Feats comprise the core of Pathfinder and Dragons. Feats are mainly gained from your class and subclass. Feats in PAD are highly customizable and malleable according to the player. Each feat has a core characteristic called its Fundamental which defines what that feat broadly does. Feats will also have Facets with them that can be modified or changed when you select the feat.
Once selected, a feat’s facets may only be changed when you gain a level, unless otherwise specified.
Each class will list what Facets it has access to and when you get new ones.
each feat must have one target and can’t have more than one.
a feat can have multiple behaviors
Fundamental
A feat’s Fundamental defines what the feat broadly does. This portion of the feat never changes and establishes its role in play.
Facets
Here are list of possible facets associated with feats. A feat will list its modifiable facets at the top of its description. These facets will already have values but they can be modified with behaviors.
Target
The range of the feat, how the feat manifests, and what it can affect. If the feat has an area, it affects every creature in the area defined by the feat. If it has targets, it affects the specific targets described by the feat. A feat can have only one target facet.
Here is a list of every possible target type a feat could have:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Barrier | Creates a visible barrier that is 10 feet long per caster level and 10 feet high. |
| Burst | Affects everything it catches in a 10-foot-radius burst. |
| Cone | Affects everything in a 10-foot coneshaped burst. |
| Line | Affects everything in a 20-foot line. |
| Touch | Affects a a single target within 5ft. |
| Selected | Affects a single target within range. |
Source
Where the feat derives this power. If you are a spellcaster, this feat might be derived form somewhere in the Firmament. For martials, it might be from something like your agility, strength, or mental fortitude.
Behavior
How does this feat behave or react. This facet determines the alterations made to the feat when it is used. Maybe its effects linger for an extended duration or effect others in a violent ways. Listed below are all the available behaviors a feat can have. You can only have one behavior on a given feat.
You don’t start with all behaviors at your disposal. Instead, you start with a limited amount determined by your class. Behaviors will increase in power as you level up, as listed in your class. Reference these newer value provided by your class over the ones listed here.
Lingering
The feat lasts for 1 additional round after it would normally end.
Alters:
- Duration: increase the duration by 1 round. Strike Dice: Vitality Dice:
Echoing
The effect repeats at reduced strength on the following round.
Alters: Strike Dice: Repeat the feats effects at half their action cost (minimum of 1) and reduce the die step of any Strike Dice (to a minimum of a d4). If you are unable to repeat this feature then the Behavior is wasted. Vitality Dice: Repeat the feats effects at half their action cost (minimum of 1) and reduce the die step of any Vitality Dice (to a minimum of a d4). If you are unable to repeat this feature then the Behavior is wasted.
Extended
Alters Reach: The range of this effect is doubled. If it normally has a range of touch, it is instead 30 feet.
Chaining
After affecting the initial target, the effect jumps to another valid target. If the feat required an attack roll, the second attack is made with Multiple Attack Penalty. This range is 30 feet.
Alters Scope: The feat now targets 1 additional creature. Strike Dice: reduce the die step of any Strike Dice (to a minimum of a d4) on the second target. Vitality Dice: reduce the die step of any Vitality Dice (to a minimum of a d4) on the second target. Cost: Increase the action cost of this feat by 1 action. This applies even if the feat had no action cost associated with it. If the feat already costs 3 actions you cannot select this behavior Flat Modifier: The second target receives half the bonus (rounded down).
Creeping
The effect is delayed by 1 round, but is more powerful as a result. Instead of being used this turn, the feats effects resolve at the start of your next turn requiring no actions to cast. You must still spend the required actions this turn to use this feat. If you are unable to repeat this feature then the Behavior is wasted.
Strike Dice: Increase all Strike Dice by 1 step (to a maximum of a d12). Vitality Dice: Increase all Vitality Dice by 1 step (to a maximum of a d12). Flat Modifier: The bonus is increased by half (rounded down).
Violent
- Prerequisite: The feat is volatile or unstable.
Strike Dice: Roll one additional Strike Dice.
Overwhelming
Flat Modifier: Reduce the targets cover by one level. If the target is not benefiting from Cover, they are Off-Guard instead.
Support
Psychosomatic
The effect manifests both mentally and physically.
Strike Dice: Roll one additional effect die and deal either physical damage or mental, the opposite of what the feat did.
Inverted
This effect does the opposite of what it should. The resulting rolled is halved.
Strike Dice: Roll as vitality instead. Vitality Dice: Roll as void instead.
Action Cost
How many actions the feat will cost to cast. More actions results in a more powerful feat while less actions means the feat will be weaker.
1 action
Strike Dice: Reduce all dice rolls by one step (to a minimum of a 1d4) Vitality Dice: Reduce all dice rolls by one step (to a minimum of a 1d4) Flat Modifier: Reduce the bonus by half (rounded down)
2 action
No change
3 action
Strike Dice: Increase dice rolls by one step (to a maximum of a d12) Vitality Dice: Increase dice rolls by one step (to a maximum of a d12) Flat Modifier: Increase the bonus by half (rounded down)
Stability
The volatility of a feature. The more stable a feature the more consistent its effects but they don’t gain benefits from critical specialization success effects. Conversely, the more unstable a feature becomes, the bigger the upsides and downsides become.
Feat stability will only be listed on feats can benefit from it. If a feat does not list Stability in its description, it cannot be altered in this way. A feature is always assumed to be stable and increasing its instability is optional.
Stable
Stable feats are well-understood and reliable. All feats are stable to start unless otherwise stated.
Stable feats are unremarkable and don’t carry critical effects on success or failure. On a failure, the feat has no effect, but it does not produce backlash or unintended consequences.
Volatile
Volatile spells are powerful but temperamental, reacting unpredictably when mishandled.
When you fail to cast a volatile spell, the spell’s effect is weakened, distorted, or redirected. Volatile spells always have a critical success effect but also a critical failure effect. On a critical failure, the spell produces a backlash, such as damaging the caster, affecting an unintended target, or imposing a condition.
Unstable
Unstable spells have the most potential for success and failure
Unstable spells always have a critical success effect but also a failure and critical failure effect. On a critical failure, the spell’s magic turns against the caster or the environment, causing severe backlash, lingering effects, and lasting consequences to your character.
Power Budget
Each feat has a Power Budget, representing how much customization it can support.
Facets and their options consume points from this budget. You cannot exceed a feat’s Power Budget unless a rule explicitly allows you to do so.
OLD
Feats can have prerequisites associated with them, here are list of possible prerequisites associated with feats.
- Class. Certain feats are only available to certain classes. Mostly seen with class feats.
- Level. All feats have a level requirement before taking them. You can take a feat of lower level at a higher level but never a feat of higher level at a lower one.
- Heritage. Some feats require your character to have a specific heritage in order to access it.
- Skill. Many feats require a minimum proficiency rank in a skill, weapon, or armor.
- Ability Modifier. Less common, some feats require a minimum ability modifier to take.