D&D 5E If "Extra Attack" Was A Feat, What Would Its Prerequisites Be?

[CleverNickName]

Suppose you were going to make the Extra Attack class feature also available as a feat. You have your reasons: maybe you love clerics but hate multiclassing, maybe you want to play some kind of weird "half-martial" character, maybe you just like hitting things with a hammer, whatever. You've already figured out the "Why" for your table, and now you're working on the "How." How would you balance it? How would you fill in the orange text?

Extra Attack
Prerequisites: <Your Text Here>
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level, and to four when you reach 20th level.

I'm leaning toward "5th level, proficiency with a martial weapon" but I'm curious what others might think.

EDIT: Based on everyone's feedback so far, here's my latest version.

Extra Attack​

Prerequisites: 5th level, proficiency with one martial weapon​

When you use the Attack action on your turn, you attack twice instead of once.​

What changed?

• Removed the scaling with level
• Only triggers "when you use the Attack action." Can't be used with spellcasting, can't be used as part of a Reaction or Bonus action.

And some clarification:

• "you attack twice instead of once." Thus, if you are already making two or more attacks, this feat does not confer any benefit.
• this does not remove the Extra Attack features of other classes.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Same way I'd balance a feat that granted full spellcasting. I wouldn't.

Are people just so allergic to the idea that a non-caster gets anything that can't be easily poached by a caster?

I think you could probably make balanced at-will weapon maneuvers in the vein of weapon cantrips, to increase martial performance in casters/rogues.

 

[CleverNickName]

Same way I'd balance a feat that granted full spellcasting. I wouldn't.

Are people just so allergic to the idea that a non-caster gets anything that can't be easily poached by a caster?

You missed this part of the brief:

Suppose you were going to make the Extra Attack class feature into a feat. You have your reasons

You've already figured out the "Why" for your table, and now you're working on the "How."

The assumption is that you've already decided to do it, and you aren't wanting to be talked out of it. Your answer isn't really helpful.

 

[GnomeWorks]

The assumption is that you've already decided to do it, and you aren't wanting to be talked out of it. Your answer isn't really helpful.

I don't see a good reason for this to be a feat. There isn't a justification sufficient, to me, to make this a thing.

That said -- your initial take on prereqs sounds reasonable. If I was somehow convinced that this was needed or a net positive, that would be sufficient.

I'm a bit waffle-y on it granting the 3rd and 4th attacks, though: I might make a follow-up feat that could be taken at 11th, that grants the 3rd and 4th attacks, but that's really dependent on the greater context this feat is going to live in.

 

[TwoSix]

I think just "5th level" is sufficient. I would probably not have the auto-scaling built into the feat; I would make it a feat chain.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Spellcaster level 3 if past is prologue.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I'd go with something like:

Combat Reflex:
pre: proficiency bonus +3 or more, martial weapons proficiency

• When you take the attack action on your turn, you can make a second attack roll.
• When an enemy provoke an attack of opportunity, you can make a second attack as part of the same reaction.

Greater Combat Reflex:
pre: proficiency bonus 4+, combat reflex feat.

same as above, but for a 3rd attack.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Extra Attack
Prerequisites: level 8, proficiency with a martial weapon.
-when you take the attack action on your turn you may make one additional attack against a creature.

yeah i basically agree with your prereqs nickname, but i'm bumping the level to 8th kicking in a little after any natural EA would at 5th and rather than giving full EA progression i'd just have it give an additional attack, meaning it's equally worthwhile for the classes that already get extra attack.

also interestingly the classes that can't take this feat purely on baseclass weapon proficiencies is artificer, cleric, sorcerer, warlock and wizard, a surprising amount of classes still get A martial weapon proficiency, most being a type of finesse weapon.

 

[Shiroiken]

I would assume 8th level for Extra Attack. It's the next point after the basic feature, plus 3 levels higher than a basic class feature feels about right.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

You missed this part of the brief:


The assumption is that you've already decided to do it, and you aren't wanting to be talked out of it. Your answer isn't really helpful.

You're giving away almost all of the fighter's special stuff with one feat. Hence my comment of "what are the appropriate prereqs for balancing a feat giving full 9 level casting". I don't think any prereqs would balance it. Three feats might be doable.