A feat is like a Magic card...

[pdkoning]

A feat is like a Magic card, because lots of different feats
And given the costs, prerequisites and suchlike, they're meant to be balanced against each other.

There is a difference, cards can be discarded, sacrificed, during the game. Feats are usually there to last during the whole game. Also, instants, sorceries, have one-time effects, while I can use my 'weapon focus' feat all the time.
Maybe enchantments are like feats.

I would say D&D spells are more like magic cards, but that is what magic is all about... spells.

 

[Flyspeck23]

Next thing you know WotC is going to be selling booster packs with feats in them! You can't take a particular feat unless you can show the DM that you have the Feat Card. Some will be rarer than others meaning you are going to have to trade around to get that Super Secret Rare Foil Whirlwind Attack Feat Card!

Feat Cards... hmmm...
Nice idea

 

[OakwoodDM]

How many different Magic Cards are in existence? There must be several thousand by now. Though some of them do the same thing. Of course, you could say the same thing about feats.

Given the number of d20 publishers, I imagine the number of feats is also pretty huge- does anyone know how many? I bet that even if you added all the prestige classes in, the number of magic cards would still outnumber them.

Strange you should ask that today. See today's Ask Wizards column on the Magic website ( http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/askwizards/0401 ).
There it says:

"There are 6681 functionally different cards out there. That's a lot of cards, and it would take a while to collect them. But, it wouldn't take nearly as long as collecting all the different versions of those 6681 cards. Counting all languages, versions, sets, etc, there are an amazing 112,500 different Magic cards in existence (give or take a few - even we don't know the exact number)."

 

[MerricB]

There is a difference, cards can be discarded, sacrificed, during the game. Feats are usually there to last during the whole game. Also, instants, sorceries, have one-time effects, while I can use my 'weapon focus' feat all the time.
Maybe enchantments are like feats.

The line becomes blurred with some of the Psionic feats.

However, it's the modular nature of feats that I primarily refer to, and the way they interact with each other.

Consider Great Cleave and Whirlwind Attack in 3E: an interaction that you would not expect from reading the feats individually.

Cheers!

 

[Mystic_23]

A feat is like a Magic card, because lots of different feats can be designed, they have various costs (prerequisites), and they do different things.

And given the costs, prerequisites and suchlike, they're meant to be balanced against each other.

(The same applies to classes, magic items, prestige classes, skills and spells, to greater or lesser degrees).

What makes balancing all of them so much harder is the timeframe D&D is played on compared to Magic. A single game of D&D takes months if not years - a single game of Magic takes 20-30 minutes.

Just a thought.

Cheers!

The only thing I would say about this is...I don't think Magic: TG cards are quite as concerned about being balanced against each other (at least a lot of them aren't). That's why when we play, there are several cards that for one reason or another, we've banned from play. Either WAY too powerful, or just too powerful for the cost. But, I guess that's a personal thing.

Other than that, I'd say, spot on, Merric.

 

[Thanee]

"Hi there, I have this Weapon Focus feat, I really don't need. I think it's a common. Anyone got a Spell Focus for me? Preferably for the enchantment or illusion schools."



Bye
Thanee

 

[MerricB]

The only thing I would say about this is...I don't think Magic: TG cards are quite as concerned about being balanced against each other (at least a lot of them aren't). That's why when we play, there are several cards that for one reason or another, we've banned from play. Either WAY too powerful, or just too powerful for the cost. But, I guess that's a personal thing.

Oh, there's definitely a desire for some sort of balance between Magic cards... but it is nowhere near perfect. And there are some cards that you wonder how they got printed.

It's all part of pushing the boundaries, though. You could print nothing but Grizzly Bears (or Weapon Focus), but the game wouldn't be anywhere as much fun.

Cheers!

 

[MerricB]

MerricB, ph34r, you've given me a great idea for Munchkin d20. Thanks!

I'm very glad to be of service - good luck with the designing!

Cheers!

 

[Thanee]

And there are some cards that you wonder how they got printed.

You're right, magic cards are like feats sometimes...

Bye
Thanee

 

[diaglo]

You're right, magic cards are like feats sometimes...

ditto.

feats are also like video game power ups, too.