When it comes to feats like Extra Discoveries and the like, your character has to be of high enough level to have the class feature in order to take the feat, correct? My DM seems to think as long as you have the feature in your class, you can take the feat. This would mean an Alchemist could take Extra Discovery at first level and have one before he should, at second level.
I believe I am right, here.
While the idea that it doesn't make sense seems logical, the language and interpretation of PF rules has become as nuanced as legal jargon, often leading to debate.
That said, there's plenty of precedence for taking feats you cannot use but qualify for. An Alchemist Synthesist, for example, while "wearing" his Eidolon and using its 16 STR in place of his say 11 STR score, can take and use Power Attack (requires STR 13) when he "dons" his eidolon suit. It doesn't make intuitive sense, but the strict interpretation is "if STR > 12, then Power Attack = OK".
It's ultimately up to your GM to adjudicate language like "at level X class gains Y", but Pathfinder rules-lawyers would point out a difference between that and language like "at level X class gains ABILITY Y", interpreting the nuanced wording to infer the class didn't have the ability until it was explicitly granted. In the case of alchemist, the wording "At 2nd level, and then again every 2 levels thereafter (up to 18th level), an alchemist makes an incredible alchemical discovery..." does not seem to preclude a discovery before 2nd level. It only seems to state that 2nd level is when he would naturally make his first discovery.
In such cases where it is ambiguous, other than props for winning an argument, the applicability of this question seems to arise most commonly when you are making a multi-level character and pimping him out with feats at lower levels he cannot immediately use because, for example, you are starting the game w/ higher level characters who would qualify for them at the start of play.
Is it cheesy? Perhaps. I mean, who would blow a feat on something useless? Is it allowable? Different question.
Incidentally, I am currently playing a human alchemist who started at level 3, and took extra discovery as his human bonus feat. My GM is a cheesy optimizer of NPCs baddies, so call me cheesy. Some games are like that - an arms race to stay relevant.
You need the class feature. Alchy's need discovery, rogues need a talent, etc. Witches are beloved for having a hex at first level for that reason.
There's actually two questions here:
1) Can you take a feat that relies on a class feature before you actually have the class feature.
2) If you can take the feat, does it give early access to said class feature?
I don't have the source handy, but I know for example a barbarian can't take the extra rage power feat until 2nd level when they gain their first rage power. Of course, they don't get a feat at second level so you have to wait until 3rd level to use it.
I guess to sum up, until you gain the class feature at the appropriate level you don't have it. Which means you don't qualify for a feat that has it as a prerequisite. So, for extra discovery you don't qualify for it until the level you pick up discoveries.
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That said, there's plenty of precedence for taking feats you cannot use but qualify for. An Alchemist Synthesist, for example, while "wearing" his Eidolon and using its 16 STR in place of his say 11 STR score, can take and use Power Attack (requires STR 13) when he "dons" his eidolon suit.
Pretty sure this isn't true. A feat's pre-requisites are based off your base score, not your altered score.
If there's precedence, you might need to use an example that doesn't involve a synthesist.
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FAQ
When do I count as having a class feature?
You have a class feature when your class description tells you you gain that class feature, generally based on your level in that class (and perhaps altered by factors, see below).
If you have an archetype or other rules element that replaces that class feature, you do not have that class feature. For example, if your archetype replaces a rogue's sneak attack, you no longer have the sneak attack class feature (whether a requirement is as general as "sneak attack" or as specific as "sneak attack +1d6," you do not qualify for it).
If you have an archetype or other rules element that replaces part of a scaling class feature, or delays when you get that class feature, you do not have that class feature until you actually gain that class feature.
Example: If you have a fighter archetype that replaces weapon training 1 (but not weapon training 2, 3, and 4), you don't gain the weapon training 2 ability until fighter level 9, which means you don't have the weapon training class ability at all until you reach fighter level 9. Anything with "weapon training" or "weapon training class feature" as a prerequisite is unavailable to you until level 9.
Example: If you have a cleric archetype that replaces channel energy at level 1 (but not later increments of channel energy), you don't gain the channel energy ability until cleric level 3, which means you don't have the channel energy class feature until you reach cleric level 3. Anything with "channel energy" or "channel energy class feature" as a prerequisite is unavailable to you until level 3.
Example: If you have a witch archetype that replaces your hex at level 1 (but not later hexes, major hexes, or grand hexes), you don't gain your first hex ability until witch level 2, which means you don't have the hex class feature until you reach witch level 2. Anything with "hex" or "hex class feature" as a prerequisite is unavailable to you until level 2.
That said, there's plenty of precedence for taking feats you cannot use but qualify for. An Alchemist Synthesist, for example, while "wearing" his Eidolon and using its 16 STR in place of his say 11 STR score, can take and use Power Attack (requires STR 13) when he "dons" his eidolon suit.Pretty sure this isn't true. A feat's pre-requisites are based off your base score, not your altered score.
If there's precedence, you might need to use an example that doesn't involve a synthesist.
Per SKR: http://livingpf.wikia.com/wiki/Synthesist
But, okay, maybe sythesist is a bad example.