Zhure
First Post
Let's look at the "core" rules where "virtual" feats exist.
-Rangers and Ambidexterity/TWF. See above, wherein the SRD talks about Rangers being able to qualify for ITWF.
The rules are clear that ITWF pre-req's can be satisfied by the ranger virtual feats.
-Monks have a form of IUS.
"Improved Unarmed Strike...
Special: A monk fighting unarmed automatically gains the benefit of this feat. "
A monk gets Deflect Arrows (requires IUS), and Stunning Blow (ditto). This also strongly implies a link between virtual feats. The monk doesn't need to have the requisite Dex of 13+.
Monks also gain Improved Trip, specifically noting they do not have to have Expertise (and one presumes the required INT of 13+ as it isn't mentioned).
Monks have "Stunning Blow" rather than "Stunning Fist," but there's no denying the similarity between the two.
-Clerics of the War domain gain a martial weapon proficiency feat for that specific weapon as well as a weapon focus.
Speaking of weapon focus, it has a prerequisite of proficiency with the weapon and I hope we all can agree monk's can take Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strike even though they don't really have IUS. As a technicality, I suppose one can say all unarmed strikes are proficient (as per something Skip said awhile back), but it'd make more sense to only allow those with IUS to take Weapon Focus rather than the other way around.
-Wizards gain Scribe Scroll, although I don't see this as a "virtual feat" but rather as a specific granted feat.
--Fighters gain numerous bonus feats, all of which that have prerequisites must have those pre-req's met before they can be gained.
-Armor Feats: every class with "heavy" has "medium." Everyone with "medium" has "light," all of which are prerequisites. (Druids are a specific and odd case, but still follow this pattern.) It could be said that Druids have a "virtual" medium armor proficiency.
-Rangers have Track.
The SRD says about feats: "Prerequisite: A minimum ability score, another feat or feats, a minimum base attack, a skill, or a level that a character must have in order to acquire this feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite. A feat may have more than one prerequisite. "
The implication here is that a prerequisite with a prerequisite can be short-circuited. Thus, one's STR dropping to 12 will eliminate Power Attack, which will eliminate Cleave and all the other feats in that chain. But there are a few odd cases, like the Blackguard needing Sunder but not Power Attack. Sure, there's no core way to get Sunder without PA, but by a strict reading, there's the possibility of doing so, as shown by the monk's virtual feats and the ranger's virtual feats.
That's just from "core." The only generalizations we can draw from the above is that some feats are available in two forms, real, regular feats and "virtual" ones (like familiar's granting Alertness, and Ranger's Ambi/TWF, or Monk's IUS). The two are very similar to each other but the ones granted by class usually come with some restriction.
The only case where a specific prerequisite is mentioned is in Ambi/TWF and ITWF and it's clear that the Ranger can still qualify for ITWF.
Examining S&F and all the other splat-books, it's clear the "virtual" feats act as prerequisites. It's specifically spelled out in each of those books.
Since we're talking about "core" rules anyway, none of the PrC require Alertness so it's a moot point. We have to take into account the material that brings up the question in the first place.
If one's familiar dies, one is clearly out the use of Alertness (let's hope no one is arguing the deceased body of a familiar counts as the familiar's presence). It stands to reason that a PrC dependent upon Alertness would also be unavailable as per the DMG, page 27:
"Should a character find herself in a position ... where she no longer meets the requirements of a prestige class, she loses all special abliities (but not HD, attack bonus or base save bonus) gained from levels of the prestige class."
When the familiar is resurrected or returns within five feet, then the abilities would return. Personally, I'd not disallow a Sor/Wiz from using his virtual Alertness to qualify for Shifter, but he'd better be aware as soon as his familiar jets away more than five feet he'll lose the ability to use greater wildshape and a host of other abilities.
Greg
-Rangers and Ambidexterity/TWF. See above, wherein the SRD talks about Rangers being able to qualify for ITWF.
The rules are clear that ITWF pre-req's can be satisfied by the ranger virtual feats.
-Monks have a form of IUS.
"Improved Unarmed Strike...
Special: A monk fighting unarmed automatically gains the benefit of this feat. "
A monk gets Deflect Arrows (requires IUS), and Stunning Blow (ditto). This also strongly implies a link between virtual feats. The monk doesn't need to have the requisite Dex of 13+.
Monks also gain Improved Trip, specifically noting they do not have to have Expertise (and one presumes the required INT of 13+ as it isn't mentioned).
Monks have "Stunning Blow" rather than "Stunning Fist," but there's no denying the similarity between the two.
-Clerics of the War domain gain a martial weapon proficiency feat for that specific weapon as well as a weapon focus.
Speaking of weapon focus, it has a prerequisite of proficiency with the weapon and I hope we all can agree monk's can take Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strike even though they don't really have IUS. As a technicality, I suppose one can say all unarmed strikes are proficient (as per something Skip said awhile back), but it'd make more sense to only allow those with IUS to take Weapon Focus rather than the other way around.
-Wizards gain Scribe Scroll, although I don't see this as a "virtual feat" but rather as a specific granted feat.
--Fighters gain numerous bonus feats, all of which that have prerequisites must have those pre-req's met before they can be gained.
-Armor Feats: every class with "heavy" has "medium." Everyone with "medium" has "light," all of which are prerequisites. (Druids are a specific and odd case, but still follow this pattern.) It could be said that Druids have a "virtual" medium armor proficiency.
-Rangers have Track.
The SRD says about feats: "Prerequisite: A minimum ability score, another feat or feats, a minimum base attack, a skill, or a level that a character must have in order to acquire this feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite. A feat may have more than one prerequisite. "
The implication here is that a prerequisite with a prerequisite can be short-circuited. Thus, one's STR dropping to 12 will eliminate Power Attack, which will eliminate Cleave and all the other feats in that chain. But there are a few odd cases, like the Blackguard needing Sunder but not Power Attack. Sure, there's no core way to get Sunder without PA, but by a strict reading, there's the possibility of doing so, as shown by the monk's virtual feats and the ranger's virtual feats.
That's just from "core." The only generalizations we can draw from the above is that some feats are available in two forms, real, regular feats and "virtual" ones (like familiar's granting Alertness, and Ranger's Ambi/TWF, or Monk's IUS). The two are very similar to each other but the ones granted by class usually come with some restriction.
The only case where a specific prerequisite is mentioned is in Ambi/TWF and ITWF and it's clear that the Ranger can still qualify for ITWF.
Examining S&F and all the other splat-books, it's clear the "virtual" feats act as prerequisites. It's specifically spelled out in each of those books.
Since we're talking about "core" rules anyway, none of the PrC require Alertness so it's a moot point. We have to take into account the material that brings up the question in the first place.
If one's familiar dies, one is clearly out the use of Alertness (let's hope no one is arguing the deceased body of a familiar counts as the familiar's presence). It stands to reason that a PrC dependent upon Alertness would also be unavailable as per the DMG, page 27:
"Should a character find herself in a position ... where she no longer meets the requirements of a prestige class, she loses all special abliities (but not HD, attack bonus or base save bonus) gained from levels of the prestige class."
When the familiar is resurrected or returns within five feet, then the abilities would return. Personally, I'd not disallow a Sor/Wiz from using his virtual Alertness to qualify for Shifter, but he'd better be aware as soon as his familiar jets away more than five feet he'll lose the ability to use greater wildshape and a host of other abilities.
Greg
