Do I have to choose a feat (/skills) right away?

[kpdezend]

Is there anything in the rules about when you have to pick your feats? If I have a character that does not want to choose feats (or skill points) right away, can he put off taking them until he advances to another level? (Not taking them ½ way through a level, just when he levels again some other time.)

Thanks,

- Kent -

 

[AuraSeer]

No. You cannot ever save feat slots or skill points until your next level up.

 

[kpdezend]

No. You cannot ever save feat slots or skill points until your next level up.

I was trying to find this in the rules. We made a house rule that you could hold one feat.

- Kent -

 

[Malicene]

as we house ruled that most feat need a practice period, some character have an empty feat slot ! (not skills points). and by the way it's not a trouble as your character is less powerful than he should be (1 feat more).
Usually character don't stay too long in this situation

 

[kpdezend]

as we house ruled that most feat need a practice period, some character have an empty feat slot ! (not skills points). and by the way it's not a trouble as your character is less powerful than he should be (1 feat more).
Usually character don't stay too long in this situation

My situation is that my Monk:2 Druid:1 wants to get mostly wild-shape-type feats, but the pre-req is being able to wildshape... so he would want to not learn anything else (hang around with just a few feats) until he was able to wildshape, and then start learning them.

I think in this case a good rule would be that if you are holding more than one 'empty' feat slot, you cannot 'fill' more than one per level advancement (we also play that you have to train/study/meditate for the same number of days as the level you are advancing to), so to me, this make sense.

What do you guys think?

- Kent -

 

[Staffan]

My situation is that my Monk:2 Druid:1 wants to get mostly wild-shape-type feats, but the pre-req is being able to wildshape... so he would want to not learn anything else (hang around with just a few feats) until he was able to wildshape, and then start learning them.

That's pretty much the reason why you can't save feats. The prereqs are designed so you will have to take weaker feats with the first few ones.

 

[MerakSpielman]

I would say sure, you can hold off taking feats. But when you do take them, you can't fill them with anything you didn't qualify for at the time you put off taking the feat. So I really wouldn't see the point.

 

[kpdezend]

I would say sure, you can hold off taking feats. But when you do take them, you can't fill them with anything you didn't qualify for at the time you gained the level. So I really wouldn't see the point.

That seems fair to me too. I know that sometimes I am not sure what I want to take... so not selecting what feat(s) I have for another level or so is just one way to not rush a character, and the only one I am hurting is my own character.

- Kent -

 

[Spatzimaus]

I would say sure, you can hold off taking feats. But when you do take them, you can't fill them with anything you didn't qualify for at the time you put off taking the feat. So I really wouldn't see the point.

Exactly. No saving slots for Wildshape feats, or high-level metamagics, or those PrC abilities that say "Members of this class can select this as a general Feat as well". This way, it really IS just penalizing yourself to wait.

As for where the official ruling is, check the FAQ, I think it's there. They've clearly said before that you can't save up skill points or Feats.