D&D 5E Revising a few feats for balance in my home game - Thoughts?

[Frigus]

Weapon Master I would leave at 4 weapons of your choice, but then add an ability that says Once per day when you hit with an attack from one of those weapons you may roll an additional damage dice.

Just combine the benefits of Martial Adept and Weapon Master into a single feat - as part of learning how to use martial weapons, the character learns a couple of maneuvers to use in combat. And whether Martial Adept comes with one superiority die or two would be a question of balance.

 

[n0nym]

+10 damage is just too powerful. That is what it comes down to. I've seen dragons killed in a single round from this feat alone due to the massive burst of action surged dual wielders.

I don't disagree with you, but dual wielders can't use this part of the feat. Only heavy weapon users can perform the -5/+10 action.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Well, the reason for 4 weapons is, I assume, the highest number in any specific category (such as crossbow, or axes) but tbh arbitrary is required in a game with rules. Otherwise, why not quibble over a Bard getting "any 3 skills" why shouldn't they get all of them?

That's an actual benefit. 5E weapon distinctions are by and large meaningless. Roughly, Martial 1 handers d d8, 2 handers do d12, off handers do d6 and ranged d8. Any given character isnt really benefiting from more breadth in them. You pick the optimal ones, and the extra ones are fluff. Unlike skills, which DO benefit you. Outside of skeletons, it really doesnt matter much what d8 1 hander you are smacking things with.

The concern for offering Wizards cool melee tricks is attributes are important. If you are producing wizards who have a 16 con and 8 dex that is a personal choice, but I usually like my casters to have a dex 16, meaning my casters with dex 16 are absolutely in position to take this (and my cleric had a str 14/16 can use it as well!)

It's worthless for those characters too. The wizard with the 16 dex is better served moving his dex to 18 and using the dagger. He's 1 average damage less than the rapier, but +1 to hit. In melee terms, he's better off, and that's before you look at the other benefits. Same with the cleric and his mace. Weapon Master is basically a trap feat unless you have something like the spiked shields from the monster manual, which allow you to dual wield and get a shield.

 

[Valdier]

Just combine the benefits of Martial Adept and Weapon Master into a single feat - as part of learning how to use martial weapons, the character learns a couple of maneuvers to use in combat. And whether Martial Adept comes with one superiority die or two would be a question of balance.

This is actually a really good idea...

 

[Valdier]

I don't disagree with you, but dual wielders can't use this part of the feat. Only heavy weapon users can perform the -5/+10 action.

This is true, and that wouldn't change with my revision

 

[Valdier]

That's an actual benefit. 5E weapon distinctions are by and large meaningless. Roughly, Martial 1 handers d d8, 2 handers do d12, off handers do d6 and ranged d8. Any given character isnt really benefiting from more breadth in them. You pick the optimal ones, and the extra ones are fluff. Unlike skills, which DO benefit you. Outside of skeletons, it really doesnt matter much what d8 1 hander you are smacking things with.

I completely agree here... I do like the idea given above of combining the two feats.

It's worthless for those characters too. The wizard with the 16 dex is better served moving his dex to 18 and using the dagger. He's 1 average damage less than the rapier, but +1 to hit. In melee terms, he's better off, and that's before you look at the other benefits. Same with the cleric and his mace. Weapon Master is basically a trap feat unless you have something like the spiked shields from the monster manual, which allow you to dual wield and get a shield.

The awesome part is... you don't have to buy it in your games or for your characters but I have had players specifically want to and it couldn't be done for their PC build (Int / con wizard), hence addressing build options that aren't the way you build characters specifically.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I completely agree here... I do like the idea given above of combining the two feats.



The awesome part is... you don't have to buy it in your games or for your characters but I have had players specifically want to and it couldn't be done for their PC build (Int / con wizard), hence addressing build options that aren't the way you build characters specifically.

If it's an int/con wizard, just give them the weapon proficiency for free and let them flail around for funsies. It's a trivial benefit, making them waste a feat is just mean lol. The warlock in my game has the pirate background, and I gave her cutlass proficiency (damage as a longsword). She has an 18 str (rolled in order no less!). She's swung it all of 2 times in 6 levels, and one was to cut a rope.

Feats should make a big impact in performance, as ability bumps certainly do. Don't force RP'ers to spend a major resource on a minor fluff benefit.

 

[Valdier]

I updated the list above and am still looking for ways specifically to update weapon master. By the book, it is +1 Str/Dex and 4 weapons. I don't want it to be overly complicated with a lot of choices or mechanics... but I think it still needs something to make it a more useful feat compared to others.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

If you are looking for a Lucky change... how about keep the mechanic as is, but only give one lucky die out and have it refresh on a short rest? Most tables would probably still see it used three times in a day, but you couldn't use them all on one fight or task. Once you've used it, you can't use it again until you get your short rest. And if you can't get your short rest, you are S.O.L.

 

[Valdier]

If you are looking for a Lucky change... how about keep the mechanic as is, but only give one lucky die out and have it refresh on a short rest? Most tables would probably still see it used three times in a day, but you couldn't use them all on one fight or task. Once you've used it, you can't use it again until you get your short rest. And if you can't get your short rest, you are S.O.L.

Well for me, the problem with lucky is not the number of charges, its what it does to disadvantage, turning it into a massive advantage instead. With lucky, you actually do better when you are blind than when you aren't.