[3.5] Two feats regarding training (PEACH)

[Cicciograna]

Both Faerun and Eberron are full of universities, wizard academies, bardic colleges, military academies, knightly orders and the like; some of these places stand over the others for the quality of the training, such as Morgrave University in Eberron or the training grounds of the Purple Knights in Faerun: I designed two feats that could appeal to those who would like their PC to have been trained in an above-average structure.

SUPERIOR SCHOOLING

The character had access to some above-average learning institution where higher level concepts and techniques have been taught to him; such an institution could be a Wizard School where learning is better in regards to simple apprenticeship, some sort of high level military academy, a particularly gifted mentor, such as an Halruaan mage in Faerun or Dragonmarked noble in Eberron.

Prerequisites: the player can only select this feat when gaining the 1st level in a base class, not a PrC. If this feat is picked on 1st level, there's no prerequisite.
If the feat is chosen on a level subsequent to the 1st, the DM is free to ask a price deemed appropriate to pay for the studies; moreover, the PC stays at the structure for an intensive training for 2d6 weeks, during which he won't be able to go adventuring.

Benfits: the class picked by the player when this feat is selected determines the benefit received.

Spoiler

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Note: I only considered classes I have access to right know, i.e. those descripted in the books I own. Feel free to add appropriate benefits for classes

• Barbarian: the PC gets an additional Rage per day, and while raging his Con score is considered 2 points higher for the purpose of rage length
• Bard: the PC gains 2 additional uses of Bardic song per day, and while singing he's considered as 1 level higher
• Cleric: the PC gains 2 additional Turn/Rebuke attempts and his level is considered 2 levels higher when determining the most powerful undead affected
• Druid: when considering the special powers of the Druid's Animal companion, his level is considered to be 1 higher
• Fighter: the PC gains a +2 bonus, usable once per encounter, to a combat maneuver (Trip, Disarm, etc.)
• Monk: the PC gains an additional +1 on saving throws
• Paladin: the PC gains an additional use of Smite Evil, his level is considered 1 higher than his actual level when calculating damage, and his Charisma score is 2 points higher for the To-Hit bonus
• Ranger: the bonuses against his 1st favoured enemy are increased by 1
• Rogue: the PC gains one additional class skill and 4 additional skill points
• Sorcerer: once per day, for a single spell the PC can count his caster level to be 1 higher
• Wizard: the PC learns an additional spell of the highest level he can cast

• Initiator: the PC knows an additional maneuver or stance, and the discipline key skill is a class skill for him

• Binder: the PC gains a +4 bonus on binding check
• Shadowcaster: the PC learns an additional fundamental
• Truenamer: the PC gains a +4 bonus on Truespeak checks

• Psion: each level, the PC gains bonus power points equal to half his manifester level (minimum 1)
• PsyWarrior: the PC knows an additional power
• Soulknife: the PC knows a 1st level power; moreover, his WildTalent feat grants him 3 power points instead than 2
• Wilder: the chance to suffer psychic enervation is only 4% per increased manifester level

• Meldshaper: for the purpose of meldshaping, and only for that purpose, the Con score of the PC is consdered as if 2 points higher; the PC gains 1 bonus essentia

• Artificer: every level, Craft points gained by the PC are increased by 20%

• Adept: once per day, the Adept can convert a spell into a Cure/Inflict as a Cleric does
• Expert: the Expert picks another skill as class skill and gains 2 bonus skill points
• Magewright: the Magewright knows an additional spell of the highest level he can cast

The character becomes a well known figure in his area of expertise: he is recognized among his peers and thus he gains a +2 on Diplomacy checks to influence someone in his field of studies, provided they know the school he comes from.

Special: this feat can be taken multiple times. Its effects don't stack: every time the PC picks this feat, he must select a different class to receive the benefit for.

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ADVANCED TRAINING

The character had access to the best of the best in learning structues, to the most famed institutions, under the most talented teachers. Structures and mentors of this stature could be the Wynanrn University, an apprenticeship with Elminster, the Temple of Nine Swords or Reshar himself et cetera.

Prerequisites: he player can only select this feat when gaining a base class, not a PrC. If this feat is selected on 1st level, the only prerequisite is Superior Schooling.
If the feat is picked on a level subsequent to the 1st, apart from Superior Schooling the DM can ask the fee he sees fit, and the PC is unavailable for 1d4 months while he trains.

Benefit: the PC gains the benefit of Superior Schooling for the chosen class; moreover, the PC gains an intrinsic +1 bonus to two different ability scores of his choice.

The character is famous among his peers as one of those "who made it", one whose future is brilliant. The character gains a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks to influence someone in his field of studies, provided they know the school he comes from.

Special: this feat can be taken only once.

[Garryl]

Many of these effects are strictly worse than existing feats (and those feats aren't that strong, either).

Barbarian: Extra Rage gives 2 extra rages per day.
Bard: Extra Music gives 4 extra uses of Bardic Music per day.
Monk: Luck of Heroes gives +1 to all saves and a +1 luck bonus to AC.
Paladin: Extra Smite gives 2 extra smites per day.
Initiator: Martial Study gives an extra maneuver known and makes the discipline's key skill always be a class skill.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Agreed. A lot of the benefits are... sort of useful, but only arguably worth a feat, and certainly not worth a feat and decreased starting equipment. Moreover, the benefits you give vary widely in usefulness-- the Fighter's bonus is almost useless, while the Truenamer gets a bigger boost than he would from Skill Focus [not saying that they don't deserve it].

[Fitz10019]

Here's a simpler approach, and you won't need a new idea for every base class.

Educated people are simply advanced: with this feat pick one class feature that is not the equivalent of a feat; this class feature's schedule occurs one class level earlier than usual. This feat can be taken more than once, but a different feature must be chosen in each case.

Examples
Barbarian: Uncanny Dodge at level 1; Rage 2/day at level 3 (and all increases sooner, too)
Bard: Inspire Competence at level 2; Suggestion at level 5
Cleric: useless -- no class features after level 1!!
Ranger: Evasion at level 8; spellcasting at level 3 (and all increases sooner, too); 2nd FE at level 4 etc. (and all increases sooner, too)

This could be very attractive to double-majors multiclassers.

[Apalala]

Here's a simpler approach, and you won't need a new idea for every base class.

Educated people are simply advanced: with this feat pick one class feature that is not the equivalent of a feat; this class feature's schedule occurs one class level earlier than usual. This feat can be taken more than once, but a different feature must be chosen in each case.

Examples
Barbarian: Uncanny Dodge at level 1; Rage 2/day at level 3 (and all increases sooner, too)
Bard: Inspire Competence at level 2; Suggestion at level 5
Cleric: useless -- no class features after level 1!!
Ranger: Evasion at level 8; spellcasting at level 3 (and all increases sooner, too); 2nd FE at level 4 etc. (and all increases sooner, too)

This could be very attractive to double-majors multiclassers.

That's even worse. What happens when the barbarian finally hits level 2?

Really, I think you shouldn't try to represent schooling through mechanics like this. You went to wizard school? Oh, well that explains why you're a level 3 wizard. You specialized in conjurations? That explains the Spell Focus feat you have. No need to muddle things.

[Cicciograna]

Okay, back to keyboard, now I can answer.

No, the feat is not all that powerful, and often duplicates some other feats: I wasn't aiming for power, but for flavour when I wrote this; however, I admit that some of the feats it duplicates are REALLY better than this (and for some reason, when I homebrew I happen to completely forget chunks of the game itself: I knew about Martial Study, but who knows why, I went completely blank on it).

However, my feat could be good since it allows to overcome the limitations of number of feats picked: for example, Luck of Heroes can be picked only at 1st level and only once, and it doesn't stack with itself, but it could be cumulated with my two feats, for a net +3 so STs.

Some modifications are necessary nonetheless.

I changed some of the benefits granted to those classes who can benefit from a "Extra X" feat; I removed the price for 1st levelers, as it is more of a hassle for new characters; plus, I added a clause about the reputation of those who picked this feats.

Moreover, I was thinking to turn the first feat into a trait, if picked at 1st level, instead than a feat. What do you think?

[Ashtagon]

Really, I think you shouldn't try to represent schooling through mechanics like this. You went to wizard school? Oh, well that explains why you're a level 3 wizard. You specialized in conjurations? That explains the Spell Focus feat you have. No need to muddle things.

My sentiments exactly.

[Eloel]

How about something like
"You gain the numeric improvements to any class ability you have 1 level early. This doesn't give new features early."


Factotum gets inspiration points, Barbarian gets DR/Trap Sense/# of Rages, Monks get speed/AC/unarmed damage/slow fall, casters get spells/day (but not spells known or new spell levels), Rogues get Sneak Attack/Trap Sense/Specials, Fighters get Feats, etc.

Basically anything that goes "at xth level and every y level afterwards" at a selected class becomes "at xth level, x+y-1th level, and every y level afterwards", except the spells/maneuvers which only get #/day or # readied improved.

Could be worded better probably, but the concept with "can be easily extrapolated to all classes" stands.