Ex 1: Rigsdal gives a combat affinity. It has specific feats for ranged combat, for being alert, for staying at your post, and so on, but none of them are particularly applicable to close combat. So, if a Rigsdal initiate is taking part in an ambush of some praxians, in mid-day (a combat in which none of the feats in that affinity would apply). Can the initiate augment with the affinity? I doubt many would say "no," but perhaps "yes, but with an improvisation penalty, since this isn't Rigsdal's sort of fight." Or of course "The affinity is called combat, you are in a combat, of course it is applicable!" (in this last case, could a devotee augment with his affinity when he didn't have an applicable feat?)
Ex 2: Vingkot, in the thunderous aspect of Orlanth, has the "fight Dara Happans" affinity (along with storm and wind, so he gives no general combat affinity). A devotee of his is involved in the same fight against the Praxians (clearly not Dara Happans, nor even vaguely similar). He knows the "blunt spear" feat from the "fight Dara Happans" affinity, and wants to use it against one of the praxians' spear. Blunt Spear looks like an appropriate feat to use here, but fight Dara Happans would not seem like an appropriate affinity. Can he use the feat, and if so at any penalty?
More generally:
1: are affinities meant to be read as "combat" (and so any use in
combat is appropriate), or "combat, as shown in the following feats"
(so that uses disimilar to the listed feats would be at an
improvisational penalty).
2: are feats meant to be read on their own, like "blunt spear" and so can be used in any situation that seems to match their name, or in association with their affinity, like "blunt spears when fighting dara happans" ?
I realize that this is absolutely a your game may vary type thing, that different groups may have different feelings about. I'm just looking for people's opinions on the questions, and why they feel that way, to help me figure out how I feel on the subject.
--Bryan
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