D&D (2024) Fixing General Feats

[mellored]

I do like this, though.

You'd just have to be really careful to not create perverse incentives. 'No don't stabilize me yet, I just need to fail one more death save to get Tough!', or combat starting and everyone trying to climb a tree for those Athletics checks.

Experience points is already a perverse incentive, IMO.

Save the farmers son from the goblins by killing every goblin, collect the quest reward, then kill the farmer and all his animals for even more XP.

 

[Scars Unseen]

Experience points is already a perverse incentive, IMO.

Save the farmers son from the goblins by killing every goblin, collect the quest reward, then kill the farmer and all his animals for even more XP.

Maybe if you're giving XP out via algorithm. As a DM, I would award players absolutely nothing for that save for possibly advice that continuing to play their characters that way would see them swiftly hunted down by more lawful parties and hanged.

 

[dave2008]

Are you using the new 5.5 stuff, how are you handling the feats n ASIs with the new rules?

It never occurred to me to house-rule out ASIs and only allow feats... My players always blitz towards 20 in their primary stat and feel kind of OP as a consequence, especially in A5E. Interesting that y'all played with starting Ability Scores and didn't have an issue.

Unfortunately it's tough to de-power players' characters, whether existing or options going forward the reception is not always a welcoming one!

I only got the 2024 PHB 5 days ago so we aren't using anything form it yet! However, we probably won't change much until we start a new campaign in about 6-12 months.

 

[ECMO3]

continuing to play their characters that way would see them swiftly hunted down by more lawful parties and hanged.

Sounds like a great adventure hook

DM, do we get XP for all the bounty hunters and lawmen we kill?

 

[mellored]

Maybe if you're giving XP out via algorithm. As a DM, I would award players absolutely nothing for that save for possibly advice that continuing to play their characters that way would see them swiftly hunted down by more lawful parties and hanged.

Maybe the new DMG will change things.

But XP is rewarded for slaughter.

 

[Scars Unseen]

Maybe the new DMG will change things.

But XP is rewarded for slaughter.

Again, only if the DM awards it. I wouldn't.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Again, only if the DM awards it. I wouldn't.

I feel you (I treat killing magically sleeping or immobilized sapients as an evil act), but most tables seem to assume fights to the death.

 

[Pauln6]

It feels weird that skulker doesn't allow you to hide in shadows any more. Presumably now, you roll your stealth before you encounter the enemy (while you have total concealment - effectively moving silently on approach) and if you remain shadow, they would get -5 on passive perception?

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

It feels weird that skulker doesn't allow you to hide in shadows any more. Presumably now, you roll your stealth before you encounter the enemy (while you have total concealment - effectively moving silently on approach) and if you remain shadow, they would get -5 on passive perception?

No.

Are you planning to hide again once in combat? Say, you attacked someone, were revealed, but you are a Rogue so you can Hide as a bonus action... then Skulker gives you advantage on the re-hide attempt.

Are you planning to only stealth into combat, then fight as usual? Your DC is whatever you already rolled, Skulker just gives you Blindsight and keeps you hidden if your attack (from stealth) missed.

 

[Pauln6]

No.

Are you planning to hide again once in combat? Say, you attacked someone, were revealed, but you are a Rogue so you can Hide as a bonus action... then Skulker gives you advantage on the re-hide attempt.

Are you planning to only stealth into combat, then fight as usual? Your DC is whatever you already rolled, Skulker just gives you Blindsight and keeps you hidden if your attack (from stealth) missed.

That part I get, but what I meant was, despite having advantage, the rogue now needs heavy obscurement or total cover to hide in combat. Literally hiding in shadows as a concept is now dead, which is a change from the previous version of the feat.

A DM might rule that the rogue needs cover or concealment (such as shadows) to remain 'invisible' to avoid falling foul of the unless they can somehow see you rule once it is potentially possible to see you (let's not dive into that debate) but nowhere do the rules specify that hiding is shadows (or dim light) is a possibility.