Frayed Knights: Smelly Feats

Posted by Rampant Coyote on December 30, 2010

I had an awesome plan:

As I have a day job that finances this indie thing, I thought I’d take some big vacation time around Christmas and New Year’s to really get some incredible work done on Frayed Knights. I was gonna be a full-time indie for a week and a half (minus holiday festivities). Then I got sick.

I keep telling myself that I can work just fine when I’m sick, but honestly, I really can’t. Still, while not operating at full capacity, I have still made some major progress towards tying up the loose ends. When you get to this stage of development, it’s amazing how many loose ends there really are. I’ve been fixing inventory issues that have existed since the pilot, and battling a bunch of code that I over-complicated in the beginning to give me some flexibility I never actually needed. Live and learn.

Speaking of over-complicated, I am going to introduce you to the full list (well, full as of right now, all subject to change before release, but unlikely to change much) of feats available in Frayed Knights for the customization of your characters.  Every level, you get a character point you can spend on either increasing an attribute (Might, Brains, Reflexes, Charm, or Luck), or to add a feat. In retrospect, there are probably way too many feats for a game this size, though it’s intended to be a pretty complete list for the next two games as well (though I won’t rule out some tinkering or expansion of the list for the sequels).

Feats are broken up into two categories: Active and Passive. Passive feats are easy. You just take them, and they give you whatever bonuses or extra capabilities that come with them. Take the Sorcery feat, and you can cast low-level Sorcery spells. Take the Deft Fingers feat, and you automatically get a bonus on any attempt to pick a lock or disarm a trap. Some checks (like searching) are always made by the most skilled member of the party, so doubling up on feats that give bonuses in those situations might not be too useful unless your “best” character is incapacitated or debilitated somehow.

Active feats, on the other hand, are called up from the same menu as spells. (Hmm… by the looks of it, I need to change the heading on the menu when you are in active feat mode.) There aren’t many of them, but they are additional actions your character can take, particularly in combat. The endurance cost is on top of the cost of using the weapon, in the case of attacks. I can say already that I’m worried about the balance on a couple of them. Impale, in particular, is just frighteningly powerful right now, often acting as an insta-gib against weaker creatures.  It needs more testing against more challenging enemies.

Some feats have other feats as prerequisites. You have to take these in order. Also, some feats have a level restriction – I haven’t included that in the listing, as that’s very subject to play-balance testing. And it bears repeating that the numbers I’ve given here (where I’ve bothered giving them) are very subject to change based on playtesting.

Each class also has some inherent feats that come automatically with the class. For example, a warrior automatically has competence with all weapons, shields, and both armor feats. Sorcerers get the Sorcery feat for free, and Priests gets one of the three priestly magic feats. Sorcerers and Priests get Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, Master, and Epic Spellcasting feats automatically. Also, classes receive some inherent bonuses with their respective classes that just cannot be duplicated. Rogues are just naturally better at lockpicking and harder to hit than everybody else (but their lower hit points mean they still fold pretty quickly when hits connect). Benjamin can actually keep up on the sorcery track with Chloe fairly well if you want, but he’ll never be able to make the sorcery spells “stick” as often as she can. And since the spells are governed by different attributes (Charm vs. Might), he’ll have to balance things out there, too.

Anyway, here’s the list:

—– Active Feats

Bind Wounds:
Combat and non-combat, endurance cost 6
Character can heal self by a small amount, even in mid-combat.

Rank-Smack:
Combat only, endurance cost 4
Prerequisite: Aggressive Attack.
Character can attack an entire rank at once with a bludgeon, blade, or axe.

Crippling Strike:
Combat only, endurance cost 7
Prerequisite: Slam.
A nasty attack that leaves the opponent briefly debilitated.

Counterspell:
Combat only, endurance cost 3
Character receives a high defensive bonus for inbound offensive spells.

Multi-Counterspell:
Combat only, endurance cost 7
Prerequisite: Counterspell.
Character’s counterspell ability affects the entire party.

Impale:
Combat only, endurance cost 2
Prerequisite: Lunge.
With a spear weapon, character can sacrifice likelihood to hit for significantly extra damage in an all-out thrust.

Slam:
Combat only, endurance cost 3
Character sacrifices significant damage on a melee attack in order to knock an opponent off-balance or even stun them.

Skewer:
Combat only, endurance cost 4
Prerequisite: Impale.
With a spear weapon, character can sacrifice hit likelihood for a chance to hit both the primary target and a random target one rank behind.

Battle Dressing:
Non-combat only, endurance cost 13
Prerequisite: Bind Wounds.
As Bind Wounds, but more effective and functions on the entire party. This is a non-combat action only, and takes 1 turn per party member.

Cautious Attack:
Combat only, endurance cost 1
Character can accept a lower chance of hitting in exchange for better defense. Not quite as good as defending, but close.

Aggressive Attack:
Combat only, endurance cost 1
Character can accept a reduced defensive value in exchange for a higher chance of hitting.

Fierce Attack:
Combat only, endurance cost 1
Character increases maximum potential damage in an attack, in exchanged for penalties to chance of hitting and defense.

—– Passive Feats

Linebacker:
A character with this feat offers some protection to those in the behind him or her. This protection goes up even more if the character is defending.

Lunge:
Character can make extended-reach attack with medium melee weapons without penalty.

Sorcery:
Character can cast Sorcerery spells.

Nature Magic:
Character can cast priestly magic of the Nature type.  Special: A character with Nature Magic can not have Divine Magic or Profane Magic feats.

Divine Magic:
Character can cast priestly magic of the Divine type. Special: A character with Divine Magic can not have Nature Magic or Profane Magic feats.

Profane Magic:
Character can cast priestly magic of the Profane type. Special: A character with Profane Magic can not have Nature Magic or Divine Magic feats.

Light Armor:
Character can wear light armor without penalty.

Heavy Armor:
Prerequisite: Light Armor.
Character can wear heavy armor without penalty.

Weapon Competence: Blades:
Character can wield blade weapons (swords, daggers, etc.).

Weapon Competence: Bows:
Character can wield bows and crossbows.

Weapon Competence: Spears:
Character can wield spears and pole arms.

Weapon Competence: Bludgeons:
Character can wield bludgeons (clubs, staffs, maces, etc).

Weapon Competence: Throwing:
Character can wield thrown weapons.

Weapon Competence: Axes:
Character can wield axes.

Shield Competence:
Character can use shields.

Weapon Expertise: Blades:
Prerequisite: Weapon Competence: Blades.
Character gains +2 to attacks with blade weapons.

Weapon Expertise: Bows:
Prerequisite: Weapon Competence: Bows.
Character gains +2 to attacks with bows.

Weapon Expertise: Spears:
Prerequisite: Weapon Competence: Spears.
Character gains +2 to attacks with spears and pole arms.

Weapon Expertise: Bludgeons:
Prerequisite: Weapon Competence: Bludgeons.
Character gains +2 to attacks with bludgeoning weapons.

Weapon Expertise: Thrown:
Prerequisite: Weapon Competence: Throwing.
Character gains +2 to attacks with thrown weapons.

Weapon Expertise: Bludgeons:
Prerequisite: Weapon Competence: Axes.
Character gains +2 to attacks with axes.

Shield Expertise:
Prerequisite: Shield Competence.
Character gains +2 defensive bonus when using a shield  (on top of the shield’s own defensive bonus).

Weapon Mastery: Blades:
Prerequisite: Weapon Expertise: Blades.
Character gains +2 to attacks with blade weapons (in addition to the Expertise bonus, for a +4 total bonus).

Weapon Mastery: Bows:
Prerequisite: Weapon Expertise: Bows.
Character gains +2 to attacks with bows and crossbows (in addition to the Expertise bonus, for a +4 total bonus).

Weapon Mastery: Spears:
Prerequisite: Weapon Expertise: Spears.
Character gains +2 to attacks with spears and pole arms (in addition to the Expertise bonus, for a +4 total bonus).

Weapon Mastery: Bludgeons:
Prerequisite: Weapon Expertise: Bludgeons.
Character gains +2 to attacks with bludgeoning weapons (in addition to the Expertise bonus, for a +4 total bonus).

Weapon Mastery: Thrown:
Prerequisite: Weapon Expertise: Thrown.
Character gains +2 to attacks with thrown weapons (in addition to the Expertise bonus, for a +4 total bonus).

Weapon Mastery: Bludgeons:
Prerequisite: Weapon Expertise: Bludgeons.
Character gains +2 to attacks with axes (in addition to the Expertise bonus, for a +4 total bonus).

Shield Mastery:
Prerequisite: Shield Expertise.
Character gains +2 defensive bonus when using a shield (in addition to the Expertise bonus, for a +4 total bonus).

Ready For Action:
Character receives a high initiative bonus on the first round of combat.

Spell-Slinging Stamina:
Character loses less stamina from spellcasting.

Arcane Runes:
Character can cast familiar spells from scrolls.

Wand Usage:
Prerequisite: Sorcery.
Character can cast familiar spells from wands.

Deft Fingers:
Character is skilled at picking locks and disarming traps.

Guard:
Increases defense bonus when defending.

Point Blank Shot:
Character can use a ranged weapon to attack targets at point-blank with no penalty.

Hangfire Reaction:
Character takes reduced effect from traps.

Dual Wield:
Character can fight with an offensive weapon in each hand – but at a penalty

Improved Dual Wield:
Prerequisite: Dual Wield.
Character can fight with two offensive weapons with minimal penalties.

Effortless Casting:
Prerequisite: Spell-Slinging Stamina.
Spells require even less endurance to cast than with Spellslinging Stamina.

Spell Homing:
Single-target spells more likely to hit.

Quick Healer:
Healing spells and potions are slightly more effective on this character than normal.

Fast Feet:
This feat increases the chance of escape when fleeing combat.

Improved Counterspell:
Prerequisite: Counterspell.
Character is very impressive with countering enemy spells.

Spell Spread:
Prerequisite: Spell Homing.
Area-effect offsensive spells are more likely to hit their targets as the spell spreads more evenly, filling in nooks and crannies.

Intermediate Spellcasting:
Character can cast spells of 5th – 8th level.

Advanced Spellcasting:
Prerequisite: Intermediate Spellcasting.
Character can cast spells of 9th – 12th level.

Expert Spellcasting:
Prerequisite: Advanced Spellcasting.
Character can cast spells of 13th – 16th level.

Master Spellcasting:
Prerequisite: Expert Spellcasting.
Character can cast spells of 17th – 20th level.

Epic Spellcasting:
Prerequisite: Master Spellcasting.
Character can cast spells of higher than 20th level.

Augment Spells:
Allows Level 1 Spell Upgrades (Beefy and Extended Spells).

Enhance Spells:
Prerequisite: Augment Spells.
Allows Level 2 Spell Upgrades (Massive and Durable Spells).

Escalate Spells:
Prerequisite: Enhance Spells.
Allows Level 3 Spell Upgrades (Awesome and Prolonged Spells).

Maximize Spells:
Prerequisite: Escalate Spells.
Allows Level 4 Spell Upgrades (Hellacious and Protracted Spells).

Overcharge Spells:
Prerequisite: Maximize Spells.
Allows Level 5 Spell Upgrades (Uber Spells).

Alert:
Character recovers full faculties quickly. Stun and Sleep durations are reduced.

Quick Draw:
Character enjoys a speed bonus when wielding thrown weapons.

Turtler:
Prerequisite: Guard.
Character is so well protected when defending that they can even blunt some of the damage they take if they are hit.

Spell-Dodger:
Prerequisite: Magic Guard.
Character is more adept than usual at avoiding magical effects.

Awareness:
Character is adept at searching for hidden objects and ambushes.

Rapid Recovery:
Character recovers more quickly from fatigue from resting, and receives long-term exhaustion more slowly.

Magic Guard:
When character defends, he or she (or it) gains a defensive bonus against magical attacks as well.

Energy Conservation:
Character uses less endurance when performing active feats.

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