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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Two New Mage Feat Ideas



werescythe
2017-08-21, 04:43 PM
So I was thinking about spellcasting in DnD 5e and something dawned on me. There were no unique feats that altered how you cast spells, to be more precise there was nothing that changed how you cast spells that are verbal or use gestures.

Thus I had this little idea.

Inner Tongue
Prerequisite: Must be able to cast spells.

Effects:

Increase your Wisdom by 1 (can't be used to exceed 20).
You are able to verbilize the spell with your mind. As a result you no longer need to speak to cast verbal spells (V).


Handless
Prerequisite: Must be able to cast spells.

Effects:

Increase your Charisma by 1 (can't be used to exceed 20).
You no longer to perform a gesture when casting spells that would normally require you to do so.


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Please tell me what you think. I am sure some constructive criticism could be useful in improve these two feats. :smallsmile:

GalacticAxekick
2017-08-22, 12:58 AM
These could be great in a game/setting were spell components are taken very seriously, but for the most part in 5e their importance is circumstantial. Not once have I seen a spellcaster unable to cast (or unable to cast safely) because of a spell's somatic component, and rarely have verbal components come up.

Also, tying these to specific stats might advantage some spellcasters over others. Wisdom caster can increase their Wis while ignoring verbal components, and Charisma casters can increase their Cha while ignoring somatic components, but Intelligence casters can't increase Int and ignore material components? A wizard who could cast without her component pouch (or better yet, without her spellbook in hand!) would be the most tangible upgrade of the three.

Alternatively (to avoid prescribing each to a certain group of casters) let the caster pick any mental stat, or tie them to no stats at all. If these aren't tied to stats, though you'll need to compensate for nerfing an already weak feat. Maybe the anti-verbal feat comes with silent/stealthy casting akin to the Skulker feat's ranged attacks. Maybe the anti-somatic (or anti-material) feat comes with one bonus proficiency related to hand use (a weapon? athletics? sleight? a tool?) now that a hand is empty.