Thinking on your "feat": dynamic character design

[Randolpho]

Heh... Is anyone else reminded of the Red Mage from 8-bit Theater?

 

[Hand of Evil]

I have let my players keep free 'slots' for adventures allowing them to learn at try. If they failed they did get the feat/skill but at a disadvantage.

What got bad was keeping track if the players had a free slot.

 

[Sigma]

Cool idea. I've done something similar (allowing players to switch out spells/abilities they haven't used), but haven't considered doing it from the get-go. I like it!

 

[Fictionaut]

I allow players to "bank" feats in my current campaign, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. The dilemma of spending a feat on something generally useful versus saving one to spend on a life-saving but thereafter sub-optimal choice is an interesting one, and it saves a lot of time when creating characters at levels higher than 1st. It also helps discourage the acquisition of prestige classes for purely mechanical benefits, since prestige classes often have feats as prerequisites.

 

[CrazyMage]

An interesting idea to try in my own game. But what I really liked was your reference to Schrödinger--now I've got a new NPC idea: wizard with cat familiar. It the cat dead or alive? No one knows till you look in the box...

 

[ForceUser]

Hello, neat topic. Actually, we're exactly the opposite. The guys in my group meticulously plot out their feat progressions, squeezing every advantage they can out of the system. They have built some fearsome characters - all strictly legal. And funny, but among my friends, the concept of not choosing a feat until you need it for campaign purposes is not only foreign, but reviled. It's considered cheesy, and our DMs don't allow it. When you level, you choose your skills and feats. No saving them for the advantageous moment.

My guys are all about the character concept, which involves working magic with numbers and then slapping a roleplay label on it. The way you describe what your group does is fascinating, and sounds fun, but my friends would never go for it. We are powergamers at heart.