Class features that sometimes mimic feats as prereqs

[schreier]

I was playing around with a character, trying to use the Lightning Mace / Aptitude weapon work around with a ranger/swordsage.

The Ranger two-weapon combat style gives them the benefit of two-weapon fighting as long as they are in light armor. The Swordsage Disciplince Focus gives them the benefit of weapon focus in a class of weapons, and the Desert Wind weapons include the light mace.

The Lightning Mace feat has the following prereqs: Combat Reflexes, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (light mace)

Can you take the Lightning Mace Feat as a level 2 Ranger/ Level 1 Swordsage with Combat Reflexes? I'm assuming you lose both two weapon fighting and lightning mace if you are in armor heavier than light?

What about if you replace Ranger with Barbarian level 1 with the City Brawler ACF? This ACF exchanges weapon and armor proficiencies for Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat, as well as the effects of Two-Weapon Fighting feat when fighting unarmed.

Would this allow you level 1 Swordsage / level 1 Barbarian City Brawler allow you to take Lightning Mace? Obviously, it would only work with light maces in that case unless you had a necklace of natural attacks with the aptitude enchantment.

Thoughts?

[Doctor Despair]

Masters of the Wild p. 20:


If a character has a class feature or special ability that exactly duplicates the effects of a feat, then he or she can use that “virtual feat” as a prerequisite for other feats, as well as prestige classes, and so forth. [...] If the character ever loses the virtual prerequisite, he or she also loses access to any feats or other benefits acquired through its existence. For example, a ranger who wears armor heavier than light loses access to the virtual feats noted above, and thereby to Greater Two-Weapon Fighting as well. Acquiring a virtual feat does not give a character access to its prerequisites.

[schreier]

So that definitely answers the question for ranger - thank you!

What do you think about the barbarian version (which only works with open handed attacked)? The "exactly duplicates" could be a problem, but it does exactly duplicate with open handed attacks so I'm not sure.