D&D 5E Do you know the feeling of de-feat? (Playing a featless game.)

[Don Durito]

I do limited feats.

I allow variant humans to start with Prodigy. And I allow Resilient, Ritual Caster, Tough, Linguist and Skilled.
Basically feats that enable basic character concepts and allow characters to plug holes or respond a little to situations that have arisen in the game.

Nothing that leads to 'build' thinking.

 

[Salthorae]

My experience with 3E is limited (less than a year, really) and 5E for about one-and-a-half years now (no 4E). I've always played games with feats used, usually with characters even getting a bonus feat at level one.

So, I would like to know about the playing experiences of tables without feats as I am thinking for the next game about not using them.

I am also curious as my sense tells me most tables play with feats, so vote if you do or not as well!

I always use Feats in my groups. They are fun.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I'm starting a new game tonight, with the idea that it will cover levels 1 to 12. Since the players have to actually play through those levels, it will be interesting to see how many of the three ASIs most classes get are spent on feats. The last game had many characters join at level 10+, and all of them had chosen feats.

 

[sigfile]

I've exclusively played with feats, but I'd be interested in a game that doesn't use them. It's not that I dislike feats, but I'm mostly convinced that certain classes/sub-classes are significantly more attractive without feats stepping all over their design space and I'd like to put that to the test.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I dont like feats in 5e, I feel there too few of them, and its always the same being taken, nearly in the same order. Since my players are more casual, with some exceptions, most of them dont take feats and those who take them quickly outshine them (an experienced player with feat vs a casual new player without feat, you get the idea) even it its not their intention. Instead, I allow a player to choose between a regular ASI or Item of Legacy.

Item of Legacy:
When you take this option, you can imprint part of you growing resonance on the threads of fate on an item of your choice to attune it to your legacy. The player select which item to invest some of its Resonance (taken from Pf2) the item increase in potency. At higher level, you can continue to invest in the same item to increase its potential or awaken a new item, which starts at its first level of Potency.

Potency Level	Effect
1	Item count as magical. Roll once on each tale: magic item minor property Quirk Intended user
2	Gain sentience. Roll once on each table: Alignment Abilities Communication Sense Roll once once on the minor artifact beneficial property table
3	Weapon becomes +1 if its not already higher. Roll once once on the minor artifact beneficial property table
4	Roll once once on the minor artifact beneficial property table
5	Roll once once on the minor artifact beneficial property table
6	Weapon becomes +2 if its not already higher. Roll once the the major artifact beneficial property table
7	Weapon becomes +3 if its not already higher Roll once the the major artifact beneficial property table

So far my players like it

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

For a fun variation, ban ASIs and standard feats and assemble a good list of hybrid/half-feats for the players to choose from. I have always liked the idea of getting a +1 to a stat and a new ability or boost that is less powerful than a standard feat.

 

[Ancalagon]

The game I ran had limited access to feats. I loosened it a bit later on.