Getting a bonus feat you already have

[Li Shenron]

Regarding combat style, rangers do not gain actual feats. They cannot use those benefits when they are wearing medium or heavy armor. So, if you use that house rule, someone formally capable of doing TWF or Rapid Shot in heavy armor suddenly become able to do it only in light armor. It seems really strange to me.

Oh yes! How did I forget that! You're right, there is still a (limited) reason for a Ranger to get the "real" feats, in which case it is perhaps best not to give any compensation at all, since it would be the same if they took those feats after getting the combat style pseudo-feats.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Hmm, in such a case that a ranger character really wanted their combat style early I would probably HR the following ('cause I'm a nice guy):

1) They can take the feat early, but they have the ranger restrictions
2) When they take the second feat, it must be one they would have met the prereques for when they took the first one

That way it would be mechanic-wise as if they had taken them "properly" but they didn't have to wait. I might be being too nice, but it seems fair.

 

[Yeoman]

Complete Arcane and Complete Adventurer both have PrCs that say "if the character already has this feat, select a different one instead." IMO, it would not be a significant houserule to say that applies across the board.

The core classes in the miniatures handbook have the same clauses.