Level Up (A5E) Steel Protector feat - clarity and possible errata

[JerichoPenumbra]

I read this features as reducing the damage before resistance is calculated : So I use a level 1 spell slot and gain 1 damage reduction. I get hit with 12 fire damage. I have resistance to fire, yay! I then take 12-1=11 and then halve that = 5.5 rounded up to 6 damage.
What am I missing here?

Not sure what you're missing either. Or why you used the smallest example of spell slot. If you use a 4th level slot then in your example the damage reduction would be 4, reducing that fire damage to 8, which would then be halved to 4. So an incoming 12 damage was reduced by 8 to only be 4.

I hear you. Adamantine Protector provides a CM that is worthy of a feat itself... if that is what you are looking for. A 4th level spell slot on a Herald is a massive resource. I would rather be using that to upcast Bless or something else than use it to extend Metal Skin to 10minutes - mileage varies but I think its situational.

Can be situational but I think that would depend more on the encounter playstyle of a given group. Upcast Bless only lasts a minute and is concentration, so every time you're hit you have to make a Con save or lose the spell which doesn't exactly sound great for a warrior type given you are among the most likely to be hit. Meanwhile Metal Skin doesn't require concentration and has the potential to last into the next fight unless your group is the type to take a short rest every encounter or something.

Level 17 Herald nets you 1 5th level spell slot so you get 1 hour benefit per long rest.

Herald 4/Full Caster 12/Fighter (not tertiary casting) 4 would yield spells as a 14th level caster which would have 1 7th, 1 6th, and 2 5th level spell slots. Fiddling with the class levels and archetypes can yield up to 16th level casting. While there are other and arguable better options, an hour long buff that reduces almost all damage taken by 7, gives BPS resistance, a useful at will combat maneuver that lets you use your bonus action, and a few other goodies is noting to sneeze at.

This heroic image is cool. You gave up a lot for that including a 20th Herald feature.

That's the case for every synergy feat. Almost none of them will ever be worth the capstone of a given class. But when do campaigns ever get that high? Most games patter out at the 10-12 level range and numerous people have crunched the math that it's overall a flaw in system.

I think the feat chain is cool but could do with some revision as I have outlined previously and was the purpose of the thread.

Was the feat chain built well? Not really. I feel that it needs more of an overhaul than a revision, but if you wanted a minimal change, then probably convert Metal Skin to use a scaling degree of Exertion like say 2-to-1 for spell level. Still uses up a resources, but can then be used multiple times throughout an adventuring day so the player will feel like it's a cool fun choice.

My point is that it can work relatively well if built around it, but in my opinion it is not worth actually taking if you're planning on focusing Herald. I would recommend the synergy feats from PMGs Multiclasser's Manual Vol 1 as generally being easier to use without system mastery solitaire.

 

[Anonymous3]

All good points. I didn't select a 1st level slot to further a point but instead to demonstrate my understanding of the rule.