Feint Variant #1
Note that this rule is based on the idea that Feint is a standard maneuver used in combat by any skilled fighter, designed to weaken your opponent's defenses by getting him to overcommit. As such, it should be useful to any skilled combatant and not overly useful for a single class. I also think that Bluff and Sense Motive should be used as diplomatic skills, not combat skills. Finally, I like the idea of Charisma and Wisdom playing a role here, but I also feel that reflexes need to have a bearing here as well.
Feint is a standard action which does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
:arrow: STEP ONE: Make a Feint Check. You and the defender make opposed rolls, adding one-half (rounded down) of your Base Attack Bonus. In addition, you add both your Dex modifier and Cha modifier as a bonus to this roll while the defender adds his Dex modifier and Wis modifier as a bonus.
Modifiers: A Thief using a weapon chosen for a Sneak Attack Style receives a +1 circumstance bonus to this roll. When wielding a weapon with which you are not proficient, apply the non-proficiency penalty for attacking with that weapon (i.e. -4, -2 if you are a Barbarian). When feinting this way against a non-humanoid, you take a -4 penalty. Against a creature of animal intelligece (1 or 2), you take a -8 penalty. Against a non-intelligent creature, it is impossible.
:arrow: STEP TWO: Consequences. If you beat the defender, you have successfully feinted. On the next melee attack you make against your opponent, he cannot apply his Dex mod (or any circumstantial Dodge bonuses) to his Dodge DV against tha attack and he cannot apply his Str mod (or any circumstantial Parry bonuses) to his Parry DV against that attack. In addition, if your attack is successful, for every five character levels, your attack does an additional 1d6 damage (i.e. at levels 1-5, +1d6; at levels 6-10, +2d6; etc.). This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical.
Modifiers: A Thief using a weapon chosen for a Sneak Attack Style does an additional 1d8 damage for every five character levels, instead of 1d6 (i.e. at levels 1-5, +1d8; at levels 6-10, +2d8; etc.)
Okay, it isn't simple. But it's a start. The purpose of halving the BAB is to give Soldier's an edge but less of an edge than it would be if we simply added the BAB. I considered adding full BAB and Reflex Save but that would have meant Thieves were automatically better than Soldiers at Feinting, which I do not think they should be.