D&D 5E The new UA feats are AWESOME for sorcerers.

[squibbles]

The perennial problem with sorcerers has always been a lack of spells known.

Lets look at what a 4th level sorcerer gets from the new UA's Fey Touched and Shadow Touched feats (also super thematic, btw).

Fey Touched
+1 Charisma (i.e. 17-->18 Cha)
new 2nd level spell known: misty step (a really good spell)
new 1st level spell known from the following list (since the feat does not specify any class list limitations):

divination:​

Beast Bond (xgte)​

Comprehend Languages​

Detect Evil and Good​

Detect Magic​

Detect Poison and Disease​

Hunter’s Mark (!)​

Identify​

Speak with Animals​

enchantment:​

Animal Friendship​

Bane​

Bless (!)​

Charm Person​

Command​

Compelled Duel​

Dissonant Whispers​

Heroism​

Hex (!)​

Sleep​

Tasha’s Hideous Laughter​

AND one extra spell cast per day

Shadow Touched
+1 Charisma
new 2nd level spell known: darkness (a good spell)
new 1st level spell known from the following list:

illusion:​

Color Spray​

Disguise Self​

Illusory Script​

Silent Image​

necromancy:​

Cause Fear (xgte)​

False Life​

Inflict Wounds​

Ray of Sickness​

AND one extra spell cast per day

Those benefits are BANANAS for a 4th level sorcerer, who only knows 5 spells and doesn't know any spells higher than 2nd level anyway. Fey Touched also gives Sorcerers access to the standout spells Bless and Hex.

Metamagic Adept and Shield Training are disproportionately good pickups for sorcerers too.

 

[GlassJaw]

Great, so now sorcerers have a feat tax.

 

[Blue]

Great, so now sorcerers have a feat tax.

A feat tax implies that it is needed to keep up with the expected output. These are just good feats a sorcerer can take. Not the same thing.

 

[squibbles]

Great, so now sorcerers have a feat tax.

I couldn't help but lol when I read your viscerally negative reaction.

I see the merit of the point, but still

 

[GlassJaw]

A feat tax implies that it is needed to keep up with the expected output. These are just good feats a sorcerer can take. Not the same thing.

Fair. The sorcerer is still lame even with these feats.

 

[ChaosOS]

Shield Training really stood out to me as a way to buff up the dragon magic + shadow blade sorcerer build.

 

[MostlyHarmless42]

Shield Training really stood out to me as a way to buff up the dragon magic + shadow blade sorcerer build.

Shield training also severely annoys me because as far as I'm aware it is the only way to don/doff a shield using an object interaction, and said feat is largely awful for those who have shield proficiencies already. It means a wizard with no background in martial training that decides to "spend a few weeks learning how to hold this silly piece of wood" learns how to use a shield better than a fighter whose spent his whole life learning, but didn't feel like wasting an ASI just to take their shield off quicker.

In fact a number of the feats in this article are either quite weak or suffer from similar oddities. I love chef though.

 

[MarkB]

Shield training also severely annoys me because as far as I'm aware it is the only way to don/doff a shield using an object interaction, and said feat is largely awful for those who have shield proficiencies already. It means a wizard with no background in martial training that decides to "spend a few weeks learning how to hold this silly piece of wood" learns how to use a shield better than a fighter whose spent his whole life learning, but didn't feel like wasting an ASI just to take their shield off quicker.

And then doesn't bother to take it off quickly in any case, because he can wiggle it to cast spells just as effectively as wiggling his hand, and his other hand is probably free anyway.

 

[bedir than]

Shield Training definitely needs to be renamed. It's more Shield Caster than anything, with little to no use for a martial character

 

[ChaosOS]

I mean, "X training" is actually a pretty normal name for a basic proficiency/access style feat. Really the issue is people are disappointed by Shield Master, the actually dedicated shield feat. Frankly I'd be happy if you just tacked on the "equip as an object interaction" onto Shield Master as a buff.