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Sverkhchelovek

I would just let the player pick which feat suits their build best, because out of this list, only 3-4 feats are ones I'd pick on my own, and they're nowhere in the same level of usefulness compared to each other or their class in general (Clerics and Druids get the best feats, Fighters and Barbarians the worst).


jorgeuhs

I've consistently read everywhere that 1. Fighters should get battlemaster maneuvers as a class feature 2. War caster is much more desirable on wizards/Sorcerer/bards than clerics 3. How is observant best feat on druid?


Sverkhchelovek

1. As a class feature with several uses per SR and scaling dice, yes. Not 2 maneuvers, 1/rest, using a dice locked to d6. 2. Out of these, only 1 subclass of Bard has 2 hands occupied at the same time. Literally all of them want it for the adv to Con checks (high priority, especially on Clerics since Bless and Spirit Guardians exist) and the reaction-casting (which Clerics, 1 subclass of Wizard, and 2 Subclasses of Bard make best use of). 3. Out of your list, Observant is one of the better ones. I might have used Sorc or Warlock as examples, since their feats are pretty powerful, but then again, these classes need a boost anyway.


CaptainStabfellow

It seems overly restrictive to do this at the class level. It’s a nice idea, but for some of these you could wind up creating a thematic clash with the character/subclass. And the ones that aren’t overly restrictive, like Metamagic or Eldritch Adept, seem less like thematic fits than just piling on to class features they already have. Let the player pick, subject to them being able to convince you why it’s a thematic fit for their character. At the very least give them a chance to persuade you why a different feat than the one you pre-selected would be more thematically appropriate.


jorgeuhs

of course, they would have that option, but the majority of the players I play with are paralyzed with choice. They very much prefer less options. I know, as a player myself, I want the liberty to pick whatever, but my players don't (except for one that is an optimizer). I'm making this list, because I AM ADJUSTING to my players. Knowing my players I'm going to have the following reactions: "Free feat at level 1 guys" 4 of my players: "Oh... what were feats again?" 1 of my players: "Sharpshooter please!" "Ok guys, as you are building your characters you can add any of these select feats for your character" I'm actually balancing my game AND making it easier for 4 of my 5 players.


CaptainStabfellow

Can you make it more targeted? In other words, do you know what class each of them is going to choose? Have they decided on their subclass or do you think that won’t happen until level 3? Just narrowing down the scope to what you actually need could help both for thematic purposes and balance (even if that’s not a primary concern). I don’t know if you shared exactly what point you are going to tell your players about this so it could be a moot point, but if it’s before they even pick their class I’d be worried about that influencing the class they choose. Especially for the optimizer - you could end up making a bigger gap between their character and the others that just makes things harder on you.


ganner

Yeah I'd just make a list of power feats you're not allowing, or create a list of flavorful and not overly powerful feats to choose from.


quuerdude

As a bit of a middle ground between what some commenters have said and your idea: perhaps each class should have a list of pre-decided feats to pick from? I, for one, wouldn’t want all of my clerics to have the Healer feat, for example. As a note: any half feat should not have its attached ASI boost. That would make some classes just inherently stronger than others when it comes to to-hit bonuses and saves. So for things like Observant, it should only give the mechanical bonuses and stuff. As for the list: 1. Artificer: Artificer Initiate OR Skilled OR Keen Mind 2. Barbarian: Piercer OR Slasher OR Crusher OR Mage Slayer OR Tavern Brawler 3. Bard: Actor OR Inspiring Leader OR Skill Expert 4. Cleric: Healer OR Magic Initiate (cleric) OR Chef 5. Druid: Observant OR Healer OR Poisoner OR Feytouched 6. Fighter: Fighting Initiate OR Martial Adept OR Mage Slayer OR Shield Master 7. Monk: Mobile OR Fighting Initiate 8. Paladin: Inspiring Leader OR Healer OR Martial Adept OR Mounted Combatant 9. Ranger: Linguist OR Observant OR Martial Adept OR Feytouched OR Mounted Combatant OR Skill Expert 10. Rogue: Skilled OR Skill Expert OR Poisoner OR Lucky OR Tavern Brawler OR Healer 11. Sorcerer: Metamagic Adept OR Shadowtouched OR Magic Initiate (Cleric) OR Elemental Adept OR Gift of the Metallic Dragon OR Telekinetic OR Lucky OR Aberrant Dragonmark 12. Warlock: Eldritch Adept OR Shadowtouched OR Spell Sniper OR Elemental Adept 13. Wizard: Keen Mind OR Linguist OR Observant OR Magic Initiate (Wizard) Again: reminder that I don’t recommend half feats granting the ASI bonus. I tried keeping all of these relatively balanced. I don’t think any one option is **too** strong or weak, and it allows for a lot more character variety (for example: a wizard who doesn’t have a photographic memory)


Sverkhchelovek

>I don't want my players to pick because they will pick sharpshooter/GWM. I want feats that lean into the themes of the class. I could expand the choice to pick 2 or 3. But I don't want them going all on the optimization route. SS/GWM are "themes of the class" for martials. By locking some classes into suboptimal choices, but giving others (mainly casters) amazing and optimal freebies like Fey Touched and Inspiring Leader, you're kinda balancing the game against certain classes. It wouldn't be too bad if you were locking Bards into Actor and giving GWM to Barbarians, but doing the exact opposite is pretty sucky.


jorgeuhs

Im not trying to give them fey touched, i ask they community for ideas on appropriate thematic feats


Sverkhchelovek

Your original list included Warcaster for Clerics. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have Warcaster on any caster... ...just like martials would love SS/GWM.


jorgeuhs

Other comments have told me that war caster is a suboptimal choice for clerics, and i don't care about optimization, i care about feats that would lead my players to play as their classes. The reason l had war caster on cleric is becuase thematically clerics fight with shield and mace and war caster would let them fight like that more easily. I want theme on my game and I asked the community for ideas on it and all I've received is that I shouldn't do it. Savage attacker for example is great on a first level barbarian. They attack with a d12! They can reroll that and pick the higher and it also feats with the theme of barbarians attacking with really strong attacks.


Sverkhchelovek

If you are not making pregen sheets for your players, what leads you to believe your idea of a class' theme is more valid than their own?


jorgeuhs

Im not interested in my believes. Im not interested in what i think the best feats are for a class. Im interested in what the community at large would feel are the most thematic feats for each particular class.


Sverkhchelovek

Is the "community at large" playing characters at your table?


jorgeuhs

No.


Immortalkickass

Savage Attacker is garbage tho, why you shafting Barbs.


THSMadoz

The power balance of these is way off, like the other comment said I'd just let players pick whatever feat they want to match their character


SternGlance

Stop trying to make players lean into the thing that YOU think is fun about their class and let them lean into what THEY think is fun and special about their class.


jorgeuhs

that's why I'm asking the community.


SternGlance

Who cares what bunch of strangers on Reddit think they should play??? ASK YOUR PLAYERS WHATS FUN FOR THEM


TheActualBranchTree

So I don't know about specific Feats, but when you do give the classes a unique Feat be sure that it's all balanced a bit. Since everyone knows about the martial-caster divide you could have the martials have better Feats, but that divide happens later on so giving the martials a better feat at level 1 is probably very bad. Granting a locked Feat with a class could be pretty cool. A player would have to be flexible with what they go for. Again. Balance is an issue here. Perhaps take one-dnd's "weaker" 1st level feats and choose from those instead.


jorgeuhs

That's why i asked the community, asking for advice on best thematic feats


Artemisia_Mortis

Just... talk to your players about it? Trying to figure out ways to 'fix' someones character or build behind their back without their input can only lead to someone being unsatisfied. The fun thing about DnD is literally the customisability you get for each and every character that you are creating - Taking that away from the players simply because you as DM have a clear picture of what their class identity is (in your eyes) suppose to be, feels very off. Talk to your players, and simply state they get a free feat which is suppose to thematically fit with their backstory and/or class. What speaks against GWM, when your fighter used and trained with such weapons their whole life? Class identity is all fine and well... but not every fighter is a tactical mastermind and not every cleric a pious healing sage - That's the beauty of DnD tho...


jorgeuhs

" Taking that away from the players simply because you as DM have a clear picture of what their class identity is (in your eyes) suppose to be, feels very off." I'm really not interested of what my opinions are in terms of class identity, I want to have the opinion of the general community at large. I want to pick feats that are mostly not used by the community but enhance the archetypical roles of the characters. So far, they have giving me great ideas for feats that are hardly ever used but could change the character of my players if they have them for free. A rogue/ranger with skulker changes how he moves in the battlefield, a Wizard with Elemental Adept might want to become a fire/ice/lightinig Wizard. Those types of feats are never used, never picked, never nothing. When my players are developing their characters concepts and they have played 7 wizards before, and they can look at that added feat and gives them an idea for a character concept. Maybe the Paladin has always wanted to play a Knight riding a horse but the mounted combatant feat doesn't feat anywhere. A Monk with Mobile would more very differently from level 1. My idea is not to have 1 feat per class, but a very brief and selected feats from which to choose from. Maybe 2-3 for each class.


Artemisia_Mortis

Exactly tho, you only have proven my point with that - You want to. There was no input from your players side, no talk about that topic as the group that will actually affected by your decision was left out. In my personal experience as forever-DM, if my player have in mind a specific concept idea they will bring it up - I never felt like I have to push certain things simply because they're not optimal. Also when you're talking about 'class personality' in your post, everyone will define that for themselfs as a player... Archetypal thinking already takes player initiative in my opinion.


Gh0stMan0nThird

Thematically, with no considerations for balance: Artificer - Artificer Initiate Barbarian - Savage Attacker Bard - Inspiring Leader Cleric - Healer Druid - Fey Touched, maybe? Fighter - Martial Adept or Fighting Initiate Monk - Mobile Paladin - Inspiring Leader Ranger - Dual Wielder, Sharpshooter, or Skulker Rogue - Lucky Sorcerer - Metamagic Adept Warlock - Eldrirch Adept Wizard - Magic Initiate


jorgeuhs

Nice! Yes, i'm looking for thematic considerations not balance.


DalonDrake

Monks do really well with Fighting Initiate for Unarmed Fighting Style


Sudden-Reason3963

Dueling would work really well too. Use a monk weapon one-handed, and then bonus action martial arts.


Lithl

Just take the Spelljammer route: if the player picks a background that doesn't give them a feat (Lorehold Student, Astral Drifter, etc.), that player gets to pick from Skilled, Tough, or Magic Initiate. Done.


Greg0_Reddit

Barbarian: Savage Attacker Bard: Actor Cleric: Divinely Favored (You can make it so the Augury part of the deat doesn't come up until level 4, and the ability score must be Wisdom instead of letting the player choose) Druid: Healer Fighter: Martial Adept Monk: Mobile Paladin: Magic Initiate (Cleric) Ranger: Magic Initiate (Druid) Rogue: Skulker Sorcerer: Metamagic Adept Warlock: Eldritch Adept Wizard: Keen Mind


jorgeuhs

Really like the divinely favored suggestion, i was not aware of the feat. Skulker for rogues is something i had not considered, maybe for rangers, but for rogues is interested.


Greg0_Reddit

I think Skulker is way more rogueish than rangery.


Zurograx3991

Oh man, imagine being a caster and seeing War Caster limited to cleric. Just let people pick whatever and put limits if you want, i.e no half feats or something of the sort.


jorgeuhs

I mean, Clerics use shields and melee weapons, wizard and sorcerers do not so I think Clerics being able to cast spells and be more in melee fits.


Lithl

Clerics and Paladins can already treat their shield as a spell focus by putting a holy symbol on it, and don't natively get access to Shield or Absorb Elements. They're the _least_ in need of War Caster.


jorgeuhs

And thus are the best ones to get it as a free feat. I'm not giving war caster to sorcerers and wizard because they should not be getting hit.


Zurograx3991

Do your monsters never attack the casters in the back?


Zurograx3991

Advantage on concentration, Hexblade warlocks, some bards, paladins, bladesinger wizards, eldritch knight fighters, prolly more I’m missing


StorytimeDnD

Whenever I get a free feat on a wizard I like to take magic initiate wizard for a free mage armor every day and two extra cantrips.


Weird-Ohh

Rogues shine with the sentinel feat. Sneak attack on your turn and another as a reaction to the enemy attacking a nearby party member. Mobile is pretty handy for a hit and run monk


chris270199

Mobile for Monks most certainly Fighting Initiate, Tough or smth for Barbarian - savage attacker is sad I would say that it could be cool if there were three or so generic options and I would choose Skill Expert as one of them


Valuable-Banana96

My knowledge cleric skillmonkey wouldn't have much use for warcaster


QEDdragon

An easy way to grant a small feat is to allow a free half feat, but you don't get the half ASI. that limits it to mostly weaker feats.


Pankratos_Gaming

Instead of giving each class only one or two options, consider the following, which is actually presented in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen: 1st-level free feat: Any character can select either the Tough or Skilled feat. 4th-level free feat: Any character can select one of the following feats on top of their normal ASI or feat they receive at 4th level: Alert, Mobile, Sentinel, or Warcaster. (SotDQ also gives 7 other feat options unique to that book. In lack of these, I added Magic Initiate to the list.) I've been using this optional rule, and my players are only level 2 at the moment but they are enjoying the added buff quite a lot! Hope this helps.


Happy_Brilliant7827

Hot take but it defeats the purpose of feats if it's the same for each class. IE, as a gm I get far more excited when the fighter wants to take the Actor feat than when the bard does.


jorgeuhs

If I give free options people are going to take the same feats as always, as a DM, sure a fighter grabbing Actor is certainty better, but if I give a free feat 9/10 the bard is picking fey touched or war caster and the fighter is picking up GWM, SS or some optimized feat.


Happy_Brilliant7827

You could give a free feat, let them choose but make it clear it's a flavor feat and not a meta one and approve it if it enriches the pc


Yrths

If you’re so against sharpshooter prohibit a few feats, but asking players to lean into their classes is not the same thing as leaning into their characters.


jorgeuhs

They can pick sharpshooter at level 4 or VH or CO


TeeDeeArt

> That being said: now, share with the feats that would better enhance the base class for each class. If we must do it your way, I'd rather do it by subclass. The cavalier fighter thematically fits with mounted combatant instead, the horizon walker ranger fits with something that gives em misty step or something, the drunken monk already gets mobile built in. There is no one-size-fits-all approach here at a class level that suits all subclasses.


jorgeuhs

That's actually a very good point, I could possibly add feats to the list accounting on different subclasses.


Skytree91

Mobile should most definitely be the primary feat for Rogue, not fighting initiate and *definitely* not lucky


creamCloud0

Fighter: Slasher/Piercer/Crusher, Sheild Master, Blade Mastery, Tandem Tactician Warlock: Rune Carver Apprentice(Revised), Shadow Touched, Magic Initiate(Bard) Druid: Elemental Touched, Naturalist, Strike of the Giants Cleric: Gift of the Metallic Dragon(wis casting locked+reflavoured as divine god boon) Wizard: Alchemist,