D&D (2024) Half-race feats how would you design them?

[Kobold Avenger]

I think it's clear there needs to be a bunch of 1st-level Half-race feats since the rules for Half-races is just "pick one races special abilities", and would be too complicated and prone to some broken combos if they specified which ones were available as half-race choices. So I think feats are the best alternative for this.

So how would you design feats for having some Elven, Orcish, Human and so on heritage?

 

[Charlaquin]

Frankly, I don’t like the idea of half-race feats because… what if I want to play a half-orc and also want to start with magic initiate, for example? I don’t want to have to give up my 1st level Feat in order to play a mixed-race character.

 

[Haplo781]

Frankly, I don’t like the idea of half-race feats because… what if I want to play a half-orc and also want to start with magic initiate, for example? I don’t want to have to give up my 1st level Feat in order to play a mixed-race character.

So go human and get an extra feat.

 

[Marandahir]

Frankly, I don’t like the idea of half-race feats because… what if I want to play a half-orc and also want to start with magic initiate, for example? I don’t want to have to give up my 1st level Feat in order to play a mixed-race character.

Yeah, that’s swingy too much the other way from Half-elves being overpowered.

Tasha’s already discusses the magic about custom lineage; I feel like they should take that and develop it further in the 2024 DMG, while in the 2024 have the descriptive thing as the base rule and say if you want a more finetuned version, work with your DM with their access to the mixed lineage variant rates from the DMG.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

What if the half race option was a variant background instead, this background would have no ability score increases, no feat and no added skills or language... and instead you just took all the traits of the second race as well as the first?

 

[Charlaquin]

So go human and get an extra feat.

Ok, but what if I want to be half orc and half dwarf?

 

[Marandahir]

What if the half race option was a variant background instead, this background would have no ability score increases, no feat and no added skills or language... and instead you just took all the traits of the second race as well as the first?

That might be too powerful.

Lineages are currently 3 feats + ribbons. Maybe 2 feats if we drop the ASIs… Are backgrounds equivalent to 2-3 feats?

 

[Charlaquin]

What if the half race option was a variant background instead, this background would have no ability score increases, no feat and no added skills or language... and instead you just took all the traits of the second race as well as the first?

I like the idea of mixed-race as a background, but I wouldn’t cut the ASIs, feat, and proficiencies. Rather, I would use the stuff granted by background to approximate what the character gained from their mixed heritage. So, for the hypothetical half-orc-half-dwarf with Magic Initiate, I could take the orc race abilities, and then make a custom Clan Crafter background with +2 Con, +1 Wis, history, insight, dwarvish, smith’s tools, and Magic Initiate.

 

[Parmandur]

I like the idea of mixed-race as a background, but I wouldn’t cut the ASIs, feat, and proficiencies. Rather, I would use the stuff granted by background to approximate what the character gained from their mixed heritage. So, for the hypothetical half-orc-half-dwarf with Magic Initiate, I could take the orc race abilities, and then make a custom Clan Crafter background with +2 Con, +1 Wis, history, insight, dwarvish, smith’s tools, and Magic Initiate.

A Feat that combined Dwarven Weapon Training and Dwarven Armor Training would be handy. Even just "pick 4 Martial Wrapons. That would allow my Orc Sorcerer with Dwarven heritage and culture to wear Medium Armor and wield an Axe. Or a straight Dwarf leaning unto stereotypes, or any Background for a non-martial character coming from a martial cultural background. So, cultural Frats have potential, even to be the main story of a PC.

Alternatively, a Feat that grants some of the magical abilities of a Race can help with getting that hybridization across (Dwarces with Fey Ancestry amd Misty Step? Orcs with magical wings?). So it seems like something that could be part of the system.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Maybe allow the ''racial feats'' from XGtE as 1st level pick?

Wanna play a half-orc/half-elf? Pick one of the race and pick the racial feat of the other race at level one?

Like pick Orc race + Elven accuracy or Wood elf magic.