Index of Better Skill-Based Feats (Patreon)

This is a Paying Patron Only Index for all the 'Better Skill Feats' articles, and all the feats from those articles. It is updated as more articles are released and feats are created.

Pathfinder-1st Edition Better Skill Feats ArticlesThese are all for Pathfinder 1st edition. Currently that is the only game system these articles have been created for, but if that changes the articles for other game systems will be listed in this index as well.Each article includes a number of feats that compile, improve, revise or riff off existing skill feats. They often include notes about how and I why I made the decisions I did when creating the "Better" skill feats.

Better Acrobatics-Based Feats (Part One)Better Acrobatics-Based Feats (Part Two)Better Acrobatics-Based Feats (Part Three)Better Bluff-Based Feats (Original Article, includes explanation of concept)Better Appraise-Based Feats

All Pathfinder-1st Edition Better Skill FeatsThis is a compilation of all the Pathfinder 1st edition Better Skill feats. Currently that is the only game system these articles have been created for, but if that changes the feats from articles covering other game systems will be included in their own section of this index.

Adaptive AcrobaticsYou have learned to use your acrobatic abilities to get by in a range of environments.Prerequisites: Acrobatic, Acrobatics 3 ranksBenefit: If you are moving through terrain that requires a DC 15 or lower Acrobatics check to move through at full speed, or to move through without falling, you are treated as automatically succeeding at that check. If in such terrain with a DC 16 or higher Acrobatics check required, you gain a +5 bonus to such checks.

(Dex 13) Your land speed increases by 10 feet while in an area with light gravity or no gravity, and other creatures do not gain a circumstance bonus on attack rolls against you from light or no gravity.

(Fly 3 ranks) When flying in strong winds, you gain a +15-foot bonus to your fly speed. For every wind strength category above strong, you gain an additional +15-foot bonus to your fly speed (for a total of +30 feet in severe winds, +45 feet in a windstorm, and +60 feet in tornadoes). This does not give you any bonuses on Fly or Strength checks to determine if you are potentially checked or blown away.

(Fly 5 ranks) When you take a move action to fly you do not need to succeed at a Fly check to continue flying, even when moving less than half your speed. When moving less than half your speed in a round, you also gain a +2 bonus on Acrobatics checks to avoid attacks of opportunity and a +2 bonus to your AC against attacks of opportunity you provoke because of movement.

(Profession [sailor] 3 ranks) You gain a +2 bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks to climb or swing on a rope or ship’s rigging, and to all Swim checks. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity from climbing or swinging on a rope or ship’s rigging.

Special: This feat replaces the feats Careful Flyer, Expert Boarder, Light Gravity Acclimation, Sea Legs, and Wind Rider, and counts in place of any of those feats for purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Animal Call (Revised)You’ve learned how to replicate a number of animal calls.Prerequisites: Bluff 1 rank, Knowledge (nature) 1 rank.Benefit: You can use your Bluff skill to mimic the calls of creatures of the animal type, and monstrous beasts with an Int of 2 or less. You must have heard and be familiar with a creature to mimic it. You are normally able to mimic the all the animals of your home region (select one of the ranger’s favored terrains to represent the area you are already familiar with the animals calls of). Work with you GM to determine if you know enough about other animals or low-int magic beasts to mimic their calls. Normally a Knowledge nature check (DC 20+DC) allows you to mimic an animal's call.Creatures with a CR or ranks in Knowledge (nature) that meet or exceed your ranks IN Bluff may attempt an opposing Knowledge (nature) or Sense Motive check to detect your mimicry when they hear it, and realize that the sound is false.

Augmented LeapYou can use some of the powers available to you to jump farther or do mor while jumping.Prerequisites: Acrobatic, Acrobatics 3 ranksBenefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks made to jump, and when falling you treat all falls as if they were 10 feet shorter. This stacks with the reduction in effective distance of a fall from succeeding at a DC 15 Acrobatics check. Also, if you do succeed at a DC 15 Acrobatics skill check to soften a fall, you ignore an additional 10 feet of distance (20 feet total). When doing this you land on your feet as long as you take less than 20 points of damage from the fall.

You may gain one or more additional bonuses or options if you meet the additional prerequisites listed in parenthesis.

(grit class feature or Amateur Gunslinger feat; Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4) (Grit) As a full-round action, you can move up to your speed and make firearm attacks at your highest base attack bonus with each loaded firearm you are wielding. You can make these attacks at any point during your movement, and if you are wielding two firearms, you can make the attacks at different points during the movement. At the end of this movement, you fall prone. This costs 1 grit point to perform.

(kinetic blast) Once per day as a swift action, you can conjure a burst of energy from your kinetic blast to help you jump a long distance, adding a +10 bonus on your Acrobatics check to jump (+20 if you have at least 10 ranks in Acrobatics). By accepting 1 point of burn, you can use this ability at will until your burn is removed.

(Knowlege [planes] 3 ranks)(Conduit) As a swift action, you can wrap your body in airy energies reducing your weight by 50% until the beginning of your next turn. This gives you a circumstance bonus on Acrobatics checks equal to half your ranks in Knowledge (planes), causes you to be treated as having a running start when attempting Acrobatics checks to jump, and allows you to treat your Acrobatics checks to high jump as long jumps for the purpose of determining the DC. You can use this feat’s benefit for a number of rounds per day equal to your ranks in Knowledge (planes). These rounds need not be consecutive.

(arcane pool, arcane reservoir, bloodrage, ki pool, or rage) As a swift action, you can expend 1 point from your arcane pool, arcane reservoir, or ki pool (or 2 rounds from your bloodrage or rage), to gain a +10 bonus to one Acrobatics check made to jump. If you have the slow fall class feature, your slow fall distance is increased by 10 feet.

(spellcasting) As a swift action, you can expend a spell slot or prepared spell of 1st level or higher to gain a surge of magical leaping power. You may expend a 1st level or higher spell-like ability to do this, as long as it has limited uses per day. Until your next turn you gain a bonus to Acrobatics checks made to jump equal to +5 per level of the spell or slot expended.

Special: This feat replaces the feats Cat's Fall, Kinetic Leap, Leaping Shot, Shingle Runner, Slow Faller, and Wind Leaper, and counts in place of any of those feats for purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Canny Acrobatics (Combat)You have learned to use nimble flips, rolls, and spins to augment your options in combat.Prerequisites: Acrobatics feat or Dex 13Benefit: You receive a +4 bonus on Acrobatics checks to move past opponents (or move through an enemy’s space) without provoking attacks of opportunity. When you succeed at an Acrobatics check to move through a threatened square or an enemy's space without provoking attacks of opportunity, you may gain one or more additional bonuses or options if you meet the additional prerequisites listed in parenthesis below.

(Combat Casting) For the remained of your turn, creatures denied attacks of opportunity by your Acrobatics check also cannot make attacks of opportunity against you when you cast a spell.

(Dodge, Mobility, size Small or smaller) You gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a larger opponent’s threatened area (this stacks with the +4 bonus provided by Mobility, for a total bonus of +6).

(Dodge, Mobility, Acrobatics 5 ranks) You gain a +2 circumstance bonus on your next melee attack roll against the target you moved through the space of, and that opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC against the next attack you make against it before the start of your next turn.

(Dodge, Mobility, Acrobatics 7 ranks; grit or pastiche pool)(Grit, panache) If you make a successful attack against the foe you moved through the space or threatened area of, you can expend 1 grit or panache to deny that foe its Dexterity bonus to its armor class against all attacks until the end of your next turn.

Special: This feat replaces the feats Acrobatic Spellcaster, Canny Tumble, Confounding Tumble Deed, and Underfoot, and counts in place of any of those feats for purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Cartwheeling Combat (Combat)You are skilled at maneuvers up and over a foe, or tucking and rolling between their legs.Prerequisites: Acrobatic, Acrobatics 5 ranksBenefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks made to move through an opponent's space. If the opponent is larger than you, this bonus increases to +4. If you do this at the base DC (5 + foe's CMD) and thus must move at half speed, add 10 to your speed before halving it for this calculation.

If you successfully use Acrobatics to tumble through an opponent’s space without provoking an attack of opportunity, you may gain one or more additional bonuses or options if you meet the additional prerequisites listed in parenthesis. (The fourth options can only be performed if you charge an opponent, as described in the options.)

(Dodge) Gain a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls and +4 on trip CMB checks against the opponent, until the start of your next turn.

(Improved Trip, Acrobatics 7 ranks) As a swift action you can attempt a trip combat maneuver check against the opponent. Even if you fail this check by 10 or more, you do not fall prone.

(Dodge, Improved Feint, Mobility, size Small or smaller) As a swift action you can make a Bluff check against that opponent to feint in combat.

(Dex 15, Acrobatics 10 ranks or acrobatic charge class feature) When you charge an opponent, rather than attack when you reach them you can attempt to move through their space as normal with Acrobatics. If you fail, you provoke an attack of opportunity for the opponent and fall prone before moving through the foe's space. If successful you move to the far side of the opponent into a space that would have flanked with the square where your charge would normally end. You then make the melee attack for your charge, and the foe is considered flanked against that attack. Either way, you take a -2 penalty to your AC until the beginning of your next turn (in addition to the normal -2 for charging, for a total of a -4 penalty).

Special: This feat replaces the feats Disorienting Maneuver, Mobile Acrobat, Passing Trick, Sliding Dash, and Tumbling Upset, and counts in place of any of those feats for purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Cut Your LossesWhen you have to cut and run, you are able to summon a surge of adrenaline when you grab what is most dear to you and run.Prerequisites: Str 13 or Athletic; Acrobatics 1 rank.Benefit: Whenever you withdraw as a full-round action and have at least one free hand, you can pick up one unattended object or unconscious ally of your size or smaller at any point during your movement without provoking attacks of opportunity as part of the withdraw action. Although only your first space of movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, your gain a +2 bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity provoked from any additional movement performed on your turn still. This stacks with the AC bonus from Mobility, if you have it.

In addition, you treat your Strength score as 2 higher for the purpose of determining your carrying capacity.

Nimble Warrior (Combat)Your adroit training allows you to pull off surprising movements in combat.Prerequisites: Acrobatic, base attack bonus +1Benefit: You gain a +4 AC bonus against attacks of opportunity provoked by any action other than leaving a threatened square, spellcasting, or making a ranged attack. You may gain one or more additional bonuses or options if you meet the additional prerequisites listed in parenthesis.

(Dex 13 and one of the following class features: deeds, grit, Investigator talent, martial flexibility, ninja trick, slayer talent, talent, vigilante talent, or weapon training) When you have a hand free, you can use a swift action to retrieve a single unattended item or weapon that weighs 10 pounds or less from the ground, either in your square or in any adjacent square not occupied or threatened by an enemy. When you kick up a weapon and attempt a feint before the end of your turn, you receive a +2 circumstance bonus on the feint attempt.

(Dex 15, Combat Expertise) You can use Acrobatics instead of Bluff to feint in combat. For any feat that applies to feinting and has a minimum number of Bluffs as a prerequisite, you can instead qualify by having at least that many ranks of Acrobatics.

(Evasion, improved evasion, Acrobatics 12 ranks) When you successfully use improved evasion to avoid taking damage, you can move up to half your speed as an immediate action. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.

(Lightning reflexes, evasion class feature) When you succeed at a Reflex save against a spell or effect that affects an area, as an immediate action you can attempt an Acrobatics check to jump out of the effect’s area. You must move to the nearest space you can see outside of the affected area. The DC for this Acrobatics check is equal to the number of feet you must move to escape the area, and you can’t travel farther than your normal movement. If you use this feat, you are staggered on your next turn. This movement doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity from creatures in the area of the effect you are escaping.

(Lunge) As a standard action, you can use the Lunge feat to increase the reach of your melee attacks by 5 feet until the end of your turn, without suffering a penalty to your AC. You cannot use this feat if you carry a medium or heavy load.

Special: This feat replaces the feats Cartwheel Dodge, Kick Up, Leaping Evasion, Monkey Lunge, and Slayer's Feint and counts in place of any of those feats for purposes of meeting prerequisites.

Spider StepYour physical mastery grants you an impossible stride.Prerequisites: Acrobatics 6 ranks, Climb 6 ranks, ki pool.Benefit: When moving using your land speed, as long as you have at least 1 ki point in your ki pool you can move up to your slow fall distance across a wall or ceiling or across ropes, branches, or even water or other surfaces that cannot support your weight. You cannot move further than your speed. You must reach a solid, level surface by the end of your turn or you will fall.

Trade MasterYour knowledge of the value of objects assists you in making money, among other things.Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Appraise checks, and to any one Profession skill of your choice. You are considered trained in that Profession. You can use your Appraise check to make money the way you normally do with Profession skills. You can also select one of the following additional benefits. Once that choice is made, it cannot be changed.

When you select a Trade Master option that allows you to use some fraction of your Appraise bonus in place of some other skill, such checks otherwise follow all the rules for the skill your are emulating. For example, if you select the option to use 1/3 of your Appraise bonus to make a Use Magic Device check, even if you have Skill Mastery in Appraise and can normally take 10 with an Appraise check, you cannot Take 10 when using the skill as Use Magic Device.

You are considered trained in the Bluff skill. You can use your total Appraise bonus in place of your Bluff bonus when bluffing about the value of an item or service. When trying to determine if someone else is bluffing about the value of an item or service, you can use your total Appraise bonus in place of your Sense Motive bonus. This option counts as the Babble-Peddler feat for purposes of prerequisites.

You are considered trained in the Knowledge (arcane), Knowledge (history), and Knowledge (local) skill. You can use half of your total Appraise bonus in place of a Knowledge (arcane) check to learn information about arcane symbols and constructs you have successfully appraised, in place of a Knowledge (history) check to learn about the history of an object you have successfully Appraised, or in place of a Knowledge (local) check to learn about the creator of an object you have successfully Appraised.

You are considered trained in the Use Magic Device skill. You can use one third of your total Appraise bonus in place of a Use Magic Device check.

You gain a +4 bonus on Perception checks to notice natural deposits of precious metals or minerals, and a +4 bonus on Appraise checks to determine their worth. By spending 5 minutes scrutinizing a discovered vein of metals or minerals, you can determine the worth of the full vein to within 1,000 gp, to a maximum of 50,000 gp. This option counts as the Sense Metals and Materials feat for purposes of prerequisites.

You may determine the most valuable item in a hoard as a standard action and gain an additional +2 bonus on the Appraise check to do so. In addition, if you fail an Appraise check by 5 or more, you treat the check as if you had failed by less than 5. This option counts as the Scavenger's Eye feat for purposes of prerequisites.

You are considered trained in Spellcraft. You can use your full Appraise bonus in place of your Spellcraft bonus to determine an item’s magic properties. For every 5 points by which you exceed the DC, you can determine additional details about the item at the GM’s discretion, such as its country of origin, the crafter’s race, techniques employed in its creation, or whether it has any historical significance. This option counts as the Relic Familiarity feat for purposes of prerequisites.

A successful DC 20 Appraise check reveals whether an item is magical, and a second check (DC = 25 + the item’s caster level) unveils its properties. You can use Appraise to detect non-written forgeries and counterfeits. When qualifying for Appraise skill unlocks, you are treated as having 5 more ranks of Appraise than your true total and already possessing the first skill unlock. When you actually have 20 ranks of Appraise, you qualify for the following skill unlock: 25 Ranks: If you have successfully Appraised a hand-held or word item, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when attempting to disarm, steal, or sunder it, and when dealing damage to it with a sunder can ignore up to 1- points of its hardness.

When in a large city or larger settlement, you can search the markets carefully for 4 hours in order to purchase material components for spells (yours or someone else's) at a 10% discount. You can purchase up to 1,000 gp worth of material components (which costs you 900 gp) each day. These cheaper components work perfectly well for their spells, but their resale value is also 10% less. This option counts as the Eye for Ingredients feat for purposes of prerequisites.

Special: You can select this feat more than once. It's benefits do not stack. The second and third time you take the feat, you gain two more benefits of your choice. If you select the feat a fourth time, you gain the remaining three benefits.

Trick Up My SleeveYou don’t play fair, you always have an angle, and there’s usually a trick up your sleeve. You can’t pull these things off all the time, but when the circumstances are just right, you can unleash a nasty surprise.Prerequisite: One of the following feats: Animal Call, Babble-Peddler, Bewildering Koan, Blustering Bluff, Broken Wing Gambit, But a Scratch, Confabulist, Deceitful, Empty Threats, Fall Guy, Lifeless Gaze, Moonlight Stalker, Osyluth Guile, Out of the Sun, Sliding Dash, Surprising Combatant, Unspoken Bond, or Voice of the SibylBenefit: Once per day you may choose one of the following surprise tricks to perform.1. Declare an attack against a flat-footed opponent, or one you have concealment against, to be a sneak attack. It must meet the normal sneak attack rules. You gain sneak attack dice on that attack equal to 1d6, +1 per 4 ranks of Stealth you have. These cannot be combined with any other precision damage dice you can deal.2. Deal unarmed damage as a monk with a level equal to your base attack bonus for a single attack. You are also able to immediately perform a dirty trick maneuver as a free action against the same target, as if you had Improved Dirty Trick and Superior Dirty Trick.3. Cause one attack to act as if you were using the gunslinger’s Targeting Shot deed.Special: This feat may be selected a second time, allowing you to use each option once per day.Special: You can use this feat in place of any species-specific prerequisite for any feat that also has 1 or more ranks of Bluff as a prerequisite.