D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: 16 New Feats

"Today’s Unearthed Arcana presents a selection of new feats for Dungeons & Dragons. Each feat offers a way to become better at something or to gain a whole new ability."

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The feats include Artificer Initiate, Chef, Crusher, Eldritch Adept, Fey Touched, Fighting Initiate, Gunner, Metamagic Adept, Poisoner, Piercer, Practiced Expert, Shadow Touched, Shield Training, Slasher, Tandem Tactician, and Tracker.

 

[Charlaquin]

There have been times where my brother in law was DMing where he wanted to emphasize to everyone that Feats were in the table...but we all found the idea of being hit 5% less often, or what not from an ASI, more attractive?

I think it depends a lot on play style preferences. For me, if feats are on the table I’ll basically always take that option over ASIs because even if bumping your primary ability is numerically the stronger option, it’s just kinda boring. I’ll take a new cool thing to do over doing more of the same but with higher numbers any day of the week. That’s how WotC sold me on 5e with its bounded accuracy and Feats as an alternative to ASIs.

 

[Weiley31]

Artificer's umbrella

I now want an Artificer that wields an Umbrella as the Artificer's main weapon.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I've come to like Piercer a little less than I did initially. I thought it was re-roll the damage dice of an attack (allowing Rogues to roll twice and take the better, but still essentially just savage attacker) but it is re-roll one die, which is a lot less powerful. I think it would be fine on the re-roll everything? It isn't like Savage attacker is something people find good.

But man, the more I read and think about Crusher and Slasher, the happier I am. Reducing speed, forced movement, and some really nice crit effects, simply great.

I am also falling a little out of love with the Chef. I love the idea, but the extra d8 on a short rest will be minor, and the ability to get three, 3 temp hp scones? Sure that could be 9 temp hp for someone, but it isn't super great. Maybe double prof number of treats so you are likely to get at least six of them? I know people will likely do a long rest, then an hour to make a double batch, but it is so little and takes a bonus action, I'm not sure if it would be too powerful.

The biggest problem is that the poison DC doesn't scale. It should be something like '12+Proficency bonus' or something.

I agree, I have also noted a lot of people pointing out that poison resistance is rare, while Poison immunity isn't. I'd like a way to deal with that as well.

I could see crafting specific poisons. Like, Demons are immune to poison, but you've learned how to incorporate blessed water and holy oils into your poisons and can craft demon specific poisons that they are only resistant to.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Okay, here's my full reviews:

Artificer Initiate: It's like Magic Initiate, but better! Also, you still get to take Magic Initiate! I like this feat, but think it will be nerfed (I also second the idea for an Artificer Infusion as a feat). This is a great feat for artificers, wizards, and good for the 1/3rd casters.

Chef: Good, I guess. I mean, I'd never take it, or encourage a player to take it really, but I could see situations where this would be very useful. I would prefer it as an Artificer (maybe bard or cleric subclass if it has to be), but this feat can stay. I think there should be some pre-requisite, based on needing healing spells or something, as it doesn't make much sense for a Wizard to have it, or an Archfiend Warlock. (Great feat for clerics, bards, druids that focus on goodberry, and alchemist artificers)

Crusher: I like the feat. Some people have expressed concern about the name, but I think it fits. This is a good feat, and fits well with the other weapon-damage focused ones (This feat is great with Monks).

Eldritch Adept: Nice feat. I always wanted more invocations as my Hexblade, and this would be nice. This will be very popular if it makes it into the book as is (The infinite mage armor or false life will be very attractive for Sorcerers and Wizards).

Fey Touched: Good feat. I'm sure a lot of Archfey warlocks will take this, as well as certain wizards and bards.

Fighting Initiate: Great feat. Some have mentioned Rogues getting Archery or Two-Weapon Fighting, and others have mentioned Barbarians getting a Fighting Style. I think a lot of people will take this, either to get more Fighting Styles as a Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger, or for a Hexblade or Bladesinger to get a fighting style.

Gunner: Besides firearms being broken, this making them even worse, and it being an amazing feat if you want to be a gun-user (especially as a Battlesmith Artificer or Battlemaster Fighter).

Metamagic Adept: Also, besides screwing the sorcerer even more (and helping it as well) it seems like a good feat. This will be a very attractive feat to people arcane casters, which they needed more of.

Piercer: Nice feat, like the Crusher feat. This is useful to archers, gun-users, cavaliers, rogues, and many more subclasses.

Poisoner: I mean, poisons do need help. Good feat, not much else to say.

Practiced Expert: I really hated that Prodigy was limited to humans, half-orcs, and half-elves. I mean, what the heck? Only people with human blood, rogues, and bards can be very, very good at a few certain things? If allowed, I will take this as every single character I play in the future. My changeling hexblade needs this for Deception, a Wizard needs this for Arcana, a Paladin needs it for Persuasion, Athletics, or Intimidation.

Shadow Touched: Good feat, except for the subclass it fits with the most: Shadow Sorcerers. They already get darkness, and I think you should be able to choose a different necrotic/illusion spell for this, like Blindness/Deafness or Ray of Sickness.

Shield Training: I mean, amazing feat. I would literally never not take this as a non-gish spellcaster without shields. It's even useful to gish spellcasters, and non-spellcasters. War Wizards would have great ACs with this, especially Hobgoblins with light armor.

Slasher: Good feat. Not much else to say, except slashing-sword users will have a great time with this feat.

Tandem Tactician: Good feat. People have been saying it screws the Mastermind, but not really. They still have a range of 30 feet for their abilities.

Tracker: Great feat. I would take it as a Ranger, but it does feel like another feat to make a class not feel needed anymore (Take this as a monk. You get the most attacks at lower levels, and will benefit the most from this).

Summary:

I like these feats in general. I see the problems with them, and expect several of these to be dropped/changed before entering Xanathar's 2.0. They are all good, all useful to most characters, and let me steal abilities from other classes without having to do all the multiclassing nonsense.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I've come to like Piercer a little less than I did initially. I thought it was re-roll the damage dice of an attack (allowing Rogues to roll twice and take the better, but still essentially just savage attacker) but it is re-roll one die, which is a lot less powerful. I think it would be fine on the re-roll everything? It isn't like Savage attacker is something people find good.

But man, the more I read and think about Crusher and Slasher, the happier I am. Reducing speed, forced movement, and some really nice crit effects, simply great.

I am also falling a little out of love with the Chef. I love the idea, but the extra d8 on a short rest will be minor, and the ability to get three, 3 temp hp scones? Sure that could be 9 temp hp for someone, but it isn't super great. Maybe double prof number of treats so you are likely to get at least six of them? I know people will likely do a long rest, then an hour to make a double batch, but it is so little and takes a bonus action, I'm not sure if it would be too powerful.




I agree, I have also noted a lot of people pointing out that poison resistance is rare, while Poison immunity isn't. I'd like a way to deal with that as well.

I could see crafting specific poisons. Like, Demons are immune to poison, but you've learned how to incorporate blessed water and holy oils into your poisons and can craft demon specific poisons that they are only resistant to.

Well I’m stealing that for a Poisoner subclass.

 

[Guest 6801328]

I think a lot of groups that use feats take as many half-feats as they can make good use of, because taking an ASI is painfully boring. So, it's just a +1. It's half a modifier increase. I'm sorry, but I'm just not willing to even consider the possibility of looking at the balance strictly from a "raise an odd main stat to an even number" assumption. I do consider that as part of the equation, but it's not the only usage of such a feat, by far.

Huh.

When I evaluate mechanics I do so on the presumption of optimal (or close to optimal) use. Not sure what the point is of trying to evaluate it otherwise. Sure, lots of people buy Porsches and then just drive them around like normal cars. Doesn't mean that they aren't more powerful than Hyundais.

So, yeah, I know (and am glad) that there are campaigns that emphasize non-combat aspects in ways that might make lesser feats more valuable. And I recognize that some people don't optimize their character builds.

But neither of those facts diminish the reality that +1 to a primary stat is just generally a more powerful benefit than a language and a tool proficiency.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Huh.

When I evaluate mechanics I do so on the presumption of optimal (or close to optimal) use. Not sure what the point is of trying to evaluate it otherwise. Sure, lots of people buy Porsches and then just drive them around like normal cars. Doesn't mean that they aren't more powerful than Hyundais.

So, yeah, I know (and am glad) that there are campaigns that emphasize non-combat aspects in ways that might make lesser feats more valuable. And I recognize that some people don't optimize their character builds.

But neither of those facts diminish the reality that +1 to a primary stat is just generally a more powerful benefit than a language and a tool proficiency.

IMO, the “optimized” game is largely irrelevant to game balance. Particularly because discussing optimization requires divorcing the discussion from many vital table realities, and essentially entering the “white room”, looking purely at (Mostly combat-related) math.

I’d rather get alchemists or herbalists tools than a +1, in most campaigns, most of the time, sooner than getting another +1. It’s not like I won’t eventually get both, it’s just a matter of which first.

My characters with prodigy will likely also take Practiced Expertise, but I wouldn’t be likely to ever take it first, much less instead of Prodigy. I get much more out of being able to turn gold directly into healing and/or damage on a regular basis.

But to the Porsche example, if most people are going to drive their car the same either way, the Porsche isn’t better in ways that matter, and a Toyota Avalon is a better choice. Only considering the “optimal” usage misses vastly too much information, most of which is more relevant to how the game is actually played, to be a useful analysis, IMO.

 

[cbwjm]

Currently it’s the only (official) source of firearm proficiency though. I think that’s what bugs me most about it. If firearms were better integrated into the standard game I think a Feat to remove Loading from them would be fine, but with this being the only way to access proficiency with them, any perks the Feat grants are going to be shared by 100% of firearm users.

DMG suggests downtime to learn to use firearms. If you didn't want to use downtime the you could use the weapon master feat since firearms are martial weapons they would be eligible for selection if they came up in a game. If firearms are common in a campaign setting then I'd assume anyone with martial weapon proficiency would have them by default and perhaps the DM would want to consider adding proficiency to some other classes like pistols for rogue.

 

[dalisprime]

It was totally expected that early or late they would come up with a feat or something else to steal the one and only reason to play a Sorcerer.

Now, to restore the fairness, there has to be a feat which grants a Spellbook feature so you can scribe unlimited spells for the same cost as a Wizard.

Ritual Caster would like to have a word with you. Sure it's limited. So is the metamagic feat.

Re: firearms. Artíficers are suggested to have proficiency in firearms where they are available to players so that's one case of said proficiency being built in.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

My thoughts:

Artificer Initiate
This is a no-brainer, but as written it is stronger than Magic Initiate - change spells on levelling, cast with any spell slot. It may be that Magic Initiate will be errataed to match this. Artificers don't really get anything build defining on their spell list though (Magic Stone might be worth a second look). Interesting wrinkle - say a ranger who doesn't like the ranger spell list takes this: they could use all their spell slots (save the odd Hunter's Mark) to cast their artificer spell using INT as their casting stat and dump wisdom.

Crusher etc
I find players like to specialise in particular weapons.

Eldritch Adept
First thought was "Agonising Blast Sorcerer without multiclassing". However, the wording of this feat prohibits that, since it has a prerequisite (Eldritch Blast) and it requires at least one warlock level if there are any prerequisites. A Vuman warlock could use it to pick up Agonising Blast at 1st level instead of 2nd though. Actually, the majority of Invocations have prerequisites, and are thus barred to non-warlocks. The most powerful choice for non-warlocks would seem to be Fiendish Vigor, but it's not that good. Armor of Shadows doesn't give anything you can't already get with Magic Initiate.

Fighting Initiate
In addition to fighters gaining an additional style I can see a lot of Rogues using this to learn Two Weapon Fighting.

Poisoner
Ignoring Poison Resistance is the main thing - intended to make Green Dragon Sorcerers suck slightly less.

Shield Training
Bards and Dwarf Wizards approve of this.