The prerequisite 'Special attack' is a term that is used only for monsters in the Bestiary.
Special Attacks: The creature's special attacks. Full details for these attacks are given at the end of the stat block or in the universal monster rules section.
The stat block refers to the universal monster rules section. In this section you find a lot of special abilities of monsters but not 'Bombs'.
So in my opinion you dont fullfill the prerequisites for 'Ability Focus'. It is not game breaking but a houserule to allow this.
I don't know if it has been answered before, but I'm curious if a PC can take it.
More than bomb, Stunning fist could qualify, and probably a lot a other class abilities/feats.
IMHO, you can't. I'd rule it so you can only take it to modify a "base special attack", AKA special attack given by your race & template alone. Still, it's my houserule.
Anyone else?
If the GM allows it, yes.
mh ok if i take a look into the NPC codex then i found different special attacks in the stat blocks of NPCs with classes like 'sneak attack' or 'favored enemy'.
So .. i would allow it. It is very similar to 'Spell Focus' so why not.
Well, my DM did not allow my Tiefling Witch to take ability focus (hexes). Not that I'm bitter or anything.
It is allowed IF your GM lets you take feats from that source. You do meet the prerequisites.
I would allow a specific bomb type or specific hex but not all of them. That is too much.
Well, my DM did not allow my Tiefling Witch to take ability focus (hexes). Not that I'm bitter or anything.
I would be, though my main hobby is holding grudges. Gaming is just a sideline hobby. :D
What if you would have chosen a specific Hex, like Ability Focus (Charm Hex)? Would he have allowed that?
Not only do I see nothing wrong with this, I think it should be allowed. Ditto for the alchemist bombs. Treating your appropriate stat as if it were 4 higher in one very specific instance isn't an awesome use of a feat, though it could be worth it on very focused builds. I'd probably just have fox's cunning ready.
As always, consult your DM/GM.
I would allow a specific bomb type or specific hex but not all of them. That is too much.
As written, I'm not sure that there is an 'all of them.' I've always seen it as you have one kind of bomb, or the bomb feature, which you can modify in different ways at the time of use. It's like sneak attack is still sneak attack, though it can have different riders.
For example, the bard performance is listed like that:
Special Attacks bardic performance 7 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire courage +1)
IIRC, it works the same for Hex and stuff with multiples kind of use, so I would say if you allow to take Ability focus, you take it for the bundle.
. . . IMHO, you can't. I'd rule it so you can only take it to modify a "base special attack", AKA special attack given by your race & template alone. Still, it's my houserule. . . .
I was under the impression class levels replace and were treated as hit dice on creatures that only started with one hit die. Has that changed?
^^^For CR and stuff, IIRC.
Anyway, I think Ability focus should be taken for special attacks in the Universal Monsters Rules, because if not, how can you know what class ability can is a special attack ?
A FAQ would be nice IMO, at least to know if you can take it for the whole class ability or only for a kind of utilization.
Each hex is its own individual ability, so would require its own ability focus feat. Bomb is a singular ability that may have additional effects added to it.
Best answer for stuff like this is to just not let PCs take bestiary feats unless they are specifically allowed for a class.
Why not? Ability Focus (Stunning Fist) or (Channel Energy) seem perfectly fine to me.
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Well, some of the feats require special abilities that PCs usually never get, or require a size category, like Huge, that most PCs are not.
That is why they note that many feats apply to specifically to monsters, due to requiring certain monstrous traits.
Still, PCs might qualify for some of them, and that is exactly what they tell you.
This really isn't all that confusing.
RAW, sure. RAI, oh hell no. Monster feats are designed for monsters. If I were gming, the answer would be no.
RAW, sure. RAI, oh hell no. Monster feats are designed for monsters. If I were gming, the answer would be no.
So you have a problem with pcs having the craft construct feat? ;)
Just to reiterate,
. . . Not only do I see nothing wrong with this, . . . Treating your appropriate stat as if it were 4 higher in one very specific instance isn't an awesome use of a feat. . .
I'm with CWheezy, and, if I am understanding his statement, blackbloodtroll as well (though I may not be). If you meet the prerequisites, you should be able to take the feat. If you don't meet the prerequisites, just like any other feat, the option isn't available.
This is not taking in to account if a storyteller wants to limit thematically inappropriate feats due to setting constraints or other reasons.
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RAW, sure. RAI, oh hell no. Monster feats are designed for monsters. If I were gming, the answer would be no.
You, and others, seem to have this misconception, that all the "super powerful" feats lie within the Bestiary.
Not true.
There are very few feats that PCs can ever hope to qualify for, and of those, none of them will ever hope to meet the level of power that some of the feats already available to PCs.
RAW, sure. RAI, oh hell no. Monster feats are designed for monsters. If I were gming, the answer would be no.You, and others, seem to have this misconception, that all the "super powerful" feats lie within the Bestiary.
Not true.
There are very few feats that PCs can ever hope to qualify for, and of those, none of them will ever hope to meet the level of power that some of the feats already available to PCs.
Agreed. Agreed. Thrice times agreed.
(The only time in recent memory I've considered 'monster' feats is when I played a Blue. Then I could take goblin feats, but I didn't.)
RAW, sure. RAI, oh hell no. Monster feats are designed for monsters. If I were gming, the answer would be no.
Then why do monsters get access to PC feats like Power Attack and Dodge?