This is semantic posturing. Within the next few packets, they're going to clarify that feats published without a stated level are level 4 by default. Come on, it's obvious that level 1 feats are intended to be a small subset of feats used to describe backgrounds. And it's also obvious that they're not going to leave 8 years of published feats in limbo by not specifying how you can use them in 2024 material.
This is semantic posturing. Within the next few packets, they're going to clarify that feats published without a stated level are level 4 by default. Come on, it's obvious that level 1 feats are intended to be a small subset of feats used to describe backgrounds. And it's also obvious that they're not going to leave 8 years of published feats in limbo by not specifying how you can use them in 2024 material.
Yeah, I think they will address it to some extent...but they didn't really publish "8 years" worth of Feats, since most years of 5E have seen no published Frats whatsoever, and they were only ever in 4 supplements thst Ii can recall (SCAG, Xanathar's, Eberron, and Tasha's). It really is a neglected optional rule in 5E as it is. The new appaloosa them much more room for interesting Feats...as seen already for the Dragonlance and 2023 UA.
the 2014 phb feats are null level feats that were available at level 1 not "Level 1 feats" not "First level feats". We can say that with confidence because:
"Your not only getting a benefit, it's a benefit your character didn't have before. This is a pure addition that we're providing now for everybody. and we have that in mind as we decide what qualifies as a first level feat & what doesn't. Basically anything that's going to dramatically increase character power in some way, people are not going to see as a first level feat. That is the domain of higher level feats where the game's math can handle adjustments to raw power. Most first level feats are about increasing a character's versatility & speaking to different key backstories. You'll see that these feats .. are all featured in at least one of the sample backgrounds in this document. You can also see looking at the sample backgrounds how to match first level feats with a background if you decide to build your own background"
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With any luck this entire tangent has nicely proven to wotc why OneD&D needs to put more effort into imparting RaI alongside more careful wording for RaW like some of the changes already present in the playtest
No. We're just reading what is written. There are no level 1 feats in the 2014 PHB. They don't exists. You find yourself the only one arguing that the UA applies to the PHB. The odds are pretty high that it's you, not everyone else who is misreading things.
Again, the "Each Feat has a Level" is a general rule thst applies to Feats in the playtest. It doesn’t supercede the lack of Levels in the optional tule in the 2014 PHB.
This is semantic posturing. Within the next few packets, they're going to clarify that feats published without a stated level are level 4 by default. Come on, it's obvious that level 1 feats are intended to be a small subset of feats used to describe backgrounds. And it's also obvious that they're not going to leave 8 years of published feats in limbo by not specifying how you can use them in 2024 material.
Probably not quite that blanket. They'll likely divide up the feats into level 1, level 4 and level 8. I don't see feats like Athlete and Great Weapon Master both being given level 4. That would be really lazy design.
Again, the "Each Feat has a Level" is a general rule thst applies to Feats in the playtest. It doesn’t supercede the lack of Levels in the optional tule in the 2014 PHB.
Somewhat off-topic and I have said this before, but this is exactly why releasing the playtest material in such a piece-meal manner and without at-least some guidance how past content is supposed to be converted in specific cases has been a bad idea.
We're arguing about the intent of whether past feats are supposed to have a level, what that level is, and what the designer's intent is. That will end up in playtest feedback. That could affect how level 1 feats are designed and supposed to work... without us having seen how feats that aren't level 1 are supposed to work, and whether past feats are being outright replaced or getting a patch to give them a level. Hence, now we have people accusing each other of rules lawyering and all sorts of things - which is not going to be helpful for getting stuff in for the playtest and getting feedback on how we feel about feats in this new verison of the game.
