>The problem, for me, is not in what it does by why doesnt it do it
>all the time. One minute a feat is a simple augment, the next you
>are leaping from tree to tree (with my best girl by my side)... it
>isnt consistent, and there is nothing to tell you when it changes
>from one mode to another...
It is entirely consistent, if you think about it in a certain way. An augment is using one skill to help another skill be more effective. Abandon magic for the moment, and look at simple combat. My intention is to ram my sword in to you so that you are in a world of hurt. The obvious skill to use is Close Combat (Sword). However, I have Strength written on my character sheet, which I reckon might help. So I augment my Close Combat with my Strength, and try to ram my sword in to you as hard as I can. A bit later, I want to lift up a rock. Maybe there is something under it that I want, I dunno. I use my Strength to lift the rock. Where is the inconsistency? In both cases I am being Strong. In both cases the game mechanics allow me to gain advantage by being Strong.
Coming back to magic and your example. When you augment with the Leap From Tree to Tree feat you are doing literally that. Your intent might be to pepper your opponents with arrows, so you use Ranged Combat (Archery) but augment with Leap From Tree to Tree because that will let you get better firing positions. Again, no inconsistency.
All magics can be thought of this way. Decapitate Foe augmenting Sword? When a blow connects, it injures the opponent's neck! If you (or more importantly the player) can't come up with the story, they can't use the feat!
How do you know whether to use the feat directly or as an augment? It all comes down to intent. If your intention is to shoot your opponent, you can't use Leap From Tree to Tree directly. It makes no sense. If you're trying to escape your opponent, Leap From Tree to Tree might make sense.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Graham
-- Graham Robinson graham_at_... Albion Software Engineering Ltd.
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