4
\$\begingroup\$

The Player's Handbook feat Tough:

Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points

and the Innistrad human provincial origin Stensia racial trait Tough:

Tough. Your hit point maximum increases by 2, and it increases by 2 every time you gain a level.

Seems to have the same name and effect. Do they stack?

\$\endgroup\$
3
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Someone_evil maybe the section I quoted in my answer should have remained? It does contain the appropriate ruling in it. \$\endgroup\$
    – Steve
    Feb 16, 2021 at 20:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Steve I think it was clearly missed by the querent (that happens to the best of us) and only included because the whole writeup was pasted. As it stands its important for the answer to quote, however it's odd for the question to deliberately answer itself. The answer doesn't need it to be in the question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Someone_Evil
    Feb 16, 2021 at 20:46
  • \$\begingroup\$ Fair, but I feel I should now mention where I got that quote from in the answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – Steve
    Feb 16, 2021 at 20:49

1 Answer 1

9
\$\begingroup\$

As well, in campaigns that use feats, characters should not be allowed to choose feats that duplicate any provincial traits

From the Stensia Human description

The Tough feat is exactly the same as the Tough provincial trait, when you consider that you'd start with the trait and hence the section of the feat related to increasing your HP by twice your level doesn't apply (you can't pick up the trait half way through the campaign).

And the text clearly states that player's should not be allowed to choose feats that duplicate traits.

It does say should not instead of can not so that leaves room for the DM to allow it if they so choose.

\$\endgroup\$
2
  • \$\begingroup\$ Note that you can pick up the trait if you happen to be affected by a reincarnate spell that turns you into a human and the DM picks this as the sort of human you become. Nevertheless, the rule says that players shouldn't be able to choose feats that duplicate provincial traits, not that they can't choose feats that duplicate their provincial traits, so the answer is still basically correct since no one should be able to take the 'tough' feat in an Innistrad campaign. \$\endgroup\$
    – user66659
    Feb 16, 2021 at 21:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ @user66659 Of course, that brings up a whole other pile of problems, since it locks out more than one feat from any payer being able to choose, which seems unreasonable. It's another round of our favorite game: "Did Wizards intend this, or did their editors just screw up again?" \$\endgroup\$ Feb 17, 2021 at 19:19

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .