D&D 5E (2014) The "Faster Features" Variant (+)

[NotAYakk]

Leaving wildshape is a bonus action.

So if you are at 10/126 hp on Earth Elemental, you cannot leave wildshape and go back into it unless you burn both your action and bonus action on it.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Really great. You know I love me some 10-levels progression!

Once playtesting is done, I'd buy that, should you want to publish.

As for the Warlock missing feature you werent sure about, I'd go with a a refluff of the arcane trickster ''steal spells'' X/day instead. This would 1) fit the theme of the warlock as the ''cheating'' spellcaster 2) help with the few known spells of the warlock (this could be a good feature for the Sorcerer, if you go with the idea of ''spell absorption''.

Its a matter of preference, but I'd build-in the feature variant for the ranger to replace the natural explorer and favored enemy features.

Same as above, while you are at it, maybe do something about the berserker's fury (maybe add a save or a quick way to recover Exhaustion)?

Finally, and its a hot take, I'd give the wizard +1 DC, +1 to hit to spell of a favored school, with the caveat that they lose access to spells above 3rd level (2nd? 5th? I dont know which would be better) in an opposite school, ala old school D&D.

Great work, as always.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

oh, and, for the whole wildshape thing, I'd let the druid shapeshift at-will, but modify the moon druid ''elemental shapes'' and ''thousands forms'' to be like this:

Elemental wildshape
- You can shapeshift into Elemental creatures. The max CR is the same as your Circle Form. (so we're looking at CR 3 elementals at best at 10 level, CR 6 at 20th).

Thousands forms
- You can shapeshift into Monstrosity creatures. The max CR is the same as your Circle Form.

 

[Laurefindel]

oh, and, for the whole wildshape thing, I'd let the druid shapeshift at-will, but modify the moon druid ''elemental shapes'' and ''thousands forms'' to be like this:

Elemental wildshape
- You can shapeshift into Elemental creatures. The max CR is the same as your Circle Form. (so we're looking at CR 3 elementals at best at 10 level, CR 6 at 20th).

Thousands forms
- You can shapeshift into Monstrosity creatures. The max CR is the same as your Circle Form.

That's good. I also really like the proposition of using archdruid as a 1-minute or 10-minute ritual. Shuts down most of the in-combat hp-sponging.

 

[NotAYakk]

Random kitbash around the idea of "you gain wildshape forms and exploration knacks from the same set of abilities".

Wildshape:
At level 2, as an action you can transform into any CR 0 or CR 1/8 creature without a flying or swimming speed. When you do so, your game statistics are replaced with that of the creature, except your mental statistics, mind, and your HP. You gain HP equal to 1/2 (min 1) of the HP of the creature. You can leave wildeshape as a bonus action, and you automatically leave it if you no longer have the temporary HP from this feature.


Aspects of the Wild:
At level 2 you gain an Aspect of the Wild. These grant you additional wildshape forms and other abilities that work regardless of if you are in wildshape.

Some aspects have a minimum level to take it. Many aspects have a Greater aspect; when you reach that level, you gain the greater aspect benefits as well.

You gain additional aspects of the wild at levels (fill in blank).

Aspect of the Pack:
You can wildshape into a wolf and gain a perception expertise die. You always have advantage on wisdom(perception) checks based on smell.

Greater (level 8): You can wildshape into a Dire Wolf. Your movement speed increases by 5'.

Aspect of the Serpent:
You can wildshape into a constrictor snake. You can stand up from prone as a reaction to being knocked prone, and you count as 1 size smaller for the purpose of what area you can fit in.

Greater (level 12): You can wildshape into a giant constrictor snake. You have advantage on checks to grapple and to escape grapples.

Aspect of Savanah:
You can wildshape into a Boar and have a survival expertise die. If you would take damage that reduces you to 0 HP, you can make a constitution saving throw with DC equal to the damage delt; on success, you are instead reduced to 1 HP. You can do this once before completing a long rest.

Greater (level 8): You can wildshape into a Giant Hyena. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

Aspect of Webs:
You can wildshape into a Giant Wolf Spider and gain an athletics expertise die. You have a climb speed equal to your speed.

Greater (level 4): You can wildeshape into a Giant spider. As an action you can end the Restrained condition on yourself.

etc.

Moon Druid:
Your druid level is doubled for the purpose of which Wildshapes you can take.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Again, thanks to everyone for the positive feedback and your thoughts. I am home from work and will probably wait until tomorrow before I start processing everything. Then Sunday I'll chat with a couple others who will be play-testers and report back our thoughts based on your input.

Once playtesting is done, I'd buy that, should you want to publish.

LOL, thanks, but unless I put a TON of work into this--it'll be free.

I suppose I could put in all the play-testing material based on stuff I've posted in the past and we are currently trying out. We have a couple "goals" by adding all this stuff. So far it has been well-received by the players, but it is such a small group I can't say whether a lot of people would really care for it. Many players seem to like 5E "as is".

 

[DND_Reborn]

This would 1) fit the theme of the warlock as the ''cheating'' spellcaster 2) help with the few known spells of the warlock (this could be a good feature for the Sorcerer, if you go with the idea of ''spell absorption''.

Quick note: we had a Sorcerer feature once called "Magic In All Things" where you could choose your learned spell from any class spell list (up to 5th level), but it was too close to Magical Secrets so we ditched it.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Quick note: we had a Sorcerer feature once called "Magic In All Things" where you could choose your learned spell from any class spell list (up to 5th level), but it was too close to Magical Secrets so we ditched it.

That's is sad, I would rather take it from the bard or make magical secrets be cantrips or rituals, which fit the dabbler theme of the bard, and give the sorcerer the ability to pick from any list at specific levels!

 

[dmhelp]

oh, and, for the whole wildshape thing, I'd let the druid shapeshift at-will, but modify the moon druid ''elemental shapes'' and ''thousands forms'' to be like this:

Elemental wildshape
- You can shapeshift into Elemental creatures. The max CR is the same as your Circle Form. (so we're looking at CR 3 elementals at best at 10 level, CR 6 at 20th).

That plus a longer casting time for wild shape when out of uses fixes any shenanigans.

 

[Mistwell]

I like this concept. But count me among those who think the wizard is wonky and needs a boost. The class is balanced around spells, including spell levels, and those are essentially class features. By not advancing that part, I feel like you've thrown out the class balance relative to what other classes are getting because those other classes happen to name new abilities something different rather than a feature which says "new spell level available". And no, signature spell doesn't make up for it. That's a fun little add-on, but it's not a core feature for wizards. Wizards have lots of spell slots - they really don't use all their second level slots at high levels anyway, so it's not like treating those as cantrips is a meaingful difference. Their high level abilities are high level spells, and the class is built around that concept as if they were class features with special names.