D&D 5E Krynn's Free Feats: setting-specific or the future of the game?

[Kobold Stew]

The latest UA (Heroes of Krynn, rev) adds free feats at levels 1 and 4. Is this something specific for the high-action world of Dragonlance, or is this the direction the game is heading for the future, and soon everyone will have free feats?

Here are some arguments each way:

Setting-specific:

• There's precedent for setting-specific gimmes in Theros.
• It helps make Dragonlance play distinct (and more appealing)
• Feats are optional; no way they're going to change that.
• If it went mainstream, then that would reduce the number of (variant-)humans people played. That's a bad thing.

It's the future, and will be presented in the revised PHB (2024):

• It's a trend: first Theros, now here.
• More power, baby.
• Most people want to play with feats; this just normalizes existing practice.
• If it went mainstream, then that would reduce the number of (variant-)humans people played. That's a good thing.

What do you think?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I voted 5.5 for sure, but I really mean "I think this is testing the waters for backgrounds to give more as you level in the 5.5/6/anniversary edition in 2024"

and I like it. they can even keep feats optional by just saying "as a feat you can take a different backgrounds benfit"

 

[Maxperson]

The latest UA (Heroes of Krynn, rev) adds free feats at levels 1 and 4. Is this something specific for the high-action world of Dragonlance, or is this the direction the game is heading for the future, and soon everyone will have free feats?

Here are some arguments each way:

Setting-specific:

• There's precedent for setting-specific gimmes in Theros.
• It helps make Dragonlance play distinct (and more appealing)
• Feats are optional; no way they're going to change that.
• If it went mainstream, then that would reduce the number of (variant-)humans people played. That's a bad thing.

It's the future, and will be presented in the revised PHB (2024):

• It's a trend: first Theros, now here.
• More power, baby.
• Most people want to play with feats; this just normalizes existing practice.
• If it went mainstream, then that would reduce the number of (variant-)humans people played. That's a good thing.

What do you think?

In the recent interview that Crawford tried to pass off as a Sage Advice he told us that background feats are something that they wanted to do going forward.

 

[delericho]

I expect they're probably here to stay.

I really hope that's not the case, at least at 1st level - IMO the fewer choices a player needs to make to create a starting character, the better. (Even beyond 1st level, I'd prefer players to be able to ignore feats if they want. But my objection is certainly less strong here.)

 

[Vaalingrade]

It is time for the days of Feats Optional to end.

 

[TwoSix]

Personally, I can see them expanding "Background Feats" all the way up to 16th or 19th level, thus making Background another entire axis of character customization.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I expect they're probably here to stay.

I really hope that's not the case, at least at 1st level - IMO the fewer choices a player needs to make to create a starting character, the better. (Even beyond 1st level, I'd prefer players to be able to ignore feats if they want. But my objection is certainly less strong here.)

i get what you mean, but if they are baked into the backgrounds isn't that still just 1 choice 'what background do I want'?

 

[OB1]

It is time for the days of Feats Optional to end.

I agree! Would love to see that implemented in one of the following ways in the revised/expanded PHB.

1. Remove the ASI option, players must choose a feat when they previously would have gotten and ABI (possible exception for the bonus ASIs for Fighters and Rogues)
2. Change ASI to be a +1 to any ability score + 1 feat

 

[Scribe]

Never good to make an absolute statement, but I would hope this is the way forward again.

I didn't like Feats as optional instead of the default assumption.

 

[Weiley31]

I want it from now on. Continue it on. Heck, pull a 3.0/3.5 and allow the free feat to be awarded every 4 levels. I don't think granting players 5 feats, especially if they decide to stick to ASIs all the way, is gonna butcher anything OR WoTC's precious Bounded Accuracy.
The new souped-up Backgrounds and Free Feat thing are my second favorite thing from this UA.