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]

Crusher
Ok, so I’m very happy to see weapon specialization stuff come back in. This is cool. Not quite sure if it’s balanced, but it doesn’t feel unbalanced. Wait, on second thought, why is Dex one of the options? Are there any finesse bludgeoning weapons? Nope, checked; at least in 3E, you could finesse light weapons. Should be Str or Con.

It isn't listed as finesse, but the monk can use unarmed strikes with their Dex, so I suspect that is why Dex is one of the options. Personally, I houseruled unarmed strike as a finesse weapon anyway (honestly I was surprised unarmed strike wasn't a finesse weapon from the beginning).

 

[Weiley31]

Fighting Initiate
No no no no no this feat is weak. Defense for +1 AC? There’s multiple feats that grant +1 AC and something else, even weak feats like Dual Wielder. Medium Armor Master effectively grants +2 AC if you cared about stealth in the first place (as you probably do, if you’re considering medium armor master). Since +2 Dex is +1 AC, +1 attack/damage, +1 Dex saves, and +1 dex skills, +1 AC is not worth a feat. You might see people take it for Archery, and that's it. Make it a half feat.

I can agree with making it have a +1 to STR or DEX, but I don't think its that weak. I mean, it allows classes without a fighting style to gain one. The Champion will be able to have THREE fighting styles. One of them can be Superior Technique which allows a Battle Master Maneuver and a Superiority Die. Take Martial Adept and now that Champion has two more Maneuvers and another Superiority Die. Granted your stuck at a D6, but now the Champion at least has a slight taste of what the Battle Master can do. Which at least changes up its "auto-pilotness" a bit.

Even a Hexblade having a single Maneuver (You might even get a bit ballzy with your DM and make a point that CHA would be the DC check for said Maneuever) or even Dueling style is pretty cool. Or your Gunslinger can have both Close Quarters Shooter AND Two Weapon Fighting. A Paladin could get both Dueling/Great Weapon Fighting AND Blessed Warrior for the additional cantrip.

Or imagine being a Brown Bear and you use Superior Technique to give you a Maneuver to do in your bear form. Or if your a Wolf, you can totally flavor Rally as the wolf howling to grant the Temp HP. Again you'll have to be ballzy to your DM in making argument that the amount of Temp HP gain is the number rolled on the Superiority Die+WIS modifier.

I think it offers a number of neat ideas.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

If you compare Fighting Initiate: Superior Technique Martial Adept, they look almost identical, with Martial Adept flat better since it learns one more technique. However, Superior Technique allows you to swap for a different technique (or a different fighting style all together) whereas Martial Adept you are stuck with your initial choice. So actually they turn out much the same, and the smart money is always on getting both.

 

[Xeviat]

If you compare Fighting Initiate: Superior Technique Martial Adept, they look almost identical, with Martial Adept flat better since it learns one more technique. However, Superior Technique allows you to swap for a different technique (or a different fighting style all together) whereas Martial Adept you are stuck with your initial choice. So actually they turn out much the same, and the smart money is always on getting both.

Martial Adept is weak too!

 

[Guest 6801328]

yes, lack of fixed DC's is a strength and a weakness of 5E.

I would like more lists of fixed DCs like;

perception for someone casting spells is I.E: DC 5

making a meal for royalty that will grant you favor: DC 20

acrobatics for moving without AoO is DC 15

etc...

Next official WotC book. 128 pages, two columns per page, of tasks and DCs. Sorted alphabetically.

Player: "I'll swim down and try to pick the lock."

DM: "Just a sec...lessee...juggling cats in a blizzard...killing ants with a magnifying glass...listening to country music without gagging...making soufflé using only naturally found materials...hmm, 'n' section is quite short...operating on non-humanoids...packing fitted sheets into original container...getting closer...picking a friend's nose without being noticed...almost there...got it!...picking locks underwater. DC 18."

 

[jmartkdr2]

picking a friend's nose without being noticed

You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose...

Without a DC 25 sleight of hand check.

 

[MostlyHarmless42]

As already pointed out, yes, sling. And monk is a whole class full of them.

The same book is going to contain a whole bunch of new Fighting Styles from the alternative class feature UA. If you think the feat is weak (you are wrong), it's easy enough not to take it. Plenty will. I have seen the future, and it is full of dual wielding barbarians.

First, even if this is the case, I still point out what I've already said, every class who gets a fighting style ALSO gets a second class feature at the same level they do. Anyone taking this as a feat is going to be trading (in like 95% of cases) an entire level's perks for a "half-level's features". This is by design asking to be a half-feat, and I encourage as many people to suggest adding "Increase either your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution by 1" as they can.

Second, adding a bunch of stronger fighting styles in the new book doesn't help bolster the case for this feat being balanced, it just creates the problem of power creep with the new books. They shouldn't be adding new fighting styles that are stronger than those in the PHB, and we shouldn't defend them if they do, especially because it is by their own defined words/restrictions (i.e. why they won't do updates or erratas to existing classes because they don't want to invalidate people's purchases) "bad design".

 

[Weiley31]

First, even if this is the case, I still point out what I've already said, every class who gets a fighting style ALSO gets a second class feature at the same level they do. Anyone taking this as a feat is going to be trading (in like 95% of cases) an entire level's perks for a "half-level's features". This is by design asking to be a half-feat, and I encourage as many people to suggest adding "Increase either your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution by 1" as they can.

Which is why I'm probably gonna house rule it as a +1 to STR/DEX to go along with its feature.

 

[MostlyHarmless42]

Which is why I'm probably gonna house rule it as a +1 to STR/DEX to go along with its feature.

Likewise, I'll just keep using the feat I created to replace the armor/weapon proficency feats myself.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Martial Adept is weak too!

You perceived "balance point" for feats is too high. If Martial Adept is too weak, then so are about 25 of the 42 feats in the PHB.