A feat is a special feature that either gives your character a new capability or improves one he or she already has. For example, Yoriko Obato, a Fast hero, chooses to start with the Improved Initiative and Combat Martial Arts feats at 1st level. Improved Initiative adds a +4 circumstance bonus to her initiative checks, and Combat Martial Arts allows her to deal more damage when she gets into a fight and uses her martial arts training. She gains a new feat at 3rd level and chooses Dodge. This feat allows Yoriko to more easily avoid the attacks of an opponent she selects, improving her Defense against that opponent.
Unlike a skill, a feat has no ranks. A character either has the feat or doesn’t have it.
Acquiring Feats
Unlike skills, feats are not bought with points. You simply choose them for your character. All available feats are listed and described in the table below. Each character gets two feats when the character is created (at 1st level). At 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level, he or she gains another feat (see Experience and Level Dependent Benefits). For multiclass characters, feats are gained according to character level, not by individual class levels.
Additionally, some starting occupations offer bonus feats, and many classes get extra class-related feats to chose from special lists (see the class descriptions in Characters).
Prerequisites
Some feats have prerequisites. A character must have the indicated ability score, feat, ranks in a skill, and/or base attack bonus in order to select or use that feat. A character can gain a feat at the same level at which he or she gains all the prerequisites. For example, a 2nd-level Strong hero who already has the Brawl feat accumulates enough experience points to attain 3rd level as a Strong hero. His base attack bonus goes up from +2 to +3. He now qualifies for the Improved Brawl feat, because the prerequisites are the Brawl feat (which he had already) and a base attack bonus of +3 (which he just obtained).
A prerequisite that contains a numerical value is a minimum; any value higher than the one given also meets the prerequisite. For instance, the prerequisites for the Frightful Presence feat are Charisma 15 and Intimidate 9 ranks. Any character with a Charisma score of 15 or higher and at least 9 ranks in Intimidate meets the prerequisites.
You can’t use a feat if you’ve lost a prerequisite. For example, if your Strength temporarily drops below 13 because you are fatigued, you can’t use the Power Attack feat until your Strength score returns to 13 or higher.
Feat Descriptions
Here is the format for feat descriptions.
Feat Name
Description of what the feat does or represents in plain language, with no game mechanics.
Prerequisite: A minimum ability score, another feat or feats, a minimum base attack bonus, and/or the minimum ranks in a skill that a character must have to acquire this feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite.
Benefit: What the feat enables your character to do.
Normal: What a character who does not have this feat is limited to or restricted from doing. If there is no particular drawback to not possessing the feat, this entry is absent.
Special: Additional facts about the feat that may help you decide whether to select it.
| Feat | Prerequisite | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic | – | +2 on Jump and Tumble checks |
| Aircraft Operation * | Pilot 4 ranks | No -4 penalty on Pilot checks or attack rolls with selected class of aircraft |
| Alertness | – | +2 on Listen and Spot checks |
| Animal Affinity | – | +2 on Handle Animal and Ride checks |
| Arcane Skills | – | Concentration, Craft (Chemical), Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device are class skills |
| Archaic Weapons Proficiency | – | Proficient in swords, bows, etc. |
| Armor Proficiency (Light) | – | Add equipment bonus for armor type to your Defense; no armor penalty for skill checks |
| – Armor Proficiency (Medium) | Armor Proficiency (Light) | Add equipment bonus for armor type to your Defense; no armor penalty for skill checks |
| – – Armor Proficiency (Heavy) | Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium) | Add equipment bonus for armor type to your Defense; no armor penalty for skill checks |
| Athletic | – | +2 on Climb and Swim checks |
| Attentive | – | +2 on Investigate and Sense Motive checks |
| Blind-fight | – | Reroll miss chance |
| Brawl | – | +1 on unarmed attacks, 1d6 + Str bonus nonlethal damage |
| – Improved Brawl | Brawl, base attack bonus +3 | +2 on unarmed attacks, 1d8 + Str bonus nonlethal damage |
| – Improved Grapple | Brawl, Dex 13 | +4 bonus on grapple check. |
| – Knockout Punch | Brawl, base attack bonus +3 | Nonlethal unarmed attack is automatically critical hit |
| – – Improved Knockout Punch | Brawl, Knockout Punch, base attack bonus +6 | Nonlethal unarmed critical hit deals triple damage |
| – Streetfighting | Brawl, base attack bonus +2 | +1d4 damage once per round with unarmed attack or light melee weapon |
| – – Improved Feint | Int 13, Brawl, Streetfighting | +2 on Bluff checks to feint; feint as move action |
| Builder | – | +2 on any two of Craft (Chemical, Electronic, Mechanical, Structural) check |
| Cautious | – | +2 on Demolition and Disable Device checks |
| Combat Expertise | Int 13 | Reduce attack bonus by up to -5, increase Defense bonus by up to +5 |
| – Improved Disarm | Int 13, Combat Expertise | Disarm does not provoke attack of opportunity |
| – Improved Trip | Int 13, Combat Expertise | Trip opponent and make an immediate melee attack |
| – Whirlwind Attack | Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +4 | One melee attack at each opponent within 5 feet |
| Combat Martial Arts | Base attack bonus +1 | ld4 + Str lethal or nonlethal damage, considered armed |
| – Improved Combat Martial Arts | Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +4 | Unarmed strike threatens critical hit on 19 or 20 |
| – – Advanced Combat Martial Arts | Combat Martial Arts, Improved Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +8 | Unarmed strike critical hit deals x3 damage |
| Combat Reflexes | – | Additional attacks of opportunity |
| Confident | – | +2 on Gamble and Intimidate checks |
| Creative | – | +2 on any two of Craft (Visual Art, Writing), or Perform checks |
| Deceptive | – | +2 on Bluff and Disguise checks |
| Defensive Martial Arts | – | +1 dodge bonus to Defense against melee attacks |
| – Combat Throw | Defensive Martial Arts | +2 to Str, Dex on trips and grapples |
| – – Improved Combat Throw | Defensive Martial Arts, Combat Throw, base attack bonus +3 | Free trip attack when opponent misses you |
| – Elusive Target | Dex 13, Defensive Martial Arts | -4 on ranged attacks against you while engaged in melee combat |
| – Unbalance Opponent | Defensive Martial Arts, base attack bonus +6 | Opponent receives no Str bonus to attack. only to damage |
| Dodge | Dex 13 | +1 dodge bonus against selected opponent |
| – Agile Riposte | Dex 13, Dodge | Make one attack of opportunity when your designated target fails a melee attack against you |
| – Mobility | Dex 13, Dodge | +4 dodge bonus against attacks of opportunity |
| – – Spring Attack | Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4 | Move before and after melee attack |
| Drive-By Attack | – | No speed penalty when attacking from moving vehicle |
| Educated * | – | +2 on any two Knowledge checks |
| Empower Turning | Ability to turn/rebuke, Cha 13 | Turn/rebuke more creatures than normal. |
| Endurance | – | +4 on certain Swim and Con checks, some Fort saves |
| Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency * | Base attack bonus +1 | Proficient in specific exotic melee weapon |
| Extra turning ** | Ability to turn/rebuke | May turn/rebuke more times per day. |
| Far Shot | – | Multiply range increments by 1.5 (2 for thrown weapons) |
| – Dead Aim | Wìs 13, Far Shot | +2 on ranged attack if full round spent aiming |
| Focused | – | +2 on Balance and Concentration checks |
| Frightful Presence | Cha 15, Intimidate 9 ranks | Lower-level foes are shaken (Will save negates) |
| Gearhead | – | +2 on Computer Use and Repair checks |
| Great Fortitude | – | +2 on Fortitude saves |
| Guide | – | +2 on Navigate and Survival checks |
| Heroic Surge | – | Extra move or attack action |
| Improved Damage Threshold ** | – | Massive damage threshold = Con +3 instead of Con |
| Improved Initiative | – | +4 on initiative checks |
| Improved Natural Healing | Fort save bonus +5 | Recover hit points at twice normal rate |
| Improved Turning | Ability to turn/rebuke | +2 bonus on turn/rebuke checks |
| Iron Will | – | +2 on Will saves |
| Lightning Reflexes | – | +2 on Reflex saves |
| Low Profile | – | Reduce Reputation bonus by 3 |
| Magical Affinity | – | +2 bonus on Spellcraft and Use Magic Device checks. |
| Medical Expert | – | +2 on Craft (Pharmaceutical) and Treat Injury checks |
| Meticulous | – | +2 on Forgery and Search checks |
| Nimble | – | +2 on Escape Artist and Sleight of Hand checks |
| Personal Firearms Proficiency | – | Proficient in use of personal firearms |
| – Advanced Firearms Proficiency | Personal Firearms Proficiency | No -4 penalty for autofire |
| – – Burst Fire | Wis 13, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency | -4 on attack. +2 dice damage |
| – – Exotic Firearms Proficiency * | Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency | Proficient in specific class of exotic firearms |
| – – Strafe | Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency | Autofire area 5 by 20 ft. instead of 10 by 10 ft. |
| Point Blank Shot | – | +1 on attack and damage up to 30 ft. |
| – Double Tap | Dex 13, Point Blank Shot | -2 on attack, +1 die damage |
| – Precise Shot | Point Blank Shot | No -4 penalty for shooting into melee |
| – – Skip shot | Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot | Ignore cover, -2 on attack. -1 die damage |
| – Shot on the Run | Dex 13, Point Blank Shot, Dodge, Mobility | Move before and after ranged attack |
| Power Attack | Str 13 | Subtract from melee attack to add to melee damage roll |
| – Cleave | Str 13, Power Attack | Extra attack after dropping target to 0 hp |
| – – Great Cleave | Str 13, Power Attack, Cleave, base attack bonus +4 | No limit to Cleave in a round |
| – Improved Bull Rush | Str 13, Power Attack | No attack of opportunity for bull rush |
| – Improved Overrun | Str 13, Power Attack | +4 bonus on overrun checks |
| – Sunder | Str 13, Power Attack | +4 on attack, no attack of opportunity when striking weapon |
| Power Crit | Base attack bonus +10, proficiency with weapon | Automatically threaten a critical hit on a successful hit |
| Precise Strike | Base attack bonus +5 | Full round of attacks made against an opponent’s touch Defense |
| Psionic Skills | – | Autohypnosis, Concentration, and Psicraft are class skills. |
| Quick Draw | Base attack bonus +1 | You can draw a weapon as a free action |
| Quick Reload | Base attack bonus +1 | Reloading a firearm with an already filled box magazine or speed loader is a free action. |
| Renown | – | Your Reputation bonus increases by +3. |
| Run | – | Move up to 5 times normal speed, +2 on running Jump checks |
| – Fleet of Foot | Run | May turn while running and charging. |
| Signature Spell | Spell Mastery | May convert spell to chosen spell |
| Simple Weapons Proficiency | – | Proficient with clubs, knives, etc. |
| Spell Focus | – | +1 bonus to DC for chosen school of magic |
| – Greater Spell Focus | Spell Focus, caster level 6 | +2 bonus to DCs with chosen school of magic |
| Spell Penetration | – | +2 bonus to caster level checks with spells |
| – Great Spell Penetration | Spell Penetration | +4 bonus to caster level checks with spells |
| Spellslinger | Int 13 (arcane spellcasters) or Wis 13 (divine spellcasters) | Increase number of bonus spells per day. |
| Stealthy | – | +2 on Hide and Move Silently checks |
| Studious | – | +2 on Decipher Script and Research checks |
| Supernatural Strike | Base attack bonus +2 | May score critical hits against creatures that are normally immune |
| Surface Vehicle Operation * | Drive 4 ranks | No -4 penalty on Drive check or attack rolls with selected class of vehicle |
| Surgery | Treat Injury 4 ranks | No -4 penalty for performing surgery |
| Toughness ** | – | +3 hit points |
| Track | – | Use Survival skill to track |
| Trustworthy | – | +2 on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks |
| Two-Weapon Fighting | Dex 13 | Lessen two-weapon penalties by 2 |
| – Improved Two-Weapon Fighting | Dex 13, Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +6 | Extra attack with off-hand weapon |
| – – Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting | Dex 13, Two-Weapon-Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, base attack bonus +11 | Third attack with off-hand weapon |
| Vehicle Expert | – | +2 on Drive and Pilot checks |
| – Force Stop | Drive 4 ranks, Vehicle Expert | Force a surface vehicle to stop |
| – Vehicle Dodge | Dex 13, Drive 6 ranks, Vehicle Expert | +1 dodge bonus to Defense |
| Weapon Finesse * | Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +1 | Use Dex modifier instead of Str modifier with melee weapon |
| Weapon Focus * | Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +1 | +1 on attack rolls with selected weapon |
| Wild Talent | – | 0-level psionic power, usable three times per day. |
| Windfall ** | – | +3 Wealth bonus increase, +1 on Profession checks |
^ See description for more details