Is it balanced to open up racial feats to everyone? [Archive]

Rfkannen

2017-12-20, 08:01 AM

Spacehamster

2017-12-20, 08:14 AM

Not really, we always lets everyone get a feat at level 1 and it does not break anything.

Grod_The_Giant

2017-12-20, 08:18 AM

As long as everyone in the party benefits roughly equally, you'll be fine. Worst case, just make slightly harder encounters.

nickl_2000

2017-12-20, 08:22 AM

I don't see how it would really break anything to make them available to everyone. The issue I see is that a few of them don't make sense to certain races. Dragon Hide on an Elf would be odd, as would Fey Transportation on a Human. You would have to do some pretty major refluffing.

Other than that, you risk everyone taking Elven Accuracy, which really doesn't need to be opened up to more people....

TheTeaMustFlow

2017-12-20, 08:25 AM

BobZan

2017-12-20, 08:33 AM

i got it wrong.

tkuremento

2017-12-20, 08:58 AM

Do note that the non-PHB races don't have such feats, so if anyone's using those races you'll either have to find a homebrew (I recall extra life or someone doing one as part of a XGE promotion?), make one yourself, or adapt existing feats for them.

I think it might be this (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/226194/Expanded-Racial-Feats) but I could be wrong. The names of the feats seem correct as as well Adam Bradford is the DnDBeyond lead so I assume that has a bit more weight to it. Again, I could be wrong so sorry if I am.

Syradin

2017-12-20, 09:08 AM

In the campaign that I'm running, I let everyone pick a feat from either the racial feat UA or the skills feat UA. Everyone seems to really enjoy it and since everyone was given one it's balanced.

Aett_Thorn

2017-12-20, 09:10 AM

I think it might be this (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/226194/Expanded-Racial-Feats) but I could be wrong. The names of the feats seem correct as as well Adam Bradford is the DnDBeyond lead so I assume that has a bit more weight to it. Again, I could be wrong so sorry if I am.

You're not wrong, but some of those are clearly imbalanced, and as such, might be a little tough to work in.

tkuremento

2017-12-20, 09:20 AM

You're not wrong, but some of those are clearly imbalanced, and as such, might be a little tough to work in.

True, but I just wanted to make sure they were on the table for this discussion and were confirmed to be legit. That's all.

lunaticfringe

2017-12-20, 09:21 AM

If anyone can choose from the same options I'd call that fair. Some STR users might feel a little butt hurt for missing out on Elven Accuracy but that was choice they made at CC.

No idea what it would do to game balance but I don't think the new feats are game breaking.

Naanomi

2017-12-20, 09:27 AM

Though a few rely on racial abilities and flat don’t work without them... Orcish Fury, Dragon Fear, Bountiful Luck

Dudewithknives

2017-12-20, 09:36 AM

True, but I just wanted to make sure they were on the table for this discussion and were confirmed to be legit. That's all.

They are no more legit than any other home-brew feats or races, just because the guy works for a D&D website does not mean he gets more credit for creating things.

Also, many of those feats are ridiculously broken.

Urd wings gives Kobolds a +1 dex and flight at 30ft, for example.

lunaticfringe

2017-12-20, 09:49 AM

Though a few rely on racial abilities and flat don’t work without them... Orcish Fury, Dragon Fear, Bountiful Luck
Some of them are too wonky, but Dragon Fear is an easy tweak. Just give it the same usage rules as DB's Dragon Breath.

Naanomi

2017-12-20, 09:52 AM

Some of them are too wonky, but Dragon Fear is an easy tweak. Just give it the same usage rules as DB's Dragon Breath.
So instead of using up an existing resource, like Dragonborn have to, they get a brand new resource to use. Sucks to be a Dragonborn...

robbie374

2017-12-20, 10:16 AM

Wondering your opinion on this. It is balanced to open up racial feats to everyone? I could see plenty of reasons for it, a half elf who taps into his ancestors teleportation, a half orc who can give out a frightening bellow, a lucjy human gambler, and anyone can be a progidy!

You're thoughts?

Personally, I think it is unbalanced not to open up racial feats to everyone. The feats aren't balanced with each other as it is.

tkuremento

2017-12-20, 10:22 AM

They are no more legit than any other home-brew feats or races, just because the guy works for a D&D website does not mean he gets more credit for creating things.

Also, many of those feats are ridiculously broken.

Urd wings gives Kobolds a +1 dex and flight at 30ft, for example.

I'd say it would be a bit more legit than the average homebrew given "Curse licensed the material from D&D and have worked closely with the D&D team to ensure that D&D Beyond is accurate and feels authentic at the table."

lunaticfringe

2017-12-20, 10:31 AM

So instead of using up an existing resource, like Dragonborn have to, they get a brand new resource to use. Sucks to be a Dragonborn...

Um no. Why would Dragonborn have to spend there breath weapon? You have altered the feat to 1/SR. Keeping that part is dumb.

Naanomi

2017-12-20, 10:34 AM

Um no. Why would Dragonborn have to spend there breath weapon? You have altered the feat to 1/SR. Keeping that part is dumb.
Because... the feat says so?

“Instead of exhaling destructive energy, you can expend a use of your Breath Weapon trait to roar”

Unless you are saying we should make the feat stronger for Dragonborn as well so as to allow it to work on other races... which is a bit more homebrewing than just opening it up for other races to select

lunaticfringe

2017-12-20, 10:41 AM

Because... the feat says so?

“Instead of exhaling destructive energy, you can expend a use of your Breath Weapon trait to roar”

But you are changing something that was what my whole post was about. Dragon Fear doesn't work If you open it up to all races unless you change it. As is a Dragonborn can use it 1/SR so a quick & easy fix is to make 1/SR for everyone instead of spending Dragon Breath to activate it. Same diff.

Opening up Racial Feats is Homebrewing/Houseruling, take it a tiny step further.

Naanomi

2017-12-20, 10:48 AM

Which... was exactly my original comment, that some Feats will need tweaking or be off the approved list because they refer to specific racial abilities in their current form

MagneticKitty

2017-12-20, 03:40 PM

Also, many of those feats are ridiculously broken.

Urd wings gives Kobolds a +1 dex and flight at 30ft, for example.

To be fair kobold get sunlight sensitivity, only a +2dex (no +1 at all) and a -2 str.. so I don't think it's broken. And they're small so that eliminates heavy weapons.

If it really bothers you I'd just slap a level restriction on it for my table and call it good. Like no taking it on first asi. And you're good.

But no I would not allow all race feats for all races. Removes uniqueness

Dudewithknives

2017-12-20, 05:54 PM

To be fair kobold get sunlight sensitivity, only a +2dex (no +1 at all) and a -2 str.. so I don't think it's broken. And they're small so that eliminates heavy weapons.

If it really bothers you I'd just slap a level restriction on it for my table and call it good. Like no taking it on first asi. And you're good.

But no I would not allow all race feats for all races. Removes uniqueness

Pack tactics makes makes sunlight sensitivity rather small for a negative.

Trust me, play in a game sith a kobold with Urd Wings crossbow expert and sharshooter with archery style

We had a kobold battlemaster like that, it was pretty crazy.

3 attacks, while flying, with advantage that do +10 damage per hit, ignores cover, only a net -3 to hit

MagneticKitty

2017-12-20, 07:27 PM

Pack tactics makes makes sunlight sensitivity rather small for a negative.

Trust me, play in a game sith a kobold with Urd Wings crossbow expert and sharshooter with archery style

We had a kobold battlemaster like that, it was pretty crazy.

3 attacks, while flying, with advantage that do +10 damage per hit, ignores cover, only a net -3 to hit
If you get enemies who can prone people the kobold will learn quick that flying mid battle is bad. Nets. Those rope ball trippy things...
Archers. Mages. Ceilings. A good DM will plan for wings.
I'd say either build around wings or don't allow them

Finger6842

2017-12-20, 09:45 PM

At our table, the DM gives 1 feat every 5 levels (1, 6, 11, 16) and it hasn't broken anything yet. In fact, as a player, I find this far nicer than a Monty Hall campaign. It's much more useful than another +x weapon and reflects character improvement nicely.

Feats for races haven't come into play so far but I have no doubt they would be allowed IF you can make it part of your personal lore, background, or campaign experience. A little Goblin blood in your lineage? etc...

He doesn't allow flying races or magic wings. Potions and Spells are fine though. Stacking exploits, even legal ones like smites and coffee locks will also get his dander up. Play fair though and I've never had better, he can spin a story so detailed you feel like you are really there.

Coidzor

2017-12-21, 08:35 AM

None of the feats are strong but balanced against the race being inherently weak from what I could tell.

That said, some of the feats would need more explanation than others due to baseline members of several races not really having those kinds of body parts.

ad_hoc

2017-12-21, 01:37 PM

The races got an update in theme, don't take that away from them.

You could also put all of the racial abilities in a pile and allow people to pick and choose which ones they want for which race. That defeats the whole purpose of having races with distinct characteristics.

Let the races be races.

mephnick

2017-12-21, 01:52 PM

Let the races be races.

No no no. Obviously the answer is to decouple stats and feats and abilities from races and give everyone floating bonuses they can spend how they like.

Then realize you should play one of the hundred different systems that do this already instead of removing the few iconic things D&D has left.

Danielqueue1

2017-12-21, 02:21 PM

consider that some of these feats might be a little powerful if given to a variant human at level 1. more powerful than variant human already is? I'd have to do some playtesting so I can't say just yet.

lunaticfringe

2017-12-21, 02:24 PM

No no no. Obviously the answer is to decouple stats and feats and abilities from races and give everyone floating bonuses they can spend how they like.

Then realize you should play one of the hundred different systems that do this already instead of removing the few iconic things D&D has left.

Eh whatever, letting people play wtf they want is no skin off my back. I don't understand why a Half Orc Wizard or High Elf Barbarian that are just as effective is a big deal. Heck, I let people reskin races & classes. Had a Satyr(Wood Elf) Druid and a Variant Ice Genasi(Levistus Tiefling) Pyschic Warrior(Elritch Knight) in my last game.