So. Interesting rules question, and/or interesting 'DM Call' debate since I'm reasonably sure I know what the RAW interpretation is.
The Verdan race introduced in the Acquisitions Incorporated book is unusual in that it actually changes sizes, naturally and permanently, as it levels up. You start as a Small creature equivalent in general scale and build to a goblin, but somewhere in the vicinity of level 5 (or, mechanically, the moment you hit level 5), the character undergoes a mutative growth spurt that adds two or more feet to its height and makes it Medium.
All classes have an ASI available at level 4, before this mutative growth spurt happens.
The Squat Nimbleness feat states "dwarf or a Small race" as a prerequisite for selecting the feat, and offers a potent set of benefits for the rare adventurers who qualify for it.
What would your call be, should a verdan player take Squat Nimbleness at level 4 immediately before obtaining their fifth-level Old Spice Growth Hormones? I can't find any real debate or discussion of this online, which is sad because it seems like not only a curious loophole, but also a really cool character quirk if the player owns that change and plays it up. The other DM in my home group has an interesting take on it, but I'm curious to hear how you folk would run it.
You must meet any prerequisite specified in a feat to take that feat. If you ever lose a feat’s prerequisite, you can’t use that feat until you regain the prerequisite.
So you wiuld lose the feat at level 5, wasting the ASI.
I figured as much. Heh, suppose I'm just a little disappointed. it seems like such an interesting piece of story arc, something the core Wizards team would never have the balls to do.
Hmmm I would personally rule it as this: Squat nimbleness implies a degree of mobility and dexterousness that is rarely seen. So as they are going through this puberty like change I would suggest perhaps changing the feat to mobile at level 5 and allowing them to keep the ASI that the feat brings. That way flavour wise you still get the same feel even if mechanically they are different
Hmmm I would personally rule it as this: Squat nimbleness implies a degree of mobility and dexterousness that is rarely seen. So as they are going through this puberty like change I would suggest perhaps changing the feat to mobile at level 5 and allowing them to keep the ASI that the feat brings. That way flavour wise you still get the same feel even if mechanically they are different
I think this is the natural way it would manifest. It's better to give your characters a way forward when it comes to changes with their characters, than to say "wow that was a stupid decision" because it is a matter of what they wanted to be. Dnd is great because you have the ability to decide exactly what you want to be, if you take that away from your players, you are robbing them of the exact thing so many people love dnd for.
I would rule the other direction. Dwarves are medium, 4 to 5 feet tall. If you jump from a 3 foot small creature into a 5 foot medium creature, you are still in the dwarf range. Plus they are likely wider and heavier than the verdan in question. If a dwarf qualifies, a level 5 verdan qualifies.
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So. Interesting rules question, and/or interesting 'DM Call' debate since I'm reasonably sure I know what the RAW interpretation is.
The Verdan race introduced in the Acquisitions Incorporated book is unusual in that it actually changes sizes, naturally and permanently, as it levels up. You start as a Small creature equivalent in general scale and build to a goblin, but somewhere in the vicinity of level 5 (or, mechanically, the moment you hit level 5), the character undergoes a mutative growth spurt that adds two or more feet to its height and makes it Medium.
All classes have an ASI available at level 4, before this mutative growth spurt happens.
The Squat Nimbleness feat states "dwarf or a Small race" as a prerequisite for selecting the feat, and offers a potent set of benefits for the rare adventurers who qualify for it.
What would your call be, should a verdan player take Squat Nimbleness at level 4 immediately before obtaining their fifth-level Old Spice Growth Hormones? I can't find any real debate or discussion of this online, which is sad because it seems like not only a curious loophole, but also a really cool character quirk if the player owns that change and plays it up. The other DM in my home group has an interesting take on it, but I'm curious to hear how you folk would run it.
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I would advise against it. From PHB (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/phb/customization-options#Feats):
So you wiuld lose the feat at level 5, wasting the ASI.
I figured as much. Heh, suppose I'm just a little disappointed. it seems like such an interesting piece of story arc, something the core Wizards team would never have the balls to do.
Please do not contact or message me.
Hmmm I would personally rule it as this:
Squat nimbleness implies a degree of mobility and dexterousness that is rarely seen. So as they are going through this puberty like change I would suggest perhaps changing the feat to mobile at level 5 and allowing them to keep the ASI that the feat brings. That way flavour wise you still get the same feel even if mechanically they are different
Once you get to medium, you lose the feat, unless someone casts Enlarge/Reduce to return you back to small.
Strange idea.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I think this is the natural way it would manifest. It's better to give your characters a way forward when it comes to changes with their characters, than to say "wow that was a stupid decision" because it is a matter of what they wanted to be. Dnd is great because you have the ability to decide exactly what you want to be, if you take that away from your players, you are robbing them of the exact thing so many people love dnd for.
I would rule the other direction. Dwarves are medium, 4 to 5 feet tall. If you jump from a 3 foot small creature into a 5 foot medium creature, you are still in the dwarf range. Plus they are likely wider and heavier than the verdan in question. If a dwarf qualifies, a level 5 verdan qualifies.