Pathfinder Regional Feats

[Desertpuma]

Not sure if anyone has played Pathfinder but they have an interesting add on for character creation. Beginning characters get an additional feat which is selected from a list of five feats depending upon what region they are from originally.

As anyone tried doing this before and what were the results?

I know FC is either almost or completely done so I would not expect the Crafty Crew to delay things further by going over this idea in the book itself. I do think it is an interesting idea and allows for characters to start with anywhere between 2-4 feats depending on Origin, 1st level, Region, and Class.

Does anyone think this is an unbalancing idea? Or is that strictly dependent on the feats decided upon for the Regions in the Fantasy realm being played?

Any and all comments/thoughts welcome.

[Wolverine]

Isn't this sort of thing already covered with Talents? Sure, it would mean that you're picking a regional focus instead of something else, but it's there.

That said, depending on the bonuses you get from the regional feats, it mightn't be too excessive to grant one for free, just as long as everyone gets one and they're all relatively balanced.

[Desertpuma]

I was thinking like 3-5 feats with one being a Terrain feat based on the predominant area and the others would be "level 1" feats where the prereqs would still need to be made.

[samsimilian]

well aren't specialities a kind of background? say: Archer -> Woodmen of the great Dale?

[Krensky]

Do you mean the bonus feat/traits in the APs or the one in the Society campaign?

[Dr Yes]

All of my games have pushed up the number of starting feats.  The main thing I do is insist the feats all be from different trees, this limits (but doesn't remove) the powergamer stacking.  It may still break the game balance but my group plays for fun, not for compliance.

Below is my last version of the campaign quality I used to pump up the cool stuff:

Fudgy Origins: Characters may sacrifice their level 1 feat, standard origin bonuses and class core abilities for a fudgy origin.  A fudgy origin grants the character the following - an attribute score modifier (only) from one origin talent; one chase feat; one style feat; one unarmed “basics” feat, one style “contacts” feat, one basic skill feat and a reworked core ability made up by the player and GM together.


I particularly like giving everyone a chase feat (to encouragre everyone to have their own "wheelman moments") and a contacts feat (which are often not chosen by my players, but something I like to build on as a GC).

[Gentry]

Over among the Wyrmstone developers, we're looking seriously at "ethnic" Specialties, which would allow a character to embrace a region or nation's archetypical flavor in a way that doesn't interrupt racial Talents. Is that the sort of thing you're talking about, Puma?

[Crafty_Pat]

I know FC is either almost or completely done so I would not expect the Crafty Crew to delay things further by going over this idea in the book itself. I do think it is an interesting idea and allows for characters to start with anywhere between 2-4 feats depending on Origin, 1st level, Region, and Class.

We wouldn't anyway. We already have multiple ways to establish mechanical identity by region, organization, and other setting decisions.

[Desertpuma]

Over among the Wyrmstone developers, we're looking seriously at "ethnic" Specialties, which would allow a character to embrace a region or nation's archetypical flavor in a way that doesn't interrupt racial Talents. Is that the sort of thing you're talking about, Puma?

After typing the post late last night and sleeping on it, I realized that the Regional feats for Pathfinder could be construed as Specialties for us. Since it is basically D&D3.75, non-humans & demi-humans do not get a racial feat but do get a 1st level feat, a Regional feat, and possibly a 3rd feat if a Fighter or certain classes grant a specific feat -- looking at Metamagics here. If human, tack on a 4th feat as well. This allows them to end up with 2-4 feats.

This is similar to the following for us: Specialty (and depending upon this choice some races may not get it), 1st level, and Class granted feat whether a Soldier or Martial Artist or more specific like the Faceman getting Flawless Identity.

As for helping to establish identity within a setting, I was looking at it as something beyond just a Cultures focus. One of my alternative thoughts was granting, in addition to their Cultures' focus, an additional Drive & Profession focus. However, these are all temporary ideas dependent on what is in FC as well.

[Crafty_Alex]

Both settings in FC also have setting-appropriate Talents and Specialties which (particularly in the case of Sunchaser) indicate a character's geographic origins. No changes needed here.