feats - "normal" versus "bonus" question

[old school 1E]

Hey all!

As my name implies, I am still new to the 3.5 rules. I was checking out the public domain info on the new rules, and I was hoping someone could clarify something for me.

I think a friend of mine in chat told me a while ago that all classes gain a new feat every 4 levels. This is in addition to any bonus feats that would be assigned at levels per class. Is this true, or do you only get additional feats on "bonus" levels?

Thanks for help in clarifying this.

 

[Sithobi1]

you get 1 feat every 3 levels, starting at 3rd, +1 at 1st, so:
1,3,6,9,12,15,18
you get 1 ability score increase every 4 lvls, starting at 4, so:
4,8,12,16,20

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

First, welcome to the boards and welcome to 3.5E D&D!

Everybody gains another feat every *3 character* levels.

So, what's a character level?

Everyone starts out at character level 1. They get to pick which class this applies to. So, a Fighter 1, Wizard 1, and a Rogue 1 are all 1st-level characters.

When they each get 1,000xp, they go up a character level. When you go up a level, you choose which class to gain a level in. This is how you multiclass. So, our Fighter from above decides to stay a Fighter, and becomes a Fighter 2. So does the Wizard - so he's a Wizard 2.

The Rogue, however, decides to multiclass, and takes a level in Cleric. He's now a Rogue 1 / Cleric 1, though like his friends, he's still a 2nd-level character.

When everyone gets enough experience again, they go up another level. At this point, they're Character Level 3. The Fighter keeps on fightin' - Fighter 3. The Wizard keeps on spellin' - Wizard 3.

The Rogue / Cleric decides to improve his rogueish abilities, and becomes a Rogue 2 / Cleric 1.

Then, because everyone is a 3rd-level Character, everyone gains another feat.

Make sense?

 

[Steve Jung]

You get a feat at first level and at every character level evenly divisible by 3. This is in addition to bonus or virtual feats gained from your class(es). So a 6th level fighter gets 2 feats--one for being a 6th-level character and one bonus fighter feat for being a 6th-level fighter.

 

[Hypersmurf]

In general, creatures gain one feat with their first hit die, and one feat at every third hit die (3, 6, 9, etc).

For most PCs, hit dice and level are equal.

Note that it's not for reaching level 3 in a particular class, though.

A multi-classed Ftr1/Wiz1 levels up to Ftr1/Wiz2 - he gets a feat, because he now has three levels (and thus three hit dice). If he gains another level, becoming a Ftr1/Wiz3, he doesn't get another feat yet. The Wiz3 is irrelevant in this case; his total number of levels (1 + 3) is not a multiple of three, so no feat.

-Hyp.

 

[old school 1E]

thanks everyone!

That clarified things a lot for me. I was going to ask about the ability score thing and you answered that as well.

Thanks for the quick responses everyone!

 

[Meeki]

Yes, as hypersmurf said you get one at every 3 HIT DIE and one at first HIT DIE. This is because not everything has a class. Most monsters don't but they have feats because of the number of HD they have.

Bonus feats, however, are what a warrior gets every other level, and one at first, also what wizards get at 5th level and every 5. However these are restricted to certain feats under the class description. Monsters also get bonus feats, whenever you see the superscript B next to a monster feat that is a bonus feat. Its important to note these because when spells such as polymorph are used only certain abilities and the bonus feats are gained. To learn all about building monsters go to the back of the monster manual.

 

[Kast]

Humans, as a racial trait, also get a bonus feat at first level.