ARG - Catfolk question

Catfolk Exemplar

Your feline traits are more defined and prominent than those of other members of your race.

Prerequisite: Catfolk.

Benefit: You can take the Aspect of the Beast feat even if you do not meet the normal prerequisites. Furthermore, your catlike nature manifests in one of the following ways. You choose the manifestation when you take this feat, and cannot change it later.

Enhanced Senses (Ex): If you have low-light vision, you gain the scent catfolk racial trait. If you have the scent racial trait, you gain low-light vision.

Fast Sprinter (Ex): You gain a 10-foot racial bonus to your speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions. If you have the sprinter racial trait, your racial bonus to speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw action increases to a 20-foot bonus.

Sharp Claws (Ex): If you do not have the cat's claws racial trait or the claws of the beast manifestation from the Aspect of the Beast feat , you gain the cat's claws racial trait. If you have either the cat's claws racial trait or the claws of the beast manifestation, your claw damage increases to 1d6.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you select it, you must choose a different manifestation.

Does this mean that you have to take this feat, *before* you take Aspect of the Beast, or do you take this feat in place of Aspect of the Beast but get one of the listed manifestations?

I think it is the later, and I am the DM, but parsing the sentence structure the first alternative is a possibility.

-- david
LINK HERE

You can take the Aspect of the Beast feat even if you do not meet the normal prerequisites.

You take Catfolk Exemplar before.

The feat does two things:

1. You may, if you desire, take the Aspect of the Beast feat without having to meet its prerequisites

2. You gain one of Enhanced Senses, Fast Sprinter, or Sharp Claws now, regardless of whether or not you take Aspect of the Beast

Ben has it.

But as the Catfolk author, I'll mention what the intention was:

I wanted every catfolk, regardless of class, to be able to have some feline features. Like having claws, special senses, and so on, without needing to have the wildshape ability.

That being said, if you use this feat, you're expected to have the specifically feline abilities it lists. Not what Aspect of the Beast says you can take.

Does this mean you can take Aspect of the Beast and Cat Exemplar separately? In my opinion, yes. And you're limited by those feats individually. That is, Cat Exemplar does not override Aspect of the Beast if taken separately. You nevertheless must abide by the limitations of Cat Exemplar if, and each time, you take it.

Really, it was intended for the non-shapeshifter, but it would be bad design to prohibit and penalize characters with wildshape who might want to take it too.

Hope that helps!

Thank you Ben and Jim. That is what I thought, but just wanted an "official" type answer.

We just started a new campaign, and I opened it up to everything in the PRD instead of just Core, and one of the guys wanted to play a Catfolk Oracle. They just made 2nd level last session and he forewarned me that he would be taking this at 3rd level, so I could code it up.

Thanks again,

-- david

I have an inquiry related to Catfolk Exemplar; this seemed like the best place to ask. With the feat in question you effectively gain a racial trait- would said ability {namely fast sprinter} count as the sprinter racial trait for the pourposes of Nimble Charger?

Ben has it.

But as the Catfolk author, I'll mention what the intention was:

I wanted every catfolk, regardless of class, to be able to have some feline features. Like having claws, special senses, and so on, without needing to have the wildshape ability.

That being said, if you use this feat, you're expected to have the specifically feline abilities it lists. Not what Aspect of the Beast says you can take.

Does this mean you can take Aspect of the Beast and Cat Exemplar separately? In my opinion, yes. And you're limited by those feats individually. That is, Cat Exemplar does not override Aspect of the Beast if taken separately. You nevertheless must abide by the limitations of Cat Exemplar if, and each time, you take it.

Really, it was intended for the non-shapeshifter, but it would be bad design to prohibit and penalize characters with wildshape who might want to take it too.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the insight!

I have an inquiry related to Catfolk Exemplar; this seemed like the best place to ask. With the feat in question you effectively gain a racial trait- would said ability {namely fast sprinter} count as the sprinter racial trait for the pourposes of Nimble Charger?

I would say per RAW no because nimble striker specifically says "sprinter racial trait" rather than just sprinter. But I don't think a reasonable DM would hold it against you and would probably say yes.

so for society games no, for friendly games probably.

Awakeninfinity wrote:

I have an inquiry related to Catfolk Exemplar; this seemed like the best place to ask. With the feat in question you effectively gain a racial trait- would said ability {namely fast sprinter} count as the sprinter racial trait for the pourposes of Nimble Charger?

I would say per RAW no because nimble striker specifically says "sprinter racial trait" rather than just sprinter. But I don't think a reasonable DM would hold it against you and would probably say yes.

so for society games no, for friendly games probably.

Thanks for the reply!