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.

 

[Zardnaar]

Sugar rush being THP works for me.

"Before we fight this dragon, eat all these cookies."

Until the Dragon baked you into his cookies. Mmmnn Elf suger.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

The feat of chef makes me remember the 3PP base class "gourmend" from Pathfinder, and I like the crazy idea of a mixture of garderner/mon-tamer who grows an little army of "plants vs zombies", something like the D&D "shonen" version of the upcoming videogame "Oooblets". When I played Sims medieval sometimes I tried to imagine a d20 version where the PCs with "civilian classes" had to farm and craft.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Unfortunately, only Monks have access to DEX based bludgeoning damage.

Probably already been pointed out: sling.

Addendum - you could use crusher to hit someone with a sling and pull them towards you!

 

[dalisprime]

It's like dark vision.

If you're the only one with it, it's not powerful, almost a ribbon ability.

It's power comes when NOBODY is without it, so you can drop those torches altogether.

I believe it's undercosted for this specific reason. Darkvision should not have been so ubiquitous in 5E.

I miss the distinction between low light vision and dark vision.

 

[Danzauker]

Most are nice.

I always like when UA gives attention to feats. In my opinion they are an overlooked at feature of 5E character building.

I expecially like feats that replicate part of a "racial bundle". With a little work you could separate the "biological" benefits of a standard race (resistances, darkvision..) from the "cultural ones" (affinity with weapons, tools and even some magical abilities) and create more diverse and interesting combos.

It makes sense to me that a human adopted by wood elves could have all the bow and tracking proficiencies they do but not low light vision. I think it's something D&D should explore more.

 

[MikalC]

What a mess.

Chef
:...These special treats last 8 hours after being made." Why do they spoil to fast?
"...eat one of those treats to gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus." Why temp hit points?

Because you aren’t making processed food that is shelf stable and you’re providing an energy boost to a character

Fighting Initiate
"Whenever you gain a level, you can replace this feat’s fighting style with another one from the fighter class that you don’t have." Goldfish memory.

Metamagic Adept
"Whenever you gain a level, you can replace one of your Metamagic options with another one from the sorcerer class." Magic Goldfish memory.

1) goldfish actually have decent memories
2) are you saying your PCs level every session? Because you’re saying that this will trigger fairly often by using “goldfish memory”
3) this can represent someone practicing but not committing to a fighting style, or the inherent magicalness of the character adapting
4) who cares if it’s every level? Most builds won’t want to switch these out anyway, since you’re likely not going to have a character that will get equal mileage out of great weapon fighting one level, archery the next, two weapon fighting after that

Practiced Expert
Power creep from XgtE

Yeah cause UA stuff is never purposefully over powered and then lowered for actual publication

Shield Training
"If you have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature, you can use a shield as a spellcasting focus." I cast my spell with a subtle flick of my . . . tower shield?
"In combat, you can don or doff a shield as the free object interaction on your turn." I've got no strings to hold me down because I wished upon a star and now my shield's a real boy.

A spellcasting focus doesn’t let you cast a spell using subtle magic, that’s metamagic. And with it you don’t even need a flick. A spellcasting focus also doesn’t change the somatic requirements of a spell so... this is a stupid response that means nothing.

Tracker
"You learn the hunter’s mark spell." The only real trackers are magic-trackers.
"...hunting creatures and honed your skills..." makes you a magic man.

if you wanna be a non magic tracker equal to this multiclass rogue, or prodigy/practiced expert.

 

[CapnZapp]

I miss the distinction between low light vision and dark vision.

I do too.

I understand why 5E looked for every simplification they could find, but getting rid of LLV was a step too far.

 

[DnD Warlord]

Huh.

When I evaluate mechanics I do so on the presumption of optimal (or close to optimal) use. Not sure what the point is of trying to evaluate it otherwise. Sure, lots of people buy Porsches and then just drive them around like normal cars. Doesn't mean that they aren't more powerful than Hyundais.

So, yeah, I know (and am glad) that there are campaigns that emphasize non-combat aspects in ways that might make lesser feats more valuable. And I recognize that some people don't optimize their character builds.

But neither of those facts diminish the reality that +1 to a primary stat is just generally a more powerful benefit than a language and a tool proficiency.

This misses on many points. +1 to my prime stat (or even +2if no feat) compaired to opening new options is super hard to judge...

My warlock of baba yaga (Fey pact but looks and acts like melisandra from AsoFaI.) At 4th level had to decide if she would up her cha to 18, or take magical adept. .magic adept gave me a melee attack (primal savagery =iron fangs dripping with acid) the ability to aid my friends in skill checks (guidence) gave me a 1/per day cure wounds based on my 14 wis, but also added that cure wounds to my warlock spells known. How can you compare the 2?

 

[Minigiant]

The feat of chef makes me remember the 3PP base class "gourmend" from Pathfinder, and I like the crazy idea of a mixture of garderner/mon-tamer who grows an little army of "plants vs zombies", something like the D&D "shonen" version of the upcoming videogame "Oooblets". When I played Sims medieval sometimes I tried to imagine a d20 version where the PCs with "civilian classes" had to farm and craft.

Backin 3e, my group used to imagine all sorts of civilian adventurer classes:cleaver using chefs, fire-breathing hammer wielding blacksmiths, forgers with temporary scrolls, a poision using gardeners etc.

After a TPK, we created a party based on the manor of a slain lord adventuring to find their master's killer. I was the gardener.

I'd totally buy into a feat for an adventurer application for a few more tools.

• creating better acid and alchemist fire with alchemy supplies.
• creating beer that grants THP with brewers kits
• using weaver's tools, leathworking tools, smith tools to boost armor AC on a long rest
• creating special arrows with a woodcarver's tools

 

[Horwath]

Fighting Initiate feat should be "half-feat" without style exchange option every level. add +1 str, dex or con to it.
remove prereq of martial weapon. why should wizards not take that feat?