Elephant in the Room

## Elephant in the Room: Feat Taxes in Pathfinder

The following is a rehost of parts of the following document of the same name, created by Mathew and Michael Iantorno. Some custom content has been integrated into the feat list and other features; this rehost is primarily for ease of access for server members and to integrate said custom content. All credit for content goes to their original owners.

## Combat & Equipment Errata

### **New Combat Maneuver: Hamstring**

#### **Hamstring**

You can attempt to hamstring your opponent’s movement in place of a melee attack. You can only hamstring an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. If you do not have the Powerful Maneuvers feat, or a similar ability, initiating a hamstring provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.

If your attack exceeds the target’s CMD, the target is entangled for 1 round. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, the penalty lasts 1 additional round. Creatures that are immune to critical hits - such as elementals and oozes - cannot be hamstrung. Flying creatures can be hamstrung, but only if they use non-magical means for flight (such as wings).

### **Risky Strike**

Usable by any character with a base attack bonus of at least +1. Counts as Power Attack, Deadly Aim, and Piranha Strike, as applicable.

You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a onehanded weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon.

When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2.

You must choose to use Risky Strike before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.

You do not benefit from the two-handed bonus if you are using bows, crossbows, or two-handed firearms.

### **Defensive Stance**

Usable by any character with a base attack bonus of at least +1. Counts as Combat Expertise as applicable.

You can choose to take a -1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, the penalty increases by -1 and the dodge bonus increases by +1.
You must choose to use Defensive Stance before making an attack roll and its effects last until your next turn.

You may take the fighting defensively action as normal.

### **Strike Back**

Usable by any character with a base attack bonus of at least +1.

You can ready an action to make a melee attack against any foe that attacks you in melee, even if the foe is outside of your reach.

### **Non-Lethal Damage**

Nonlethal damage represents harm to a character that is not life-threatening. Unlike normal damage, nonlethal damage is healed quickly with rest.

**Dealing Nonlethal Damage:** Certain attacks deal nonlethal damage. Other effects, such as heat or being exhausted, also deal nonlethal damage. When you take nonlethal damage, keep a running total of how much you’ve accumulated. Do not deduct the nonlethal damage number from your current hit points. It is not “real” damage. Instead, when your nonlethal damage equals your current hit points, you’re staggered (see below), and when it exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious.

*Nonlethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Lethal Damage:* You can use a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage instead, but you cannot confirm critical hits when doing so.

*Lethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Nonlethal Damage:* You can use a weapon that deals nonlethal damage, including an unarmed strike, to deal lethal damage instead, but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll.

### **Weapon Finesse**

Any character may choose to use their dexterity bonus to hit with light melee weapons.

As a consequence, the Light Melee Weapons designation has been renamed to Finesse Melee Weapons. A new special weapon feature called *agile* has been added for melee weapons that are one-handed or two-handed but can still be finessed, such as the rapier.

**Finesse, One-Handed, and Two-Handed Melee Weapons:** This designation is a measure of how much effort it takes to wield a weapon in combat. It indicates whether a melee weapon, when wielded by a character of the weapon’s size category, is considered a finesse weapon, a one-handed weapon, or a two-handed weapon.

*Finesse:* A finesse weapon is used in one hand. It is easier to use in one’s off hand than a one-handed weapon is and can be used while grappling.
A wielder may choose to use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier on attack rolls with a finesse weapon. In either case, add the wielder’s Strength modifier to damage rolls for melee attacks if it is used in the primary hand, or half the wielder’s Strength bonus if it is used in the off hand. Using two hands to wield a finesse weapon gives no advantage on damage; the Strength bonus applies as though the weapon were held in the wielder’s primary hand only.
Unarmed strikes and natural attacks are always considered finesse weapons.

Like Trip and Disarm, if you are using a Finesse Weapon, you can use your dexterity modifier to perform Dirty Trick, Steal or Reposition maneuvers.

You require the Agile Combatant feat in order to use your Dexterity modifier to perform a Drag maneuver.

### **Weapon Qualities**

*Agile:* You can apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls when wielding an agile weapon sized for you, even though it isn’t a finesse weapon.

*Weapons with the Agile Special Feature:* Elven curve blade, rapier, spiked chain, and whip.

### **Weapon Selection**

Feats or class features that require you to select a weapon (Weapon Focus, Slashing Grace, etc) now select a fighter weapon group instead. This does not apply to feats like Dervish Dance that call out specific weapons in their text. Some of these have been listed in the table below, but not all.

Additionally, any Ioun Stone that requires a singular weapon now instead works off a weapon group instead. For example, an Opalescent White Pyramid (Cracked) Ioun Stone would grant weapon familiarity with the keyed group. This would apply to the Weapon Focus it would give if it resonated.

### Point-Blank Shot

No longer a prerequisite for any other feat. Any feat that previously had Point-Blank Shot as a prerequisite now uses Precise Shot. Precise Shot no longer has any prerequisites.

## Feat Descriptions

**Feat Name:** The feat’s name also indicates what subcategory, if any, the feat belongs to, and is followed by a basic description of what the feat does.

**Prerequisite:** A minimum ability score, another feat or feats, a minimum base attack bonus, a minimum number of ranks in one or more skills, or anything else required in order to take the feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite. A feat may have more than one prerequisite.

**C:** Whether or not the feat is combat or not.

**Benefit:** What the feat enables the character (“you” in the feat description) to do. If a character has the same feat more than once, its benefits do not stack unless indicated otherwise in the description.

**Normal:** What a character who does not have this feat is limited to or restricted from doing. If not having the feat causes no particular drawback, this entry is absent.

**Special:** Additional unusual facts about the feat.

**Flavor Text:** Descriptive text for fun.

## Removed Feats

* Combat Expertise
* Deadly Aim
* Exotic Weapon Proficiency
* Improved Bull Rush/Disarm/Feint/Grapple/Overrun/Sunder/Trip/Two-Weapon Fighting/Unarmed Strike
* Martial Weapon Proficiency
* Mobility
* Power Attack
* Scorpion Style
* Stand Still
* Throw Anything
* Weapon Finesse

## Class Errata

### **Druid**

The druid’s animal companion feats have been adjusted to account for changes in the feat tree.

##### Animal Feats

Animal companions can select from the following feats: Acrobatic, Armor Proficiency (light, medium, and heavy), Athletic, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (see the *Pathfinder RPG Bestiary*), Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Powerful Maneuvers, Run, Skill Focus, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Toughness, and Weapon Focus. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using.

### **Monk (Unchained)**

The bonus feat for the monk’s unarmed strike class feature has been changed from Improved Unarmed Strike to Unarmed Combatant. Additional, the monk’s bonus feats have been adjusted to account for changes in the feat tree.

##### Bonus Feat

At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a monk can select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Catch Off-Guard, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, and Scorpion Stance. At 6th level, the following feats are added to the list: Deft Maneuvers, Gorgon’s Fist, Greater Grapple, Powerful Maneuvers, and Trickster's Maneuvers. At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Improved Critical, Medusa’s Wrath, Snatch Arrows, and Spring Attack. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.

### **Ranger**

The ranger’s combat style feats have been adjusted to account for the changes in the feat tree.

##### Combat Style Feat (Ex)

At 2nd level, a ranger must select one of two combat styles to pursue: archery or two-weapon combat. The ranger’s expertise manifests in the form of bonus feats at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. He can choose feats from his selected combat style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.

If the ranger selects archery, he can choose from the following list whenever he gains a combat style feat: Far Shot, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload, and Rapid Shot. At 6th level, he adds Improved Precise Shot, Manyshot, Parting Shot, and Point-Blank Master to the list. At 10th level, he adds Pinpoint Targeting and Shot on the Run to the list.

If the ranger selects two-weapon combat, he can choose from the following list whenever he gains a combat style feat: Double Slice, Improved Shield Bash, Quick Draw, Shield Focus, and Two-Weapon Fighting. At 6th level, he adds Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Shield Focus, and Two-Weapon Defense to the list. At 10th level, he adds Shield Slam and Two-Weapon Rend to the list.

The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style feats apply only when he wears light, medium, or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style feats when wearing heavy armor. Once a ranger selects a combat style, it cannot be changed.

### **Classes with Finesse Training**

The finesse training class feature has been adjusted to account for equipment rule changes - specifically in regard to finesse and agile weapons. Additionally, the combat swipe rogue talent is no longer available.

##### Finesse Training

At 1st level, you gain Deft Maneuvers as a bonus feat. In addition, starting at 3rd level, you can select any one weapon group listed under the fighter’s Weapon Training class feature. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed. Whenever you make a successful melee attack with a finesse weapon or an agile weapon from this group, you adds your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to the damage roll. If any effect would prevent you from adding your Strength modifier to the damage roll, you do not add your Dexterity modifier. You can select a second weapon group at 11th level and a third at 19th level.

### **Classes with Bonus Feats**

When determining bonus feats granted by a class feature, replace removed feats according to the following table while ignoring duplicate feats.

Characters that receive the same bonus feat more than once from class features may select another feat they qualify for.