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I am helping a player to construct a catfolk and we have a question about Catfolk Exemplar. d20pfsrd reads,

Prerequisite: Catfolk.

Benefit: You can take the Aspect of the Beast feat even if you do not meet the normal prerequisites. Furthermore, your catlike nature manifests in one of the following ways. You choose the manifestation when you take this feat, and cannot change it later.

Enhanced Senses (Ex): If you have low-light vision, you gain the scent catfolk racial trait. If you have the scent racial trait, you gain low-light vision.

Fast Sprinter (Ex): You gain a 10-foot racial bonus to your speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions. If you have the sprinter racial trait, your racial bonus to speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw action increases to a 20-foot bonus.

Sharp Claws (Ex): If you do not have the cat's claws racial trait or the claws of the beast manifestation from the Aspect of the Beast feat, you gain the cat's claws racial trait. If you have either the cat's claws racial trait or the claws of the beast manifestation, your claw damage increases to 1d6.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you select it, you must choose a different manifestation.

The part I am wondering about is the Benefit. It says you can take Aspect of the Beast, then it says "Furthermore your catlike nature manifests in one of the following ways". So does this mean you get one of the three options as well as the feat Aspect of the Beast (which gives you another 4 options to select from)? Or does this mean you choose one of the total 7 options?

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2 Answers 2

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You get one of the listed three options, but not Aspect of the Beast

The first part of the feat is a prerequisite waiver for Aspect of the Beast, which normally requires Wild Shape or Lycanthropy. This works similar to a Ranger's Combat Style bonus feats:

He can choose feats from his selected combat style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.

A character with the Catfolk Exemplar feat qualifies to take this feat regardless of these requirements. Basically, this adds Aspect of the Beast to the list of feats a character can choose from when he gains a feat (such as when reaching an odd-numbered level).

The second part grants you one of the three listed abilities. These abilities are different depending on whether or not you possess a corresponding racial trait or similar feature. For example, choosing Sharp Claws (Ex) grants you cat's claws if you don't already have them, but if you do, you get better ones.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ So they'd be able to choose from taking Aspect of the Beast or selecting one of the three abilities? If I'm understanding you correctly. \$\endgroup\$
    – AmyHart
    Jun 9, 2015 at 6:43
  • \$\begingroup\$ Ah, no. They get one of the abilities, but once they have Catfolk Exemplar, they can take Aspect of the Beast whenever they gain a feat, even though they might not meet the regular prerequisites. I edited it for clarity. \$\endgroup\$
    – MrLemon
    Jun 9, 2015 at 6:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ Okay so for this first time they have to select of of these three choices but the next time they can choose to select Aspect of the Beast and pick one of it's choices instead. Do I have that right now? \$\endgroup\$
    – AmyHart
    Jun 9, 2015 at 6:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes that's right. \$\endgroup\$
    – MrLemon
    Jun 9, 2015 at 6:47
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I'm sorry, I read your question wrong, please allow me to revise my statement.

Taking this feat allows you to take any of the three bonuses listed in the text, Enhanced Senses, Fast Sprinter, or Sharp claws, and also gives you the ability to take Aspect of the beast even if you don't already meet its prerequisites.

For example, if you're a Catfolk fighter and you have Weapon Focus(Cat's Claws) and you use Catfolk Exemplar to gain Sharp Claws, the next time you gain a feat you can take Aspect of the Beast and gain either Night Senses, Predators Leap, or Wild Instinct without having to have the Wild shape ability.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Sorry about that, I misread the question. I've revised the answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sandwich
    Jun 9, 2015 at 7:54

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