D&D 5E Legends & Lore 7/21/14

[Kobold Stew]

Battle Caster is a great feat, but it's going to be awfully tough to justify versus a +2 in your main stat.

I have to admit, the interplay between the limited point buy, the extremely useful feats, and a stat bump is really growing on me. It makes for some damn difficult decision making. I really think I kind of love it.

Tough decisions in character build are the sauce of RPG life, for me. I want always to feel that the choices I make for my character take me in very different ways than possible alternatives.

 

[DMZ2112]

Tough decisions in character build are the sauce of RPG life, for me. I want always to feel that the choices I make for my character take me in very different ways than possible alternatives.

This is exactly why I'm waiting to cast judgment until I see the mechanics. A feat ought to change the way I play, not just slap a flat bonus on something I already do, and Mearls' description of their approach leaves me guessing. If I want a flat bonus I can go for the ability score increase.

 

[Remathilis]

This is exactly why I'm waiting to cast judgment until I see the mechanics. A feat ought to change the way I play, not just slap a flat bonus on something I already do, and Mearls' description of their approach leaves me guessing. If I want a flat bonus I can go for the ability score increase.

Agreed.

Flat bonus feats are now mostly pointless: There is no need for Weapon Focus, Spell Focus, Dodge, Skill Focus, etc when a +2 to the appropriate ability score fills the same role. So each feat needs to do something.

 

[FadedC]

If those feats are accurate humans will be a very powerful racial option for just about everything. They can even use their feat option for an extra stat point if they want. A human wizard with the moderately armored feat can have the same con and armor as a dwarf wizard without losing the int bonus.

 

[Prism]

I also like that war caster allows a sword and board or dual weapon character to cast spells without having to always remember to put their weapons away first... and then get them out again if they want to make opportunity attacks. Since clerics and paladins also don't need a free hand for their focus I assume the eldritch knight sub class will allow the same but with a weapon focus. That will probably leave bard however needing to maybe juggle a musical instrument and weapons to mix it up fully

 

[Li Shenron]

Lightly Armored, Moderately Armored, Heavy Armored: Proficiency in Armor and a +1 ability score.
Alert, Athlete, Actor, Healer, Skilled, Skulker: Give proficiency in one or more skills and tools, along with a ability increase. Perhaps a bonus to go along with said skill.

If those feats are accurate humans will be a very powerful racial option for just about everything. They can even use their feat option for an extra stat point if they want. A human wizard with the moderately armored feat can have the same con and armor as a dwarf wizard without losing the int bonus.

I would be fine with those armor prof + ability increase, but not with the skill prof + ability increase. Skill prof seems to be worth significantly more. In fact the human variant race grants two ability increases, one feat and one skill. Unless there's a design mistake in this option, that skill prof is considered to be alone worth a feat (or a +2) - or they put a tax for getting a feat or extra skill at 1st level, which is unfair IMHO.

 

[Xodis]

If those feats are accurate humans will be a very powerful racial option for just about everything. They can even use their feat option for an extra stat point if they want. A human wizard with the moderately armored feat can have the same con and armor as a dwarf wizard without losing the int bonus.

Humans are suppose to be the race that can be just as good as everyone that isnt the best at what they are designed to do I.E. Elven Wizard. This goes to put Humans in the broadly powerful area without making them able to beat the most classic of stereotypes.

 

[Mistwell]

However, for my part, feats like War Caster seem like a thing all adventuring casters would have. If you're going into close-quarters battle on a regular basis (often in cramped and ~unescapable environments), advantage on Concentration seems like a "basic training" kind of thing to me...

I am having a hard time seeing the "required feat" perspective on this one.

It's either:

A) +1 to all Constitution checks (which includes concentration itself, and lots of endurance challenges);
and +1 to all Constitution saving throws (which includes a lot of dangerous spells and traps);
and +1 hit point per level for your entire life, retroactive back to level one (which is a pretty big bonus, particularly for a wizard)

OR

B) Advantage on concentration checks (which is basically a +5 bonus, or +4 bonus over what you would have already gotten in B above);
and can use somatic components even you're holding weapons and/or a shield in your hands;
and can cast a spell as an opportunity attack.

I am not seeing that choice as a no-brainer. The hit points alone from taking the +2 to Con seems well-balanced against advantage on concentration checks from the feat. Given concentration is based off damage you take, and given your concentration check really doesn't increase much with level while damage done to you does increase with level, I am not seeing the Advantage as useful as the additional hit points, necessarily.

 

[TwoSix]

I would be fine with those armor prof + ability increase, but not with the skill prof + ability increase. Skill prof seems to be worth significantly more. In fact the human variant race grants two ability increases, one feat and one skill. Unless there's a design mistake in this option, that skill prof is considered to be alone worth a feat (or a +2) - or they put a tax for getting a feat or extra skill at 1st level, which is unfair IMHO.

True, but it's probably not just the skill proficiency. Actor gives advantage on Deception and Performance, for example, as well as a +1 Cha.

 

[TwoSix]

I am not seeing that choice as a no-brainer. The hit points alone from taking the +2 to Con seems well-balanced against advantage on concentration checks from the feat. Given concentration is based off damage you take, and given your concentration check really doesn't increase much with level while damage done to you does increase with level, I am not seeing the Advantage as useful as the additional hit points, necessarily.

Yep. And, conversely, I wouldn't think twice about seeing someone take Battle Caster instead of the +2. Advantage on every Concentration check is a really useful ability.