D&D 5E (2014) 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.

 

[Azzy]

The survey is up. For the first time in a long time I actually felt it was worth completing the survey. Feat UA articles tend to be some of my favourites and this one was no exception.

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I gushed, praised these (as well as praising the alternate class feature article from a while back—just to reinforce that I like this type of content and hope it maes it into a book), offered some opinions and reccomendations on a few feats, and asked for a few more feats (with some suggestions).

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Mostly praise from me in the survey (no feat scored lower than satisfied), but I did suggest that some of the feats were too weak. Specifically, Fighting Initiate and Eldritch Whatever it’s called. Neither is worth a whole feat, IMO. I don’t want more feats in the game that are on par with the weaker phb feats.

Give FI a 1/day Second Wind or Action Surge, or proficiency in some combination of a couple weapons, shields, or medium armor/heavy if already proficient in medium. Drop the prerequisite.

Give Eldritch Thingy Arcana training, or level 1 warlock spell, or something.

I also suggested dropping the “ignore poison resistance” in favor of the ability to craft a specific poison that deals half damage to most creatures, but ignores resistance and immunity against a single creature type, and if a target of the poison is of the chosen type, but has no immunity to poison, they are vulnerable to the poison’s damage?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The survey is up. For the first time in a long time I actually felt it was worth completing the survey. Feat UA articles tend to be some of my favourites and this one was no exception.

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That was quick. Suggests the book needs to be finalised soon. Maybe these are a last minute replacement for psionics?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Eldritch Whatever it’s called. Neither is worth a whole feat, IMO.

You wouldn't say that after the Witch Sight Shadow Monk takes out a room full of enemies without even pausing to say "I'm Batman".

 

[doctorbadwolf]

You wouldn't say that after the Witch Sight Shadow Monk takes out a room full of enemies without even pausing to say "I'm Batman".

I wouldn’t, but only because I’d be busy saying, “Hell yes, my dude!”

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I wouldn’t, but only because I’d be busy saying, “Hell yes, my dude!”

And that isn't the only power combo. An Abjuration Wizard can use Armour of Shadows to infinitely refresh Arcane Ward without expending any spell slots.

When they do a balance pass, the have to assume players are using the strongest combos, not the mundane uses.

The same goes for Fighting Initiate, +1 AC is barely worth half a feat, but not all Fighting Styles are of equal value, or of the same value to other classes. I've known rogues take a 1 level fighter dip just for Two Weapon Style.

 

[Pauln6]

And that isn't the only power combo. An Abjuration Wizard can use Armour of Shadows to infinitely refresh Arcane Ward without expending any spell slots.

When they do a balance pass, the have to assume players are using the strongest combos, not the mundane uses.

The same goes for Fighting Initiate, +1 AC is barely worth half a feat, but not all Fighting Styles are of equal value, or of the same value to other classes. I've known rogues take a 1 level fighter dip just for Two Weapon Style.

Isn't Arcane Ward once per long rest anyway? Not really seeing a balance concern there and it's a side effect of casting a spell in any event.

 

[cbwjm]

Isn't Arcane Ward once per long rest anyway? Not really seeing a balance concern there and it's a side effect of casting a spell in any event.

Once per long rest you create the ward at full hit points when casting an abjuration spell. Casting additional spells heals the ward if it has taken any damage. I don't really think it is a big deal if they can do so without spending resources, it's a combo already there if people want to take advantage of it via multiclassing. Spending a feat is just a different cost-benefit for the abjurer.

 

[Pauln6]

Once per long rest you create the ward at full hit points when casting an abjuration spell. Casting additional spells heals the ward if it has taken any damage. I don't really think it is a big deal if they can do so without spending resources, it's a combo already there if people want to take advantage of it via multiclassing. Spending a feat is just a different cost-benefit for the abjurer.

Ah I see. I don't think I would allow another casting to function until the first had expired but I can see that RAW would not expressly prohibit that.

 

[Weiley31]

Fighting Initiate would actually be good for a Dual Wielding Ranger. You can pick up Whirling Blades and Defensive as your fighting style choices. If your not going Ranged.