Racial Feats - Ironborn

Ironborn Feats

The following feats may be taken by ironborn characters in the Three Worlds. These feats have mostly been taken from the Eberron Campaign Setting, Races of Eberron, or The Book of Iron Might. In many cases these feats have been modified from the original. In all cases the versions of the feats presented here are the feats to be used in the Three Worlds Campaign setting. Ironborn feats may be taken as Fighter bonus feats by Ironborn fighters.

This list uses several abbreviations to show what sourcebook the entries were drawn from. For guidance as to what sourcebooks these abbreviations reference, see my key to Sourcebook Abbreviations.

All of the material contained on this page and other pages of this blog is presented in accordance with the terms of the Open Game License.

Feat Name	Source	Prerequisites	Benefit
Adamantine Body	ECS	Ironborn, 1st level only	You gain an armor bonus and may gain damage resistance
Cold Iron Tracery	RoE	Ironborn	Your natural attacks are treated as cold iron and you may gain a Will save bonus
Construct Lock	RoE	Ironborn, BAB +2	You gain a bonus to damage rolls against constructs and may be able to temporarily paralyze constructs
Cool Under Pressure	BoRL	Ironborn, Wisdom 13+	You can take 10 on several skills even when threatened or distracted
Improved Damage Reduction	ECS	Ironborn	You gain damage reduction or improve your existing damage reduction
Improved Fortification	ECS	Ironborn, BAB +6	You gain immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks, but you lose the ability to be healed by healing magic
Improved Resiliency	RoE	Ironborn	You become immune to nonlethal damage but cannot benefit from regeneration or fast healing
Intricate Joints	BoIM	Ironborn, Spring-Loaded Reflexes, Dexterity 15+	You cannot be flanked
Iron Heart	BoIM	Ironborn	You are immune to mind-affecting effects.
Ironborn Acrobat	BoIM	Ironborn	You gain a bonus to certain acrobatic skills and may gain a speed increase.
Ironwood Body	RoE	Ironborn, 1st level only	You gain an armor bonus and may gain damage reduction.
Jaws of Death	RoE	Ironborn	You gain a bite attack.
Memory Bank	BoIM	Ironborn, Intelligence 13+	You gain a +2 bonus with a single class skill that can be changed daily.
Mithral Body	ECS	Ironborn, 1st level only	You gain an armor bonus.
Mithral Fluidity	ECS	Ironborn, Mithral Body or Ironwood Body	Your maximum Dexterity bonus to Armor Class is increased and armor check penalties are decreased.
Second Slam	RoE	Ironborn, BAB +6	You can make a second slam attack when you make a full attack.
Shadow Friend	BoIM	Ironborn, 1st level only	You gain a bonus on Bluff and Hide checks and may gain Darkvision.
Silver Tracery	RoE	Ironborn	Your natural weapons are treated as silver weapons and you may gain a bonus to Fortitude saves.
Slayer	BoIM	Ironborn	You gain a bonus to attack flanked or flat-footed opponents, and may have a built-in hidden dagger.
Spell Runes	BoIM	Ironborn, arcane caster level 1st+, ability to prepare spells	You have three spells scribed on your body and gain a bonus when casting those spells.
Spellmaster	BoIM	Ironborn	You gain a bonus to attack rolls made with spells and may allow you to retain spell's even if you fail a Concentration check.
Spiked Body	RoE	Ironborn	You deal piercing damage with your grapple attacks, and your slam attack now does piercing damage.
Spring-Loaded Reflexes	BoIM	Ironborn, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Dexterity 13+	You do not lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class when flat-footed or attacked by an invisible attacker.
Survivor	BoIM	Ironborn	You gain cold and fire resistance.
Unarmored Body	RoE	Ironborn	You lose your armor bonus and light fortification, but have no arcane spell failure chance and can wear armor and robes.
Weaponized Limb	BoIM	Ironborn	You have replaced one of your limbs with a weapon.

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General Rules: Feats - Adamantine Body

Adamantine Body [Ironborn] (Eberron Campaign Setting)
At the cost of mobility, an ironborn character's body can be crafted with a layer of adamantine that provides formidable protective armor and some damage reduction.

    Prerequisites: Ironborn, 1^st level only.

    Primary Benefit: Your armor bonus is increased to +8. However, your base land speed is reduced to 20 feet (15 feet if you are Small), and you are considered to be wearing heavy armor. You have a +1 maximum Dexterity bonus to AC, a -5 penalty on all skill checks that armor check penalties apply to (Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Swim, and Tumble), and an arcane spell failure chance of 35%.
    Secondary Benefit: You gain damage reduction 2/adamantine.
    Normal: Without this feat an ironborn character has an armor bonus of +2.
    Special: This feat must be taken at 1^st level, during character creation. Ironborn druids who take this feat cannot cast druid spells or use any of the druid's supernatural or spell-like class features. Ironborn characters with this feat do not gain the benefit of any class feature prohibited to a character wearing heavy armor. A Large ironborn only gains the primary ability when it takes this feat for the first time. A Large ironborn can take this feat two times (it does not have to take the feat the second time at 1^st level), the second time it gains the secondary ability granted by this feat.

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General Rules: Feats - Weaponized Limb

Weaponized Limb [Ironborn] (The Book of Iron Might)
One of your arms has been replaced with a sword blade, axe, mace, or similar weapon. As an extension of your body, it is easier to wield than a standard weapon.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn.
    Benefit: Select a melee weapon you can wield one-handed. This weapon is installed on your arm. This is a masterwork weapon and cannot be disarmed. Like any other masterwork weapon, you can enhance it with magical properties as normal. When using this weapon, you gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to 1½ times your Strength bonus, the same as if you wielded the weapon with two hands. Because the weapon is part of your body, you can put more weight behind it than normal and have superior leverage with it.
    Special: You must purchase a masterwork weapon of the appropriate type for your arm if you take this feat after 1^st level. You can take this feat once only. When you do, you lose the ability to use the hand on your weaponized arm. You cannot use a double weapon with this feat. You otherwise gain the benefits of all feats and abilities relating to this weapon as normal. Since you have only one hand after you take this feat, you suffer penalties in some situations. You take a -2 penalty on all grapple checks unless your weaponized arm has a light weapon. You take a -2 competence penalty on all Climb, Craft, Disable Device, and Open Lock checks. In addition, the DM can assess a -2 competence penalty in any situation in which your lack of a hand is a drawback. Your remaining hand is considered your off-hand, and you may suffer any relevant penalties for using it as normal.

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General Rules: Feats - Unarmored Body

Unarmored Body [Ironborn] (Races of Eberron)
Your body is crafted without its normal layer of armor, trading off physical strength for magical potency.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, 1^st level only.
    Benefit: You lose the normal +2 armor bonus and light fortification common to ironborn characters, but you have no inherent chance of arcane spell failure and can wear armor or magic robes and gain their full effects.
    Special: If you later select any ironborn feat that grants or adjusts an armor bonus or damage reduction, you lose this feat and all its effects.

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General Rules: Feats - Survivor

Survivor [Ironborn] (adapted from The Book of Iron Might)
Your chassis is designed to withstand the elements, allowing you to endure extreme temperatures, heavy rains, and other hazards of the natural world.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn.
    Benefit: You gain resistance to cold 2 and resistance to fire 2.
    Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time, your resistance to cold and fire increases by two.

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General Rules: Feats - Spring-Loaded Reflexes

Spring-Loaded Reflexes [Ironborn] (The Book of Iron Might)
Your joints have a set of heavy springs and flexible, high-tension connections and lines. You react quickly to danger, allowing you to defend yourself even when an opponent has the drop on you.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Dexterity 13+.
    Benefit: You gain the uncanny dodge ability. You retain your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class even if you are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class if you are immobilized.
    Special: You must spend 100 shillings on raw materials, including iron, bronze, and similar metals to improve your chassis if you take this feat after 1^st level.

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General Rules: Feats - Spiked Body

Spiked Body [Ironborn] (Races of Eberron)
Your body is overlaid with hundreds of protruding spikes that can deal great damage to foes.
    Prerequisite: Ironborn.
    Benefit: You deal extra piercing damage on a successful grapple attack, as if you were wearing armor spikes (1d6 points for a Medium ironborn, 1d4 points for a Small ironborn, and 1d8 points for a Large ironborn). Though your slam attack deals no extra damage, the damage it deals is treated as both bludgeoning and piercing damage. The effect of this feat does not stack with equipment or abilities that provide similar benefits.

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General Rules: Feats - Spellmaster

Spellmaster [Ironborn] (adapted from The Book of Iron Might)
Your outer shell is augmented with a lattice of carefully worked metals enchanted with arcane energy. Lead, copper, silver, and other metals treated by an alchemical process turn your body into a magnet for magic. This lattice makes it easier for you to use and focus magic, allowing you to handle spells with greater precision.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn.
    Primary Benefit: When drawing magical energy and shaping it into a spell, you can direct it with greater precision than normal. You gain a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls with spells that require attack rolls of any kind, such as touch spells.
    Secondary Benefit: The arcane lattice in your body absorbs and holds magical energy even when you are on the verge of losing it. Once per day, if you fail a Concentration check when attempting to cast a spell, you can opt to reabsorb the spell's energy into your body before you lose control of it. You do not lose the spell's slot and can attempt to cast it again later.
    Special: A Large ironborn only gains the primary ability when it takes this feat for the first time. A Large ironborn can take this feat two times (it does not have to take the feat the second time at 1^st level), the second time it gains the secondary ability granted by this feat.

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General Rules: Feats - Spell Runes

Spell Runes [Ironborn] (The Book of Iron Might)
You scribe the text of several spells onto your body, allowing you to study them without the use of a spell book. In addition, you modify your body to better collect and focus the energies required for those spells.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, arcane caster level 1^st+, ability to prepare spells.
    Benefit: Select any three spells you can prepare and cast. Those spells are scribed on your body. You can prepare them even if you lose access to your spell book. When you cast one of these spells, you gain either a +1 bonus to its save DC or a bonus on the spell's damage equal to your Intelligence modifier. You make this choice at the time of casting, and you can change the benefit from one casting to the next.
    Special: You must spend 800 shillings on raw materials, including iron, bronze, and similar metals to improve your chassis if you take this feat after 1^st level.

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General Rules: Feats - Slayer

Slayer [Ironborn] (adapted from The Book of Iron Might)
You were designed to use stealth and cunning to defeat your enemies. You can see and smell the blood that flows through your enemies, allowing you to make a deadly strike when their guard is relaxed.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn.
    Primary Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on melee attack rolls against opponents that you flank or that have lost their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. You do not gain this bonus against foes that are immune to sneak attacks.
    Secondary Benefit: You have a short blade that can retract into your hand, leaving you armed and ready for combat at all times. This weapon is a dagger of the appropriate size. It cannot be disarmed, and a Search check (DC 25) is required to notice it is you leave it sheathed. You ready it like any other weapon. This blade can be upgraded to masterwork status and receive magical abilities, just like a normal dagger. If it is sundered, use the standard price for a dagger of its size and features to determine the repair time and cost.
    Special: A Large ironborn only gains the primary ability when it takes this feat for the first time. A Large ironborn can take this feat two times (it does not have to take the feat the second time at 1^st level), the second time it gains the secondary ability granted by this feat.

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General Rules: Feats - Silver Tracery

Silver Tracery [Ironborn] (adapted from Races of Eberron)
Alchemical silver tracery covers your body, allowing you to overcome the supernatural defenses of certain creatures and protecting against some magical attacks.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn.
    Primary Benefit: Your natural weapons and your grapple checks made to deal damage are treated as silver weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
    Secondary Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on Fortitude saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
    Special: A Large ironborn only gains the primary ability when it takes this feat for the first time. A Large ironborn can take this feat two times, the second time it gains the secondary ability granted by this feat.

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General Rules: Feats - Shadow Friend

Shadow Friend [Ironborn] (adapted from The Book of Iron Might)
Your mechanical form is crafted from the solid stuff of shadow contained within a metallic shell. You can command the shadow to seep from your body and cover an area, allowing you to conceal your approach or escape under cover of darkness.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, 1^st level only.
    Primary Benefit: You can bind and fold a thick veil of shadowy darkness that cloaks your presence and confuses your enemies. You gain a +2 bonus on all Hide checks and a +4 bonus on Bluff checks made to create a diversion that allows you to hide.
    Secondary Benefit: You gain Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
    Special: A Large ironborn only gains the primary ability when it takes this feat for the first time. A Large ironborn can take this feat two times (it does not have to take the feat the second time at 1^st level), the second time it gains the secondary ability granted by this feat.

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General Rules: Feats - Second Slam

Second Slam [Ironborn] (Races of Eberron)
You have learned to use your form to the utmost and can make two slam attacks.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, BAB +6.
    Benefit: You can deliver a second slam in any round in which you make a full attack that includes a slam attack. The second slam uses your highest attack bonus with a -5 penalty and deals your normal slam attack damage.

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General Rules: Feats - Mithral Fluidity

Mithral Fluidity [Ironborn] (Eberron Campaign Setting)
Your movements are smoother and more fluid than those of other ironborn.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, Mithral Body or Ironwood Body.
    Benefits: The maximum Dexterity bonus an ironborn with the Mithral Body or Ironwood Body feat can apply to Armor Class is increased by 1. In addition, the armor check penalties to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble checks are reduced by 1.
    Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. However, armor check penalties cannot be reduced to less than +0.

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General Rules: Feats - Mithral Body

Mithral Body [Ironborn] (Eberron Campaign Setting)
An ironborn character's body can be crafted with a layer of mithral that provides some protection without hindering speed or gracefulness.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, 1^st level only.
    Benefit: Your armor bonus is increased to +5 and you are considered to be wearing light armor. You now have a +5 maximum Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, a -2 penalty on all skill checks that armor check penalties apply to (Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble), and an arcane spell failure chance of 15%.
    Normal: Without this feat an ironborn character has an armor bonus of +2.
    Special: This feat must be taken at 1^st level, during character creation. Ironborn druids who take this feat cannot cast druid spells or use any of the druid's supernatural or spell-like class features. Ironborn characters with this feat do not gain the benefit of any class feature prohibited to a character wearing light armor.

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General Rules: Feats - Memory Bank

Memory Bank [Ironborn] (The Book of Iron Might)
Your mind can alter and shift its contents to suit your needs, drawing on the artificial nature of your consciousness to shape and mold it. In essence, you can hold more memories than a living mind can normally process. By shifting and changing your mental focus, you can gain and lose access to a portion of the abilities you have learned.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, Intelligence 13+.
    Benefit: When you use this feat, you gain a +2 competence bonus on checks involving a single class skill of your choice. Once per day, you can select a different class skill to gain this feat's benefit.

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General Rules: Feats - Jaws of Death

Jaws of Death [Ironborn] (Races of Eberron)
Gnashing teeth and a powerful set of jaws allow you to bite foes.
    Prerequisite: Ironborn.
    Benefit: You have a bite attack that deals damage according to your body size. A Medium ironborn deals 1d6 points of damage with their bite attack. A Small ironborn deals 1d4 points of damage, while a Large ironborn deals 1d8 points of damage with this bite attack. Your bite is treated as a secondary natural weapon (-5 penalty on your attack roll and you apply only ½ your strength bonus on damage rolls).

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General Rules: Feats - Ironwood Body

Ironwood Body [Ironborn] (adapted from Races of Eberron)
Your body is crafted with a layer of hard ironwood that cushions blows.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn, 1^st level only.
    Primary Benefit: Your armor bonus increases to +3. You are considered to be wearing light armor and have a +4 maximum Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, a -3 penalty on all skill checks to which armor check penalties apply (Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Swim, and Tumble), and an arcane spell failure chance of 20%.
    Secondary Benefit: You gain damage reduction 2/slashing.
    Normal: Without this feat, your ironborn character has an armor bonus of +2.
    Special: Unlike most feats, this feat must be taken at 1^st level, during character creation. An ironborn with this feat who takes Improved Damage Reduction can choose to gain damage reduction 1/adamantine or improve the damage reduction granted by this feat by 2. Ironborn druids who take this feat can cast druid spells and use the druid's supernatural and spell-like abilities. A Large ironborn only gains the primary ability when it takes this feat for the first time. A Large ironborn can take this feat two times (it does not have to take the feat the second time at 1^st level), the second time it gains the secondary ability granted by this feat.

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General Rules: Feats - Ironborn Acrobat

Ironborn Acrobat [Ironborn] (adapted from The Book of Iron Might)
An ironborn with this feat gains slender, long limbs, a sleek chassis, and elegant design giving him a speed and agility that belie the image of constructs as shambling, creaky machines. Your slender but strong limbs and intricately designed joints allow you to perform difficult feats of agility and acrobatics with ease and your long, powerful legs and efficiently designed frame allows you to move faster than normal.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn.
    Primary Benefit: You gain a +2 racial bonus on all Escape Artist, Jump, and Tumble checks.
    Secondary Benefit: You gain a +5 foot increase to base land speed.
    Special: This feat must be taken at 1^st level, during character creation. A Large ironborn only gains the primary ability when it takes this feat for the first time. A Large ironborn can take this feat two times (it does not have to take the feat the second time at 1^st level), the second time it gains the secondary ability granted by this feat.

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General Rules: Feats - Iron Heart

Iron Heart [Ironborn] (adapted from The Book of Iron Might)
Your intellectual abilities were given only passing attention, but the magical processes that power you are too strong to keep your personality and mind dormant.
    Prerequisites: Ironborn.
    Benefit: You are immune to all mind-affecting effects, since your mechanical mind is simply too alien for such spells and magical attacks to affect it.

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