D&D 5E Remove feats and replace as magic items

[Tales and Chronicles]

I've done it and it works great, but I spread the feat's bullet points a little, so no item that grant the whole GWM feat. This way the effects can affect more items.

Axe of Cleaving: When you drop a creature to 0 HP, can make a weapon attack as a bonus action.
Gauntlet of Weapon expertise: Gain proficiency with 3 weapons types.
Gauntlet of Weapon Grand Mastery: You can take -5 on attack rolls to gain +10 damage on a hit.
Falconer goggles: Ignore 1/2 cover and long range penalty.
Crossbow of speed: This weapon loses the loading trait.
X (medium armor) of Comfort: Max dex bonus to AC is 3 instead of 2. Ignore stealth penalty.
Ring of X (elemental type) adept: Ignore resistance to X element and reroll 1-2 on damage rolls.
X (medium of heavy armor) of the Squire: This armor grants proficiency with X armors and shields.

You can even make equipment sets ala Diablo:

Delver's armor: Resistance to traps damage and advantage to saves against trap.
Delver's helm: Advantage to spot traps and secret doors.
Delver's boots: Doesnt not have a penalty when walking at fast pace.

When the Delver's armament is assembled on your person, you can cast Detect Trap, Knock and Arcane Lock once per day each.
etc

 

[Nebulous]

You can even make equipment sets ala Diablo:

Delver's armor: Resistance to traps damage and advantage to saves against trap.
Delver's helm: Advantage to spot traps and secret doors.
Delver's boots: Doesnt not have a penalty when walking at fast pace.

When the Delver's armament is assembled on your person, you can cast Detect Trap, Knock and Arcane Lock once per day each.
etc

Well goddamn, that's kinda cool!

 

[the Jester]

I don't have a problem with magic items that grant feats, but it sounds like you're talking about a system that basically requires the DM to give out the right items at the right times to let pcs have their level-up abilities, unless you're keeping ASIs as a part of leveling up?

If you are keeping ASIs, then I have no problem with the idea, but if you aren't, you are undermining one of my favorite aspects of 5e- the return to magic items as treasure, rather than magic items as an obligatory part of character advancement.

 

[werecorpse]

Nice one Vince I realise that Ive ripped off feats for homebrew items as well. Though nit as specifically. Do you allow each wearer of the gauntlet of weapon expertise to choose the weapons or is it set which weapons?

I am also thinking of ripping of class abilities, like a potion of rage.

 

[dave2008]

To say it another way, instead of introducing a slew of alternative UA ideas, take the core feats everyone in 5e has already playtested 6 years and see if we can retrofit them into magic items.

Not my preference, but like I said - it is an interesting idea. If you end up doing it, let us know how it goes.

 

[dave2008]

I've done it and it works great, but I spread the feat's bullet points a little, so no item that grant the whole GWM feat. This way the effects can affect more items.

Axe of Cleaving: When you drop a creature to 0 HP, can make a weapon attack as a bonus action.
Gauntlet of Weapon expertise: Gain proficiency with 3 weapons types.
Gauntlet of Weapon Grand Mastery: You can take -5 on attack rolls to gain +10 damage on a hit.
Falconer goggles: Ignore 1/2 cover and long range penalty.
Crossbow of speed: This weapon loses the loading trait.
X (medium armor) of Comfort: Max dex bonus to AC is 3 instead of 2. Ignore stealth penalty.
Ring of X (elemental type) adept: Ignore resistance to X element and reroll 1-2 on damage rolls.
X (medium of heavy armor) of the Squire: This armor grants proficiency with X armors and shields.

You can even make equipment sets ala Diablo:

Delver's armor: Resistance to traps damage and advantage to saves against trap.
Delver's helm: Advantage to spot traps and secret doors.
Delver's boots: Doesnt not have a penalty when walking at fast pace.

When the Delver's armament is assembled on your person, you can cast Detect Trap, Knock and Arcane Lock once per day each.
etc

Did you allow more attunement slots or just remove attunement requirements?

 

[dave2008]

That's all very cool stuff Dave, I haven't seen those UA articles (I don't peruse those a whole bunch) but I think I want to focus on actually swapping out feats as magic items in this thread. Have others done it, is it balanced? Not balanced? Stuff like that.

I'm a bit old school and not a fan of ASI. However, this raises the question of the characters being OP. If they get their ASI and their feats via magic items, aren't they significantly stronger? I guess it depends how far you take it.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Did you allow more attunement slots or just remove attunement requirements?

Oh, they all require attunement. And no, I dont give them more attunement slots. I have even though of replacing ASI with imbuing an item with your PC's Resonance of Fate to create an artefact that grows in power at each ASI levels.

 

[werecorpse]

Oh, they all require attunement. And no, I dont give them more attunement slots. I have even though of replacing ASI with imbuing an item with your PC's Resonance of Fate to create an artefact that grows in power at each ASI levels.

Can you give an example of how this would work?

(fwiw I’ve removed the limit on the number of attunement slots allowed - gone back to the 3e limits with some slight adjustments, game works great)

 

[Nebulous]

I don't have a problem with magic items that grant feats, but it sounds like you're talking about a system that basically requires the DM to give out the right items at the right times to let pcs have their level-up abilities, unless you're keeping ASIs as a part of leveling up?

If you are keeping ASIs, then I have no problem with the idea, but if you aren't, you are undermining one of my favorite aspects of 5e- the return to magic items as treasure, rather than magic items as an obligatory part of character advancement.

Yes, keep the ASI, but sprinkle in feats as magic items on top. How do I do this balanced?