Stat requirements

[Twowolves]

That's where I'd disagree with you. If you lose the benefit of Power Attack, I think you should likewise lose the benefit of any feat with Power Attack as a prerequisite.

Do the rules, or even FAQ, speak directly to this point? I'd be interested to know. But that's how I'd rule it.

From the SRD

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

All the feats in the Power Attack chain list both Power Attack and Str=13+ as prerequisites, but even if they failed to mention the strength requirement, the loss of strength would drop you out of the Power Attack feat that is also required.

 

[Artoomis]

From the SRD


All the feats in the Power Attack chain list both Power Attack and Str=13+ as prerequisites, but even if they failed to mention the strength requirement, the loss of strength would drop you out of the Power Attack feat that is also required.

Well, no, because you only have to have the feat, not the use of it, as a prereq for another feat. Except, of course, that the STR 13 requirement is listed for those other feats, too. We now reallly know why - because otherwise you could use them even if your STR became less than 13.

To play otherwise could be a very bad thing. You could, for example lose all benefits of a prestige class the relied on Power Attack as a pre-req if your STR dropped below 13, for example, and suddenly lose 10 levels of advancement because of a STR loss. Not a good idea.

Edit: One of the hardest things to do in D&D has always been handling ability and/or level loss in a way that does not suddenly stop game play while players have to re-calculate everything about their characters. It still is too hard, really.

 

[Twowolves]

I see what you are saying Artoomis. Hmmm. I wonder if every example of "chained" feats list the same stat requirements as the gateway feat. Power Attack, Combat Expertise, Dodge, all of these feat chains also list the same basic stat as a prerequisite as the starting feat, so I do think you are right. If there were a case where a feat farther into the chain didn't have a stat requirement but the gateway feat did, I can see a situation where a character could put on an item, boost his stat high enough to qualify for the gateway feat, then never use it for anything other than meeting prerequisites for other feats in the chain. But I can't find a chain like this, so oh well.

 

[Caliban]

I see what you are saying Artoomis. Hmmm. I wonder if every example of "chained" feats list the same stat requirements as the gateway feat. Power Attack, Combat Expertise, Dodge, all of these feat chains also list the same basic stat as a prerequisite as the starting feat, so I do think you are right. If there were a case where a feat farther into the chain didn't have a stat requirement but the gateway feat did, I can see a situation where a character could put on an item, boost his stat high enough to qualify for the gateway feat, then never use it for anything other than meeting prerequisites for other feats in the chain. But I can't find a chain like this, so oh well.

Those in the PHB do, but not every feat from other sources. Many of the Tactical Feats from Complete Warrior, for example.