Can Feat "slots" be held over?

[Zipher]

Hi,

I'm not sure if I missed the rule somewhere, or if it's been discussed already, but..

Can I choose not to use a feat slot when it becomes avalible? instead, can I "hold on to it" until the next time I level?

For example, I create a level 1 Rogue, I choose to hold my level 1 feat (not using it), and wait till level 2, where I pick up 1 level of Wizard, then use it?.

Thanks!

-Zipher

 

[CRGreathouse]

No, they can't be held over.

 

[LazarusLong42]

Not by the RAW. Your DM may vary.

(I would allow it, but only if no multiclassing was involved, and you already met the prerequisites for the feat at the level you should have taken the feat.)

 

[Kabol]

I dont see why not - as long as you use it for the class you where when you got the feat. Like you cant get a feat as a fighter. Hold on to it take next lvl as a wizard and use it for a meta-magic feat.

 

[UltimaGabe]

(I would allow it, but only if no multiclassing was involved, and you already met the prerequisites for the feat at the level you should have taken the feat.)

Same here- specifically about qualifying for the feat when you got the slot. No 6th-level Barbarians waiting two levels and picking up Improved Crit, because you didn't qualify for it when you got the feat slot.

If a person just couldn't decide, however, then I wouldn't penalize them by forcing them to take a feat they aren't sure of.

 

[xazil]

Although if you allow the XPH and have access to a friendly psion you may be able to get a psychic reformation to return to a past level to repick a feat as if you were that level. A great power for tuning your character to your concept if you found you messed things up some.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Note that doing this allows a few rules oddities that, arguably, were designed against.

For instance, a fighter that is permitted to bank feats can qualify for Whirlwind Attack at 4th level. A fighter otherwise can't take Whirlwind Attack until 6th level. (This occurs because both Spring Attack and Whirlwind Attack require a BAB of +4. The fighter has a BAB of +4 at 4th level, but, RAW, only has one feat to spend.) Obviously, Whirlwind Attack is substantially more powerful at 4th level than at 6th.

As for only allowing banking the feat if one is qualified at the proper level ... if the PC is qualified at the proper level, why would the player need to bank the feat? Why wouldn't he just take it?

I allow this, but I'm very careful with it. For instance, I'd allow a 1st-level fighter/2nd-level wizard to bank his 3rd-level feat if he intends to gain 3rd-level wizard and take Brew Potion. And I don't allow it unless the PC, advancing along a different path toward the same result, could have taken the feat. (For instance, a Fighter 1/Wizard 3 could, RAW, have Brew Potion ... if the level of fighter was his last.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

As others have already noted, no banking feats per the rules as written. I personally don't allow it. I do allow banking of levels. i.e. you don't have to level up right away, even if you have the required xp. But once you level, you have to choose all the benefits of that level.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I dont see why not - as long as you use it for the class you where when you got the feat. Like you cant get a feat as a fighter. Hold on to it take next lvl as a wizard and use it for a meta-magic feat.

Bad example. Metamagic Feats usually have no Prerequisites. Your fighter could know basically what to do with a spell in order to empower it, even without being able to cast a single spell.

 

[Darren Ravenshaw]

I personally don't allow it.

I do allow spellcasters to take an item creator feat they don't meet the prerequisite for at a lower level, but they cannot use the feat until they meet the prerequisites(such as allowing a 10th level wizard to use his bonus feat to take Forge Ring.