Qualifying for feats...

[TracerBullet42]

I'll just get specific...I'm playing an archer who is interested in the manyshot feat. I have a DEX of 16, so I don't qualify for the feat. If I were to obtain some gloves of DEX+2, would I be able to take the feat? Or must I have the natural ability to get it?

Thanks

 

[the Jester]

I may be wrong, but I believe you can qualify this way. The catch is, if you lose the item, you can't use the feat or any other feats that depend on that item for you to meet the prereqs.

 

[Silverglass]

If you qualify for a feat by using an item then you can take the feat, however you can only use that feat while you do meet its qualifications, so in your example if the PC ever lost those gloves they would not be able to use Manyshot until such a time as they had a Dex of 16 or higher again.

 

[The Souljourner]

I'll go contrary to what everyone else has said and say that it's not spelled out in the rules. As far as I know, there is no rule specifically answering your question. I've heard people rule both ways, and personally I'd rule that you have to have the stat without any items, but maybe that's just me (and my current DM).

-The Souljourner

 

[FCWesel]

Yeah, its not overly made clear in the rules/srd, which says:

PREREQUISITES

Some feats have prerequisites. Your character must have the indicated ability score, class feature, feat, skill, base attack bonus, or other quality designated in order to select or use that feat. A character can gain a feat at the same level at which he or she gains the prerequisite.

A character can’t use a feat if he or she has lost a prerequisite.

For me and my table I would have to say that Pre-reqs should be met without aid, say from the aforementioned gloves, if only from the fact that its almost always a action on the GMs part to have a PC lose an item or device and if that's all that's keeping that PC from keeping that ability/feat too...well, that's just "extra painful" for a player/player character.

Some may say that that's tough luck and the player would be dumb for taking a feat he could lose/waste "so easily", but I guess its just me. Better to make pre-req's a little tougher to make the game more fun in the long run.

Along the same lines, if a wizard PC has a head band of intellect on all the time does he get the bonus spells, ability to cast higher level spells too?

EDIT:
Just thought of something else. When you wear an item that boosts an Ability. It doesn't change your Ability, it merely gives you a Temproary Ability Score (its why its on every 3.0/3.5 PC Sheet made, practically). Thus the SRD's definition of "Your character must have the indicated ability score" is not "technically" being met, as the gloves would give you a Temporary DEX of 18, not a Dex of 18.

It might be nit-picky, but it is a viable answer, I think.
...well...its a thought at least...

 

[Li Shenron]

I am undecided. Items usually give you an enhancement bonus, not an increase to the ability, so somehow he still has dexterity 16 + 2 enhancement bonus. At the same time, Wish gives you an inherent bonus, and that is always been treated as an ability increase... Clearly, what matters in practical things (i.e. rolls ) it's the total, no matter if coming from a straight 18, a 10 + 8 or a 20 - 2.

I don't like letting someone take a feat if he qualifies only thanks to a magic item, but I see your points.

On the other hand, what I really don't understand is why do you allow items to help qualify for a feat and not for a prestige class? Why nobody doubts that you must use skill ranks to qualify for a PrCl and not the real skill total modifier?

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Why nobody doubts that you must use skill ranks to qualify for a PrCl and not the real skill total modifier?

Because Prerequisites are spelled out clearly as:
Knowledge (cupcakes): 7 ranks and not
Knowledge (cupcakes) skill modifier: +7

AR

 

[MerakSpielman]

Of course, lots of feats from the Epic Level Handbook would be unattainable if you can't use items to increase your stats. If you have a natural 18, you can't get higher than a 25 (+5 inherent bonus, +2 racial bonus) to a stat without items.

 

[DanMcS]

Of course, lots of feats from the Epic Level Handbook would be unattainable if you can't use items to increase your stats. If you have a natural 18, you can't get higher than a 25 (+5 inherent bonus, +2 racial bonus) to a stat without items.

An inherent bonus is one you get from wishes or one of those manuals, right? You can get an additional +5 from level-based increases, which are unnamed (I think). Hang on, let me check the SRD. And of course, rules on levelling up aren't in the SRD, so I can't check. Bah.

 

[MerakSpielman]

I forgot about level increases. So we're up to +30 without magic items, and you had to have a natural 18 in the score to begin with, and be a race that get's +2 to that score.

Anybody with an ELH on hand - are there any feats that require an ability of higher than 30?