5e Balance Tweaks

[Sadrik]

I think +1dX for -5 is fine. The complaint is that the two feats are too good at -5/+10, this adds some variability. With the fighting styles it becomes very good. The +2 for archery mitigates the lower damage die and the great weapon fighter adds the reroll for great weapons with more dice rolled. I think it synergizes very well with both strategies and weakens the two feats enough to bring them into the power scale of other feats.

 

[Kithas]

i had toyed around with -3 for 1d12, it would be better for crits and it averages to -3 +6

[*]Fighting Style on Paladin and Ranger: I'm strongly considering moving Fighting Style from 2nd level to 3rd level. Having it at 2nd level doesn't really keep people from dipping; non-fighters dip fighter for 1 level, often 2 because Action Surge is nice. I'm not worried about dips. Otherwise, the Paladin and ranger have nothing offensive at 1st level over the baseline, and they otherwise get a big jump at 2nd with spells and fighting style. In the first game I ran, the paladin player questioned this and I was quickly convinced. Most of the styles don't stack anyway, so cross dipping isn't a big deal, I don't think. Maybe change how defensive works?

did you mean to say move the fighting style to level 1?
because you said to 3, then for the rest talked about how dipping isnt really a problem so I'm confused, also making them wait 3 levels for anything significant in direct combat seems really rough.
I could get behind giving it to them at level 1, fighter for 1 is still a better dip and it gives ranger and paladin something nice at level 1 besides ribbons and a minor heal.

For beastmaster; random idea, what if instead of extra attack for the beast at 11, you got the ability to have 2 beasts?

 

[mellored]

I think +1dX for -5 is fine. The complaint is that the two feats are too good at -5/+10, this adds some variability.

It's only too good when combined with accuracy boosts (archery style, bless, advantage, bardic inspiration, precision strike, ect...).

Baseline, it's reasonable.

great weapon fighter adds the reroll for great weapons with more dice rolled.

Great weapon style actually makes it weaker. You have more damage to lose if you miss.

i.e.
risk losing 15 damage for +10 damage, is a bad.
risk losing 10 damage, for +10 damage, is balanced.
risk losing 5 damage for +10 damage, is strong.

 

[mellored]

i had toyed around with -3 for 1d12, it would be better for crits and it averages to -3 +6

Yea, i think it's good like that.

For beastmaster; random idea, what if instead of extra attack for the beast at 11, you got the ability to have 2 beasts?

Personally i would rewrite the beastmaster all together, and yes allow for multiple beast. You could be have a flock of ravens, or a pack of wolves, or a single powerful animal.


But, i want to keep this list simple and small balance adjustments.

 

[Xeviat]

i had toyed around with -3 for 1d12, it would be better for crits and it averages to -3 +6



did you mean to say move the fighting style to level 1?
because you said to 3, then for the rest talked about how dipping isnt really a problem so I'm confused, also making them wait 3 levels for anything significant in direct combat seems really rough.
I could get behind giving it to them at level 1, fighter for 1 is still a better dip and it gives ranger and paladin something nice at level 1 besides ribbons and a minor heal.

Wow, yeah, I totally meant 1st level. Just look at the Fighter compared to the Paladin. The fighter gets to regain an average of 6.5 damage per short rest, while the paladin gets 5 hp per day (but those can be given to someone else). The fighter gets fighting style, and the paladin gets ... divine sense?

 

[Sadrik]

-5 and +1dX works given the different advantages from fighting styles and the different additional bonuses from other effects and spells.

If you consider the average damages from weapons - greatsword would become 10.5 average damage and greataxe would become 13 average damage. This enhances these weapons average damage a great sword 7 and a great axe which is 6.5. This makes great axe a little better, granted they are at a cost of a penalty to hit - which can be mitigated with various other game effects.

The decision should be tough, should I take -5 to add bonus damage? If they are going to take -5 for the additional damage it should be not be an automatic decision. It should be optional, they either turn on or turn off and balance the decision to increase the damage against a low AC or not do it against a high AC.

 

[Ferghis]

What's Temperate?

EDIT: Nevermind, found it in the DMG, under magic item properties.

 

[redkobold]

Grappler
Change this:

• You can use your action to try to pin a creature grappled by you. To do so, make another grapple check. If you succeed, you and the creature are both restrained until the grapple ends.

To this:

• You can use your action to try to pin a creature grappled by you. To do so, make another grapple check. If you succeed, the creature is both restrained until the grapple ends.

This could be thought of as a type choke hold or arm lock. Unarmed Attack action(s) or bonus actions could automatically succeed causing the character's unarmed attack damage/(Martial Arts damage for monks) each turn.

 

[mellored]

Automaticly hitting someone could make the feat slightly more useful. Though you already graple+prone + attack with advantage without it. It needs more to be a feat.


Added

Aura of Vitality: Concentration, upto 30 seconds. Cut the out of combat healing down to a more reasonable level (70 HP is a level 5 or 6 spell, not level 3.), without affecting in combat use. 35 HP is still a good for a level 3 spell.

 

[Inconnunom]

Automaticly hitting someone could make the feat slightly more useful. Though you already graple+prone + attack with advantage without it. It needs more to be a feat.


Added

Aura of Vitality: Concentration, upto 30 seconds. Cut the out of combat healing down to a more reasonable level (70 HP is a level 5 or 6 spell, not level 3.), without affecting in combat use. 35 HP is still a good for a level 3 spell.

It's a paladin spell... they get it at level 9...
Sure a lore bard could pick it up early, but at the cost of a precious magical secret...