Feat (Dungeons & Dragons)

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Feats were introduced in the Third Edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game by Wizards of the Coast.

[edit] What is a Feat?

A feat is an advantage, often some special option for the character (such as a special combat maneuver) or some modification to game options and the mechanics involved. Feats can be contrasted with skills, which were also introduced in the same edition, in that using a feat does not require the particular success/fail roll that skills do. Instead of possessing a certain rank at a skill, a character either possesses a feat or does not.

Many feats, especially the most powerful ones, require certain prerequisites (such as related feats or minimum ability scores) in order to select that feat. Some feats work without having to be invoked, such as Polyglot and Alertness, while others, such as Whirlwind Attack and Up the Walls, must be declared before use.

[edit] Types of Feats

• General: General feats are feats that do not have any specific class- or race- aligned benefits. Examples of general feats include Armor Proficiency (Light) and Whirlwind Attack.
• Metamagic: Feats that require you to have spellcasting ability to use. They are used typically to modify how a spell is cast or behaves. Most metamagic feats increase the time it takes to cast or the level of spell slot it takes up. Examples are Still Spell and Extend Spell.
• Item Creation: As the name implies, Item Creation feats allow characters to create items. Examples are Craft Dorje and Brew Potion.
• Psionic: These feats were introduced in the Psionics Handbook for Third Edition and only function if a player has a psionic class. Most Psionic Feats require that a player have a certain amount of Power Points (PP) in reserve or pay a certain number of PP each time the ability is used. Examples are Psionic Metabolism and Deep Impact. In 3.5 Edition, the psionic focus was introduced, and most psionic feats now require you either be psionically focused or to expend such a focus.
• Metapsionic: This is the psionic version of a metamagic feat, and increases the PP cost of a power instead of its level or manifestation time. Examples are Twin Power and Persistent Power. In 3.5 Edition, metapsionic feats require that you expend your psionic focus.
• Epic: These feats are available only to characters level 21 or higher and have very difficult prerequisites to meet. Examples are Polyglot and Augmented Alchemy.
• Legacy: These feats are exclusive to those wielding a legacy weapon, and include the least, lesser, and greater legacy feats.
• Divine: These feats require that the user have the ability to turn or rebuke undead, which is usually restricted to the cleric or paladin. Examples are Glorious Weapons and Elemental Healing.
• Wild: These feats require that the user have the druid's ability to wild shape. Examples are Cheetah's Speed and Elephant's Hide.
• Vile: These feats, introduced in the Book of Vile Darkness, only function for evil characters. Examples are Willing Deformity and Verminfriend.
• Exalted: These feats, introduced in the Book of Exalted Deeds, only function for good characters. Examples are Quell the Profane and Stigmata.
• Special: These feats, such as Extra Turning and Spell Mastery, are only available to certain classes.
• Tactical: These feats, such as Elusive Target or Combat Brute allow the use of different combat maneuvers.
• Weapon Style: These feats give bonuses and extra combat options when using different combinations of weapons.
• Heritage: These feats, introduced in the Planar Handbook, give additional abilities based on the characters unique heritage (be it elemental, celestial, fiendish, draconic, or fey)
• Ceremony: Introduced in the Player's Handbook II, these grant benefits to characters that participate in a ceremony.
• Combat form: These feats grant benefits to a character that enters a meditative trance during combat.

One basic method to choose between feats is to divide them up as much for what they might add to the feel of the character as their practical advantages. For instance, for the initial Players Handbook list of feats, consider some feats as specialized: skill feats, magic and item creation feats, Turn Undead feats, saving throw feats, Weapon Finesse, mounted combat, ranged combat, and two-weapon combat feats. A character seeking more general combat bonuses can choose between weapon feats (Exotic Weapon, the Weapon Focus feat tree and Improved Critical) that they qualify for, strength-type feats (the Power Attack tree, Improved Unarmed Combat and Improved Grapple), speed-type feats (the Dodge tree, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Run, and probably the "maneuver" feats below as well), weapon maneuver-type feats (the Combat Expertise tree, Blind-Fight, Quick Draw and many of the "speed" feats above), Deflect Arrows feats (part of the Improved Unarmed Combat tree), and endurance feats (Endurance and Diehard).