Feat: Extra Discovery

[Dungeon Maxter]

Can a 1st level alchemist take the feat extra discovery? Is Discovery is a class feature for alchemists even if they haven't learned their first one yet? Does it even make thematic sense to let alchemists take extra discovery at 1st level?

I asked a few people at the game store and no one was 100% sure.

[Dark_Mistress]

gobberbodger wrote:

Can a 1st level alchemist take the feat extra discovery? Is Discovery is a class feature for alchemists even if they haven't learned their first one yet? Does it even make thematic sense to let alchemists take extra discovery at 1st level?

I asked a few people at the game store and no one was 100% sure.

To me the key is this.

Benefit: You gain one additional discovery. You must meet all of the prerequisites for this discovery.

By that I would say they have to already have a discovery to take this feat.

[Aidan Milvus]

Dark_Mistress wrote:

gobberbodger wrote:

Can a 1st level alchemist take the feat extra discovery? Is Discovery is a class feature for alchemists even if they haven't learned their first one yet? Does it even make thematic sense to let alchemists take extra discovery at 1st level?

I asked a few people at the game store and no one was 100% sure.

To me the key is this.

Benefit: You gain one additional discovery. You must meet all of the prerequisites for this discovery.

By that I would say they have to already have a discovery to take this feat.

A better key for me is:

Extra Discovery
You have made a new alchemical discovery.
Prerequisite: Discovery class feature.

You don't gain this class feature until 2nd level.

[Dark_Mistress]

Or that.

[Kelscar]

I disagree with this interpretation. To explain, let's compare these two monk feats:

Feat - Extra Ki
Prerequisite - Ki Pool Class Feature

Feat - Ki Stand
Prerequisite - Ki Pool

KiStand clearly requires the PC to have a Ki Pool, something monk's don't get until level 4. ExtraKi's prerequisites are articulated differently. ExtraKi doesn't say that the PC needs to have a ki pool, it simply says that a ki pool must be a feature of that PC's class. Since the verbiage makes this distinction for monks, it would be logical that the distinction is the same for other classes.

So, let's return to alchemists.

Feat - Extra Discovery
Prerequisite - Discovery Class Feature

Thus, to take ExtraDiscovery, Discoveries must be a feature of the PC's class. If the rules wanted to prevent level 1 alchemists from taking this feat, the prerequisite would read as follows:

Feat - Extra Discovery
Prerequisite - Discovery/Discoveries

(Furthermore, the magnitude of the ExtraDiscovery feat is appropriate for a level 1 PC because the PC is inherently restricted in the discoveries she may choose from, based on the prerequisites of each discovery.)

[CalethosVB]

http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qt8

"When Do I Count As Having A Class Feature?" might be pertinent to your question.

[Belefauntes]

CalethosVB wrote:

http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qt8

"When Do I Count As Having A Class Feature?" might be pertinent to your question.

Well, damn you and your finding official rules. Hahaha! I'm playing a Ratfolk Gulch Gunner (gunslinger), and was considering ways to maximize damage output. Now I have to decide if he's gonna dip a couple levels in Alchemist for Discovery options, or just take Mutation Warrior (fighter archetype) for 4 levels (access to Weapon Specialization) and forgo any Discovery options... Decisions, decisions! Hahaha!