Question about the feat, Web of Death.

[Tim]

I have 2 PCs wanting that feat, and to be honest, it sounds to good to be true. It looks like a character with a 20 dex and 5 ranks of tumble could get up to 6 attacks of opportuity on opponents (assuming 3 opponents with 2 attacks each.) at their max attack, no modifiers, and with a +6 to their defense. That seems to be to powerful for a feat with so few requirments. Whats the downside to the feat. And how do other GMs handle it.

(P.S. on a side note the players who want it are the types to always e on the look-out for feats, abiliies and rules loop-holes at a minimume of cost.)

Thanks

 

[Maximo]

If you go for common attack tactics, someone with this feat is a tough opponent.
However, one of the strong points in this game is IMHO that there's no perfect trick which will always win. That is:
-Web of Death doesn't protect you against Sunder. Go try making your AoO without a sword!
-You always REACT to your foe's attacks, but you don't have the initiative, so to speak. This is bad if your character concept was quick enough to win Init. And forget about taking flat footed your opponent, as your AoO goes after his attack.
-Keep on mind that you won't be able to attack if your foe doesn't try to hit you. This is a very strong disadvantage. If he stays on the defensive until reinforcements come, what will you do?
-It doesn't add to your chances against a Disarm attemp. Same as sunder, I guess.
-Then there's the possibility that your hulking barbarian foe gets to hit you. It will happen before you attack, and it will hurt.
-And last. but not least, a good old feint will drop your DV to 16 or so (due to the Total Defence).

Not that the feat is bad, but it all depends on you liking this combat style. It is not overpowering.

 

[geordiekimbo]

Exactly.

I've just had a look at this Feat and it seems ok.

I certainly wouldn't think that someone reacting to an attack, your attack of opportunity is resolved after your opponents.

The way the feat reads to me is the characters gets an attack of opportunity after the opponent has performed his attacks.

Fighting defensively seems to indicate that the character isn't attempting to lash out in retaliation to every attack made again him but each opponent that attacks him.

If many opponents were attacking the character, I'm sure a few of them will succeed. That's one possibly very hurt character

 

[argo]

First of all, IMC I've ruled that Web of Death only applies to the weapon(s) you have Weapon Focus for. Even though the feat doesn't say this it still has Weapon Focus as a prereq and usually that is only a prereq when the intent is to limit the feat to the weapon chosen.

Now, as for other downsides to the feat:
-if the attacker uses Fight on the Run then you are simply both trading blows at your highest BAB (though you get the + to DV)
-ranged attacks let the attacker make a full attack with no retaliation by you
-as Maximo said, this is a reactive feat and it depends on your attacker to come after you, what happens if he stands-off with you and waits for reinforcements?

and the biggest downside of all:
-in Conan it is not always a good idea to let the other guy get in the first hit. If the attacker forces a Massive Damage save then you never get to make your AoO at all.

I really don't think its that unbalanced a feat. Its mostly usefull for a character who wants to take a defensive stance and hold off a horde of opponents and arguably Cleave and Great Cleave do a better job of that.

Later.