Training to learn (additional) feats?

[Scion]

If you are going to have them give up skill points then make up a list of feats that people generally dont get or have limited usefulness. Put it up as an optioin to give up half of the skill points you get in a level to gain one of these feats. At the same time let them be used as prereq's. Just treat them like a normal feat. I think it'd be cool for fighters, who get pretty much nothing but feats anyway, to specialize in being the feat master of less than useful feats Its not like his skill points are usually used for anything impressive anyway, and if the feats are mostly marginal then it should only add flavor (especially the +2/+2, it'll be a boost for him true, but generally skill ranks are better than a boost). No other costs necissary, although you could put in training time/money I suppose.

 

[the Jester]

I'll allow a pc to buy training. It takes time and money and earns a slow rate of return in xps. If they gain a level divisible by 3, it comes with a feat. Certain classes also gain bonus feats as usual. That's how I run this kind of thing.

I firmly believe that giving a character a feat that their character hasn't earned as a part of level advancement throws off the character's balance vis a vis other characters of equal level and challenges. A magic item that grants a feat is fundamentally different because it can be lost, dispelled or suppressed and because it (generally) takes up an item slot.

 

[CombatWombat51]

I've always wanted to allow training for feats, but never could manage to finish the mechanics of it. I wanted a cleaner pricing system, but I temporarily abandoned it. This is what I've got so far. I never got around to balancing it against magic items, though IMC, magic item are distributed quite differently, so it was never an issue
Note that it hasn't been updated for 3.5, though I'm not sure that anything needs updating.

Profession: Instructor
Wis; Trained Only
You can teach characters some of your knowledge.
Check: You can teach a character a feat.
You can only teach a feat if you are at least 4 levels above the minimum level required for the feat, the student meets the prerequisites, and you and the student spend 8 hours a day, at least 5 days a week, on training. You must expend one third of the market price in raw materials (writing implements, training dummies, targets, etc.). You must also expend a one-time fee for nonexpendable materials (desks, books, practice weapons, etc.) for your facility. The one-time fee is equal to half of the market price of the most expensive feat you can (or will) teach. You can upgrade your facility by paying the difference in the cost of the old facility and the new facility.
First you must calculate the market price of the feat. Start with a base market price of 1,000 gp. Add 500 gp to the market price the feat is something other than a general feat. If the student isn’t the right class to get the feat at the minimum level, add 500 gp to the market price. If you and the student have an alignment that is opposite at all (Lawful and Chaotic, or Good and Evil), add 500 gp to the market price, and this stacks (if you are Chaotic Good and your student is Lawful Evil, for example). If a unique class ability is required (rage, turn undead, etc), add 500 gp. For every feat in the feat’s prerequisites, add 250 gp to the market price. If the feat has a base attack bonus prerequisites, add 250 gp per point of required base attack bonus. If the feat requires an ability score, add 250 gp to the market price for every ability modifier required. If the feat requires a minimum level, add 250 gp to the market price for every level required.
Next, determine how long it takes to teach the student the feat. Make a Profession: Instructor check, and the student makes an Intelligence check. The student gets a bonus to his check for every class level that he is above the minimum level required to learn the feat. Multiply the results together. If this number equals the market price of the feat, then the student has learned the feat. If the number doesn’t equal the market price, then it represents progress you’ve made this day (8 hours of work for you and the student). Record the result, and make a check tomorrow. Each day you make more progress until your total reaches the market price of the feat.
If either you or the student rolls a natural 1 on the checks, then no progress is made that day.
You may only instruct a number of students equal to your Charisma modifier per day, and you can only teach a different amount of feats per day equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).
A student may learn only a number of feats equal to his Intelligence modifier in this way. When the student has the chance to learn a feat normally, he can choose to ‘”learn” one of these feats instead of gaining a new feat, thus freeing up the ‘slot’ that the feat took up.
Retry: You can make as many checks as it takes to teach a student a skill.
Special: If you and your student both have 5 ranks in Knowledge: Arcana, you each get a +2 synergy bonus your checks when you’re teaching/learning an Item Creation or Metamagic feat.
If you and your student both have 5 ranks in Knowledge: Religion, you each get a +2 synergy bonus your checks when you’re teaching/learning an Item Creation or Metamagic feat.
Notes: An instructor would generally charge a student an amount equal to the market price of the feat in question, but the instructor is free to charge whatever he likes, even charging per day, as opposed to a flat price.

Example Market Prices
Alertness		          1,000 gp
Ambidexterity			1,500 gp
Armor Proficiency: Light	    1,000 gp
Armor Proficiency: Medium	   1,250 gp
Armor Proficiency: Heavy	   1,500 gp
Dodge				1,250 gp
Mobility		         1,500 gp
Spring Attack			2,750 gp
Expertise			1,250 gp
Improved Disarm		        1,500 gp
Improved Trip			1,500 gp
Whirlwind Attack		3,500 gp
Improved Critical		3,000 gp
Power Attack			1,250 gp
Cleave				1,500 gp
Great Cleave			2,750 gp
Weapon Focus			1,250 gp
Weapon Specialization		2,250 gp
Silent Spell			2,000 gp
Craft Staff			5,000 gp

 

[Nifft]

IMC, I allow up to:

- 2 Feats from Wish
- 2 Feats from Divine Intervention (gift directly from a God)
- 1 Feat for Good RP Reward from the Mysterious Meta-God

None of my players have earned any of those (yet). Given the high requirements, I would not allow Feats to be bought for less than the price of a Wish spell.

-- N

 

[ciaran00]

I wouldn't with feats, but in my game even if he did I would stick additional CR on his character using Upper_Krust's marvelous system. This allows players to improve themselves in ways not defined in classes (ie: I want stick glands in my mouth that shoot fire when I breathe the right way).

ciaran