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.

 

[ZeshinX]

I think 5e just didn’t have enough design space left to mundane pursuits to make the Ranger work without spells… or the tradition of the Ranger as a magical warrior was just too strong, despite that there is no pop culture version of that Ranger that doesn’t rely on DnD for inspiration to begin with.

It's a tricky design space, no doubt. The Ranger sits in the space of the Fighter, Druid and Rogue and 5e design seems to strive mightily to avoid too much treading into another class' particular niche...so tricky indeed.

The Ranger's out of combat focus on the exploration pillar makes a lot of sense...but in my 30 years of playing D&D with many disparate groups, that pillar is the most routinely hand-waved to varying degrees as flat-out uninteresting for the most part. WotC and DM's Guild creators can certainly do more to explore that space, but frankly, 30 years of hand-waving would likely take an equal amount of time to undo. Even then, I find it's still just not a particularly interesting pillar (but to each their own, of course).

 

[Mistwell]

I am curious about the ones which do not list a prerequisite but mention "using a warlock spell slot" and how that works with the feat for a non-warlock.

I don't see many non-warlocks taking this invocation, as it would be absolutely useless to them.

Is there an echo in here?

Thief of Five Fates is bad, and Beguiling Influence isn't a terrible invocation but not worth a Feat (objectively worse than Skilled in that regard), but the rest of these are definitely worth the feat, given specific characters builds. Armor and Beast Speech are probably the most underwhelming but not terrible.

Armor is handy because it's not concentration and infinite castings. Mage armor isn't a self-spell it's a "willing creature who isn't wearing armor ". So you can mage armor a familiar, a beast of the Rangers, a shape-changed druid, a summoned creature, a rescued NPC, horses, awakened plants, etc..

 

[Undrave]

Wait...Shield is Abjuration not evocation...

Choice of one of four: Control Flames, Gust, Mold Earth or Shape Water. One Level 1 Spell of Transmutation or Evocation school.

Which would leave...Abjuration and Conjuration...for what theme...?

Neither Fey Touched or Shadow Touched give a cantrip... and I don't think any feat that give +1 to a stat gives cantrips?

Fey: Divination and Enchantment
Shadow: Illusion and Necromancy
Elemental: Transmutation and Evocation
Astral: Abjuration and Conjuration

How does that look?

Fey: misty Step
Shadow: Darkness
Elemental: Expeditious Retreat?
Astral: Sanctuary or Protection from Good and Evil

Familiar is a Conjuration spell so I want to make it so you have to pick between that and Shield, so no free Shield.

 

[Horwath]

It's to gatekeep clerics and warlocks.

so, dumbest reason ever?

 

[JiffyPopTart]

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.

Once I started enforcing the disadvantage to perception checks made with Darkvision suddenly everyone wanted torches and light spells again.

 

[Remathilis]

Armor is handy because it's not concentration and infinite castings. Mage armor isn't a self-spell it's a "willing creature who isn't wearing armor ". So you can mage armor a familiar, a beast of the Rangers, a shape-changed druid, a summoned creature, a rescued NPC, horses, awakened plants, etc..

You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Unless you end up needing to recast it regularly, Magical Adept is a far better way to get Mage Armor.

 

[Seramus]

Question. Would it really hurt if these once a day spell feats just give you a 1st level spell slot? Seems like it would benefit martials more than full casters, and give a little low level umph.

 

[Leatherhead]

Elemental: Expeditious Retreat?

Dragon's Breath.
Then you can also change the name to "Dragon Touched"

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Breaks the image. The D&D ranger wields longsowrds, battleaxes, longbows, or a massive crossbow.
Not a pair of dagger or a dinky bow to catch bunnies.
Especially not the roguish style archer who stands back, cowers, and shoots.

I've seen rangers use a greatsword in my campaigns, or a pistol, or 2 shortswords/rapiers at higher levels. Most rangers are archers, archers use any bows, and rangers can use shortbows (but normally don't because longbows are better). If they only have access to shortbows, they're going to use them until they can use longbows.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Wouldn't expect anymore Feats: maybe they'll test the new Race approach, but they might be done.

Yeah. I would've expected this to be called "Unearthed Arcana 2020: Feats Part One" if they were planning another UA, but I think it would be good if they tried more.