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View Full Version : Rules Q&A Losing Feats When Changing Forms



SirNibbles
2017-09-17, 05:40 PM
What happens when you Wild Shape, Shapechange, Polymorph, etc. into a form whose stats are insufficient to meet the prerequisites of some of your feats?

For example, let's say I'm a Druid 6/Fist of the Forest 3. All my stats are 14. I have the Power Attack and Dodge feats. I use my Wild Shape to change into a Medium Viper (STR 8, DEX 17).

Because my STR is now 8, I no longer qualify for the Power Attack feat.

From the SRD: "Some feats have prerequisites. Your character must have the indicated ability score, class feature, feat, skill, base attack bonus, or other quality designated in order to select or use that feat. A character can gain a feat at the same level at which he or she gains the prerequisite.

A character can’t use a feat if he or she has lost a prerequisite."

"Meeting Class Requirements: It’s possible for a character to take levels in a prestige class and later be in a position where the character no longer qualifies to be a member of the class. An alignment change, levels lost because of character death, or the loss of a magic item that granted an important ability are examples of events that can make a character ineligible to advance farther in a prestige class. If a character no longer meets the requirements for a prestige class, he or she loses the benefit of any class features or other special abilities granted by the class. The character retains Hit Dice gained from advancing in the class as well as any improvements to base attack bonus and base save bonuses that the class provided." - Complete Warrior, page 15
(I've heard some arguments that this only applies to the PrCs in Complete Warrior).

Would my Druid lose all benefits of the Fist of the Forest PrC since he no longer qualifies for it? Would I simply be unable to use Power Attack while in Viper form?

Chronikoce
2017-09-17, 05:52 PM
Fist of the Forest wasn't printed in Complete Warrior so the answer is no, you're fine.

The rules for prestige classes in the DMG are the primary rules. The rules in complete warrior are specific alterations to the rules that only apply to Complete Warrior. Complete warrior doesn't have the authority to override the DMG on general rules for any content printed in other books because it isn't a problem source.

--Edit--
To add a bit more info

General Rule: must meet pre-requisite at level 1 of a prestige class but lose no features if pre-requisite is lost.

This is vital because there are classes in the DMG that cause themselves to lose their own prerequisites.

Specific Rule in Complete Warrior: does exactly what you are stating but this rule only applies to any prestige class printed in Complete Warrior (and Complete Arcane I think because that book also included this limitation for prestige classes)

As a result any prestige class from other books follows the general rules from the primary source and is not subject to specific rules unless those rules are printed in the same book as the prestige class in question.

You still lose power attack of course because of the general feat rule, but you won't lose any Fist of the Forest class abilities.