D&D 5E Giving Feats to Monsters

[Harzel]

I can't pick 5 that are actually interesting and enhance the balor in meaningful ways.

Really? How about Actor and Tavern Brawler? I mean, I would so totally be down with a demon wielding a broken bottle and a table leg and doing impressions.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

Really? How about Actor and Tavern Brawler? I mean, I would so totally be down with a demon wielding a broken bottle and a table leg and doing impressions.

My point was that I couldn't think of cool combos of 5 feats exactly, not that I couldn't think of any cool combos.

I always disliked the way in which having to use a set number of feats for monsters left me thinking things like "Well, I guess I'll add more HP (Tough), better saves (Resilient), and the obvious damage booster (Savage Attacker)," because the actually interesting choices that fit the theme or purpose of a monster didn't fill up all the "slots."

 

[Ath'kethin]

A contingent of the town guard or soldiers who have all been trained with the Magic Initiate feat would be incredibly effective and would dominate a battlefield. An ogre with a one-off ability - say, polymorph or even just misty step (never mind the cantrips) becomes a very different kind of encounter indeed. Hell, an ogre with above-average intelligence becomes a very different sort of encounter.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

The 5E ogre is a boring bag of hit points, but with the right feat or feats it could at least be a LITTLE interesting.

If a DM allows feats in his game, could he not also give feats to monsters?

Yes. Although when adjusting monsters I generally start with skill proficiencies, and then feats unless there are any feats that definitely fit well.

How many feats should he give them? One per four hit dice?

Whichever feats they think the monster should have that will provide the feel that they're after. I would recommend against a set number per HD, but if you do, make many of them ASIs.

 

[Mad_Jack]

I'm also of the school of thought that there shouldn't be a standard number of feats per hit die/character level/whatever - even moreso than PC, monsters' feats should be highly thematic.

Most creatures should probably get no more than one or possibly two feats, unless you're stacking up Tough, one or more Resilients and possibly a combat feat to make something pretty bad-ass.
Humanoids might have Tough and an appropriate armor or weapon feat (or both).
Something high-end like a dragon or Balor could conceivably have more, although as mentioned you quickly run into the problem of extraneous feats that don't really fit the monster.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I think 1 feat per monster is fine--alert, mobile, or mage slayer add a lot of spice without really changing the CR. For mid level critters without a ranged attack, magic initiate (warlock) solves that pretty well.

If more than 1 feat feels necessary, then you should probably think about making the monster legendary (or picking a different monster) instead.

 

[cbwjm]

I happily give monsters feats or even specific class abilities. I don't fill them up with them, just enough to fit what I need. For instance, I had a couple of wights who were bodyguards to a cleric and I gave them the protection fighting style to round them out. I don't necessarily note down the feat either, rather than giving monster the magic initiate feat, I'll just give them cantrips. Instead of Heavy armour mastery, I'll just give them DR 3 to non-magical weapon attacks (or just DR 3).

It is definitely worth looking at feats and class abilities to spice up monsters, whether it is the entire group in the encounter or just one or two elites.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

No need to add a level of convolution to the process with feats since monsters are designed differently from player characters.

Just slap on abilities and effects as needed. (within reason)

 

[Plaguescarred]

Yes the DM can give feats to monsters, it's in fact a great way to make them more unique and powerful!


Yan
D&D Playtester

 

[Kalshane]

I agree with everyone saying "Yes, but not a set amount." I don't do it all the time, but will occasionally do so for special monsters. But if you feel the need to add more than 1 or 2 feats, you're probably better off giving the monster some class levels instead.