3PP Release New release: Single-Class Synergy, Volume 1: The Core Four

[Timespike]

So they’re not actually synergy feats, they’re just … feats?

Which is fine, but I’d be disappointed if I picked this up expecting synergy feats. The title is a bit misleading. It doesn’t contain synergy feats.

Any chance of a more accurate title?

At this point? Probably not. The feats do follow the synergy feat chain format, too; and I'm also not sure what the vampire and werewolf feats are synergizing with, either. Sometimes you just have to accept that the terminology is weird with game mechanics.

 

[Timespike]

The cover is certainly as the kids say "Metal".

Hard to kind of picture what single class synergy looks like mechanically though.

They make the class more like itself, basically. What that looks like varies by class.

The fighter gets rare weapon proficiencies and then access to something new called exotic weapons that are basically intended to represent the kind of unique signature weapons you see from warriors in media. (Also more maneuvers and a little more exertion to spend)

Clerics get significant boosts to their Religion skill, access to rare versions of cleric spells for free, and a few other goodies.

Rogues emphasize things like stealth, deception, and sleight of hand, and a "thieving apprentice" in the form of a follower.

Wizards get better at researching rare spells and also a broader range of proficiencies in things that are magic-adjacent.


Were it not for standardized terminology of "synergy feats" for any kind of feat chain in A5E, I might have called these "emphasis feats" or something.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

and I'm also not sure what the vampire and werewolf feats are synergizing with, either.

i assumed those were synergizing with the curses that would start those chains

 

[Timespike]

i assumed those were synergizing with the curses that would start those chains

I suppose you could consider these to by synergizing with an advanced training program or a streak of single-mindedness, then.

All kidding and pedantry aside: if you're familiar with the structure of how I do multiclass synergy feat chains, these will look very familiar.

 

[Toan Li]

Just spit balling an idea.
Single Class Specialization Feats?

 

[Corinnguard]

Just spit balling an idea.
Single Class Specialization Feats?

Works for me. Level Up already has Skill Specialties for its' skills. So, why not something that furthers specializes a class?

 

[Timespike]

Hey folks, I appreciate the feedback, and if you find some kind of issue with the actual content that merits some errata, I'll certainly look at it, but the title is set. The feats synergize with each other and the base class, and "synergy feats" is basically the A5E term for "feat chain."

 

[Morrus]

and "synergy feats" is basically the A5E term for "feat chain."

Sorry to interrupt--I wasn't going to weigh in on this, but that isn't quite correct. I wouldn't have said anything, and I have no view on what you call your books, but since it's been stated in a 'factual' manner I need to clarify what the A5E terms mean.

Synergy feats don't need to be feat chains. The synergy feats in the AG also happen to be feat chains, but you can have a single synergy feat with no chain, or a feat chain which does not use synergy feats. Synergy feats were the second name we settled on after we were originally going with 'prestige feats' (like prestige classes, which often required levels in various classes to access). For the record, I prefer the latter!

You, of course, can use the terms differently in your own books, but in A5E the terms are not synonyms.

 

[Timespike]

Sorry to interrupt--I wasn't going to weigh in on this, but that isn't quite correct. I wouldn't have said anything, and I have no view on what you call your books, but since it's been stated in a 'factual' manner I need to clarify what the A5E terms mean.

Synergy feats don't need to be feat chains. The synergy feats in the AG also happen to be feat chains, but you can have a single synergy feat with no chain, or a feat chain which does not use synergy feats. Synergy feats were the second name we settled on after we were originally going with 'prestige feats' (like prestige classes, which often required levels in various classes to access). For the record, I prefer the latter!

You, of course, can use the terms differently in your own books, but in A5E the terms are not synonyms.

Okay, fair enough - since I have you here, then, what are the more "transformational" synergy feats like the vampire, revenant, and werewolf ones synergizing with? And why do they use the same name as the "multiclass helper" chains? (Also, I like "prestige feats" better too, for the record.)

 

[Morrus]

Okay, fair enough - since I have you here, then, what are the more "transformational" synergy feats like the vampire, revenant, and werewolf ones synergizing with? And why do they use the same name as the "multiclass helper" chains? (Also, I like "prestige feats" better too, for the record.)

Honestly? I don't consider those ones synergy feats. They're in the wrong place; they should be with the regular feats, as they're just feat chains. Note you could technically take those at level 1 if your Narrator allowed, so you could start as a vampire, but that would require a houseule to allow you to choose a feat instead of a heritage gift. Synergy feats were deliberately intended to synergise two classes into a combined concept, just like a prestige class used to. That, like heritage gifts which got kinda morphed into 'subraces' these days (a concept we were trying to actually remove, not emphasize), wasn't the original vision. But cats, bags, and all that!

If it were 2021 again, I'd put those feat chains in with the regular feats, allow characters to take a feat at 1st level (not sure of the exact mechanism; maybe exchange for a heritage gift is too generous), and you'd be able to have players start play as vampires and werewolves and the like. Certainly any game I run, I houserule it that way.