D&D 5E Low Level Teleportation

[Swarmkeeper]

Play an Eladrin or Human (Mark of Passage)?

More limited teleportation than you might want but maybe gives you the flavor you need...

 

[Fenris-77]

You could always scale distance at leveled intervals anyway at 15' and LoS only it probably isn't a huge deal as a bonus action. The only tactic that springs to mind is a combo with PA master where you take your reaction attack, your normal attacks and teleport away and do it all over again. That's not game breakingly awesome though. There might also be some light shenanigans with the Sentinel feat, but again, not game breaking.

 

[Maestrino]

Not exactly a teleport, but even at level 1 a Storm Sorcerer can use their bonus action anyt ime they cast a leveled spell to fly up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. Which, functionally, is about the same as a 10-foot teleport as a bonus action on every turn if they want to.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I think that a short range teleport could easily come with some other benefit. id prefer to use movement to teleport, so that you can split the movement, but I’d accept that usage as an upgrade at mid level.

On a rogue, this might allow SA on a creature that you end your teleport next to.

On a Monk, I’d say you could use Unarmored movement as the number of feet you can teleport, and if you use Step of The Wind that distance doubles. Then I’d also give a tiny blip when you Flurry of Blows? Maybe you can split the teleport for the rest of your turn?
Oh! Maybe you can teleport as a reaction at level 6 in response to an attack? Maybe it works like deflect missiles, and you can punch them by spending a ki if you reduce the damage to 0?

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I think that a short range teleport could easily come with some other benefit. id prefer to use movement to teleport, so that you can split the movement, but I’d accept that usage as an upgrade at mid level.

On a rogue, this might allow SA on a creature that you end your teleport next to.

On a Monk, I’d say you could use Unarmored movement as the number of feet you can teleport, and if you use Step of The Wind that distance doubles. Then I’d also give a tiny blip when you Flurry of Blows? Maybe you can split the teleport for the rest of your turn?
Oh! Maybe you can teleport as a reaction at level 6 in response to an attack? Maybe it works like deflect missiles, and you can punch them by spending a ki if you reduce the damage to 0?

Allow the class to learn a number of riders that can be added to its teleport at the cost of an action.
Get examples from cantrips. Examples could include damaging everyone around where you teleported from, pulling someone into the space that you were occupying, dazzling someone adjacent to where you appeared so you have advantage on your next attack.
Higher levels could grant access to more powerful abilities, such as being able to teleport with someone you are grappling, or allowing a reaction teleport when you succeed at a Strength or Dex saving throw.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Allow the class to learn a number of riders that can be added to its teleport at the cost of an action.
Get examples from cantrips. Examples could include damaging everyone around where you teleported from, pulling someone into the space that you were occupying, dazzling someone adjacent to where you appeared so you have advantage on your next attack.
Higher levels could grant access to more powerful abilities, such as being able to teleport with someone you are grappling, or allowing a reaction teleport when you succeed at a Strength or Dex saving throw.

I really like this as a way to do either a very arcane/Fey monk, or a shadow warlock. Nice.

 

[Lanefan]

As a gut feeling, if you restrict to about 15' and require line of sight (so no teleporting through walls or doors), I think it's probably OK for tier 1 as an at-will (probably as a bonus action). I mean, it's essentially a free Disengage and lets you ignore some difficult terrain and obstacles. It's certainly useful, but it doesn't seem to enable any super crazy shenanigans that I can see.

My main concern is that it'd quickly become that class' version of Uncanny Dodge - it'd end up being used defensively far more often than offensively, to evade blast spells or missile fire.

An answer to this might be that it can only be done as part of a melee (not ranged!) attack - either bounce then swing or swing then bounce.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

My main concern is that it'd quickly become that class' version of Uncanny Dodge - it'd end up being used defensively far more often than offensively, to evade blast spells or missile fire.

Good. But also no, it’d also be used just as much for getting into better position to hit things.

 

[Fenris-77]

If it was a reaction that takes place after taking damage it wouldn't be quite so stark, but still some help if you're getting ga GED up on or facing a mutiattack enemy.

Ot just leave it as a bonus action and then you dont have that problem if it's a points based thing you could make the reaction version pricier and co trol overuse that way

 

[Keravath]

Shadow monks get 60' teleport in dim light or darkness at level 6.

A couple of races and classes get a 1/LR or 1/SR teleport either as a racial trait or as an archetype ability along the way (e.g. Fey Step).

However, the baseline low level teleportation is the 2nd level spell Misty Step (available at level 3) with a 30' range using a bonus action and preventing the casting of any other spells except cantrips on the same turn.

Teleportation is a powerful and useful ability. You can escape grapples or being restrained at will. You can escape opportunity attacks. You can cross and avoid difficult terrain and terrain obstacles - like crossing a pit or climbing a wall (depending on the range). Even a 15' at will teleport can be extremely useful.

Does it let you hit things better? Not really. However, it gives the character a much more versatile set of movement options. Most folks when considering "balance" are only really considering doing damage in combat.

A 30' bonus action teleport at will (essentially Misty Step at will), would be a valuable ability and would be better than many class abilities. Will it break the game? Not likely, it is just movement after all and it would be very cool to play. However, it would not be "balanced" in terms of utility against most other classes in the game.