Background Feat Variant

[cyberhawk94]

As many others on here seem to, I have always allowed a free level 1 feat in my games, as I felt it was a good way to boost some roleplaying potential of characters. However, the downsides often brought up are very accurate. People taking GWM or Lucky is common, and its harder to just list a bunch of "pick any except...." and justifying it outside of "I think those are OP at level 1".

I recently found a way to quickly and easily describe what I am looking for to players, and by tying the free feat into the background mechanic, which is a 90% fluff system, players seem to understand easier that is is designed for roleplaying (Dungeon Delver/Linguist) rather than strength.

Background Feat

Players may choose a single feat at 1st level as part of their character background. This feat should tie into the character's background, and represents a special skill or ability they have picked up over the years. This may not be a Weapon Specialist Feat or Resilient. As an exceedingly rare trait (usually from the blessing of a god) Lucky may be chosen only with DM approval.

(Weapon Specialist Feats are: Crossbow Expert, Dual Wielder, Great Weapon Master, Sharpshooter, Blade Mastery, Fell Handed, Flail Expert, and Polearm Master).


thoughts? over thinking this?

[Specter]

I can totally see an Urchin homeless guy taking Resilient (CON) from eating garbage every day!

[Kane0]

My table uses something similar, we get to choose the non-stat part of a half feat at level 1. This means we get cool stuff like actors, athletes, linguists, tavern brawlers, etc. We still get some cases of resilient but most of the time we recognise that the bonus feat is for fleshing out a character rather than increasing raw combat power.

[Varkhan]

My table uses something similar, we get to choose the non-stat part of a half feat at level 1. This means we get cool stuff like actors, athletes, linguists, tavern brawlers, etc. We still get some cases of resilient but most of the time we recognise that the bonus feat is for fleshing out a character rather than increasing raw combat power.
I was already on-board with OP's idea, but this makes it even better. There's a little less concern with stats being too good, and now it seems to truly matter what the character's background is.

Would you all even go so far as to limit certain backgrounds with certain feats? For example, would you accept an Acolyte who happens to be an Athlete? I guess anything can work if the player decides it works and there's a good justification for it in their minds. (At the end of the day, it's their character and their choice right?)

[Kane0]

As long as they can justify it no, it would be too much work to go through every feat and yea or nay against every background. We're only dealing with a half dozen at a time so doing it case-by-case is easier.

[cyberhawk94]

The non stat half of a half-feat is a really good idea

It does limit out some really cool rp feats (dungeon delver, magic initiate, etc)

[Kane0]

You can always allow those if you wish, or allow a trade (eg a tool or skill granted by background in order to upgrade to a full feat like dungeon delver)