Plot-writing feats (and other abilities)

[Frog Dragon]

I've run into an annoying tendency in some 3.5 books, particularly Eberron books, to have feats and abilities that try to slap mechanics or make feats of things and shouldn't have such in the first place.

For example, the "Favored in House" feat, found in the Eberron Campaign Setting. I see precisely zero reason for this to be a feat rather than something to be RP:ed with social skills.

Leadership honestly kind of goes in the same boat, but the power to have followers around you is good enough that a mechanical investment can be justified, but I simply cannot fathom why a character's in game relations with an organization would be made into a feat.

Thoughts?

[Mystify]

I tend to agree, RP should get RP advantages, feats should get mechanical advantages. Calling in favors should be the benefit of good roleplaying, not a feat investment.

[Rossebay]

I very much agree with this.

But what about things like Wedded to History?
Wedded alters the plotline itself, but isn't something that can be roleplayed.