Open Chakra / Martial study / Bind Vestige

[rubberduck]

This is the Handbook of Spare Feats.

Most of the time we make stuff that is planed,
stuff that is strictly composed,
stuff that has used all the feats to qualify for some prestige classes or some trick we want to perform.

But there are those rare occasions where this is not the case.
When we have : some spare feats
And we have no idea what to do with them.

This shall be a reference on the things that can be useful if you don't know what else to put in their place.

For now I will concentrate on the 3 systems that allow quick results:
Incarnum(magic of incarnum), Pact-binding(tome of magic) and Maneuvers(tome of battle).
I will list everything with a general description of the ability it grants you and with the requirements.
Requirements will assume you do NOT have any of the corresponding classes.

Incarnum

The Most important feat here is "Shape Soulmeld"
SHAPE SOULMELD
You gain the ability to shape a single soulmeld.
Prerequisite: Con 13.
Benefit: When this feat is selected, choose a soulmeld from
any class’s soulmeld list. You can shape that soulmeld using
the normal meldshaping rules (see page 49). Once chosen,
the soulmeld granted by this feat can never be changed. Your
meldshaper level for this soulmeld is equal to one-half your
character level.
If you have essentia, you can invest essentia in the soulmeld
as normal.
If you have the ability to bind a soulmeld to a chakra, you
can bind this soulmeld to any chakra available to you (as long
as the soulmeld can be bound to that chakra).
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects
do not stack. Each time you take the feat, choose a new
soulmeld.

Alone this feat is not that great as most soulmeld 's only really shine when bound to specific chakras.
Luckily we have these feats (also available as arcane/divine spells and psionic powers):

Feats:
OPEN GREATER CHAKRA
You open up one of your body’s centers of power, allowing
you to bind a soulmeld or a magic item to that chakra.
Prerequisites: Con 17, character level 18th.
Benefit: When this feat is selected, choose one of the following
chakras: throat or waist. You can now bind a soulmeld
or a magic item to that chakra.
In addition, you gain a minor benefit from this newfound
chakra, depending on the chakra chosen:
Throat: +1 insight bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks.
Waist: +1 insight bonus on Fortitude saves.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects
do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new
greater chakra.
OPEN LEAST CHAKRA
You open up one of your body’s centers of power, allowing
you to bind a soulmeld or a magic item to that chakra.
Prerequisites: Con 13, character level 6th.
Benefit: When this feat is selected, choose one of the
following chakras: crown, feet, or hands. You can now bind
a soulmeld or a magic item to that chakra.
In addition, you gain a minor benefi t from this newfound
chakra, depending on the chakra chosen:0
Crown: +1 insight bonus on Will saves.
Feet: +1 insight bonus on Balance and Move Silently
checks.
Hands: +1 insight bonus on Climb and Swim checks.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects
do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new
least chakra.
OPEN LESSER CHAKRA
You open up one of your body’s centers of power, allowing
you to bind a soulmeld or a magic item to that chakra.
Prerequisites: Con 15, character level 12th.
Benefit: When this feat is selected, choose one of the
following chakras: arms, brow, or shoulders. You can now
bind a soulmeld or a magic item to that chakra.
In addition, you gain a minor benefit from this newfound
chakra, depending on the chakra chosen:
Arms: +2 insight bonus on grapple checks.
Brow: +1 insight bonus on Search and Spot checks.
Shoulders: +1 insight bonus on Reflex saves.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects
do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new
lesser chakra.

Spells:

OPEN GREATER CHAKRA
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 9, sorcerer/wizard 9
As open least chakra, except this allows
you to open the subject’s arms, brow,
crown, feet, hands, shoulders, throat,
or waist chakra.

OPEN LEAST CHAKRA
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 4, sorcerer/wizard 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You use magical energies to pry open
one chakra, allowing a creature to form
a chakra bind that it otherwise could
not. (The spell has no effect on chakras
to which soulmelds or magic items
are already bound; in other words, it
does not allow you to double bind to
a chakra.) You can open a creature’s
crown, feet, or hands chakra with this
spell. A creature benefi ting from this
spell can bind a soulmeld or magic item
to his opened chakra just as if he had
gained the ability to form a chakra bind
from a feat or class feature.

OPEN LESSER CHAKRA
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 7, sorcerer/wizard 7
As open least chakra, except this allows you
to open the subject’s arms, brow, crown,
feet, hands, or shoulders chakra.

Powers:

OPEN CHAKRA, PSIONIC
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/wilder 4, psychic
warrior 4
Display: Auditory, material
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 24 hours
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Power Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Power Points: 7
You use your psionic powers to pry
open one chakra, allowing a creature to
form a chakra bind that it otherwise
could not. You can open a creature’s
crown, feet, or hands chakra with
this power. A creature benefiting
from this power can bind a soulmeld
or magic item to his opened chakra
just as if he had gained the ability
to form a chakra bind from a feat or
class feature.
Augment: If you spend 6 additional
power points, you can open the subject’s
arms, brow, or shoulders chakra. If
you spend 10 additional power points,
you can open the subject’s throat or
waist chakra.

So let's start with the interesting things.

open chakra least (crown feet hands)
---------------------------------------------------------------
SHEDU CROWN
immune to being pushed back as the result of a
bull rush, including the effects of spells such as Bigby’s forceful
hand and telekinesis (when used to perform a bull rush).
(crown) gives telepathy 100 feet
Prerequisites: Con 13, character level 6th.
--------------------------------------------------------------

open chakra lesser (arms brow shoulder)
----------------------------------------------
PHASE CLOAK
+4 competence bonus on Climb checks
always take 10 on a Climb check,
retain your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class while climbing.
(Shoulders) give you:
become ethereal during movement
Prerequisites: Con 15, character level 12th.
-----------------------------------------------

open chakra greater (throat waist)

Prerequisites: Con 17, character level 18th

Tome of Battle
offers feats that grant maneuvers and stances.
The two in question are:
Martial Study and Martial Stance

Martial Study
Benefit: When you gain this feat, you must choose a discipline of martial maneuvers, such as Desert Wind. The key skill for the chosen Discipline becomes a class skill for all your classes (current and future).
Select any maneuver from the chosen discipline for which you meet the prerequisite. If you do not have martial adept levels, you can use this maneuver once per encounter as a martial adept with an initiator level of 1/2 you character level.
Special: You can take this feat up to three times. This is a fighter bonus feat.

Martial Stance
Prerequisite: One martial maneuver
Benefit: When you gain this feat, you can select any stance from a discipline in which you already know at least one maneuver. You must meet the normal prerequisites. Your initiator level is 1/2 you character level.
Special: this feat can be taken multiple times. This is a fighter bonus feat.

The interesting stuff to take:


Martial Study
----------------------
IRON HEATH SURGE
immediately end one spell, effect or condition affecting you
+2 moral bonus to attack and damage until next turn
Prerequisites: one iron hearth maneuver, character level 10th
---------------------
SHADOW JAUNT
teleport up to 50' feet away as a standard action
Prerequisites: character level 6th
---------------------
SHADOW STRIDE
teleport up to 50' feet away as a move action
Prerequisites: character level 18th
---------------------


Martial Stance
-----------------------
THICKET OF BLADES
enemies you threaten provoke aoo when they move and cannot withdraw
Prerequisites: one devoted spirit maneuver , character level 10th
-----------------------
ASSASSINS STANCE
you gain a 2d6 sneak attack
Prerequisites: one devoted shadow hand maneuver , character level 10th

Pact-Making
Tome of Magic gives us three interesting feats:
Bind Vestige
Bind Vestige, Improved
Practised Binder

Bind Vestige
------
Amon
Darkvision
------
Aym
Ruinous Attack
-------
Leraje
Hide Bonus
----------
Naberius
Naberius’s Skills
----------
Ronove
Feather Fall
---------

Bind Vestige, Improved

------
Amon
Darkvision
------
Aym
Ruinous Attack
-------
Leraje
Hide Bonus
----------
Naberius
Naberius’s Skills
----------
Ronove
Feather Fall
--------------------
Dahlver-Nar
Mad Soul
Haagenti
Immunity to Transformation
Malphas
Poison Use
Savnok
Call Armor
-------------------
Andromalius
Sense Trickery
Focalor
Aura of Sadness
Karsus
Karsus’s Senses
Paimon
Paimon’s Skills
-----------------------

[NiteCyper]

Uh, Shedu Crown + Mindsight?

[Bloody Initiate]

Martial Study:

Iron Heart Surge
Any of the Shadow Hand teleportation maneuvers can be handy

Martial Stance:
Thicket of Blades is popular, but most of the time I find I prefer actually taking the martial adept class levels for whatever stance
Aura of Chaos has a TON of potential
Generally Crusader Stances rock, Warblade Stances are often disappointing, and Swordsage Stances are all over the place

[Solo]

Sphinx Claws grant Pounce, right?

[bearsarebrown]

Sphinx Claws grant Pounce, right?

Natural weapons only IIRC.

[rubberduck]

lets add bind vestige and improved bind vestige to this!

[Dictum Mortuum]

I'm pretty sure that bind vestige only gives you the abilities listed in the feat's table.

[PhaedrusXY]

I'm pretty sure that bind vestige only gives you the abilities listed in the feat's table.

That's right. You don't get all the stuff an actual binder gets from those vestiges.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Lightning gauntlets+mechanatrix.

[Sinfire Titan]

Open Lesser Chakra can get you the Phase Cloak, a personal favorite. Free ethereal movement+Random Encounter generation is win.

At later levels, the Apparition Ribbon's throat bind grants you the Incorporeal subtype and all benefits listed (and makes your gear incorporeal too). It has a limited duration, but 10 rounds is enough to last you three encounters or so if you are optimized enough.

[KellKheraptis]

Martial Stance - Assassin's Stance : easy way to get SA for PrC's without losing caster levels.

Soulmelds have boots that grant Uncanny Dodge and Evasion when bound.

[rubberduck]

i corrected the vestige stuff will add the pactised binder abilities later
also descriptions what they do...
i will shamelessly steal that from the binder handbook ;-)

apart from that it grows quite nicely although i wish some references with things you post i had quite a time looking the MECHANATRIX up... till iu found it in fiend folio

[PhaedrusXY]

This would make quite a nice handbook, if you wanted to move it over there. 

[rubberduck]

yes that is a great idea but i'd like to stay here unil its finished i guess i get more input that way

we could call it:
The Spare Feats Handbook
or seomthing^^

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Might as well add spellfire as a great spare feat.

[NiteCyper]

There are too many great spare feats: Flexible Mind [Anarchic], Martial Study (Shadow Hand maneuver) for Hide as a class-skill, Shape Soulmeld (Planar Ward), improved initiative, Darkstalker, Blooded feat, Otherworldly, Leadership, Nymph's Kiss, Touch of Golden Ice, Quick Reconnoiter, Momentary Alteration [Spelltouched], Apprentice (DMGII), (Planar) Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenment), and others that aren't general enough.

[lans]

Shape Soulmeld: Blink Shirt is cool, allows fighters and the like to not have to be screwed by fog clouds, walls of force or the like. For a person with a level of monk or shou disciple that picks up the Sun School tactical feat. Works a bit better if you add the conjurer variant afterwords, which is starting to get a bit MAD, like a normal monk.