Using OGL 3.5 Feats with the Codex

[Hans Hellinger]

This is from the old 3.1 version of Core Rules:

(This is no longer part of the current rules but can be used as a resource for playing in Pathfinder etc. Most of the functionality of these old 3.5 Feats has been replaced by new rules or Martial Feats in Codex Core Rules v 5.X)

Using OGL 3.5 Feats with the Codex
Feats Status
ARMOR PROFICIENCY (LIGHT) [GENERAL] Unchanged
ARMOR PROFICIENCY (MEDIUM) [GENERAL] Unchanged
BLIND FIGHT [GENERAL] Incompatible
CLEAVE [GENERAL] Incompatible
COMBAT CASTING [GENERAL] Modified
COMBAT EXPERTISE [GENERAL] Modified
COMBAT REFLEXES [GENERAL] Modified
DEFLECT ARROWS [GENERAL] Replace with Missile Parrying MF
DODGE [GENERAL] Modified (pre-req only)
EXOTIC WEAPON PROFICIENCY [GENERAL] Modified
FAR SHOT [GENERAL] Unchanged
GREAT CLEAVE [GENERAL] Incompatible
GREATER TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL] High-Level
GREATER TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL] High-Level
GREATER TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL] High-Level
GREATER WEAPON SPECIALIZATION [GENERAL] High-Level
IMPROVED BULL RUSH [GENERAL] Replace with Graceful Rush MF
IMPROVED CRITICAL [GENERAL] Modified
IMPROVED DISARM [GENERAL] Incompatible**
IMPROVED FEINT [GENERAL] Modified
IMPROVED GRAPPLE [GENERAL] Replace with Ringen MF
IMPROVED OVERRUN [GENERAL] Replace with Graceful Rush MF
IMPROVED PRECISE SHOT [GENERAL] High-Level
IMPROVED SHIELD BASH [GENERAL] Replace with Shield Smash MF
IMPROVED TRIP [GENERAL] Unchanged
IMPROVED TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL] Modified
IMPROVED UNARMED STRIKE [GENERAL] Modified
MANYSHOT [GENERAL] Incompatible
MARTIAL WEAPON PROFICIENCY [GENERAL] Unchanged
MOBILITY [GENERAL] Modified
MOUNTED COMBAT [GENERAL] Unchanged*
POWER ATTACK [GENERAL] Modified
PRECISE SHOT [GENERAL] Unchanged
QUICK DRAW [GENERAL] Unchanged
RAPID RELOAD [GENERAL] Modified
RAPID SHOT [GENERAL] Modified
RIDE-BY ATTACK [GENERAL] Unchanged*
RUN [GENERAL] Unchanged
SHIELD PROFICIENCY [GENERAL] Modified
SHOT ON THE RUN [GENERAL] Incompatible (Redundant)
SIMPLE WEAPON PROFICIENCY [GENERAL] Unchanged
SNATCH ARROWS [GENERAL] Replace with Missle Catching MF
SPIRITED CHARGE [GENERAL] Unchanged*
SPRING ATTACK [GENERAL] Modified
STUNNING FIST [GENERAL] Modified
TRAMPLE [GENERAL] Unchanged*
TWO-WEAPON DEFENSE [GENERAL] Replace with Main Gauche MF
TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL] Replace with the Main Gauche MF
WEAPON FINESSE [GENERAL] Modified
WEAPON FOCUS [GENERAL] Modified
WEAPON SPECIALIZATION [GENERAL] Modified
WHIRLWIND ATTACK [GENERAL] Incompatible

Unchanged Feats
The following Feats work the same using Codex as they do in the SRD.

ARMOR PROFICIENCY (LIGHT) [GENERAL]
ARMOR PROFICIENCY (MEDIUM) [GENERAL]
FAR SHOT [GENERAL]
IMPROVED INITIATIVE [GENERAL]
IMPROVED SUNDER [GENERAL]
IMPROVED TRIP [GENERAL]
MARTIAL WEAPON PROFICIENCY [GENERAL]
MOUNTED COMBAT [GENERAL]
PRECISE SHOT [GENERAL]
QUICK DRAW [GENERAL]
RUN [GENERAL]
RIDE-BY ATTACK [GENERAL]
TRAMPLE [GENERAL]
SIMPLE WEAPON PROFICIENCY [GENERAL]
SPIRITED CHARGE [GENERAL]

Modified Feats
The following Feats from the SRD should be modified as described for use with the Codex.

COMBAT CASTING [GENERAL]
Benefit: You get a Free Dice for use on Concentration checks (only) made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability while on the defensive or while you are grappling or pinned.

COMBAT EXPERTISE [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Int 13.
Benefit: If you forgo all attacks during your own initiative for the entire round, you gain a Free Dice that can be applied to any Active Defense, Attack of Opportunity or Counterattack roll (either automatically generated or due to Counterstroke or Miersterhau-Countercut MFs) but not for changing Combat range or for movement (see Mobility Feat). This Free Dice stacks with any Free Dice gained for defensive or counterattacking MFs, including but not limited to Nukitsuke, Nachreisen etc.) and other SRD Feats such as Combat Reflexes.

COMBAT REFLEXES [GENERAL]
Benefit: Gain a Free Dice once per round for use in Attacks of Opportunity only. You may add other MP dice to this Free Dice but you only get the Free Dice for one AoO per round.

DODGE [GENERAL]
The Dexterity pre-requisite is lowered to 8

EXOTIC WEAPON PROFICIENCY [GENERAL]
Applies to multiple weapons in the same way as Weapon Focus (see Weapon Focus). Also which weapons are considered Exotic can vary in some by culture. For example in a European setting, a Katana is an exotic weapon, whereas in a Japanese setting, a Katana would be considered a Martial weapon. This is up to GM discretion.

IMPROVED CRITICAL [GENERAL]
Choose one type of weapon.
Prerequisite: Proficient with weapon, Weapon Specialization with Weapon
Benefit: When using the weapon you selected for this Feat, any time you score a Critical Hit your damage is stepped up one die, as follows:
Piercing or Bludgeon Critical: D8
Chop: D10
Slash: D12

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 (but a given weapon type may be considered equivalent to some other weapon types, this Feat follows the same rule as Weapon Focus, see below).

IMPROVED FEINT [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Int 13, Combat Expertise, Feint MF
Benefit: You may Feint at any time during the round, whether it is your initiative or not.

IMPROVED TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 17, Main Gauche MF, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: Gain a Free Dice once per round for a single extra attack with one of your two-weapons (your choice, probably depending on range).
A 6th-level ranger who has chosen the two-weapon combat style is treated as having Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, even if he does not have the prerequisites for it, but only when he is wearing light or no armor.

IMPROVED UNARMED STRIKE [GENERAL]
Benefit: Gain the ability to cause 1d4 damage striking with hands and feet, and the ability to make unarmed strikes at Melee range instead of Grapple range (thus without triggering an Attack of Opportunity.)
Normal: Without this feat, any unarmed strike has to be made at Grapple Range (and therefore draws an AoO) and you deal only 1d2 damage.
Special: A monk automatically gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat at 1st level. She need not select it.
A fighter may select Improved Unarmed Strike as one of his fighter bonus feats.

MOBILITY [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge.
Benefit: You gain an additional MP once per round for the purposes of movement only, to be used either moving between range categories (Onset to Melee to Grapple etc) or taking a Move Action (moving your Move rate). This does not increase the maximum amount of Movements you can do in a round (for this, see the Run Feat). This does not directly confer extra protection against attacks of opportunity as per the SRD Mobility Feat, but by getting an ‘free’ move you can use your remaining MP for additional Active Defense or an extra attack, counterattack, etc.

POWER ATTACK [GENERAL]
Benefit: Spend an extra die to step your damage up one category, i.e. D8 becomes D10, D10 becomes D12 etc.

RAPID RELOAD [GENERAL]
Works for any type of Crossbow
Prerequisite: Weapon Proficiency (crossbow type chosen).
Benefit: The Prep time required for you to reload your chosen type of crossbow is reduced by one MP. If you have selected this feat for 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.

RAPID SHOT [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Point Blank Shot.
Benefit: You can get a Free Dice for one extra attack per round with a ranged weapon. You may only use this Free Dice for an extra attack and may not combine any other MP dice with this attack.
A 2nd-level ranger who has chosen the archery combat style is treated as having Rapid Shot, even if he does not have the prerequisites for it, but only when he is wearing light or no armor.

SHIELD PROFICIENCY [GENERAL]
Shield proficiency can apply to either bucklers (which also includes small shields) or to Shields (which includes small, medium or large shields but not bucklers)

SPRING ATTACK [GENERAL]
Moving, attacking and moving again is made redundant by the Martial Pool and the codex movement rules. However you can use this feat to allow a Tumble skill check to be used as an Active Defense roll (i.e. use your Tumble Skill modifier instead of your Base Defense or Weapon based Defense modifiers). An Active Defense using Spring Attack would count as a void for purposes of the Nachreisen MF and other MFs.

STUNNING FIST [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Wis 13, Improved Unarmed Strike Feat or Ringen MF, Weapon Focus: Unarmed
Benefits:
Gain primary attack type of B for unarmed strikes (allows multi die attacks to cause multi-die crits using Dynamic Criticals rule). Critical hit damage is stepped up one die roll (from D6 to D8, stacks with Improved Critical) for purposes of nonlethal damage or KO threat (see Basic Combat, Bash Damage and Bash Critical Hits, and also Appendix 3: Weapons Tables, KO Results Table for more information on a KO threat.)
Normal: Unarmed Strikes have no primary attack type
Special: A monk may select Stunning Fist as a bonus feat at 1st level, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. A monk who selects this feat may attempt a stunning attack a number of times per day equal to her monk level, plus one more time per day for every four levels she has in classes other than monk.

WEAPON FINESSE [GENERAL]
The same as the SRD except this feat applies to a wider variety of weapons (indicated on the Codex Weapon Tables) and the Dex bonus also applies to damage, including with Missile Weapons.

WEAPON FOCUS [GENERAL]
Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, and all Simple, Shield or Martial Proficiency feats can ‘overlap’ for other weapons which meet the following criteria:

1) Same size category (S to M, M to L etc.)
2) Within the same weapon category (Simple melee, Martial melee, etc,)
3) Has at least one of the same Primary attack types (Pierce, Slash, Chop or Bludgeon)
4) Is of the same ‘family’ per below:

Light blade (Dagger, Knife, Short sword etc.)
One-handed blade*
Two-handed blade *
Light hafted weapon
One-handed hafted weapon
Two-handed hafted weapon
Thrown Missile Weapon (only Martial or Simple Proficiencies)
Bow
Crossbow
Buckler / Small shield
Medium / Large Shield

*HH weapons can be considered either one or two handed for this purpose.

So for example Weapon Focus: arming sword would also apply to a leaf blade sword, a cut-thrust Sword, a sidesword, a backsword, a schiavona, or a yanmao dao, but not a saber (incompatible Primary attack type S) or a gladius (different Size) or a great axe (different weapon ‘family’, i.e. hafted weapon)

WEAPON SPECIALIZATION [GENERAL]
Applies to multiple weapons in the same way as Weapon Focus, but this Feat will confer the +2 bonus to up to two weapon types as selected by the player.
High Level Feats
The following Feats are designed for high level play that the Codex hasn’t yet been tested for, they may be incorporated into later documents.

GREATER TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL]
GREATER WEAPON SPECIALIZATION [GENERAL]
IMPROVED PRECISE SHOT [GENERAL]
GREATER TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL]

Replaced Feats
The following Feats are replaced by an MF from the Codex (indicated below)

IMPROVED BULL RUSH [GENERAL]
Replace with Graceful Rush MF

IMPROVED GRAPPLE [GENERAL]
Replace with Ringen MF

IMPROVED OVERRUN [GENERAL]
Replace with Graceful Rush MF

IMPROVED SHIELD BASH [GENERAL]
Replace with Shield Smash MF

TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING [GENERAL]
Replace with the Main Gauche MF.

Designers Note on fighting with two weapons: in the SRD, the main reason to use multi-weapon fighting is that using a second weapon gives you an extra attack. But in the Codex, while you can use a second weapon, it does not necessarily confer any extra attacks or any other advantages, unless you have certain martial feats.

So if you have say, a sword in your right hand and an axe in your left, you still have your same pool of 4 (or less). It’s up to you if you want to alternate attacks between weapons or do all with one or whatever.

If you have the second tier feat Improved Two Weapon fighting then you do get one extra attack. Otherwise you have to have one of the martial feats like Main Gauche or Niten Ichi to get any benefit out of the second weapon.

But conversely the standard SRD penalties do not apply.

TWO-WEAPON DEFENSE [GENERAL]
Replace with Main Gauche MF

DEFLECT ARROWS [GENERAL]
Replace with Missile-Parrying MF (doesn’t work for arrows)

SNATCH ARROWS [GENERAL]
Replace with Missile-Catching MF (doesn’t work for arrows)

Incompatible Feats
The following Feats are not recommended for use with the Codex combat system. All that actually means is that we couldn’t figure out how to integrate them with the Codex. Feel free to make up your own guidelines for using them, and let us know if you come up with something clever.

BLIND-FIGHT [GENERAL]
CLEAVE [GENERAL]
GREAT CLEAVE [GENERAL]
POWER ATTACK [GENERAL]
This is made redundant by the Dynamic Criticals rule (see Basic Combat, Dynamic Criticals). If you are using that rule then do not use this Feat, otherwise (or optionally) use it as written in the SRD.

MANYSHOT [GENERAL]
SHOT ON THE RUN [GENERAL]
Made redundant by the Martial Pool and Codex movement rules. How many MP you assign to shooting vs. moving is up to the player.

TOWER SHIELD PROFICIENCY [GENERAL]
Tower shields are not meant to be carried on ones arm like a regular shield.

WHIRLWIND ATTACK [GENERAL]\

Incompatible weapons
The entire concept of a ‘double weapon’ is redundant when using Codex rules, particularly the Poll Axe fighting MF and Half Staff MF. The Double Sword, the Urgosh, the Spiked Chain, the Dire Flail, Spiked Armor, the Orc Double Axe, and the Gnome hooked-hammer are not included here or in the Codex itself because we have no historical sources to base them on and no idea how they could function within the laws of physics or even in a cinematic fashion. If you want to use these weapons with the Codex feel free to make up your own house rules for them.

• This topic was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Hans Hellinger.

[Author]

Posts