Question Withdrawn

Joshua029 · Nov 19, 2016

Can Half-Elves take Human alternate racial traits which replace the "bonus feat trait"? Half-Elves have "Adaptability" which grants them a specific bonus feat, but several alternate racial traits for humans replace the "bonus feat trait". Can Half-Elves take these alternate racial traits by giving up "Adaptability", or can they not?

Ezequielramone · Nov 19, 2016

They can't. Mechanically they are another race.

Joshua029 · Nov 19, 2016

Ezequielramone said:
They can't. Mechanically they are another race.

But the rules state that "Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race." (ARG pg 40)

And the FAQ on Paizo.com states,
"Half-Elf or Half-Orc: Can a character of either of these races select human racial archetypes (such as from Advanced Race Guide?
Yes. Half-elves and half-orcs may select racial favored class options, archetypes, traits, and so on, as if they were a full member of both races (a half-elf can select elf and human rules elements, a half-orc can select human and orc rules elements).
Edit 9/26/13: This is a reversal of an earlier ruling. This resolves a discrepancy between this FAQ and two Advanced Player's Guide FAQs.
posted March 2013"

So a Half-Elf has access to the alternate racial traits of humans. My question is if the specific bonus feat of the Half-elves can be exchanged for human alternate racial traits, as if it were the humans' chosen "bonus feat".

If I am incorrect, please explain and provide your source.

Ezequielramone · Nov 19, 2016

Note that race traits and racial traits are different things. One is part of the "brackground" the other is not. Look at the examples: "favored class options, archetypes, traits". When they say "traits" the speak about the background option (race traits, religion traits, campaign traits, etc).
I see the discrepancy. They should say if this particular thing is affected by that statement. Because in order to take an alternative racial trait you should give up the specific traits. Your GM can allow it or not... For me RAW or RAI you can't. But maybe there is another clarification.

Joshua029 · Nov 19, 2016

My apologies, but what bearing does the distinction between “race trait” and “racial trait” have on the question I asked? Both the FAQ and the passage in the book use the term “racial trait” so your distinction doesn’t apply to my question.

(Additionally, I don’t see your distinction between “race trait” and “racial trait” in the rules, so if you could provide your quotation/citation from the rules or an FAQ, I’d be appreciative.)

My question (which I’m not certain was adequately addressed) is whether in the rule, “This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait”, the bonus feat being referred to has to be the humans’ self titled “Bonus Feat”, or if it can be the bonus feat given by the half-human races. I hope you can see the ambiguity in the RAW. The bonus feat of the Half-elves is a racial trait, just as much as the Humans’ bonus feat.

As for RAI, why shouldn't Half-elves be able to take human alternate racial traits? Said traits are still human, and a Half-elf having such a trait simply implies that the Half-elf's human parent possessed that trait. There's no lore reason to forbid it, and I can't picture any situation where it would unbalance the rules.

was · Nov 20, 2016

I think that there are a few option in the Advanced Race Guide:

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advancedRaceGuide/coreRaces/halfElves.html

ignuspyre · Dec 2, 2016

It doesn't work since the Adaptability is not the specific Bonus Feat racial feature or whatever you want to call it - it's Adaptability.

Humans get: "Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level."
Half-Elves get: Adaptability: Half-elves receive Skill Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Half-Elves get a SPECIFIC feat as part of their race but not the ability to pick ANY feat as a bonus that they qualify for. So they can't take something that would replace the racial feature that they don't get. They don't get that SPECIFIC Racial Feature that you would then replace. They DO get a free feat but not the Human Bonus Feat feature.