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Unearthed Arcana: Get Better At Skills With These Feats
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<blockquote data-quote="Leatherhead" data-source="post: 7713715" data-attributes="member: 53176"><p>Right, because this is basically 18 different skill options baked into the same copy-pasted feat, I will be doing this a bit differently:</p><p></p><p>To start out with, I am not against giving out Expertise as a feat. In fact I highly embrace it. Expertise is not an exclusive ability, and I don't consider skills disruptive enough to restrict access to them. Also I like the idea of a fighter becoming a master blacksmith and that can't happen without multiclassing. (Technically it still can't, but this paves the way for such feats to exist later). Finally, due to static DCs, this allows for people who are really good at skills without having being talented via ability points, allowing for a much wider range of character options (like uncharismatic intimidators or dumb scholars), and that is always nice. </p><p></p><p>Making these half-feats is a bit dubious. I understand just Expertise in one skill isn't worth a feat, and feats are supposed to have a feature that is "always" useful, but there has to be some more interesting option to make that work.</p><p></p><p>Now, onward to each individual skill trick (Something I thought I would never see again after 3.X). I understand these are inherently weak, due to being the hyper-specific third option of the feat, but it is worth noting if these things are worth using a feat for, if they should be included in the normal use of the skill, or if they should be replaced with some other better idea.</p><p></p><p><strong>Acrobat:</strong></p><p>DC 15 bonus action to ignore difficult terrain. Considering using a skill defaults to an Action instead of a Bonus Action, this is possibly worth it, but it should be expanded a bit.</p><p></p><p><strong>Animal Handler</strong></p><p>Bonus action to command a friendly animal to do anything, but mostly used for guarding or making a move and attack action. I would consider this a good start to the feat, now if only they had expanded animal training rules.</p><p></p><p><strong>Arcanist</strong></p><p>Of all the abilities that grant spells, this is the most appropriate, both in what it grants and why it should be granted. I consider it worth a feat.</p><p></p><p><strong>Brawny</strong></p><p>Powerful Build? It's fun, sometimes, but not feat worthy. </p><p></p><p><strong>Diplomat</strong></p><p>At-Will non-magic Charm. That is feat worthy. </p><p></p><p><strong>Empathic</strong></p><p>Gaining advantage on checks against a target via empathy is rather fun, and full of story building goodness.</p><p></p><p><strong>Historian</strong></p><p>A bonus on help checks? That's an interesting start. A Mastermind Rogue could benefit from such an ability. I wonder how many other ways there are to help as a bonus action. Or maybe this is a Warlord Power playtest in disguise.</p><p></p><p><strong>Investigator</strong></p><p>Search becomes a bonus action. This is actually a really good use of action economy by itself. </p><p></p><p><strong>Medic</strong></p><p>Binding wounds lets you max out a single HD per target, once per long rest. This is bad. Where is the Surgery option to end effects? What DC is it to cure the common cold? Why is Medicine such as crappy skill that has no use outside of stabilizing people at 0hp and saying they are sick?</p><p></p><p><strong>Menacing</strong></p><p>At-Will Fear is something to be feared (heh) But this only lasts one round, and has to be used in place of an attack, making it marginally useful for classes other than Fighters. Maybe better as a Bonus Action.</p><p></p><p><strong>Naturalist</strong></p><p>The Druid's equivalent of Arcanist. It's a bit of a stretch for this to grant spells, and <em>Detect poison and Disease</em> would belong more with the Medic feat. Perhaps <em>Speak With Animals</em> would be better, or something to do with Cartography?</p><p></p><p><strong>Perceptive</strong></p><p>You can ignore disadvantage due to light obscurement, that's actually a rather big deal, and relatively rare as far as abilities go.</p><p></p><p><strong>Performer</strong></p><p>Distracting should be a normal function of Performance Checks. This needs a replacement.</p><p></p><p><strong>Quick-Fingered</strong></p><p>A poor-man's Fast Hands. Even more poor once you consider how limited it is compared to normal use of the skill. However, bonus action skill use is still a good start, given that you could take a small weapon or potion off of someone you are fighting with the normal skill.</p><p></p><p><strong>Silver-Tongued</strong></p><p>Unlike the Intimidation feat, trading in attack action is better for this option, as it grants you advantage on all other attacks you make. Additionally, it lets you disengage for no action.</p><p></p><p><strong>Stealthy</strong></p><p>Obligatory comment about how the Stealth Rules are a Mess, and I can't really advocate a feat that augments them until the core rules are more solid. However, I can say moving from cover to cover is something that should be part of the normal Stealth rules imo, then we can talk about making them better at it.</p><p></p><p><strong>Survivalist</strong></p><p><em>Alarm</em>. Of All the spells you could have given them (and you really shouldn't have) <em>Alarm</em> isn't at the top of the list. <em>Goodberry</em>, <em>Purify Food and Drink</em>, Maybe? Just give them something that makes it harder to kill them, or even ignoring the effects of extreme weather, that would have been good start.</p><p></p><p><strong>Theologian</strong></p><p>So you get Cleric spells by <em>studying</em> religion (and not even worshiping or making at least a pact) now? How do the gods even stay in power with the myriad of things that are encroaching on their turf? At least the spells are appropriate.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Leatherhead, post: 7713715, member: 53176"] Right, because this is basically 18 different skill options baked into the same copy-pasted feat, I will be doing this a bit differently: To start out with, I am not against giving out Expertise as a feat. In fact I highly embrace it. Expertise is not an exclusive ability, and I don't consider skills disruptive enough to restrict access to them. Also I like the idea of a fighter becoming a master blacksmith and that can't happen without multiclassing. (Technically it still can't, but this paves the way for such feats to exist later). Finally, due to static DCs, this allows for people who are really good at skills without having being talented via ability points, allowing for a much wider range of character options (like uncharismatic intimidators or dumb scholars), and that is always nice. Making these half-feats is a bit dubious. I understand just Expertise in one skill isn't worth a feat, and feats are supposed to have a feature that is "always" useful, but there has to be some more interesting option to make that work. Now, onward to each individual skill trick (Something I thought I would never see again after 3.X). I understand these are inherently weak, due to being the hyper-specific third option of the feat, but it is worth noting if these things are worth using a feat for, if they should be included in the normal use of the skill, or if they should be replaced with some other better idea. [b]Acrobat:[/b] DC 15 bonus action to ignore difficult terrain. Considering using a skill defaults to an Action instead of a Bonus Action, this is possibly worth it, but it should be expanded a bit. [B]Animal Handler[/B] Bonus action to command a friendly animal to do anything, but mostly used for guarding or making a move and attack action. I would consider this a good start to the feat, now if only they had expanded animal training rules. [B]Arcanist[/B] Of all the abilities that grant spells, this is the most appropriate, both in what it grants and why it should be granted. I consider it worth a feat. [B]Brawny[/B] Powerful Build? It's fun, sometimes, but not feat worthy. [B]Diplomat[/B] At-Will non-magic Charm. That is feat worthy. [B]Empathic[/B] Gaining advantage on checks against a target via empathy is rather fun, and full of story building goodness. [B]Historian[/B] A bonus on help checks? That's an interesting start. A Mastermind Rogue could benefit from such an ability. I wonder how many other ways there are to help as a bonus action. Or maybe this is a Warlord Power playtest in disguise. [B]Investigator[/B] Search becomes a bonus action. This is actually a really good use of action economy by itself. [B]Medic[/B] Binding wounds lets you max out a single HD per target, once per long rest. This is bad. Where is the Surgery option to end effects? What DC is it to cure the common cold? Why is Medicine such as crappy skill that has no use outside of stabilizing people at 0hp and saying they are sick? [B]Menacing[/B] At-Will Fear is something to be feared (heh) But this only lasts one round, and has to be used in place of an attack, making it marginally useful for classes other than Fighters. Maybe better as a Bonus Action. [B]Naturalist[/B] The Druid's equivalent of Arcanist. It's a bit of a stretch for this to grant spells, and [I]Detect poison and Disease[/I] would belong more with the Medic feat. Perhaps [I]Speak With Animals[/I] would be better, or something to do with Cartography? [B]Perceptive[/B] You can ignore disadvantage due to light obscurement, that's actually a rather big deal, and relatively rare as far as abilities go. [B]Performer[/B] Distracting should be a normal function of Performance Checks. This needs a replacement. [B]Quick-Fingered[/B] A poor-man's Fast Hands. Even more poor once you consider how limited it is compared to normal use of the skill. However, bonus action skill use is still a good start, given that you could take a small weapon or potion off of someone you are fighting with the normal skill. [B]Silver-Tongued[/B] Unlike the Intimidation feat, trading in attack action is better for this option, as it grants you advantage on all other attacks you make. Additionally, it lets you disengage for no action. [B]Stealthy[/B] Obligatory comment about how the Stealth Rules are a Mess, and I can't really advocate a feat that augments them until the core rules are more solid. However, I can say moving from cover to cover is something that should be part of the normal Stealth rules imo, then we can talk about making them better at it. [B]Survivalist[/B] [I]Alarm[/I]. Of All the spells you could have given them (and you really shouldn't have) [I]Alarm[/I] isn't at the top of the list. [I]Goodberry[/I], [I]Purify Food and Drink[/I], Maybe? Just give them something that makes it harder to kill them, or even ignoring the effects of extreme weather, that would have been good start. [B]Theologian[/B] So you get Cleric spells by [I]studying[/I] religion (and not even worshiping or making at least a pact) now? How do the gods even stay in power with the myriad of things that are encroaching on their turf? At least the spells are appropriate. [/QUOTE]
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