Earned feats

[avigor]

One thing I've thought of is how feats are acquired; has anyone attempted to develop/implement a variant where accomplishing a "feat" grants bonuses of an appropriate sort? The original requirements would stay the same, and everyone would have a cap on known feats based on character and class level. This would also make getting some feats require explanations, when appropriate. Examples of acquisition methods (haven't put a lot of time into this, though):

Weapon Focus: Hit 10 times in a row in combat, spreadible over three days worth of fights if neccessary.

Weapon Specialization: Hit and deal damage 18 out of 20 attacks in combat (i.e., get past any damage reduction with or without enchantment doesn't matter), spreadible over three days worth of fights if neccessary.

Improved Critical: Score 3 critical hits within an appropriate number of consecutive turns of combat, determined by weapon's base crit range, spreadible over three days worth of fights if neccessary:
Natural 20: 20 attack rolls.
19-20: 17 attack rolls.
18-20: 14 attack rolls.

Skill Focus: Use a skill successfully at least 10 times in one week.

Dodge: Be missed in combat 5 times in a row.

Mobility: Be untouched by 5 consecutive attacks of opportunity.

Leadership: Somehow inspire someone to do something for you, or intimidate enough people to follow you around.

Maximize Spell: Get maximum damage with any spell twice in five castings.

Empower Spell: Get from 60-100% possible damage with any spell four times in six castings.

Spell Focus: Use a spell from the appropriate school that has a saving throw five times in succession, without the target succeeding at the save more than once. The target may not be a willing subject.

Two-Weapon Fighting: Strike with both weapons 3 out of 5 attacks with each.

Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting: Attack with two weapons, neither of which is light, and hit 4 out of 5 times with each weapon.



Like I said, I haven't put a lot of time into these so the actual requirements will probably be different, but the general idea is you perform a related task successfully in game in order to get the feat rather than just getting it at a level-up. This would probably work best if you like the training variant I saw somewhere; I think it was the DMG. I can't think right now; it's 2:24 AM here. Lights out.

 

[dvvega]

One thing that I noticed from your list of ideas is that some are mechanically described while others are roleplaying based - Leadership vs Weapon Focus.

If you want the system to be viable (and fair) then you should stick to either mechanical or roleplaying.

Secondly, why go through this at all? If you want some justification for people selecting feats then it can be handled with DM ruling/roleplaying anyway. For example: if you use the training rules then their trainer must have the feat.

If they are self trained then you can come up with the concept of "attempted use" with the player. For example Weapon Focus could be the reliance of a particular weapon more often than another (Longsword vs Longbow) for example.

Apart from that if you really want to use a mechancial approach you should also make all feats as easy to achieve as all the others. This is valid even for things like Mobility since it has a pre-requisite of Dodge. Meaning it will be twice as hard to get (since you have to achieve twice as much).

 

[avigor]

Like the last paragraph said: It was 2 AM, and I've barely put any thought into the idea.

Basically, it's based on interpreting the word "feat" as an accomplishment/achievement rather than as an abbreviation of "feature", as the current system feals like to me.

The requirements I listed was what my half-asleep brain came up with. I like the RP approach more, such as weapon focus being based on dependence on the weapon type over a period of time. Either way, I need to put some more thought into this and repost with a bunch of changes; I'll probably change at least some of the normal feat prerequisites as well, and this'll also extend to prestige class entry.

I'm thinking weapon focus would be mostly self-trained, while improved critical would either be learned from others or self-trained by those who depend on precision-based damage (sneak attacks and the like). Dodge and mobility would come to those with high dex scores and minimal/no armor very easily, as would weapon finesse.


On a side note, I'm tempted to alter weapon finesse so it becomes an alternate weapon proficiency feat type, so you can learn to use your dex right from the off without ever learning to rely on strength. The side-effect of this would be your char would be stuck on using his dex bonus unless he also took the normal proficiency feat as well. I might limit this acquisition method to those with precision-based damage; not sure.

I need to just get my notes together and make it into a formal first draft of the alternate rules I'm trying to come up with, rather than putting an idea or two down at a time.

 

[starwed]

Basically, it's based on interpreting the word "feat" as an accomplishment/achievement rather than as an abbreviation of "feature", as the current system feels like to me.

The word feat is actually used for this sort of thing outside a gaming context. The Celtic word for the combat tricks heroic warriors trained in is usually translated as feat. The descriptions I've read in an anthro book sounded pretty much exactly like D&D combat feats. Here is a webpage which mentions the term as well.