What do you do for... Feats?

[Li Shenron]

I also mean the feats themselves guys ;o!

For Toughness I do:

Req: Con 13
2 + Level.

Basically I keep them all as written in 3.0.

Which means that a few may be quite weak but not really useless, and none is questioned as too powerful.

 

[Storyteller01]

I allow my players to purchase feats using XP.

3,000 XP + 1,500 XP for every prereq. feat

Things like BAB, Ability to cast, etc don't count.

The character still needs to meet all prereq. before taking the feat as well.

Its worked great so far. No one is overpowered and the fighter is still the feat monkey of the group. Its really helps feat starved classes like Paladins, Clerics, Wizards, and Monks.

I do the same, but I use a variation of the quintessential gnome rules for books. 300 xp x your current level; you can't buy more than two per level; you have to find a book (which have thier own costs, similar to magic items) or instructor to teach the feat.

We have to same result. The party uses it to either buy prerequisite feats or feats that add more flavor than mechanical help (our cleric will be buying the Physician feat).

 

[Storyteller01]

I agree. To use a method like this, the feat 'cost' should scale with character level. I would personally think that something along the lines of current Character Level x 500xp and a limit of only 1 additional feat is possible at each character level (max). This keeps a low level fellow from adventuring repeatedly at low levels and buying feats over and over again. The cost is still hefty enough for characters to pause before giving up leveling up for a feat. More stringent controls may even be necessary (like only 1 feat may be bought per 3, 4, or 5 levels), depending on your preference.

Keep in mind that not everyone will be buying 5 or 6 feats every level. You don't increase in anything related to your level (spells per day, hp, saves, etc). Do this too often and you end up like players using too many templates: lots of cools tricks with no staying power.

PS: we played a campaign where there was no feat limit. Those that went nuts died early. I use a limit to prevent the deaths, not the power creep.

 

[Storyteller01]

We use the item creation feats in Arcana Unearthed. Makes more sense in this fashion, at least for our campaign.

Natural spell requires Still Spell, Silent Spell, and Eschew Materials. Makes no sense to see a bird using somatic components while flying, as well as a few other discrepancies. Thematically, you give up your connection with the civilized world (talking, for starters) to gain spellcasting abilty in animal form.

Mainly stick with 3.0 feats though.

 

[smootrk]

Keep in mind that not everyone will be buying 5 or 6 feats every level. You don't increase in anything related to your level (spells per day, hp, saves, etc). Do this too often and you end up like players using too many templates: lots of cools tricks with no staying power.

PS: we played a campaign where there was no feat limit. Those that went nuts died early. I use a limit to prevent the deaths, not the power creep.

I agree somewhat, but a first level character with 5 feats is still 1st level (ECL 1) and could still be earning xp at that rate (given the sliding xp scale). This theoretical character would still be adventuring in appropriate ECL encounters and assuming the rest of the party follows a similar attitude, would be doing the same (keeping the overall ECL low). This hypothetical group would be getting better and better at dealing with these low level encounters due to the additional feats, while still earning xp as 1st level characters.

I agree that this is not likely - but is a loophole that can be exploited somewhat, especially when all/most of the group uses the same technique. Functional limits (and costs) should be in place, or.... like Crothian and others do, allow simply more feats (like 1/level), but this should also work for the foes (1 feat per hd, level, etc) that the party fights as well.