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.

 

[dave2008]

Which is why I left modernity for a tiny village in a third world country. When I look out the window I see forests, mountains, and rivers. It's heavenly.

(Assuming we aren't invaded by the Russians.)

I live in the middle, easy access to it all!

 

[Ruin Explorer]

We play to be cheered up, if we wanted that stuff we have Real Life (TM).

To be fair though Paul, everything @WayOfTheFourElements is saying is a very good summary of a lot of earlier major D&D inspirations. Vance is explicitly that. Tolkien is somewhat that (less selfish protagonists, but the same "it's all downhill from here" vibe). A lot of Moorcock stuff touches on those ideas. A number of other fantasy settings have the same "selfish people, dying world" scenario.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

To be fair though Paul, everything @WayOfTheFourElements is saying is a very good summary of a lot of earlier major D&D inspirations. Vance is explicitly that. Tolkien is somewhat that (less selfish protagonists, but the same "it's all downhill from here" vibe). A lot of Moorcock stuff touches on those ideas. A number of other fantasy settings have the same "selfish people, dying world" scenario.

You nailed it. Much of my inspiration is from Jack Vance.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

Clearly, the direction taken by 5e is not going where I want, so I stop at Xanathar. And by the way this happened to me in every edition so it's not new.

If this has happened to you in every single edition of D&D, then may I ask what are you looking for out of D&D? Would another game that doesn't lean as hard into gonzo kitchen-sink fantasy serve you and your group better? Or one that doesn't put good roleplaying and character optimization in as much contention with each other?

 

[Li Shenron]

If this has happened to you in every single edition of D&D, then may I ask what are you looking for out of D&D? Would another game that doesn't lean as hard into gonzo kitchen-sink fantasy serve you and your group better? Or one that doesn't put good roleplaying and character optimization in as much contention with each other?

I already have it. It's D&D in odd-integer-numbered editions stopped after the first wave of splatbooks. Seems to work every time.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

To be fair though Paul, everything @WayOfTheFourElements is saying is a very good summary of a lot of earlier major D&D inspirations. Vance is explicitly that. Tolkien is somewhat that (less selfish protagonists, but the same "it's all downhill from here" vibe). A lot of Moorcock stuff touches on those ideas. A number of other fantasy settings have the same "selfish people, dying world" scenario.

Oh, I'm not saying it's wrong (I've tried dropping my players into other genres, like picaresque and horror, and they still run around being big damn heroes). But it doesn't really make any difference. A character can be a self serving antihero in a grim world and still have a unique set of skills.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I would feel happier if is said something like "if you have the spellcasting focus class ability you can inscribe a mystic rune on your shield using 10gp in materials that allows you to use it as a spellcasting focus".

And add a different feat that enables "use your weapon as a spell casting focus" as part of it's function.

Hmmm, I could see that as a Runic Casting feat or something. Give someone the ability to inscribe runes on a shield or weapon to use it as a spellcasting focus, then give them two other abilities.

That idea has some promise.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I've tried dropping my players into other genres, like picaresque and horror, and they still run around being big damn heroes

It's always interesting to see how players react to different genres and settings. My experience is that most people do shift with the genre pretty well, but some people, especially when they're not really into a genre, sort of stick to or revert to a type they're comfortable with - though in the case of the players I've played with longest that is definitely picaresque (of course "big damn heroes" is a quote from a picaresque show, so maybe there's not that much difference).

 

[Sacrosanct]

don't know if these have already been mentioned (as I may have missed a page or two in this thread), but two things came to mind:

1. Monk with crusher feat
2. fighter with lvl 1 dip to warlock and eldritch feat (lance of lethargy or repelling blast) + action surge. At mid to high levels, you can shut down mobs, or blow them off the board, left and right

 

[Ashrym]

It would be amazing to be a Whispers Bard that tries to pretend to be a happy, bubbly and nice character, but actually is a secret agent/assassin mastermind. (Changeling could work well with this, or the Eldritch Adept with Mask of Many Faces). Take the Chef feat and Poisoner feat, and then pretend to be nice to people, and actually just be an assassin. It would be a great character for an intrigue based campaign (especially in Eberron or Forgotten Realms).

I did that with a rogue assassin and cook's utensils proficiency.

Don't need these feats for that play. ;-)