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.

 

[Horwath]

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.

I would say more than 25 are not worth losing ASI

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I would say more than 25 are not worth losing ASI

That's the point. Featless characters are not supposed to be disadvantaged relative to characters with feats. So at best a feat should be is equivalent to an ASI in a prime stat. Or +1 to hit, +1 damage and +1 ability check.

 

[Xeviat]

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.

Yet I see the same feats get taken over and over again, like sharpshooter/heavy weapon master, and see plenty of feats never taken, even after nerfing the former (I changed the attack penalty/damage bonus to be -prof to attack, plus 2xprof to damage so it isn't too much damage at the lower levels).

 

[Weiley31]

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.

I concur. Martial Adept and Superior Technique are good for giving your Battle Master alot of Superiority dice. My level 5 Battle Master has 5 Superiority Die and 5 techniques with Martial Adept added on. If my DM lets me take Fighting Initiate, then I can add Superior Technique to add another Superiority Die(which auto upgrades to whatever Die Number it upgrades to because of Battle Master) and another Manenuver. By the time my Battle Master stops gaining Superiority Die and Maneuvers, I'll have a CRAPTON of options via interchangable Maneuvers.

For other classes? Well Martial Adept is decent. But it's probably better to use it as an on going add-on to what your Battle Master can do. Or another class that uses Superiority Die. Like UA Crusader, UA Monster Slayer, Spellless Ranger, and UA Scout.

So far that's fitting my Warblade concept for my character very well.

 

[Pauln6]

I concur. Martial Adept and Superior Technique are good for giving your Battle Master alot of Superiority dice. My level 5 Battle Master has 5 Superiority Die and 5 techniques with Martial Adept added on. If my DM lets me take Fighting Initiate, then I can add Superior Technique to add another Superiority Die and another Manenuver.

For other classes? Well Martial Adept is decent. But it's probably better to use it as an on going add-on to your Battle Master can do. Or another class that uses Superiority Die. Like UA Crusader, UA Monster Slayer, Spellless Ranger, and UA Scout.

So far that's fitting my Warblade concept for my character very well.

I wish that the Banneret got d6 superiority dice to spend on Persuasion instead of expertise because it might be possible to build a half decent Warlord with some investment using the new options.

 

[Weiley31]

I wish that the Banneret got d6 superiority dice to spend on Persuasion instead of expertise because it might be possible to build a half decent Warlord with some investment using the new options.

Well, give Banneret Martial Adept and Fighting Initiate for Superior Technique. That will nab your Banneret two Fighting Styles. You'll also have three Maneuvers now, so you could get Rally, Commander's Strike, and Silver Tongue (Superiority Die rolls to Persuasion/Deception rolls) from the Class Features Variant UA. Then nab Tantrum Tactics from the latest 2020 Feat UA.

Or grab the Masterclass Codex and add those feats to a Noble Class PC. I believe the third subclass for Noble focuses more on the tactics/warlord aspect. The Brave Subclass is more the "Hero" leader that joins their compatriots on the battlefield. Although, I argue that you should house rule the Nobles' Hit Die be increased from a D6 to a D8.

 

[Pauln6]

Well, give Banneret Martial Adept and Fighting Initiate for Superior Technique. You'll have three Maneuvers. So You could get Rally, Commander's Strike, and Silver Tongue from the Class Features Variant UA. Then nab Tantrum Tactics from the latest 2020 Feat UA.

Or grab the Masterclass Codex and add those feats to a Noble Class PC.

I have a couple of supplements with decent homebrew warlords and new manoeuvres but I was interested in seeing if minor alternate class features could have a similar effect. The 5 minute work day supplement is fun and Noble is pretty cool too.

 

[Weiley31]

I have a couple of supplements with decent homebrew warlords and new manoeuvres but I was interested in seeing if minor alternate class features could have a similar effect. The 5 minute work day supplement is fun and Noble is pretty cool too.

I enjoy the Noble alot. I also like the fact that the Nobles' Path of the Heart subclass allows you a "plot development" moment to happen in the campaign and trade all your Heart Subclass levels and abilities to reclass into one of the other Noble subclasses or a class(and their subclasses) of your choice.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yet I see the same feats get taken over and over again, like sharpshooter/heavy weapon master, and see plenty of feats never taken, even after nerfing the former (I changed the attack penalty/damage bonus to be -prof to attack, plus 2xprof to damage so it isn't too much damage at the lower levels).

Yes, of course, WotC got it wrong a couple of times, and a few of the PHB feats are better than a prime stat ASI, and hence overpowered. But you don't move the goalposts because you miss a couple of times. And overall the number of overpowered feats is low.

The intension is that feats should give characters more flavour, not make them more powerful, so you would not expect tables who powergame to make much use of them.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yes, of course, WotC got it wrong a couple of times, and a few of the PHB feats are better than a prime stat ASI, and hence overpowered. But you don't move the goalposts because you miss a couple of times. And overall the number of overpowered feats is low.

The intension is that feats should give characters more flavour, not make them more powerful, so you would not expect tables who powergame to make much use of them.

Of course, since some feats are better than an ASI, players will continue to use them to make their characters more powerful as long as they exist. This is why there is such a thing as power creep. New supplements are compared to the best options in the PH.