Feats

[BiblioRook]

So I'm still pretty new to 5th edition, but am I correct to take it that feats now are just straight up an optional option? By the looks of things it seems you can only even get feats if you want them once every four levels, and that's at the cost of trading away you ability point increase. Granted I realize that 5th ed is trying to distance itself away from 3.5 crazy shenanigans and feats where a big part of what made that, but still.

[Flashy]

Correct. Feats are an optional rule. If you're using feats (almost everyone seems to) then whenever you get an ASI you have the option of taking a feat instead.

The feats are also generally a lot bigger than feats in previous editions, and tend to have a much larger impact on the character.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I highly recommend using them, at least to some small degree; 5e has few enough ways to customize a character as it is (especially if you're not a limited-spells-known caster).

[Naanomi]

Fighters and Rogues especially suffer in feat-less games. People boost their attack stat, then constitution... a few classes need (or at least can use) a third stat; but ironically the two classes with bonus ASI/Feats are not generally one of them.

[BiblioRook]

5e has few enough ways to customize a character as it is (especially if you're not a limited-spells-known caster).
Yeah, that's certainly an impression I'm getting. It kind feels like the game wants to dissuade the player from using feats, burying them halfway through the book without making any mention of them before or after. I kind of wish they at least threw the player a freebie one during character creation just to point out that they exist, but given how beefed up feats are that might be considered a bit much to just give away at no cost (especially to a level one character maybe).

[MaxWilson]

Yeah, that's certainly an impression I'm getting. It kind feels like the game wants to dissuade the player from using feats, burying them halfway through the book without making any mention of them before or after. I kind of wish they at least threw the player a freebie one during character creation just to point out that they exist, but given how beefed up feats are that might be considered a bit much to just give away at no cost (especially to a level one character maybe).

There is actually a human variant in the PHB which gets a bonus feat at first level. It's very popular because feats are awesome and flavorful.

I like to use that variant to assign human sub-races. Like, say, maybe Cimmerians are generally Tough (and this PC is Tough because he's a Cimmerian) while Machakans are tall, skinny, and Mobile, and many Valerians are Heavy Armor Masters, etc. It's certainly easier than making up whole new non-human races, and yet it feels better to me than just saying that all humans have random, ad-hoc special abilities which manifest out of nowhere.

[Spacehamster]

When using point buy for ability scores I like to give my players both the ASI and a feat when they hit level 4. :)

[Waazraath]

I'm running a featless game atm, works fine. 3 players, started at level 1, now level 5, wizard, paladin, bard (died at lvl 2, replaced by a ranger). We don't miss 'em. With these classes, there are plenty of ways to customize 'em. If I'd ever play a champion fighter or a shadow monk, I'd prolly would like to use feats to make 'em a bit different.

[Spacehamster]

I'm running a featless game atm, works fine. 3 players, started at level 1, now level 5, wizard, paladin, bard (died at lvl 2, replaced by a ranger). We don't miss 'em. With these classes, there are plenty of ways to customize 'em. If I'd ever play a champion fighter or a shadow monk, I'd prolly would like to use feats to make 'em a bit different.

Before I read all of the post I were just about to say "but those are all classes that works fine without feats" and go on to mention that a fighter or rogue probably would not be very happy with a featless game. ^^

[Gastronomie]

I simply ban variant human and give a free feat to every character at 1st level. Works.

While some feats (Sharpshooter, Polearm Master) are considered overpowered, others such as War Caster are necessary for certain classes to work. I say use'em.

[Spacehamster]

I simply ban variant human and give a free feat to every character at 1st level. Works.

While some feats (Sharpshooter, Polearm Master) are considered overpowered, others such as War Caster are necessary for certain classes to work. I say use'em.

I have been thinking of a way to fix the "overpowered" feats and at the same time fix dual wielding to be competetive, have sharpshooter and GWM always give a bonus attack instead
of the -5/+10 thing, and have Dual wielder feat give you an additional bonus action attack when you hit level 11.

[Gastronomie]

I don't really think Great Weapon Master is overpowered TBH - I mean, warriors need something if they want to be competent in a world where there's full casters. Sharpshooter is sorta bad design in a game where the Archery Fighting Style exists, but dunno.

[Spacehamster]

I don't really think Great Weapon Master is overpowered TBH - I mean, warriors need something if they want to be competent in a world where there's full casters. Sharpshooter is sorta bad design in a game where the Archery Fighting Style exists, but dunno.

on its own GWM is maybe not that scary but when you put advantage or bless on top of it it can get insane pretty quickly. :)

[Sir cryosin]

I'm setting up a new group to dm for and I'm going to let my players pick a free feat at lv 1. But it's going to be one of the noncombat one and they don't get the ability score bump from the feat. With it that way I think it would add to rp moments to players characters and set them apart a little more.

[Gastronomie]

on its own GWM is maybe not that scary but when you put advantage or bless on top of it it can get insane pretty quickly. :)That's called a "combo", and IMO it's a good thing for the game as it requires teamwork and thought. And it's not even always there either - the concentration for Bless may be broken, of the DM can easily impose disadvantage on the attack by various creative means. If you use Flanking rules it might be a constant problem, but otherwise not much.

And besides, without GWM, greatswords and other heavy weapon are downright terrible. A greatsword inficts 7 (or a bit more with Great Weapon Fighting) damage average, while a longsword/rapier + shield character inflicts 6.5 damage average with Dueling - not much of a difference. If you think of how important a +2 to your AC is, as well as how a Sword-and-Board character can go DEX (which improves your initiative and DEX saves), the obivous winner here is the Sword-and-Board.

[Spacehamster]

That's called a "combo", and IMO it's a good thing for the game as it requires teamwork and thought. And it's not even always there either - the concentration for Bless may be broken, of the DM can easily impose disadvantage on the attack by various creative means. If you use Flanking rules it might be a constant problem, but otherwise not much.

And besides, without GWM, greatswords and other heavy weapon are downright terrible. A greatsword inficts 7 (or a bit more with Great Weapon Fighting) damage average, while a longsword/rapier + shield character inflicts 6.5 damage average with Dueling - not much of a difference. If you think of how important a +2 to your AC is, as well as how a Sword-and-Board character can go DEX (which improves your initiative and DEX saves), the obivous winner here is the Sword-and-Board.

True I guess, maybe make all heavy weapons a bigger die size then or something, great sword/maul 3d6, great axe d20?

[Grod_The_Giant]

Yeah, that's certainly an impression I'm getting. It kind feels like the game wants to dissuade the player from using feats, burying them halfway through the book without making any mention of them before or after. I kind of wish they at least threw the player a freebie one during character creation just to point out that they exist, but given how beefed up feats are that might be considered a bit much to just give away at no cost (especially to a level one character maybe).
Yeah. I'd say level 1 or level, oh, 5-6 would be good places for free feats- either at the very beginning, or continuing the pattern of one choice every few levels. The nice thing about feats in this game is that they usually are so compete and defining- you don't need five feats to be a component archer, only one to make you an archer.