Feats of Expertise
Hello everyone! Another year has come and gone, and we would like to thank you for your continued readership and support. With that out of the way, it’s time for the first new Extraordinary Feats of the new year, and that means it’s time for something new, such as all new feats which allow you to do things with combat maneuvers you ordinarily wouldn’t be able to do. I’m sure you’re as excited as I am to get back to more new feats, so let’s get started.
Combat Expert (Combat)
Through practicing tried and true combat techniques, you have learned to perform certain key maneuvers without leaving yourself open to attack.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6.
Benefits: Whenever you would make a combat maneuver check, you may choose to suffer a -2 penalty on the combat maneuver check; if you do, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity for performing that combat maneuver. You may still provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for other actions taken during the combat maneuver (such as moving as part of a bull rush).
Drastic Maneuver (Combat)
Your reckless fighting style allows you to ensure that your combat maneuvers are effective.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
Benefits: You can choose to take a -1 penalty to AC in order to gain a +1 competence bonus on all combat maneuver checks. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every +4 thereafter, the penalty increases by -1, and the competence bonus increases by +1. The effects of this feat last until the beginning of your next turn.
Expert Defensive Training (Combat)
Your focus on defense exceeds even that of most expert fighters, and you can maximize your defense against potent maneuvers through positioning and skill.
Prerequisite: Combat Expertise.
Benefits: Whenever you use the Combat Expertise feat, the dodge bonus to AC is doubled for the purposes of your CMD (it remains the same for the purposes of your AC, however).
Expert Opportunist (Combat)
By focusing on poise and defense, you are better able to exploit weaknesses in your foe’s defense, allowing you to strike more often and more precisely.
Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes.
Benefits: Whenever you use the Combat Expertise feat, you may make any number of attacks of opportunity until the beginning of your next turn. Additionally, you gain an insight bonus on all damage rolls made as part of an attack of opportunity equal to the dodge bonus to AC gained through the Combat Expertise feat. This bonus lasts until the beginning of your next turn, and does not apply to damage rolls not made as part of an attack of opportunity.
Shield Expert (Combat)
You have mastered using a shield as part of your defense, allowing you to expertly block incoming attacks through agility and grace.
Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Shield Focus.
Benefits: Whenever you use the Combat Expertise feat while wielding a light shield or a buckler, your shield bonus to AC increases by an amount equal to the dodge bonus to AC granted by the Combat Expertise feat. This bonus lasts until the beginning of your next turn.