D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: 16 New Feats

"Today’s Unearthed Arcana presents a selection of new feats for Dungeons & Dragons. Each feat offers a way to become better at something or to gain a whole new ability."

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The feats include Artificer Initiate, Chef, Crusher, Eldritch Adept, Fey Touched, Fighting Initiate, Gunner, Metamagic Adept, Poisoner, Piercer, Practiced Expert, Shadow Touched, Shield Training, Slasher, Tandem Tactician, and Tracker.

 

[Marandahir]

Thinking through it some more, why not just disentangle the Slasher/Crusher/Piercer feat from the weapon types? Each feat is fine on its own, but there's no reason you couldn't force somebody back with a piercing weapon, or deal extra critical damage with a crushing weapon, or whatever.

I suppose, as written, it kind of prevents you from stacking them. But whatever.

I guess it would depend on the type of piercing weapon.

I can see someone pushing them back with a piercing-type polearm, but I could see the same with any polearm. Less so with a bow though. But I could see someone being pushed back by repeated slingshot bludgeons or the threat of cannon-fire (as opposed to a standard idea of being knocked back in the wake of a warhammer or greatclub).

I'd rather disentangle slashing/crushing/piercing from other weapon sub-types like polearms or ranged weapons or versatile weapons and how they affect the flow combat. These feats seem to do so, by focusing specifically on what comes from those types of damage rather than from the weapons that deal those types of damage.

 

[Undrave]

I kinda wish the Chef feat had been a full on Bard subclass...

 

[Marandahir]

I like these a lot, except for the gun one. I’m fine with there being a Feat to gain proficiency with firearms, but that Feat shouldn’t allow you to ignore the loading property on them. I’m fine with removing the disadvantage for attacking with them in melee, but the ignore loading is too much, IMO.

Oh, I hadn't caught that. I don't like that feature either. I get what they're going for (MORE DAKKA), but it breaks the balance of early firearms vs later firearms vs late medieval/renaissance weaponry completely. The loading time is a big part of why firearms weren't used more often early in their run (alongside the accuracy issues). Being a good gunner shouldn't allow you to somehow not have to take time to load a firearm unless it's a better firearm that doesn't need that loading time. Crossbow expert has the same problem, but that's a little bit less involved than a firearm, so I can believe it a bit more.

This is excluding magical firearms, of course (wand cannons), but that's a whole different class of schizotech.

I kinda wish the Chef feat had been a full on Bard subclass...

Why can't we have both? See the Artificer Initiate, Eldritch Adept, Metamagic Adept feats, for example… I'd love a Chef subclass for Bards.

Durnan's Guide to Tavernkeeping has a Brewing Domain, which is a similar type option (and also very thematic for the many alcohol-focused deities of the real world, like Dionysus or Goibhniu.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I like these a lot, except for the gun one. I’m fine with there being a Feat to gain proficiency with firearms, but that Feat shouldn’t allow you to ignore the loading property on them. I’m fine with removing the disadvantage for attacking with them in melee, but the ignore loading is too much, IMO.

I really like that they are finally supporting firearms officially (if this makes it into a book) beyond the DM's Guide. I'm in favor of guns in my fantasy, and I'm happy they're considering stepping into the ring where previously only third party contributors dared to tread.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

To me, food doesn't equal healing (at least not in the short term). I could see it providing a morale boost, but D&D removed morale decades ago.

Philosophical Question: what is HP if not morale? It's certainly not meat-bag points, though food would definitely assist you with that too (you need a lot of energy to self-heal injuries).

I'd argue that food is definitely something that CAN provide HP, and that THP is the best avenue to explore morale boosts in 5e D&D without getting into video-gamey ideas about actually getting sliced and pierced by weapons over and over again and yet not dying until you run out of HP.

Feats such as Inspiring Leader and class abilities such as Rally would seem to indicate that Temporary Hit Points are often used to mechanically represent morale boosts.

 

[Parmandur]

So real question: If your a Warlock and you pick Eldritch Adept, does that allow you to gain an extra Invocation even AFTER you hit your limit and can't earn anymore? If your a Fighter and your choosing Fighting Initiate, does that mean you can get TWO fighting styles? I like the idea of having both Dueling AND Superior Technique fighting styles. Especially for a Battle Master,*

Cuz that's FLIPPING SWEET if so.

I like the implication that a Fighter could potentially have TWO fighting styles. Or that a Warlock can have ten Invocations. They get up to 9 max I believe right?

Psssst, the Champion already gets two Styles...and now could get three! Ultimate Champion!

 

[Marandahir]

I really like that they are finally supporting firearms officially (if this makes it into a book) beyond the DM's Guide. I'm in favor of guns in my fantasy, and I'm happy they're considering stepping into the ring where previously only third party contributors dared to tread.

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes already supported firearms with their inclusion of the Giff and all their firearmy-glory, but I get what you mean from a PC capacity.

 

[Minigiant]

I kinda wish the Chef feat had been a full on Bard subclass...

It should be it's own class.

Madge the halfling chef/fighter

 

[Micah Sweet]

Oh, I hadn't caught that. I don't like that feature either. I get what they're going for (MORE DAKKA), but it breaks the balance of early firearms vs later firearms vs late medieval/renaissance weaponry completely. The loading time is a big part of why firearms weren't used more often early in their run (alongside the accuracy issues). Being a good gunner shouldn't allow you to somehow not have to take time to load a firearm unless it's a better firearm that doesn't need that loading time. Crossbow expert has the same problem, but that's a little bit less involved than a firearm, so I can believe it a bit more.

This is excluding magical firearms, of course (wand cannons), but that's a whole different class of schizotech.




Why can't we have both? See the Artificer Initiate, Eldritch Adept, Metamagic Adept feats, for example… I'd love a Chef subclass for Bards.

Durnan's Guide to Tavernkeeping has a Brewing Domain, which is a similar type option (and also very thematic for the many alcohol-focused deities of the real world, like Dionysus or Goibhniu.

They also have to balance firearms against other ranged weapons, and the loading property definitely is a strike against firearms being actually used at the table.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes already supported firearms with their inclusion of the Giff and all their firearmy-glory, but I get what you mean from a PC capacity.

Good point. Love the Giff!