Replacing Fighter Bonus Feats

[ChuckSC6568]

From the Core Rulebook...

"Upon reaching 4th level, and every four levels
thereafter (8th, 12th, and so on), a fighter can choose
to learn a new bonus feat in place of a bonus feat he has
already learned. In effect, the fighter loses the bonus
feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot
be one that was used as a prerequisite for another feat,
prestige class, or other ability. A fighter can only change
one feat at any given level and must choose whether or
not to swap the feat at the time he gains a new bonus feat for the level."

So by my reading this means that a fighter can choose to replace a previously learned BONUS feat in exchange for a bonus feat being gained at levels 4, 8, 12 and so on. Now the fighter doesn't replace and old bonus feat AND learn a new one for that level as well, correct?

[Are]

The fighter gets a bonus feat at every 2nd level.

In addition, he can choose to replace one bonus feat for another bonus feat at every 4th level.

So, if you choose to replace a bonus feat at 4th level, then you actually gain two bonus feats that you didn't already have.

[Magicdealer]

He gets both.

The fighter gets a bonus feat at 1st, 2nd, and every even level after that.

In addition to those feats, at the specified levels he can choose to switch out an old bonus feat, as long as it isn't a prerequisite for another feat he has, or a prestige class he's taken levels in, or a requirement for another ability he has.

[Paul Watson]

ChuckSC6568 wrote:

From the Core Rulebook...

"Upon reaching 4th level, and every four levels
thereafter (8th, 12th, and so on), a fighter can choose
to learn a new bonus feat in place of a bonus feat he has
already learned. In effect, the fighter loses the bonus
feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot
be one that was used as a prerequisite for another feat,
prestige class, or other ability. A fighter can only change
one feat at any given level and must choose whether or
not to swap the feat at the time he gains a new bonus feat for the level."

So by my reading this means that a fighter can choose to replace a previously learned BONUS feat in exchange for a bonus feat being gained at levels 4, 8, 12 and so on. Now the fighter doesn't replace and old bonus feat AND learn a new one for that level as well, correct?

Incorrect. The retraining is in addition to the gaining of a bonus feat.

[Kaisoku]

Note that that means he can pick the replacement feat according to his current stats. So he could replace a first level feat with one that required having a +6 BAB, at 8th level). This allows getting more out of his lower level feats, as well as allowing re-defining the fighter's focus.

[Chris Meuleners]

I have a follow up question:

The rule states that a fighter may replace any bonus feat. Does this allow a multi-classed fighter to replace a bonus feat acquired through another class with a new fighter bonus feat?

The wording of the ability seems to allow for this. While the intention is to allow a fighter to change his focus as he progresses, it would seem that another bonus feat (from Monk, wizard or any other class) could instead be replaced.

[Sniggevert]

A fighter can retrain one of his fighter bonus feats. For class abilities, if it doesn't specify otherwise, the ability refers only to things gained as part of that class.