i was considering allowing goblins to pick up the feat keen scent from the advanced players guide, does anyone see a problem with this power wise?
Probably not.
(caviat: I don't have the APG so I am only guessing that the feat has no in-combat uses).
You can do whatever you want to them in terms of non-combat and it won't change the "power-wise" balance. It doesn't really matter if you tell the players that the goblin ambush surprised them because the goblins had a sneaky scout that saw them coming or because the goblins smelled them with their keen scent feat, or whatever other reason you come up with. Either way, it's an ambush.
You could give them 50 non-combat feats and it won't really change the power balance, since you (as the DM) could write the encounter so that they goblins have any or some or most or maybe even all of those same advantages (or similar advantages) without needing the feats if you want to.
You really only upset the power balance if you give them combat feats. Give them Toughness, Dodge, Weapon Focus, Power Attack, Point Blank Shot, Cleave, etc., and each one of those kinds of feats that you give them increases their power.
All those non-combat feats really do is increase their out-of-combat story potential (which might be a good and fun thing to do).
All that being said, I have to admit I don't know for sure that Keen Scent doesn't have combat applications. It probably helps them detect invisible enemies, but they could just keep some dogs around to do that anyway. It might make them harder to sneak up on, so your PC rogues will have some extra challenges, and that might impact combat a little. Not sure what else it would do in-combat though.
Now me, I gave all my kobolds Mobility as a racial bonus feat (no prerequisite for Dodge) so that they could more easily swarm around their enemies and gang up on them; it's what kobolds do. Made them a whole lot more fun for me and more scary/challenging for the players (my players appreciate that kind of thing).
i was planing on playing a goblin and wanted to know if they had the option to take the feat if that would be too big
Ask your DM. Personally, I see nothing wrong with allowing a Goblin access to that feat (goblins are just as much wild predators as half-orcs or orcs).
|
Generally, you'll want to talk to your GM about most things when you play as a monstrous race. I've done so several times to great success, and what you can or cannot get as a monstrous race is really up to your GM. Most of the time, a GM who will allow a monstrous race in his campaign will allow anything that "makes sense".
I would say this "makes sense" here.
Btw, props on making a Goblin character. As you can tell my by avatar, I am a huge GOBLIN FAN!!! (I've played one in two campaigns in the past :P)