Question: Can You Delay Taking a Feat?
- Thread starter Aluvial
- Start date
Nonlethal Force
First Post
Short answer: no.
Long Answer: Game balance as far as PrCs go is built on players only being able to take feats at certain levels and if players can delay feats they can actually get into PrCs faster than conventional balance dictates. So if a strict understanding of balance is important to you, then it should not be allowed. However, I don't have too much of a problem with it so long as I have an understanding of why the player wants to do it and so long as the reason is justified.
Long Answer: Game balance as far as PrCs go is built on players only being able to take feats at certain levels and if players can delay feats they can actually get into PrCs faster than conventional balance dictates. So if a strict understanding of balance is important to you, then it should not be allowed. However, I don't have too much of a problem with it so long as I have an understanding of why the player wants to do it and so long as the reason is justified.
frankthedm
First Post
No they can't. IIRC wotc says Use it or loose it.
If they can't figure out what they want, i myself would let them wait on it, but in no way does waiting to take your 4th level feat let you use that particular 'feat slot' it on a 6th level feat.
If they can't figure out what they want, i myself would let them wait on it, but in no way does waiting to take your 4th level feat let you use that particular 'feat slot' it on a 6th level feat.
Last edited:
rgard
Adventurer
I'd let them do it. Let them pencil in the feat (but not be able to use it as they don't yet qualify) and say that they are working to learn it over the next level.
The character is not benefitting from the additional feat while others of the same level pick and use a feat.
I think it's enough of a trade off.
Thanks,
Rich
pawsplay
Hero
Imagine you were running a level 23 game. Now imagine you allowed your PCs to delay taking a feat "in order to meet a prereq." Now imagine spending all your saved up feats on Epic abilities.
roguerouge
First Post
Where delaying taking a feat becomes unbalancing is in creating new characters of higher than first level. If you've allowed them to delay taking feats, they can be more efficient about getting into the prestige class with none of the penalty of playing without feats.
El Mahdi
Muad'Dib of the Anauroch
Yikes. That would be a scary scenario. Maybe not quite as off-the-chain scary because of pre-requisite feats, but still that could get dicey very quick. Not to mention having a very weak character until you start stacking all of those epic feats.I guess if you did it on a case by case basis, and the player had a pretty strong justification for it, and allowing no more than one deferred Feat at a time (no hoarding) - then it may not be a problem. Otherwise I could see things unbalancing pretty fast (weak characters at first - then if they survived, sudden uber-characters).
rgard
Adventurer
Ok, your example is not exactly the scenario the OP presented, but here you go...
You could limit the delayed feat scenario to only one delayed feat at a time. If that still creates too much difficulty, only allow the pc to do it once.
Thanks,
Rich
Flatus Maximus
First Post
"When I hear the word [epic], I reach for my gun."
pawsplay
Hero
"Imagine you were running a level 23 game. Now imagine you were insane. But I repeat myself..."
