Does "Natural Bond" stack with itself? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Does "Natural Bond" stack with itself? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Thurilien Lindoriad
05-08-07, 02:03 AM Assume a 5th level druid takes 6 levels of fighter (so he's now 11th level).

Natural Bond will raise his effective druid level to 8. Can he take the feat again to raise his effective druid level to 11?

The feat text does not say it stacks with itself; in such cases the assumption generally is that it does NOT stack, right?

Does it seem out of balance to allow it to stack?

This is not a powergamer move, obviously (or else the player would go straight druid), but rather a survivability move.
allenchan
05-08-07, 02:17 AM Feats only stack with themselves if they explicitly say so.
Rerecros
05-08-07, 02:33 AM it does seem a little over powered, but since your playing a fighter I'd allow it :D
Merestil Haye
05-08-07, 07:12 AM I don't know the feat, but on general principles I doubt it.

Firstly, you may only take a feat once, unless the feat itself explicitly allows you to take it multiple times. Secondly. if you can take it multiple times, the feat will state whether the bonuses stack or not.

An example of a feat with stacking benefits.Benefit
You gain +3 hit points.

Special
A character may gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.An example of a feat with no stacking benefits. Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat.

Prerequisites
Proficiency with selected weapon, base attack bonus +1.

Benefit
You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.

Special
You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.If the feat doesn't have a line of text stating it can be taken multiple times, it cannot be taken more than once and the whole question is moot.
RobbyPants
05-08-07, 10:35 AM Assume a 5th level druid takes 6 levels of fighter (so he's now 11th level).
<snip>
This is not a powergamer move, obviously (or else the player would go straight druid), but rather a survivability move.
What do you mean by a survivability move? If you're talking extra HP, it's only an extra point per die, on average.

But, yeah, as everyone has said, feats don't stack unless they explicitly state so.
Nephlite
05-08-07, 11:44 AM Assume a 5th level druid takes 6 levels of fighter (so he's now 11th level).

Natural Bond will raise his effective druid level to 8. Can he take the feat again to raise his effective druid level to 11?

The feat text does not say it stacks with itself; in such cases the assumption generally is that it does NOT stack, right?

Does it seem out of balance to allow it to stack?

This is not a powergamer move, obviously (or else the player would go straight druid), but rather a survivability move.

It would make more sense for Surviveability to go into BeastMaster Prc than Fighter. Also adds +4 to effective Druid Level (well +3 since you lost one from entring Prc).
Thurilien Lindoriad
05-08-07, 01:15 PM What do you mean by a survivability move? If you're talking extra HP, it's only an extra point per die, on average.

Sorry. I meant that the player (not me, btw) really wants to make sure that the animal companion survives the tougher challenges ahead. So it's the companion's survivability that is in question, not the character's.

It would make more sense for Surviveability to go into BeastMaster Prc than Fighter. Also adds +4 to effective Druid Level (well +3 since you lost one from entring Prc).

Thanks for the advice, but that prestige class is not available in this campaign.

Furthermore, the fighter levels were just listed for simplicity's sake. The actual PC has a mixture of non-druid levels. The important point about those levels is that none of them contribute anything to the animal companion.
starfire311
05-08-07, 05:51 PM RAW no it doesn't stack, IMC it does though.
risner
05-09-07, 03:25 AM The feat text does not say it stacks with itself; in such cases the assumption generally is that it does NOT stack, right?

This doesn't work for two reasons:
1) Unless a feat has "this feat can be taken multiple times" you can't choose the feat a second time (no stacking issues since you can't have it twice.)

2) Nothing stacks with itself unless it stated to stack with itself.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Thurilien Lindoriad 05-08-07, 02:03 AM	Assume a 5th level druid takes 6 levels of fighter (so he's now 11th level). Natural Bond will raise his effective druid level to 8. Can he take the feat again to raise his effective druid level to 11? The feat text does not say it stacks with itself; in such cases the assumption generally is that it does NOT stack, right? Does it seem out of balance to allow it to stack? This is not a powergamer move, obviously (or else the player would go straight druid), but rather a survivability move.
allenchan 05-08-07, 02:17 AM	Feats only stack with themselves if they explicitly say so.
Rerecros 05-08-07, 02:33 AM	it does seem a little over powered, but since your playing a fighter I'd allow it :D
Merestil Haye 05-08-07, 07:12 AM	I don't know the feat, but on general principles I doubt it. Firstly, you may only take a feat once, unless the feat itself explicitly allows you to take it multiple times. Secondly. if you can take it multiple times, the feat will state whether the bonuses stack or not. An example of a feat with stacking benefits.Benefit You gain +3 hit points. Special A character may gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.An example of a feat with no stacking benefits. Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat. Prerequisites Proficiency with selected weapon, base attack bonus +1. Benefit You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon. Special You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.If the feat doesn't have a line of text stating it can be taken multiple times, it cannot be taken more than once and the whole question is moot.
RobbyPants 05-08-07, 10:35 AM	Assume a 5th level druid takes 6 levels of fighter (so he's now 11th level). <snip> This is not a powergamer move, obviously (or else the player would go straight druid), but rather a survivability move. What do you mean by a survivability move? If you're talking extra HP, it's only an extra point per die, on average. But, yeah, as everyone has said, feats don't stack unless they explicitly state so.
Nephlite 05-08-07, 11:44 AM	Assume a 5th level druid takes 6 levels of fighter (so he's now 11th level). Natural Bond will raise his effective druid level to 8. Can he take the feat again to raise his effective druid level to 11? The feat text does not say it stacks with itself; in such cases the assumption generally is that it does NOT stack, right? Does it seem out of balance to allow it to stack? This is not a powergamer move, obviously (or else the player would go straight druid), but rather a survivability move. It would make more sense for Surviveability to go into BeastMaster Prc than Fighter. Also adds +4 to effective Druid Level (well +3 since you lost one from entring Prc).
Thurilien Lindoriad 05-08-07, 01:15 PM	What do you mean by a survivability move? If you're talking extra HP, it's only an extra point per die, on average. Sorry. I meant that the player (not me, btw) really wants to make sure that the animal companion survives the tougher challenges ahead. So it's the companion's survivability that is in question, not the character's. It would make more sense for Surviveability to go into BeastMaster Prc than Fighter. Also adds +4 to effective Druid Level (well +3 since you lost one from entring Prc). Thanks for the advice, but that prestige class is not available in this campaign. Furthermore, the fighter levels were just listed for simplicity's sake. The actual PC has a mixture of non-druid levels. The important point about those levels is that none of them contribute anything to the animal companion.
starfire311 05-08-07, 05:51 PM	RAW no it doesn't stack, IMC it does though.
risner 05-09-07, 03:25 AM	The feat text does not say it stacks with itself; in such cases the assumption generally is that it does NOT stack, right? This doesn't work for two reasons: 1) Unless a feat has "this feat can be taken multiple times" you can't choose the feat a second time (no stacking issues since you can't have it twice.) 2) Nothing stacks with itself unless it stated to stack with itself.