Point Blank Shot

[ahzad]

Just a quick question about PBS. In the alternate combat styles for borderers (Hyboria's Fiercest) you get PBS as your first feat along these chains, (the exception being the default style out of the core book). I would just like to know why?

In my thinking most people who would be interested in those combat styles would've already picked up PBS at 1st level since it's such a critical feat for anyone wanting to be an archer-type. A player wanting to augment their melee style with some ranged, may take it but I see that as highly unlikely as well b/c they probably will pick a combat style to complement their fighting style. Even a multiclassed character will have already picked up this feat before it becomes available to them. So the first feat along this chain becomes a bit of a waste, making those styles a bit less appealing. I'm thinking it might have been a better fit if the combat style was available at 1st level instead of 2nd.

So I was just curious as to the design philosophy for this choice.

 

[VincentDarlage]

My thinking was that by freeing up that feat, the borderer could focus on a skill-enhancing feat, such as Stealthy or Skill Focus (Hide, Move Silently, etc.) or even an exotic bow proficiency (for the Westermarcker) at an early level. Some borderers might want to take Eyes of the Cat if they plan on hunting nocturnal prey. Skills are the best means of survival for the borderer, I think. Of course, you could always offer Stealthy as the first feat in the sniper styles instead of Point Blank Shot.

 

[ahzad]

My thinking was that by freeing up that feat, the borderer could focus on a skill-enhancing feat, such as Stealthy or Skill Focus (Hide, Move Silently, etc.) or even an exotic bow proficiency (for the Westermarcker) at an early level. Some borderers might want to take Eyes of the Cat if they plan on hunting nocturnal prey. Skills are the best means of survival for the borderer, I think. Of course, you could always offer Stealthy as the first feat in the sniper styles instead of Point Blank Shot.

Thanks for your thoughts. I can see that, I keep for getting that some of those bows are exotic and granted the skill-enhancing doesn't come into play around here very much until the mid levels or later. At those early levels most of my group is all about those crucial feats as early as they can get them then they start getting the other feats.