D&D 5E Some Feat Adjustments

[FrogReaver]

I really like [MENTION=6774887]Ashkelon[/MENTION]'s suggestion about adding a fighting style. Weapon Master could provide 4 weapon proficiencies and a fighting style. I don't think I would had the +1 to strength or dexterity in that case.

IMO you still won't generally see anyone take it with that change.

 

[LapBandit]

Ive broken most feats up into half-feats, and I find it becomes substantially easier to balance them. It then also becomes much easier to introduce new ones.

 

[Satyrn]

Huh. I'm the first to say something about Heavy Armor Mastery.

I'd be a little iffy about it reaching DR 6, but I guess playtesting will tell.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Huh. I'm the first to say something about Heavy Armor Mastery.

I'd be a little iffy about it reaching DR 6, but I guess playtesting will tell.

I'd go half-proficiency on that one. A flat DR 3 is way too strong at early levels but just fine (and still useful) at higher levels.

 

[Satyrn]

I'd go half-proficiency on that one. A flat DR 3 is way too strong at early levels but just fine (and still useful) at higher levels.

I think that would make it too uninteresting for much of the game, though. Ticking off 1 point seems too fiddly, and then the majority of the game (assuming rounding up) you're only getting DR 2, which at 10th level seem worth it.

(Because rounding down would have you stuck at DR 1 for so very long) .

 

[Gladius Legis]

I think that would make it too uninteresting for much of the game, though. Ticking off 1 point seems too fiddly, and then the majority of the game (assuming rounding up) you're only getting DR 2, which at 10th level seem worth it.

(Because rounding down would have you stuck at DR 1 for so very long) .

I would specify rounding up in the feat, which would be:
Lv. 1-4 = DR 1
Lv. 5-12 = DR 2
Lv. 13-20 = DR 3

Seems pretty good to me.

 

[FrogReaver]

Huh. I'm the first to say something about Heavy Armor Mastery.

I'd be a little iffy about it reaching DR 6, but I guess playtesting will tell.

If you look at the flat DR as a % Damage reduction I think 6 DR at high levels will be about the same as 3 DR at low levels.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I've made some adjustments to a couple of feats. Thought I'd post them for feedback and in case anyone enjoys them.

Durable
Hardy and resilient, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

• When you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, you add your proficiency bonus to the total of each roll.

• Once per long rest, you can use an action to spend a number of Hit Dice equal to your proficiency bonus to regain hit points.

Reasoning: I always felt Durable was a pretty lame feat. I've never known anyone to take it. I think this makes it a more appealing option.

Should Durable's 3rd point read Once per long rest, you can use an action to spend a number of Hit Dice up to or equal to your proficiency bonus to regain hit points. instead?

Grappler
Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher
You’ve developed the skills necessary to hold your own in close-quarters grappling. You gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling.

• You can use your action to try to pin a creature grappled by you. To do so, make another grapple check. If you succeed, the creature is restrained until the grapple ends.

• When you use your reaction to make an attack of opportunity, you can choose to attempt a grapple instead.

Reasoning: The third bullet point of Grappler is useless due to an outdated mechanic. This makes things a bit interesting.

I personally would remove the Strength requirement. Grappling a creature already uses Str, but I wouldn't see having a high Str as a requirement to be able to take the feat.
I would also change the wording for the first point to "You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling or that is grappling you."

Weapon Master
You have practiced extensively with a variety of weapons, gaining the following benefits:

• Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

• You gain proficiency with four weapons of your choice.

• You gain +2 bonus to damage with the weapons chosen for this feat.

Reasoning: Another feat that I never really saw get taken. I thought this would both increase the feat getting taken, and perhaps reduce the number of people that take a level dip in martial classes for the proficiencies.

Is the intent that your wording seems to eliminate the possibility that you're able to improve your ability with a weapon which which you are currently proficient? So Martial Classes can't be Weapon Masters because they can't gain proficiency in any weapons since they are already proficient in them all. Or is the intent that you could use the feat to master weapons that you were already proficient in?

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Should Durable's 3rd point read Once per long rest, you can use an action to spend a number of Hit Dice up to or equal to your proficiency bonus to regain hit points. instead?

Yea, that was the intent.

I personally would remove the Strength requirement. Grappling a creature already uses Str, but I wouldn't see having a high Str as a requirement to be able to take the feat.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I don't really consider strength of 13 to be a high bar of entry. Plus, more advanced grappling and wrestling techniques absolutely require some degree of physical aptitude.

I would also change the wording for the first point to "You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling or that is grappling you."

I don't know that I would go that far. If grappling is akin to wrestling, it is very different being the one in control versus the one on the defensive. Having done a bit of wrestling in high school, I don't think that mechanic would make sense. What you describe is more representative of breaking a grapple and countering with your own. Which come to think of it, might not be a bad third option. Perhaps a better 3rd bullet would be:

If a creature attempts to grapple you and fails, you may use a reaction to attempt to grapple that creature.

Is the intent that your wording seems to eliminate the possibility that you're able to improve your ability with a weapon which which you are currently proficient? So Martial Classes can't be Weapon Masters because they can't gain proficiency in any weapons since they are already proficient in them all. Or is the intent that you could use the feat to master weapons that you were already proficient in?

I think it's been discussed pretty heavily that it's a poor feat adjustment. I think I may redesign it so that it grants a fighting style from the fighter's list.

 

[Horwath]

Ive broken most feats up into half-feats, and I find it becomes substantially easier to balance them. It then also becomes much easier to introduce new ones.

that is what I did also.

here is my take on it:

All are half feats: so you can get two of them instead of ASI or 1 ability and 1 feat;


Alert: cannot be surprised, hidden enemies do not have advantage vs you.

added; Improved initiative: you gain +6 to initiative roll.

Actor: same as PHB version, plus added proficiency in disguise kit.

Charger: If you take Dash action and you move last 20ft in straight line towards an enemy, you can make one melee attack as a bonus action. Add your proficiency modifier to damage. If you have extra attack feature add double proficiency modifier instead.

Crossbow expert: ignore loading properties of a crossbow(you still need 2 hands to load a crossbow). You do not suffer disadvantage on attacks while you are in opponents melee reach.
extra attack feature as a bonus action gone and not coming back.

Defensive duelist: same as PHB, bad enough to be half feat.

Dual wielder: You can draw 2 weapons as one object interaction. You can dual wield 2 non light one handed weapons. Your offhand attack is now part of attack action with your main hand attack(s).
This prevents you from making adittional offhand attacks as bonus action.

added; Two weapon defense: while wielding two melee weapons you gain +1 to AC. Extra free AoO per round with off hand weapon.

Dungeon delver; remove resistance to trap damage and you have a "half feat".

Durable: to have all people included without reference to their con score; you regain max HP from using your HDs.

Elemental adept: chose energy type: acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder. You ignore damage resistance for that energy type with your spells and abilities.

added Elemental master: requires Elemental adept; you can change any acid,cold,fire,lightning or thunder spell damage to the type chosen by Elemental adept.

Grappler: as PHB, half feat.

Great weapon master; when you score critical hit or reduce a creature to 0 HP with non light melee weapon, you can make one attack with that melee weapon as a bonus action.

added; Power attack: when you attack with two handed melee weapon(or versatile weapon in two hands) you can take -3 penalty to attack and gain +5 to damage roll.

Healer: as PHB but instead of 1d6+4+max No.HDs, you heal 1d6+max No.HDs

Heavily armored: as PHB

Heavy armor master: as PHB

Inspiring leader: requires charisma 14; needs only 1 min of speech. affects you and a number of allies equal to your level × your charisma bonus. Gain temp HP equal to half your level + your charisma bonus.

added Inspiring leader, improved: requires charisma 16, Inspiring leader: gain temp HPs equal to your level + 2×charisma bonus.

Keen mind: this blows; as PHB but add one skill or tool proficiency to it.

Lightly armored: as PHB

Linguist: as PHB, add proficiency in forgery kit.

Lucky: as PHB but only 2 luck points.

Mage slayer: drop advantage on saves and you get a half feat.

Magic initiate: you gain only 2 cantrips from chosen class.

added; Magic adept: requires Magic initiate; gain one 1st level spell from chosen class. You can cast it once per long rest. You gain additional cantrip from that class spell list.

Martial adept: gain one maneuver and one superiority die. Die is d8 or what ever your class has if you have this feature. Can be taken two times.

Mobile: your movement does not provoke attack of opportunity from opponent you attacked this turn.

added; Fleet of foot: +10ft speed. When you take Dash action, difficult terrain does not slow your movement.

Moderately armored: as PHB

Mounted combatant: bad and limited to be half feat.

Observant: as PHB, or add +5 to passive insight also.

Polearm master: when you make attack with any long hafted weapon with two hands(quarterstaff, spear, pike, halberd, guisarme, etc...) you can make one attack with opposite end as a bonus action. Attack deals 1d4 B damage. Use str for attack and damage.

added; Hold the line: opponents provoke AoO when they enter your melee reach.

Resilient: as PHB but now half feat.

Ritual caster: as PHB but now half feat.

Savage attacker: as PHB but now half feat.

Sentinel: as PHB but drop the 3rd part.

added: Intercept: when a creature in your melee reach makes attack against a target other than you, as a reaction you can make one melee attack vs that creature.

Sharpshooter: ignore attack penalty with weapons at long range. Ignore cover bonuses to AC.

added; Power shot: when making an attack with ranged weapon, you can take -3 penalty to attack and gain +5 bonus to damage roll.

Shield master: as PHB but drop the 3rd ability.

added; Shield Bash: when you make Attack action with your one handed main hand weapon, you can make one attack with your shield as a bonus action. Attack deals 1d4 B damage. Use str for attack and damage. And magical bonus to AC from shield is used as a bonus to attack and damage roll.

Skilled: gain proficiency in two skills or 3 tools. Can be taken 3 times.

Skulker: as PHB but drop auto hide if you miss with attack.

Spell sniper: as PHB but you do not gain an extra cantrip.

Tavern brawler: as PHB but after attack action with melee weapon you can use bonus action to make one unarmed attack, or one grab attempt.

Tought: you gain one HP per level. Can be taken 2 times.

Warcaster: as PHB but now half feat.

Weapon master: Gain one fighting style. Gain proficiency in one weapon. Can be taken 2 times.


In addition: if armor proficiency feats are still considered too weak, maybe you could get armor proficiency istead of one skill via "skilled feat".