D&D 5E How weak is Athlete Feat?

[Li Shenron]

All useful stuff, but compare to other Feats, how useful would you find this?

It is an extremely useful feat.

When you already have 19 in Str or Dex.

And 20 in the other 5 ability scores.

And you already took all the other feats which grant +1 to Str or Dex.

 

[Xeviat]

I don't think any of these skill feats should have been a thing. These should have been skill checks or features of skill proficiency. Pathfinder 2's cordoned off skill feats make it possible to have these, but only having one category of feat makes them difficult to balance. I've never seen this taken.

 

[iserith]

I’m surprised by this.

But then it’s a popular feat in my group, in large part because we use terrain quite a lot, so climbing speed is often relevant to combat, as is not using half your movement to stand up.
If our fights were more static or just less 3D, I expect the feat would be less beneficial.

Same. In my games, you're often fighting against the map as much as the monsters so anything that increases one's ability to deal with the environment is going to be useful.

Not all of my games use the optional feats rules though.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Terrain is a big deal in our games, too, but it tends to be difficult terrain more than vertical terrain, and this feat doesn't help a whole lot with that. We also use flanking. Increased movement, additional jumping distance, and/or movement through difficult terrain, would be much more beneficial. Mobile is pretty popular at our table.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Terrain is a big deal in our games, too, but it tends to be difficult terrain more than vertical terrain, and this feat doesn't help a whole lot with that. We also use flanking. Increased movement, additional jumping distance, and/or movement through difficult terrain, would be much more beneficial. Mobile is pretty popular at our table.

Only using 5ft to jump is beneficial in difficult terrain, tbf.

 

[iserith]

Trick is you don't want to jump into difficult terrain as you risk falling prone. Which I suppose Athlete feat helps with if you do!

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

So the Theros table of contents was revealed today and there is one new Background in it: Athlete. It will be interesting to see how this meshes with the feat.

 

[ProphetZarquon]

If there any good reason why the Athlete Feat shouldn't include Proficiency in Athletics?
This seems like a no-brainer & a really weird omission. Typo?

 

[TwoSix]

If there any good reason why the Athlete Feat shouldn't include Proficiency in Athletics?
This seems like a no-brainer & a really weird omission. Typo?

The overall value of feats has increased since the PHb was released (which is inevitable as more feats come out). I think if they had to do it over, the feat would give proficiency in Athletics. And possibly expertise.

 

[Kobold Stew]

At the same time, it's not a typo -- they chose to give +1 STR/DEX and to assume that characters had proficiency in Athletics if they wanted it. In the same way, Shield Master does not give proficiency in shields.

I agree that now they have expanded Expertise to the real of Feats, granting Atheltics proficiency (or expertise if already proficient) would probably be the choice they would make now.