Feats as Treasure?

[Deathmonger]

Just thinkin' out loud, here, folks - don't all pounce at once.

Has anyone tried giving out specific feats as treasure? What were your results?

My scenario: PCs just had contact with one of the campaign's sources of magical/natural power, and they did well but ended up basically treasureless. I'm considering having the source of power essentially "award" them an as-yet-to-be-determined-but-appropriate feat.

The cons: yes, additional feats mean additional power for the PCs. But no more so than, say, magical items which duplicate feats.

The pros: I get to decide what the feat is and just how useful it really is in future play. Even a relatively useless but cool-sounding feat that players wouldn't normally spend a slot on will feel like a cool reward, without the same balance issues that would come with awarding an extra feat slot.

I'm probably going to do this, but I'm wondering if its been done before and how/why.

 

[Joker]

I've done a similar thing. I've awarded a ritual that involves scarring and burning, essentially giving the Improved Toughness feat.

I think that if used sparingly and if it can be justified the players would really appreciate it. I doubt you will have to worry about balance issues.

Depending on the maturity of the players you might have to give all of them a "bonus" feat, otherwise some might feel left out.

 

[Infiniti2000]

If every PC gets it, then no problem. Just make sure you award similarly-powered feats for each PC and decide what to do about prerequisites, if any. As an extreme example, don't give one PC skill focus (basket-weaving) and another spring attack unless you are running the dreaded Basket Weaving Campaign.

 

[Crothian]

I've used magical books that give out feats like the magical books that increase ability scores before. It works well.

 

[Deathmonger]

Thanks!

Although it isn't right for my current situation, I like the book idea - then THEY get to pick who gets Spring Attack and who gets left with Skill Focus (Basketweaving).

Sounds like it hasn't broken anyones game.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Well, consider this case. Would raising the max hp of every PC by 10* be unbalancing? Certainly, each PC is not unbalanced with respect to each other (though their percentage differences change, possibly dramatically -- i.e. +10hp to an elven wizard is a much bigger change than +10hp to a dwarven barbarian), but they are no longer balanced with respect to the challenge ratings of the creature they encounter. It is most likely still less than 1CR, but it should be something you keep in the back of your mind.

* e.g. Improved Toughness at 10th level.

 

[the Jester]

Like Crothian, I've given out a magical tome that granted a feat. It hasn't broken anything- in fact, I'm not sure the pc has gotten any use out of it in about 12 levels!

 

[werk]

I've done this and not really had any problems, largely because the feat is not chosen by the player, so while generally useful, is not usually unbalancing.

It's usually situation specific, like they would be offered a feat from the mounted combat tree if they spent (a lot of) time accompanying cavalry patrols for a city, or they could take weapon prof/focus/spec after studying with the weaponmaster at his academy for a few months. I also do not forwarn players, like, "if you stay here you'll get this feat." so it is a reward of sorts for certain behavior.

I usually play feats as learned, but I can see how they could be given as rewards by something powerful enough to do so...but I still would not recommend awarding any feat of the players choosing unless you trust your players not to take advantage. That's like letting them 'pick an item from the DMG' when you are awarding treasure treasure.

 

[Crothian]

Well, consider this case. Would raising the max hp of every PC by 10* be unbalancing? Certainly, each PC is not unbalanced with respect to each other (though their percentage differences change, possibly dramatically -- i.e. +10hp to an elven wizard is a much bigger change than +10hp to a dwarven barbarian), but they are no longer balanced with respect to the challenge ratings of the creature they encounter. It is most likely still less than 1CR, but it should be something you keep in the back of your mind.

* e.g. Improved Toughness at 10th level.

Extra feats actually doesn't really alter the CR system. I give out feat every level and for the most part the PCs still do as well against foes of CR then when we use the normal feat progression.

 

[Shallown]

I had the regent of a country reward the characters by allowing them access to spheres that held ancient wisdom and knowledge. Basically they all sat in this large room that resembled a planetarium and thought on what they wished to learn. Mechanics wise I granted them each a feat they qualified for at the time. The interesting feat was one player took leadership with their feat so I had an extended tale of witnessing a battle between ancient armies and a goblin fought on thier side against the demons/devils. So I gave him his new cohort who knew nothing of modern times but new the true history of events that had been changed/altered by the desendents. Info the party needed.

I did Scenes for all the spheres so everyone got something more than "hey now you know spring attack". They got training montages and such.

later