but Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you add the damage of all attacks together stack with, the command points granted by the Command feat (see before applying damage reduction or to determine other effects page 31). That means an 18th-level character has 18 points per based on the amount of damage inflicted. round from this feat, plus an additional pool of 18 points that he can spend throughout the day (unless he retires Command). Boosted: You ignore the attack roll penalties from this feat for Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is 1 round. the uberfeat for the domain of Leadership.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Master of the Inner Beast [Uberfeat]
Dodge Bonuses
The animal within you makes you a demon in battle. Stacking dodge bonuses can get out of hand. As a balancing Prerequisite: Berserk Attack, Endurance, Diehard, Increased factor, you may wish to rule that a character’s total dodge Vigor, Greater Increased Vigor, Terrify, Unnerve, Constitution 18, bonus to Armor Class cannot exceed her level plus her base attack bonus +16 Dexterity bonus (if any), assuming she gains the bonus from more than one source. If the bonus comes from just one Benefit: When you are disabled or dying you can act normally source (such as fighting defensively), then you may wish to without penalty and you enter what is called the “ beast state.” permit the full bonus. During the beast state you heal at a rate of 1d10 hit points per round. You gain a +4 ferocity attack bonus and a +6d6 damage bonus. Foes who are within 30 feet of you and who have fewer Hit Dice than you must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Charisma modifier) to avoid becoming panicked for 10 rounds. Mighty Hurl [General] A given foe need only make his save once per day. You use thrown weapons more effectively than most people. The beast state lasts 1 round per level, and you can achieve it only Benefit: You ignore the first range increment of thrown weapons once per day. Do not multiply the bonus damage in the case of a crit- and inflict +1 point of damage when using a thrown weapon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a ical hit. fighter bonus feat, you ignore the first two range increments of Special: This feat costs three retired feats and one feat slot. It is the uberfeat for the domain of Ferocity. thrown weapons. You also gain an additional +2 damage bonus with thrown weapons, for a total bonus of +3 from this feat. Design Note: Once you enter the beast state, it would be smart to Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll made for an attack with a use Increased Vigor and/or Greater Increased Vigor (see pages 42 and 38). thrown weapon.
Medium Armor Specialization [General] You know how to move while wearing armor to best avoid or block incoming attacks. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +9 Benefit: While wearing medium armor, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class for a total bonus of +2 from this feat. Boosted: You ignore your armor ’s armor check penalty and maximum Dexterity bonus for 1 round.
Melee Master [General—Double Feat] When you clearly outclass your opponent, you can dominate him on the battlefield. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +10 Benefit: When you use the Weapon Focus feat on a successful strike in melee combat and your base attack bonus exceeds your opponent’s by more than 10, you inflict normal damage and the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage inflicted). If the foe fails, he is shaken and, for as long as you threaten him, he can take only a single standard or move action in the round (but not both). This effect lasts for the remainder of the encounter. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll the saving throw associated with this feat.
Mighty Strength [General] You can call upon deep reserves of Strength to perform mighty deeds. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 13 Benefit: Once each day, you can add one-half your level to your Strength bonus for 1 round for the purpose of making Strength checks and skill checks using Strength (but not for attack or damage rolls). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use the benefit three times daily rather than once per day. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Mobility [General] You are skilled at dodging past opponents and avoiding blows. Prerequisites: Defensive Move or Defensive Stance, Dexterity 13 Benefit: You enjoy a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened area. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Boosted: You draw no attacks of opportunity for 1 round no matter what actions you take.
Modify Combat Style [General] You can adapt your combat moves to counter an opponent ’s style. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +7 Benefit: After spending a full round in melee with an opponent, you may make a Spot check (DC = the opponent’s attack bonus) as a free action. If you succeed, you spot a weakness in the foe’s combat
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style and modify your own style to take advantage of it. This grants you a +2 competence bonus to attack rolls against that foe for the rest of that combat session. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, succeeding at the Spot check also grants you a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. Boosted: You may reroll one melee attack roll made against a foe you have successfully targeted with this feat.
Mounted Archery [General] You are skilled at using ranged weapons while mounted. Prerequisites: Mounted Combat, Ride (1 rank) Benefit: Cut in half the penalty you take when using a ranged weapon while mounted: –2 instead of –4 if your mount is taking a double move, and –4 instead of –8 if your mount is running. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you suffer no penalty from using a ranged weapon while mounted. Boosted: You may ignore the attack roll penalties from this feat for 1 round.
Mounted Combat [General] You are skilled in mounted combat. Prerequisite: Ride (1 rank) Benefit: Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a Ride check (as a reaction) to negate the hit. You negate the hit if your Ride check result exceeds the opponent’s attack roll—essentially, the Ride check result becomes the mount’s Armor Class, if it’s higher than the mount’s regular AC. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can make multiple Ride checks in a single round to negate hits on your mount: one check for each attack. Also, you may use your Ride check result in place of the mount’s saving throws, if the Ride check result is higher. Boosted: All ranged and melee attacks against a mount you are riding automatically miss for 1 round.
Mounted Defense [General] Your quick thinking and skill protect you and your mount. Prerequisites: Mounted Combat, Ride-By-Attack, Defensive Move, Dexterity 15, Ride (3 ranks), base attack bonus +6 Benefit: While you are mounted, you and your mount gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +2 bonus to saving throws. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you increase both the dodge bonus and the bonus to saves by +1, for total bonuses of +3 from this feat. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack rolls while you are mounted.
Moving Strike [General] You can attack while mov ing. Benefit: You may move a portion of your speed, make a single attack, and then move up to the remainder of your speed all in one turn. Unlike with the Spring Attack feat (page 55), however, you enjoy no special immunity to attacks of opportunity while moving. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you may make a Moving Strike with a double move, which allows you to move a total of twice your speed. Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to sp eed for 1 round while using this feat.
Negotiator [General] You are good at gauging opinions and swaying attitudes. Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all Diplomacy checks and Sense Motive checks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks and Sense Motive checks, instead of a +2 bonus. Boosted: You can reroll a Diplomacy or Sense Motive check.
Oblations to the God of Battle [Oblation] You dedicate your strikes to the God of Battle, and he rewards you with the power to make even more. Tracking: You must keep track of all damage you inflict upon creatures in honest combat through melee or ranged attacks (not spells, spell-like abilities, and so on). Honest combat never results in damage inflicted upon objects, helpless foes, or inappropriate foes like harmless animals. Benefit: Whenever the total reaches 200 points of damage, you gain the ability to make an additional attack during your turn at your highest bonus. While you do so, a faint image of the warrior god surrounds your body. Starting at 10th level, if you wait until the total is 1,000 points of damage, you may take a free turn at any time. This does not change your original initiative order in the round.
Oblations to the God of Death [Oblation] You dedicate your strikes to the God of Death, and he rewards you with death-dealing negative energy. Tracking: You must keep track of all damage you inflict upon living creatures through melee or ranged attacks (not spells, spell-like abilities, and so on). Benefit: Whenever the total reaches 200 points of damage, you gain the ability to inflict an additional +3d6 points of negative energy on a single attack. Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit. While you use this benefit, a white shroud of light surrounds your body and trails off into shadow.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Making New Oblation Feats The oblation feats here are just examples—you can create new ones or tailor these to specific deities in your campaign. There is one balancing factor to keep in mind: The more common the foe, the higher the threshold for a character to earn the benefit. For example, the victims of the God of Death are pretty common (living creatures), so the threshold is 200 points of damage. However, the opposite feat’s targets—undead creatures—are less common. That threshold is only 100 points of damage.
Starting at 10th level, if you wait until the total is 1,000 points of damage, you can grant yourself and all of your allies within 60 feet a +5 divine bonus to Armor Class for 1 round per level at a time of your choosing.
Oblations to the God of Vile Darkness [Oblation]
Oblations to the God of Life
You dedicate your strikes to the God of Vile Darkness, and he rewards you with protection. Tracking: You must keep track of all damage you inflict upon good creatures through melee or ranged attacks (not spells, spell-like abilities, and so on). Benefit: Whenever the total reaches 150 points of damage, you gain the ability to declare one attack against you a miss before attack rolls are made. When you do so, a jagged blood-red halo surrounds your body. Starting at 10th level, if you wait until the total is 1,000 points of damage, you gain DR 10/magic and holy for 1 round per level at a time of your choosing.
[Oblation]
Opportunist [General]
You dedicate your strikes to the God of Life, and he rewards you with pure life energy. Tracking: You must keep track of all damage you inflict upon undead creatures through melee or ranged attacks (not spells, spelllike abilities, and so on). Benefit: Whenever the total rea ches 100 points of damage, you gain 3d6 points of healing. If you are fully healed, you enjoy a restoration effect that heals 1d4 points of ability score damage. If your ability scores are not damaged, you may remove one negative level. If you have no negative levels, you gain 3d6 temporary bonus hit points that last ten minutes. You may never have more bonus hit points than a number equal to your level. While you use this benefit, your body is wreathed in pleasant, white light. Starting at 10th level, if you wait until the total is 1,000 points of damage, you gain the ability to hit one undead creature automatically with a melee attack of your choosing and inflict an additional +10d6 points of positive energy damage. Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit.
You excel at taking advantage of your foes’ weaknesses. Prerequisite: Intelligence 15 Benefit: Once per round, you may make an immediate attack of opportunity against an opponent whom another character has just damaged with a melee strike. You make this attack regardless of whether the foe has taken an action that normally would provoke an attack of opportunity. This attack counts as your attack of opportunity for the round. Even if you have the Combat Reflexes feat (page 31), you can’t use the Opportunist benefit more than once per round. Boosted: You may reroll an opportunity attack roll.
Starting at 10th level, if you wait until the total is 1,000 points of damage, you gain the ability to hit one living creature automatically with a melee attack of your choosing and inflict an additional +8d6 points of negative energy damage. Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit.
Oblations to the God of Righteous Justice [Oblation] You dedicate your strikes to the God of Righteous Justice, and he rewards you with protection. Tracking: You must keep track of all damage you inflict upon evil creatures through melee or ranged attacks (not spells, spell-like abilities, and so on). Benefit: Whenever the total rea ches 150 points of damage, you gain the ability to declare one attack against you a miss before attack rolls are made. When you do so, your face beams with golden light.
Outlast Foe [General] You tire your opponents out and then finish them off. Prerequisite: Constitution 13 Benefit: Once a combat has lasted 5 rounds, one of your attacks has an additional effect in addition to inflicting normal damage. If the strike is a success, you and your foe make opposed Constitution checks. Should you succeed, the opponent becomes fatigued. If the combat lasts more than another 5 rounds, the fatigued foe automatically becomes exhausted. Boosted: You may reroll the opposed Constitution check involved with this feat (the foe does not reroll).
Outmatched Opponent [General] When you clearly outclass your opponent, you can use your advantage to inflict greater blows. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, base attack bonus +10 Benefit: If an attack at your highest attack bonus can miss your opponent only on a roll of 1, you may choose to take a –5 penalty to
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all your attacks in a round. If any of the attacks hit, they automatisecond attack roll would also hit the foe, you pin him to an adjacally inflict maximum damage. You must be wielding a weapon that cent wall or other sizable object, or the floor. The target then you use with Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization. spends a full-round action to unpin himself. If he decides not to unpin himself, he cannot move from that spot, he suffers a –2 Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can take a –10 penalty to all attacks in a penalty to attack rolls, and he loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor round against an outmatched opponent. All of your attacks that Class. hit are considered confirmed critical hits. Boosted: You may reroll one ranged attack roll. Boosted: You may reroll a melee or ranged attack roll made with a weapon that you use with Weapon Focus and Weapon Point Blank Shot [General] Specialization. You are skilled at making well-placed shots with ranged weapons a t close range. Benefit: You enjoy a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with Paralyzing Blow [General] You can temporarily para lyze an opponent with a hit. ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +15 Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus on attack and Benefit: You must use a bludgeoning weapon or an unarmed attack to take advantage of this feat. As a full attack action, you may damage rolls, for a total bonus of +2 from this feat. make a single attack roll that inflicts normal damage. Should you Boosted: You may reroll one ranged attack roll using this feat. damage your opponent, he must attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Wisdom bonus). Opponents who Power Attack [General] fail the save become paralyzed and helpless for 1 full round. You can make exceptionally powerful melee attacks. Boosted: You can force an opponent to reroll the saving throw Prerequisite: Strength 13 associated with this feat. Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all your melee attack rolls and add that same number to all your melee damage rolls. The numParry [General] You know how to counter someone else’s attacks. ber you choose may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and the bonus on damage apply until your next turn. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6 You cannot use this feat in the same round as you use Berserk Benefit: When making a full attack action with a melee weapon, you may devote one or more of your attacks to defense. You deter Attack, Careful Strike, or Elude Blows. mine which attacks you wish to use for defense, and if someone Special: If you attack with a two-handed weapon—or with a attacks you in melee between now and your next turn, use those one-handed weapon wielded in two hands—you may add twice the attacks as opposed rolls against your opponent’s attacks. If you number you subtracted from your attack rolls when rolling damage. beat an adjacent opponent in the opposed roll (attack roll versus You can’t add the Power Attack bonus to the damage dealt with a attack roll), you block a melee attack. light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon For example, say you have three attacks, and you decide to attacks), even though the penalty on attack rolls still applies. devote the first two (with +19 and +14 attack bonuses, respectively) (Normally, you treat a double weapon as a one-handed weapon and to parries against your opponent, a roper. The roper makes six a light weapon. When you choose to use a double weapon like a attacks, and you parry the first two, adding +19 and +14 to your two-handed weapon, attacking with only one end of it in a round, rolls. The roper adds +11 to each of its attack rolls. You manage to you treat it as a two-handed weapon.) beat it on the first opposed roll, but not on the second. That means Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a you block its first attack but not its second; it resolves that attack fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +2 bonus to damage normally, as well as its four remaining attacks. when Power Attacking. Boosted: You may reroll one opposed check involved with this Boosted: You can reroll one melee damage rol l you make using feat (the foe does not reroll). this feat.
Pinning Shot [General]
Power Charge [General]
You use your ranged attack to pin your opponent to the ground or Once you start a charge, you become extremely dangerous. against a wall. Prerequisites: Power Attack, Strength 13 Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: When using the charge action, you deal an additional +2d6 points of damage with a melee weapon on a successful attack. Benefit: When using a ranged piercing attack with a weapon or ammunition at least 3 inches long (a bow, a crossbow, a spear, a Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit. javelin, a dagger, etc.), you can attempt a single attack as a full Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a attack action that inflicts normal damage. Should you hit, make a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +10 bonus to damage second attack roll (as if you were confirming a critical threat). If the when charging.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Bonus Damage Dice Generally speaking, when a feat described here provides bonus damage dice (e.g. +1d6), you do not double that extra damage with a critical hit—just like with sneak attack damage. Bonus damage in the form of a number (e.g. +4 points) is multiplied with a critical hit.
Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to sp eed for 1 round while using this feat.
Quick Feint [General] Your feints in battle are skillful and rapid. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Feint, Combat Expertise, Dexterity 15, Intelligence 13 Benefit: When using a full attack action and wielding two weapons, you can forego the attack(s) of one weapon to make a feint attempt as a free action. This feint robs your chosen foe of his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against your attack(s) with your other weapon. Boosted: You can reroll the opposed check involved with a feint (the foe does not reroll).
Power of the Steed [General] You use your mount’s strength, weight, and size to improve your own attacks. Prerequisite: Mounted Combat Benefit: You enjoy a +2 damage bonus against a foe adjacent to your mount. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you add an extra +2 bonus to damage when using Power of the Steed, for a total bonus of +4 from this feat. Boosted: You may reroll one of your mount’s damage rolls.
Precise Shot [General] You are skilled at timing and aiming ranged attacks. Prerequisite: Point Blank Shot Benefit: You can shoot or throw ranged weapons at an opponent engaged in melee without taking the standard –4 penalty on your attack roll. Boosted: You may reroll one ranged attack roll using this feat.
Punishing Blow [General] You really know how to make it hurt. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6 Benefit: You use a full attack action to deliver a single melee blow that inflicts +1d6 additional points of damage for every one of your iterative attacks. Do not multiply this damage in the case of a critical hit. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, make an opposed Strength check with your foe when using this feat’s benefit. If you succeed, your target is also stunned for 1 round. Boosted: You may reroll one melee damage roll. Design Note: This feat is useful to high-level fighters who do not inflict much damage (perhaps because they are size Small).
Quick Draw [General] You can draw weapons with startling speed. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1 Benefit: You may draw a weapon a s a free action instead of as a move action. You can draw a hidden weapon as a move action. Selecting this feat allows you to throw weapons at your full normal rate of attacks (much like a character with a bow). Boosted: Your quick draw catches you r foes off guard. They lose their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class for your first attack.
Quick Poison [General] You can apply poisons very quickly. Benefit: You may apply poison to a weapon as a free action that you can use once per round. Taking the poison out of storage (from a pack or a pouch, etc.) is still a move action. Boosted: Taking the poison out of storage becomes a free action.
Ranged Mastery [General—Double Feat] You can use ranged attacks to impose effects normally relegated to melee attacks. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot Benefit: You can use the following feats with ranged attacks rather than melee attacks: Berserk Attack, Careful Strike, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Disarm, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Just a Touch, Knock Back, Knock Down, and Punishing Blow. Boosted: You can reroll any ranged damage ro ll. (It does not have to be associated with one of the above feats.)
Rapid Reload [General] Choose a type of crossbow: hand, light, or heavy. You can reload a crossbow of that type more quickly than normal. Prerequisite: Weapon Proficiency (cross bow type chosen) Benefit: The time required for you to reload your chosen type of crossbow is reduced to a free action (for a hand or light crossbow) or a move action (for a heavy crossbow). Reloading a crossbow still provokes an attack of opportunity. If you have selected this feat for a hand crossbow or light crossbow, you may fire that weapon as many times in a full attack action as you could attack if you were using a bow. Special: You can gain Rapid Reload multiple times. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different type of crossbow. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can reload a heavy crossbow as a free action and can fire it with the full attack action as if it were a light crossbow. Boosted: You can reroll one ranged attack roll made using this feat.
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Rapid Shot [General]
Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
You can use ranged weapons with exceptional speed. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Dexterity 13 Benefit: You may make one extra attack per round with a ranged Reflexive Shield [General] weapon. The attack is at your highest base attack bonus, but each You can use your shield to protect against area attacks. attack you make in that round—the extra one and the normal Prerequisites: Shield Specialization, Shield Proficiency, ones—carries a –2 penalty. You must take a full attack action to use Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +4 Benefit: While holding a shield, you gain a +4 bonus to Reflex this feat. saving throws against area attacks, such as fireball , breath weapons, Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you do not suffer the –2 attack penalty for using and so on. Rapid Shot. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a Boosted: You can take one extra ranged attack with a –5 penalty fighter bonus feat, you can ready a standard action to block incomas a part of a full attack, in addition to the extra attack granted by ing area attacks. If you succeed at your Reflex save for such an Rapid Shot. attempt, you suffer no damage, even if the effect normally would indicate that you suffer half damage. Boosted: You can reroll any Reflex saving throw (it does not Rapid Strike [General] You can make an extra, blindingly fast melee strike. have to be one you made with this feat). Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +3 Rejuvenate [General—Double Feat] Benefit: Select a melee weapon that you are proficient with and that you wield with the Weapon Focus feat. Once per day per level, With just a few moments of concentration, you restore yourself for as part of a full attack action, you can use this weapon to make one further punishment. additional attack, with a base attack bonus of one-half your highest Prerequisites: Revitalize, Stalwart Stance normal base attack bonus. Even if you wield more than one Benefit: Once per day you can spend 1 full round to regain all weapon, however, no more than one Rapid Strike is possible in lost Grace* hit points. a single round. Boosted: You immediately heal up to your Constitution bonus (if any) in Health* hit points as a free action. Special: You may take this feat multiple times, each time selecting a different weapon. * See “Hit Points” in The Book of Ex perimental Might , Chapter Four. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you make your additional attack at your highest Resist Charge [General] normal base attack bonus. You know how to ready your self for an opponent’s charge Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +4 Benefit: If you are not flat footed, foes gain no benefit from count as one of your daily uses. using the charge action against you. Further, you get to make an attack of opportunity against any foe charging you. This counts Readied Burst of Blows [General] You can ready more than one attack. against your total number of attacks of opportunity each round. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +6 Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +2 bonus to attack foes who are Benefit: If you do not move at all—not even a 5-foot step—you can ready a full attack action rather than just a standard action. charging you. Boosted: You may reroll any readied attack roll (it does not have Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his charge to be a readied attack you made with this feat). attack rolls against you.
Reflective Shield
Resist Critical
[General—Double Feat]
[General—Double Feat]
You can use your shield to reflect spells back at their casters. Prerequisites: Reflexive Shield, Shield Specialization, Shield Proficiency, Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +10 Benefit: If you wield a magical shield, three times each day you can choose to send a single-target or ranged touch spell (including all rays) back at the caster. You must decide to do so before attack rolls or saving throws (if any) are resolved. If a saving throw is needed, use the spell’s original Difficulty Class. If an attack roll is needed, use the caster’s original bonus and make the roll.
Your armor helps you fend off the worst attacks. Prerequisites: Stalwart Stance, Impact Reduction, Heavy Armor Specialization, base attack bonus +12 Benefit: If you are wearing heavy armor, you resist 50 percent of all confirmed critical hits dealt to you. Critical hits that you resist become normal hits. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll his critical confirmation roll in an attack against you.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus to Armor Class for yourself and your mount against any attack of opportunity. This does not stack with Mobility (see page 47). Boosted: Your mount can take an additional move up to its speed for 1 round.
Right Bastard [Uberfeat] You display no scruples or honor in a fight. Your unexpected and devious techniques give you a huge advantage. Prerequisites: Canny Strike, Deafening Strike, Debilitating Strike, Distraction, Blinding Strike, Punishing Blow, base attack bonus +13 Benefit: Every other round, starting with the first round of combat, your foes lose their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against your attacks. On these rounds, you may make a single attack as a full attack action, inflicting +7d6 points of sneak attack damage if you hit and stunning your foe for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every five levels. Further, you gain an additional +2 competence bonus to attack rolls against stunned foes, and any successful strike against a stunned foe forces him to attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half your level + your Wisdom bonus). Should the foe fail the save, he is blinded for 1 round plus an additional 1 round for every three levels. Do not multiply the bonus damage gained from this feat in the case of a critical hit. Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is the uberfeat for the domain of Fighting Dirty.
Run [General]
Revitalize [General] You gain more when you take a breather. Benefit: Whenever you use the Take a Breather action (see Chapter Four in The Book of Experimental Might ) to heal damage, you may add your Constitution bonus to the total number of hit points you recover. If your Constitution score does not warrant a bonus, you gain nothing from this feat. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you add your Constitution score to the number of hit points healed, rather than adding your Constitution bonus. Boosted: You can take a second breather in a single encounter.
You are fleet of foot. Benefit: When running, you move five times your normal speed (if wearing light or no armor and carrying no more than a light load) or four times your normal speed (if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load). If you make a jump after a running start, you gain a +4 bonus on your Jump check. While running, you retain your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 5th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you need not slow your speed when moving over difficult terrain, up stairs, and so on. The DM may still require you to make a Balance check, however, depending on the situation. Boosted: You can take an additional move up to your speed for 1 round.
Running Circles [General] Ride-By Attack [General] You are skilled at making fast attacks from your mount. Prerequisites: Ride (1 rank), Mounted Combat Benefit: When you are mounted and use the charge action, you may move and attack as if with a standard charge and then move again (continuing the straight line of the charge). Your total movement for the round can’t exceed double your mounted speed. You and your mount do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that you attack.
You can move very fast around a single enemy. Benefit: If you start your turn within a foe’s threatened area, you no longer draw attacks of opportunity from that foe for moving through his threatened areas. Thus, once you are adjacent to an orc, you can move around that orc without drawing attacks of opportunity. Likewise, once you are within a cloud giant’s reach, you can move all the way up to it without drawing any attacks. Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to sp eed for 1 round while using this feat.
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Saddlemaster [Uberfeat]
Benefit: Once per round, when you make an attack roll with your chosen weapon, you can roll twice and take the better of the two rolls. Special: You may take this feat mul tiple times, each time selecting a different weapon. Boosted: You can use this ability twice in a round for 1 round.
Your mounted combat skills improve every aspect of your combat abilities, as well as those of your mount. Prerequisites: Ride (20 ranks), Mounted Combat, Animal Affinity, Power of the Steed, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +16 Benefit: While mounted, you have a pool of points equal to your level that you can use each round to add to your (or your mount’s) attack rolls, damage rolls, skill checks, or saving throws. You cannot Small Scrapper [General] add more than +5 to any single roll. You use your small size and nimble reflexes as an advantage against larger, slower foes. Special: This feat costs three retired feats and one feat slot. It is the uberfeat for the domain of Mounted Combat. Prerequisites: Size Small or smaller, Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +2 Shared Shield [General] Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +1 You can use your shield to protect others. bonus to attack rolls when fighting foes larger than you. You must be aware of the attack to gain this bonus. Prerequisites: Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: You can share the Armor Class bonus gained from your Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to shield with one adjacent ally who does not have a shield, starting Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this on the round after you became adjacent (if you remain adjacent). one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike Neither you nor the ally can move more than 5 feet, or the shared most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as shield bonus is lost (even if you end your turn adjacent). This AC bonus does not stack with the bonus provided with Got a fighter bonus feat, you gain additional +1 bonuses, for a total Your Back (see page 38), nor does it stack with itself, so two charac- bonus of +2 to Armor Class and +2 to attack rolls from this feat. ters with this feat cannot both protect a third character. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack rolls against you if he is larger than you. rolls made against an ally who is covered by this feat’s benefit.
Smash [General] Shield Specialization [General]
You can summon forth extra power to deliver extremely powerful You are especially good at using a shield for defense. blows. Prerequisites: Shield proficiency, base attack bonus +4 Prerequisites: Power Attack, domain of Might, Strength 15, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: You know just how to angle a shield against incoming attacks to more easily deflect the force of the blow or to encourage a Benefit: The damage bonus you gain from the basic power of the ranged weapon to slide off the shield rather than strike it directly. domain of Might becomes +1 per level (rather than +1 plus an addi You may add a +1 bonus to the shield’s armor bonus for melee tional +1 per two levels.) attacks and a +2 bonus for ranged attacks. You must be aware of Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a the incoming attack and not be flat footed. fighter bonus feat, you can use this ability five times each day rather Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack than just three times (see “Domain of Might” in Chapter One). rolls while you are using a shield. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this ability that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Shot on the Run [General] You are highly trained in skirmish ranged weapon tactics. Prerequisites: Defensive Move (or Defensive Stance), Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +4 Benefit: When using the attack action with a ranged weapon, you can move both before and after the attack, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Boosted: You gain a +10 bonus to speed for 1 round while using this feat.
Skill Over Luck [General—Double Feat] You do not rely on luck when fighting with your preferred weapon. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Intelligence 15, fighter level 14th
Smash and Grab [General] You can grab a foe as a part of your attack. Benefit: You must have one hand free to gain this benefit; if fighting unarmed, two free hands are needed. When your attack (either with a weapon or an unarmed attack) hits and inflicts damage, you may use your free hand to try to grab the damaged opponent. Make a touch attack immediately; on a hit, you can attempt one of two things: 1. Attempt a grapple check with a –5 penalty to initiate a grapple immediately. Use the normal grapple rules. 2. Hinder the foe with a grab, a shake, or a push. The foe suffers a –2 penalty to attacks, saves, and checks until the beginning of your next turn. You do not keep your grip on him, however.
Boosted: You can reroll your grapple check.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Snatch Arrows [General]
Benefit: You enjoy a bonus to your ground speed of +10. You gain You are adept at grabbing incoming arrows, as well as crossbow an extra move action every round, but it must be used for moving. bolts, spears, and other projectile or thrown weapons. You can even use this bonus action to move, take a standard action, and then move again. You never provoke attacks of opportunity by Prerequisites: Deflect Arrows, Improved Unarmed Strike, Dexterity 15 moving. You never lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class for any Benefit: When using the Deflect Arrows feat (see page 34), you may reason. catch the weapon instead of just deflecting it. You may send thrown Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is the weapons, such as spears or axes, back at the original attacker immedi- uberfeat for the domain of Speed. Note that, if you have both this ately (even though it isn’t your turn) or keep them for later use. feat and Speed Burst, you cannot use two extra move actions in a You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this single round. You may use Speed Burst to perform additional move feat. actions in which you do not actually move. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +2 attack and damage bonus when Spirited Charge [General] throwing weapons back at the original attacker. You can also throw You are trained at making a devastating mounted c harge. them at any other viable target (even though it isn’t your turn). Prerequisites: Ride (1 rank), Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack Boosted: A foe whom you target with a returned thrown weapon Benefit: When using the charge action while mounted, you deal loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against that attack. double damage with a melee weapon (or triple damage with a lance). Spearfighter [General] Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took You know the secrets of using a spear’s constant jabs this as a fighter bonus feat, you can move through to keep your foes on the defensive. allies and still make a mounted charge. Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, base attack Boosted: Neither you nor your mount draws bonus +3 attacks of opportunity from anyone, for any reaBenefit: When you use the Weapon Focus feat son, on the round in which you make a mounted with a spear, longspear, shortspear, javelin, trident, charge. or dwarven urgrosh as a melee weapon, you can keep a foe at bay. A foe within reach who uses a full Spring Attack [General] attack action against you provokes an attack of You are trained in fast m elee attacks and fancy opportunity by doing so. This counts against your footwork. total number of attacks of opportunity each round. Prerequisites: Defensive Move (or Defensive Stance), Mobility, Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +4 Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you Benefit: When using the attack action with a took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can also subtract –2 from your attack rolls with the weapon to put all melee weapon, you can move both before and after the foes within reach at a –1 attack penalty—even attacks attack, provided that your total distance moved is not against other characters. greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not proBoosted: For 1 round, if a foe makes any attack upon you at all voke an attack of opportunity from the defender, though it might while you wield one of the weapons listed above, you can make an provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate. attack of opportunity against him. You can’t use this feat if you are wearing heavy armor. You must move at least 5 feet both before and after you make your attack in order to utilize the benefit of Spring Attack. Speed Burst [General] You can move very fast in short bursts. Boosted: For 1 round when using this feat, you draw no attacks of opportunity from anyone for moving. Prerequisite: Character level 4th Benefit: Once per day per two character levels, you can take an extra move action in a single round. You cannot use this benefit Spur Mount [General—Double Feat] more than once per round. Your skill in riding improves any mount you ride. Boosted: You gain an additional u se of this feat that does not Prerequisites: Ride (10 ranks), Mounted Combat count as one of your daily uses. Benefit: Whatever mount you ride gains a +30 bonus to its fastest speed. A nonflying mount gains the Pounce ability, and a flying mount gains the Hover ability. Mounts that already have one of these Speed Demon [Uberfeat] You are shockingly fast and maneuverable. granted abilities gain a +2 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls instead. Prerequisites: Fleet of Foot, Moving Strike, Mobility, Defensive Boosted: You can reroll one of your mount’s attack rolls. Move, Dodging Charge, Spring Attack, Running Circles, Dexterity 18, base attack bonus +18
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Stalwart Stance [General]
Stunning Fist [General]
You are difficult to affect once you are in position and ready. You know how to strike opponents in vulnerable areas . Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, base attack bonus +6 Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Dexterity 13, Wisdom Benefit: If you are not flat footed and if you stand in place for 13, base attack bonus +8 1 full round, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and a Benefit: You must declare that you are using this feat before you +4 bonus to resist bull rushes, overrun attempts, trip attempts, make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). knock down attempts, grapple checks, and any other effect that Stunning Fist forces a foe damaged by your unarmed attack to allows you to make a check to oppose being moved or knocked attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your down against your will. You must be aware of the attack to gain Wisdom modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A this bonus. You lose this bonus once you move, other than takdefender who fails this saving throw is stunned until your next ing a 5-foot step. action. You may attempt a stunning attack once per day for every Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this once per round. one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike Special: Monks may select Stunning Fist as a bonus feat at 1st most other types of bonus. level, even if they do not meet the prerequisites. Monks who select Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a this feat may attempt a stunning attack a number of times per day fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus to saving throws against equal to their monk level, plus one additional time per day for every magical effects (like telekinesis) that would move or knock you four levels they have in classes other than monk. down against your will. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack fighter bonus feat, you add a bonus of +3 to the Difficulty Class of rolls against you. the Fortitude save associated with this feat. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses. Strikes From All Around [General] You attack with both your weapons in wide strokes, intimidating your foe. Sudden Attack Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon [General—Double Feat] Fighting, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +6 Benefit: When you strike a foe with your main and off-handed You can strike foes with sudden quickness. weapons in the same round, he must make a Will saving throw Prerequisites: Weapon Finesse, base attack bonus +11 (DC 10 + half your level + your Dexterity bonus) or become shaken Benefit: Three times each day, you can make a single attack for 1 round for every two levels. with a light weapon or a rapier during someone else’s turn, even Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a if it means that you interrupt the other character’s action in the fighter bonus feat, you can also use it once per day to limit a foe middle. For example, you could attack a foe who tumbles by you shaken by this feat to a single action (a standard action or a move (and thus evades your attack of opportunity) in the middle of his action, but not both). This limit applies on every round of the move. shaken effect’s duration in which you end your turn adjacent to If the other character is able, he can continue his turn after you the foe. have resolved your attack. Boosted: You can force your opponent to reroll the Will saving Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not throw associated with this feat. count as one of your daily uses.
Stunning Blow [General]
Superior Flanking [General]
You can strike foes so hard you stun them. Prerequisites: Power Attack, base attack bonus +9 Benefit: Three times each day, you can make a single attack roll that inflicts normal damage and may stun your opponent. The struck foe must attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Strength bonus). Should he fail the save, he becomes stunned until your next action. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use this benefit five times each day rather than just three. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
By distracting flanked foes, you make them easier to attack. Prerequisites: Uncanny Dodge, base attack bonus +5 Benefit: When you flank a foe, both you and the other flanker gain a +4 bonus to attack rolls rather than a +2 bonus. Further, the flanked foe is treated as flanked (e.g. +2 bonus to attack rolls) by everyone involved in the combat. This means that rogues who are not flanking the foe can still make sneak attacks with melee attacks. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you so distract your flanked opponents that even ranged attacks from rogues are considered sneak attacks. Boosted: You can reroll one of your attack rolls while flanking.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Design Decisions: Superior Flanking Superior Flanking is one of those weird feats with a benefit that helps others more than it helps you. I suspect the rogue player will be begging his fighter-playing friend to take this feat, particularly as a fight er bonus feat. Like the very concept of flanking itself, Superior Flanking encourages party cooperation, and I’ve always liked that.
Sword and Board Master [Uberfeat] You are a master with a weapon and shield. Prerequisites: Shield Specialization, Improved Shield Specialization, Weapon Focus, Block, Dexterity 17, base attack bonus +16 Benefit: When you make a full attack action equipped with a weapon and a shield, you gain a pool of points equal to your fighter level that you can add to your individual attack rolls, damage rolls, and Armor Class. No more than half your pool can be devoted to your weapon or your shield. That means, if you are 16th level, you could devote up to 8 points to your shield using one of the options listed below: • +4 bonus to Armor Class and +4 bonus for your shield bash attack roll; • +2 bonus to Armor Class, +3 bonus to shield bash attack roll, and +3 bonus to shield bash damage; • or simply a +8 bonus to Armor Class.
Tackle [General] You can make a leaping grapple attack. Prerequisites: Jump (5 ranks), Improved Grapple Benefit: You may move up to your speed, followed by a grapple attack to tackle a foe. For this maneuver, you get a +4 bonus to your touch attack and grapple check. If you succeed at the grapple check, both you and the target are prone, unless your target is more than one size category larger than you (in which case, he remains standing). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can choose whether or not you and the foe are prone after the Tackle. Boosted: You can reroll any grapple check (it does not have to be on a tackle attempt).
Taking Advantage [General] You gain bonuses to attack disadvantaged foes. Prerequisite: Distraction Benefit: You enjoy a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls against an opponent with a detrimental condition (dazed, stunned, blinded, deafened, sickened, nauseated, and so on). Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls, for a total bonus of +2 from this feat. Boosted: You can reroll any one melee or ranged damage roll (not just one made against a foe with a detrimental condition).
Terrify [General]
You use your ferocity to frighten others. Likewise, you can divide your other 8 points to your weapon’s Prerequisites: Berserk Attack, Unnerve, base attack bonus +5 various attack and/or damage rolls. Benefit: As a full attack action, you can make a single attack that Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is the inflicts normal damage. If you damage your foe, he must attempt a uberfeat for the domain of Weapon and Shield Fighting. Will saving throw (DC 10 + half your level + your Charisma modifier). Failure means the foe is panicked for 1 round per level. Swordsman [General] Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took Terrify as a You know the secrets of the sword, and you can use it to disarm foes. fighter bonus feat, you can use the benefit as a standard action, or Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, Combat Expertise, Improved with an attack that is a part of a full attack action, but only three Disarm, Dexterity 13 times each day. Benefit: When you use the Weapon Focus feat with a longsword, Boosted: You can force your opponent to reroll the saving throw short sword, greatsword, bastard sword, double-bladed sword, scim- associated with this feat. itar, falchion, rapier, kukri, punching dagger, or dagger, you may make a regular attack that, if it strikes the opponent, allows you to Throw [General] make an immediate disarm attempt as a free action. You may use this You can grab a foe and throw him. benefit once per day, plus one additional time for every five levels, Prerequisites: Jump (5 ranks), Improved Grapple Benefit: You initiate a grapple and, if you succeed at the grapple but never more than once per round. You must declare that you are using this feat before making your attack roll (thus, a failed attack check, you may immediately attempt to throw your foe. Make a roll ruins the attempt). Strength check (DC 10). For every 5 points by which you succeed, you immediately throw the target up to 5 feet. Your check gains a +4 Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use its benefit one additional time bonus for every size category that you are larger than the target or each day. suffers a –4 penalty for every size category that he is larger than you. (Normally, throwing a foe would be a separate standard action, and Boosted: You gain an additional us e of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses. you could not throw him more than 5 feet.) The opponent you wish to throw must weigh less than your heavy load. Once thrown, the foe is prone.
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Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a +4 bonus on the touch attack and grapple check when beginning a Throw maneuver. Boosted: You may reroll the Strength check tied to this feat.
Torchfighting [General] You can use a torch as a dangerous weapon. Benefit: You can use a torch as a light club, inflicting with it 1d4 points of damage (plus Strength modifier as a normal bludgeoning weapon) and 1d4 points of fire damage. Further, any creature with eyes whom you strike with the torch must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half your level + your Dexterity modifier) or be blinded for 1 round and dazzled for 1d4 rounds after that. After 1d6 successful strikes, the torch is destroyed. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you inflict 1d6 points of normal damage and 1d6 points of fire damage; the torch lasts for 1d6 + 2 hits. Boosted: You can force your opponent to reroll the Fortitude saving throw associated with this feat.
Toughness [General] You are tougher than normal. Benefit: You receive additiona l hit points just as if you had gained a level (that is, you gain hit points equal to your Hit Dice + your Constitution modifier ; see Chapter Four of The Book of Experimental Might ). You always gain at least 3 hp, no matter what. Special: You may gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, Toughnes grants you an additional 10 hit points. Boosted: You may reroll one Fortitude save. Design Note: This feat differs from the version in the Core Rules to make it attractive to characters of any level.
Trample [General] You are trained in us ing your mount to knock down opponents. Prerequisites: Ride (1 rank), Mounted Combat Benefit: When you attempt to overrun an opponent while mounted, your target may not choose to avoid you. Your mount may make one hoof attack (or claw attack, as appropriate) against any target you knock down, gaining the standard +4 bonus on attack rolls against prone targets. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you grant your mount a +4 damage bonus on the attacks made against trampled foes. Boosted: You can reroll any one of your mount’s attack rolls. (not just one made against a foe knocked down with Trample).
shield bonus to your Armor Class. When you fight defensively or use the total defense action, this shield bonus increases to +2. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 shield bonus to Armor Class, for a total bonus of +2 (or +3) from this feat. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack rolls when you wield two weapons.
Two-Weapon Fighting [General] You can fight with a weapon in each hand. You can make one extra attack each round with the second weapon. Prerequisite: Dexterity 15 Benefit: Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are less severe than normal. The penalty for your primary hand is reduced by 2, and the one for your off hand is reduced by 6. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll while using two weapons.
Two-Weapon Set-Up [General—Double Feat] You use one weapon to set up a devastating attack with your other weapon. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Critical, base attack bonus +9 Benefit: If you hit a foe with one of your weapons, the threat range of your other weapon increases by 5 for that round. Any critical confirmed by the second weapon adds +1d10 damage (but do not multiply this additional damage for the critical hit). Boosted: You can reroll one critical confirmation roll.
Unarmed Parry [General] You use your hands, arms, and even feet to block blows. Prerequisite: Dexterity 15 Benefit: When you are unarmed, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class. You do not need a weapon or a shield to use the Block or Parry feats. You must be aware of an attack to gain this bonus. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses like this one. Also, note that dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonus. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class, for a total bonus of +2 from this feat. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack rolls against you while you are unarmed.
Uncanny Agility [General] Two-Weapon Defense [General] Your two-weapon fighting style bolsters your defense as well as your offense. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 15 Benefit: When wielding a double weapon or two weapons (not including natural weapons or unarmed strikes), you enjoy a +1
You can perform acts of amazing agility. Prerequisite: Dexterity 15 Benefit: You can add a +10 bonus to a single Balance, Climb, Jump, or Tumble check each day. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use this benefit three times each day.
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Unexpected Blow [General—Double Feat] You trick your foe and render him unprepared. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +7 Benefit: Three times per day, but only once in a given round, you can make an additional melee attack against a foe at your full attack bonus with an additional +2 bonus. The foe loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class for this attack. You inflict upon the foe +1d6 points of damage, which is treated as sneak attack damage (thus creatures immune to such damage are immune to this as well). If you have the sneak attack ability, this bonus adds to the damage. You cannot use this benefit in a round in which you use Rapid Strike. Do not multiply this bonus damage in the case of a critical hit. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Unexpected Shot [General—Double Feat] Your speed renders your target unprepared. Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, base attack bonus +7 Benefit: Three times per day, but only once in a given round, you can make an additional ranged attack against a foe at your full attack bonus with an additional +2 bonus. The foe loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class for this attack. You inflict upon the foe +1d6 points of damage, which is treated as sneak attack damage (thus creatures immune to such damage are immune to this as well). If you have the sneak attack ability, this bonus adds to the damage. You cannot use this benefit in a round in which you use Rapid Shot. Do not multiply this bonus damage in the case of a critical hit. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Unnerve [General]
Boosted: You gain an additional us e of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Uncanny Dodge [General] You react to danger before your senses normally would allow you to do so. Prerequisite: Dexterity 15 Benefit: You retain your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any), even if you are caught flat footed or struck by an invisible attacker, as long as you wear light armor or no armor. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll any one of his attack rolls against you (not just one made while you are wearing light armor or no armor).
You use your ferocity to scare those around you. Prerequisites: Berserk Attack, base attack bonus +3 Benefit: When you successfully strike a foe, all foes within 30 feet of you suffer a –1 morale penalty to their attacks against you while you howl and seethe or rear up and show your size and might. The penalty lasts until your next action. You can use this benefit once per day plus one additional time for every five levels. You may never use it more than once per round, however. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can extend the benefit’s duration. If, on the round following a round in which you used this benefit, you successfully strike a foe, all foes affected last round continue to be affected. This goes on until a round in which you do not strike a foe or until the original victims are no longer involved in the combat (dead, fled, unconscious, etc.). Even if you stretch the duration of this effect over multiple rounds, it counts only as a single use of the benefit. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
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Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute
Using the Feats for Monsters Some of the feats in this book seem almost tailor made for monsters: Can’t Lay a Hand, Knock Back, Knock Down, Large Bruiser, and so on. It just depends on whether th e monster is a massive engine of destruction, a q uick, defensive combatant, or a dirty fighter. Really, you could add any of these feats to monsters to make them more interesting and unique. Here are a few suggestions for using the new feats introduced in this chapter with monsters: Giants, Dragons, or Other Huge Beasts Anchor Foe Increased Vigor Knock Back Knock Down Large Bruiser Outlast Foe Power Charge Resist Charge Resist Critical (double feat) Smash Stunning Blow
Quick, Agile Monsters*
Dirty Fighters*
Acrobatic Charge Acrobatic Run Block Canny Strike Can’t Lay a Hand Elude Blows Fleet of Foot Full Opportunity Leap Into the Fray Rapid Strike Smash and Grab Speed Burst Weave and Dodge
Blinding Strike Canny Strike Careful Eye Deafening Strike Debilitating Strike Demoralize Hamper Defense Hamper Movement * Goblinoids, intelligent undead, demons, etc.
Undead
* Serpents, fey, certain fiends, etc.
Unsteady [General] You use your mount ’s strength, weight, and size to knock foes off balance. Prerequisite: Mounted Combat Benefit: When you make a melee attack against a foe adjacent to your mount, the foe loses his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. You can use this benefit once per day plus an additional one time for every two levels. You cannot use it more than once per round, however. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you may add a +2 bonus to your melee attack when using this ability. Boosted: You gain an additional use of this feat that does not count as one of your daily uses.
Using the Advantage [General]
Demoralize Iron Fist Oblations to the God of Death Outlast Foe Terrify Unnerve
a combat advantage. You cannot use Power Attack or Berserk Attack to increase the damage using this benefit. Boosted: You can reroll any one of your attack rolls (it does not have to be one you made when you had an advantage over the foe). Design Note: This is a great feat for a fighter who frequently flanks with his rogue ally.
Weapon Finesse [General] You are especially skilled at using weapons that utilize Dexterity as much as Strength. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1 Benefit: With a light weapon, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls. If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls. Natural weapons are always considered light weapons. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 13th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain a bonus to damage with any of these weapons. The bonus is equal to your Intelligence modifier (if any). Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll you made with a weapon from the above list.
You know how to maximize any advantage. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +10 Benefit: If you gain a bonus to attack an opponent due to certain combat advantages, you inflict an additional +1d6 points of damage on that foe. The advantages are: your flanking, higher ground, or invisibility; the defender sitting, kneeling, or being prone; the defender cowering, climbing, or being stunned; the defender being off balance or helpless; or any time the defender loses his Dexterity Weapon Focus [General] bonus to Armor Class. Do not multiply this bonus damage in the Choose one type of weapon, such as greataxe. (You can also choose case of a critical hit. unarmed strike or grapple—or ray, if you are a spellcaster—as your weapon for purposes of this feat.) You are especially good at using Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 15th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you inflict maximum damage (excluding bonus this weapon. (If you have chosen “ray,” you are especially good with dice, such as from a sneak attack) against foes over whom you have rays, such as the one produced by the ray of frost spell.)
Chapter Two: Feats of Daring
Prerequisites: Proficiency with chosen weapon, base attack bonus +1 Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on al l attack rolls you make using the selected weapon. Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack—each time you take the feat, it applies to a different weapon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 bonus on attack rolls, for a total bonus of +2 from this feat. Boosted: You can reroll one attack roll you made while using the weapon selected for this feat.
Weapon Mastery [General] You are extra skilled at fighting foes who use your favored weapon. Prerequisite: Weapon Focus Benefit: You enjoy a +2 competence bonus to attack rolls made against a foe who uses a weapon that you have selected to use with your Weapon Focus feat. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 7th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +2 competence bonus, for a total bonus of +4 to affected attack rolls. Boosted: You can reroll one of your attack rolls made against a foe that is using your favored weapon.
Benefit: While fighting with two weapons and using a single attack action, you gain a pool of points equal to your fighter level that you can use each round to add to your individual attack or damage rolls. You cannot add more than half of the pool to the attack/damage of a single weapon. For example, if you are 18th level, you can add +9 to one attack of one weapon, and +5 to one attack and +4 to one damage roll of the other weapon. While fighting with two weapons and using a full attack action, your pool doubles in size, and you can spread out the bonuses to different attacks and damage rolls with the same weapon, although you still cannot add more than half the pool to a single weapon, nor can you add more than one quarter of your total pool to one die roll. So, say you are 18th level and have four attacks with your primary weapon and three attacks with your off-handed weapon. Your pool would contain 36 points, and you could add +18 worth of bonuses to each weapon, but never more than +9 to a single roll. Special: This feat costs four retired feats and one feat slot. It is the uberfeat for the domain of Two-Weapon Fighting. Because this feat relies on your ability to attack with both weapons using just a standard action, you may not retire Double Strike (page 36) when choosing this feat.
Whirlwind Attack [General] Weapon Specialization [General] Choose one type of weapon, such as greataxe, for which you have already selected the Weapon Focus feat. (You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple as your weapon for purposes of this feat.) You deal extra damage when you wield this weapon. Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 4th Benefit: You enjoy a +2 bonus on all the damage rolls you make using the selected weapon. Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack—each time you take the feat, it applies to a different weapon. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 9th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you gain an additional +1 damage bonus, for a total bonus of +3 from this feat. Boosted: You can reroll one damage roll made while using the weapon selected for this feat.
Weave and Dodge [General] You are particularly hard to hit. Prerequisites: Defensive Move, Domain of Quick Defense, Dexterity 15, base attack bonus +8 Benefit: The miss chance provided by the bonus power of the Quick Defense domain becomes 50 percent, rather than only 25 percent. Boosted: You can force one opponent to reroll one of his attack rolls.
Whirling Dervish [Uberfeat] You make deadly attacks with your two weapons. Prerequisites: Two-Weapon Fighting, Double Smash, Double Strike, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Dexterity 18, base attack bonus +18
You can strike nearby opponents in an amazing spinning attack. Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Defensive Move (or Defensive Stance), Mobility, Spring Attack, Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13, base attack bonus +4 Benefit: When you use the full attack action, you can give up your regular attacks and instead make a single melee attack at your full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. When you use the Whirlwind Attack feat, you also forfeit any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as the Cleave feat or the haste spell). Boosted: You can reroll any one attack roll (it does not have to be one made using Whirlwind Attack).
Wild Swing [General] You swing your melee weapon around wildly and force foes back. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +8 Benefit: With a standard action, you force all adjacent foes to move back 5 feet immediately. Foes that do not wish to move back do not have to, but if they fail a Reflex save (DC 15), you make an automatic attack on them with a +2 attack bonus. Foes that cannot move back (such as those up against a wall) automatically fail the saving throw. Fighter Bonus Feat: Starting at 11th level, if you took this as a fighter bonus feat, you can use a reach weapon to force foes back 10 feet; the Reflex save associated with this feat becomes DC 20. Boosted: You can force your opponent to reroll the Reflex saving throw associated with this feat.
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Chapter Three
Very Optional Rules This book is, as the name would imply,very experimental. A long time ago,I thought it might be fun to put out a series of game supplements labeled: “Warning: This material could DESTROY your campaign!” These books would be filled with crazy, experimental ideas that took the game in bold new directions.In a way,they would do real damage to the core system. That’s the idea—fun concepts you might want to try, but perhaps not carefully balanced.
I
n a way, that’s what the two Experimental Might books are. The first book was just my campaign house rules, and this one is a direct response to gamers who said, “Hey, what about fighters?” I’ve now introduced this material into my campaign, too (so I believe it matches up with the contents of the first book nicely). But this chapter is perhaps themost experimental of all. It’s called “Very Optional Rules” because these ideas really stretch the boundaries of the game system in ways it was not intended to go. You may find them unbala ncing in your game. Or, they might be just what your campaign needed. Most likely, you’ll find them to be a little bit of each.
Maneuver Options Some of the maneuvers introduced through feats in Chapter Two: Feats of Daring could have a place in the game even if the feats themselves are not in play. A character might attempt one of these combat options even without the relevant feat. The descriptions in this section are simply the standard versions of certain maneuvers, for those who do not have access to the feat of the same name. And, as you can see, having the feat makes them much better options. Crazy Legs Charge
A character using the charge action can move farther by taking a penalty to his attack roll. A character can move up to his speed in additional movement during the charge, but each extra 5 feet requires him to suffer a cumulative –2 penalty on his attack roll. Knock Down
A character can attempt to knock down a foe with a particularly hard strike, but he must take a –4 penalty on his attack roll. The resulting attack, if it hits, must inflict 20 points of damage or more in a single melee attack against a Medium or smaller creature before the character can try to knock down the foe. (It must inflict 30 points of damage in a single blow to knock down a Large creature, 40 points to knock down a Huge creature, 50 points to knock down a Gargantuan creature, and 60 points to knock down a Colossal creature.) To knock down the foe, the attacker makes an immediate Strength check opposed by the foe’s Strength or Balance check; on a success, he knocks down the foe. The foe gains a +4 bonus for every size category he is larger than Medium or suffers a –4 penalty for every size category he is smaller than Medium. The
foe gains a +4 bonus if he has more than two legs or is other wise more stable than a normal humanoid (such as a dwarf ). A knocked-down foe stays in the same square but falls prone. To knock down a foe without making an attack, use the standard trip rules. Throw
If a character has an opponent grappled, he can use a standard action to attempt to throw his opponent into an adjacent square, where he will land prone. The opponent must weigh less than the character’s heavy load. The character and his opponent make opposed grapple checks, and if the character succeeds, he throws the opponent. If the opponent wins, however, he breaks the grapple, is not prone, and can immediately readjust to any adjacent square he wishes (or stay in the same square). Turning Charge
A character using the charge action can make one turn during the charge (rather than just moving in a straight line). However, he must make a Balance check (DC 12) or, at the point of the turn, he falls prone and his turn ends. Further, the prone character suffers a –4 penalty on his attack roll (with the +2 bonus for charging, the net is –2) and a further –2 to his Armor Class (for a total of –4 with the charge). Using the Acrobatic Charge feat (see page 27) negates the Balance check and the penalties.
Hit Points The first Book of Experimental Might introduced the concept of Health and Grace, as well as a change to starting hit points. The optional rules below offer a number of new wrinkles to game play. Spending Grace
As described in Chapter Four of The Book of Experimental Might , Grace hit points represent your ability to dodge blows, move to react to damage better, and generally avoid getting hurt. If you look at Grace in this fashion as a finite resource—a pool of physical energy or stamina, for example—then perhaps there are other ways to expend that energy for a character’s benefit. The danger, of course, is that you are in a literal sense trading in your survivability—your very life energy—to accomplish something.
Chapter Three: Very Optional Rules
The DM should be very aware of how this option intersects and interacts with things like barbarian rage, bonus hit points from spells, and temporary magical increases to Constitution. The hit points gained from the latter would be Health, not Grace, but it’s still extra hit points in the pool to spend— robbing Peter to pay Paul, after a fashion. Grace Cost
2 5
10 20 20/level
Benefit
Move an extra 5 feet as a part of a single move or double move, once in a round Gain a +2 bonus to a movement-related check (Climb, Jump, Balance) or a Strength check Take an extra move action, o nce in a round Reroll a movement-related check or any Strength check Recall a spell that had been prepared for the day, but was already cast, usable only once per day
Grace and Nonlethal Damage
If you use the Grace and Health rules,you may wish to have environmental effects and similar nonlethal sources of damage simply inflict normal Grace damage. Special rules for nonlethal damage apply only when the character is out of Grace and has only Health hit points left. This includes the fact that one recovers nonlethal damage more quickly than normal damage, that one regains it in conjunction with normal damage through magical healing, and that it knocks a character unconscious rather than killing him.
The advantage to using Grace hit point damage rather than just enforcing rest is that it gives the player characters the option of not resting—but then paying the consequence, or using magic in lieu of rest.
Grace and Forced Rest
Minimum Hit Points
Characters who have been physically exerting themselves over a period of time might take Grace damage to represent the toll the activity has had on them. When the characters reach the top of a summit, for instance, they should not be at their physical best. However, a short rest—or some immediate magical healing— will put them to rights. In other words, this kind of Grace damage forces the reality of needing to rest after a period of exertion. One point of Grace damage per ten minutes of intense activity is appropriate. Or, to put it another way,six minutes of rest is needed for every full hour of exertion. Exertion, in this case,is moving at a hustle, climbing, carrying a heavy load, swimming, etc. Characters who are out of Grace but suffer more Grace damage from exertion translate the effect into nonlethal damage. They are fatigued until they recover this nonlethal damage.
It’s frustrating as a DM, and a little disappointing as a player, to encounter a creature that is size Huge but has only a small hit point total. When you encounter a Huge viper or a Huge monstrous centipede, you’re expecting a titanic fight. But instead, the monster is dead before you know it. A quick solution (as opposed to re-statting all the problem monsters) is to maintain a general rule about minimum hit points based on size. Using the following chart, creatures always have at least the number of hit points shown due to their size. In other words, either use the number provided in the creature’s stats, or the number below, whichever is greater.
Grace as a Commodity You’ll see players spending Grace more at the end of battles, when they suspect that they won’t be needing it as hit points and could really use an extra move action or a bit of help on a check. They know that they likely can rest after the fight is done to recover the points they’ve spent.
Size
Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Minimum Hit Points
30 60 90 120
This rule primarily affects monstrous vermin and giant animals, but it has a slight effect on a handful of other monsters as well (like the five-headed hydra). Some creatures, such as incorporeal undead, should not be subject to this rule.
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Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000–2008, Wizards of the Coast,Inc. d20 System Reference Document Copyright 2000 –2008, Wizards of the Coast,Inc.; authors Jonathan Tweet,Monte Cook,Skip Williams, Rich Baker,Andy Collins,David Noonan, Rich Redman, and Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E.G ary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody,Bold, and Resolute Copyright 2008 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. The Book of Experimental Might Copyright 2008 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved Copyright 2005 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. The Complete Book of Eldritch Might Copyright 2004 Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.