Best Feat that gives you a +1 to Strength

[napoleon_in_rag]

My Half Orc EK is about to reach level 4 and I am trying to decide what feat to get. His stats are:

STR 17
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 8

It doesn't make much sense to increase STR to 19 so I am planning on getting a feat that gives a +1 to STR. What feat does everyone recommend?

[Nemenia]

Your half orc is an EK and his int is only 14? sounds like you should put both points into that.. not get a feat. But if you really want a suggestion.

Athlete is the only one you'll probably be able to use the entire campaign

Heavy armor master is pretty good early, falls off at a decent rate.

Tavern Brawler has great flavor

Weapon Master for those exotic proficiencies.

Thats about it really.

[Crgaston]

Don’t forget the Prodigy feat from XGtE. +1 any stat, a skill, expertise, and a language.

Whoops. No stat boost. My bad!

[Feuerphoenix]

Maybe orcish fury?

[Feuerphoenix]

Don’t forget the Prodigy feat from XGtE. +1 any stat, a skill, expertise, and a language.

Prodigy does not give you an additional stat point.

[Crgaston]

Prodigy does not give you an additional stat point.

Sorry, AFB. Edited, and thanks for the catch!

[mephnick]

Brawny :smallfrown: RIP skill feats.

In terms of RAW, Athlete is the D&D feat. Climbing and jumping are crucial, even in combat, assuming your DM is using varying terrain.

[Contrast]

Keep in mind you can go +1/+1 and then pick up a different feat to even out at level 6 (or some other later point).

So something like +1 str +1 int and then pick up observant or keen mind.

[napoleon_in_rag]

Your half orc is an EK and his int is only 14? sounds like you should put both points into that.. not get a feat.

STR helps me every round I swing a weapon while INT only helps me when I cast a spell that involves a save or requires an attack roll. A low level EK is using "Shield" and "Absorb Elements" over damage spells usually. At this level, I would choose "War Caster" over increasing INT.

[Spacehamster]

Your half orc is an EK and his int is only 14? sounds like you should put both points into that.. not get a feat. But if you really want a suggestion.

Athlete is the only one you'll probably be able to use the entire campaign

Heavy armor master is pretty good early, falls off at a decent rate.

Tavern Brawler has great flavor

Weapon Master for those exotic proficiencies.

Thats about it really.

Why 16 INT? Ek is fine with 8 INT, just take things that don’t require saves or INT attack rolls and you are golden. :)

[Tiwanoz]

An EK really doesn't need a lot Int if you do not plan on Multiclassen into Wizard at lvl 7 or so.

You can build a solid spell list for your EK using non-cast stat dependent buffs. Aside from Shield and Absorb Elements, key EK spells like Blur and Haste do not require Int.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I think Heavy Armor Master is probably the best bet...Athlete is pretty medicore (how often do you really need to climb mid-combat?), the armor/weapon proficiency feats are totally redundant for a Fighter, and Tavern Brawler is largely useless outside of specific builds. Orcish Fury from XGtE isn't terrible-- roll an extra weapon damage die 1/rest, and use a reaction to make a melee attack after Relentless Endurance kicks in-- but it's not exactly spectacular, either.

[Beechgnome]

Keep in mind you can go +1/+1 and then pick up a different feat to even out at level 6 (or some other later point).

So something like +1 str +1 int and then pick up observant or keen mind.

I would go +1 str/+1 wisdom or Dex at 4th, +2 strength at 6th, and then resilience in the stat you boosted at 4th. One, because resilience on those two stats is always worth it, and two, because the strength feats are generally underwhelming. Though I haven't seen Orcish Fury in Xanathar's in play.

[Galadhrim]

I like heavy armor master. It may fall off some later but I honestly think that is overstated. In addition, even if it does fall off at level 15, it was still great for the last 11 levels you had it which will likely be the majority of your game.

Are you 2 handed or Sword and board? If two handed weapon I like heavy armor master even more.

[djreynolds]

Grab resilient wisdom. +1 to wisdom, then at 6th level even out strength and wisdom

[Rebonack]

I'll throw my hat in for Heavy Armor Master.

The degree to which it falls off is highly overstated. You'll often be fighting more monsters and monsters with more attacks as you reach higher levels. The actual damage per attack doesn't jump by that much save against things like legendary foes.

[Contrast]

I would go +1 str/+1 wisdom or Dex at 4th, +2 strength at 6th, and then resilience in the stat you boosted at 4th. One, because resilience on those two stats is always worth it, and two, because the strength feats are generally underwhelming. Though I haven't seen Orcish Fury in Xanathar's in play.


Grab resilient wisdom. +1 to wisdom, then at 6th level even out strength and wisdom

Solid points. I'd discounted wisdom based on it being low so I assumed he didn't have the associated skills but totally forgot to consider the saves aspect (plus I just love keen mind so :smallbiggrin:). I vote this (though I'd personally be inclined to go +1/+1 then res wisdom rather than the other way round).

[rbstr]

Orcish Fury is pretty fun. Particularly if you use a Great Axe.

I wish Prodigy had the +1 from its UA version.


I'll throw my hat in for Heavy Armor Master.

The degree to which it falls off is highly overstated. You'll often be fighting more monsters and monsters with more attacks as you reach higher levels. The actual damage per attack doesn't jump by that much save against things like legendary foes.

Absolutely. It can be very campaign dependent but HAM can scale pretty well indirectly.

[Wryte]

Weapon Master for those exotic proficiencies.

Uh, 5e doesn't have exotic proficiencies. Fighters already naturally have proficiency in every weapon. Weapon Master is literally useless to them.

[Ralanr]

Orcish fury man.

[DarkKnightJin]

I also suggest Heavy Armor Master if you want to even it out now, and get some DR in the mix. Which will help you shrug off a lot of mook damage, even later on.

Splitting the 4th level ASI between Str and Wis is an option, then pick up Resilient (Wisdom) at 6th to even that out and be less likely to get turned on your allies, is also a solid option.

I'd go either route, depending on if you expect to be fighting a lot of Magical enemies, or not.
HAM works better with a bunch of mooks thrown your way, while the Wis route is going to be better guarded against magical encounters.

[napoleon_in_rag]

Grab resilient wisdom. +1 to wisdom, then at 6th level even out strength and wisdom

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I am now leaning towards 2 different options.

1) +1 to STR and WIS at 4th and then Resilient WIS at 6th. This makes sense because I also have Perception as a skill. I wouldn't have thought of this if not for this thread.

2) War Caster at 4th, +1 to STR and WIS at 6th and Resilient WIS at 8th. I feel like War Caster is to important for an EK to put off.

I have at least 1 more session until I make 4th level so I have time to choose.

[Lombra]

How is war caster useful at early levels? I would take it later, for when you have to concentrate on something important or for when your spells are actually worthwhile on opportunity attacks, plus, you are already proficient in CON saves. Do you wish to be the tank? If so, I can't recommend HAM enaugh, it will add up for a lot of prevented damage, actually dangerous encounters tend to have monsters with more attacks rather than with one big swing. The resilient WIS reasoning is cool too.

[Beelzebubba]

One thing Athlete is under-appreciated for is, as a fighter, you'll be in melee with a lot of creatures that have a high potential of knocking you prone. Losing half your movement every round that happens sucks, because it can mean the difference between getting an attack or not, and is by far the most useful part of that feat.

[napoleon_in_rag]

How is war caster useful at early levels? I would take it later, for when you have to concentrate on something important or for when your spells are actually worthwhile on opportunity attacks, plus, you are already proficient in CON saves.

At 3rd level, my two main 1st level spells are "Absorb Elements" and "Shield". Both are reaction spells with Somatic components. So as I understand RAW, if I have a two handed weapon or a shield and weapon, I can't cast either spell on a reaction. I would have to drop the weapon and cast the spell which is more than you can do on a reaction. So I would either have to remember to drop my weapon at the end of every turn or switch to wielding a one handed weapon with no shield. Maybe I am wrong on my rules interpretation, though. I haven't played a EK or Bard before.

Plus with War Caster, I can cast "Booming Blade" on a opportunity attack reaction which is great if an enemy is trying to get past me at the back row.

[Christian]

Technically, since you can hold but not wield a two-handed weapon with one hand, you could let go at the end of your turn and free up a hand for casting reaction spells. You do give up the ability to make opportunity attacks in that case, though.

[rbstr]

You don't need to do anything so fiddly. You're free to use an S or M spell when you've got a two-handed weapon period.

[Beelzebubba]

You don't need to do anything so fiddly. You're free to use an S or M spell when you've got a two-handed weapon period.

Yeah, I agree - the thing with Sword and Board is that both hands are actually fully occupied and requires sheathing a weapon or the shield. A two-handed weapon can easily be held in one hand.

Sage Advice backs you up (https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/03/02/2-weapon-casting/). Even with Reactions.

[napoleon_in_rag]

Yeah, I agree - the thing with Sword and Board is that both hands are actually fully occupied and requires sheathing a weapon or the shield. A two-handed weapon can easily be held in one hand.

Sage Advice backs you up (https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/03/02/2-weapon-casting/). Even with Reactions.


Hmmm...... Now I need to rethink my build. I have been doing a sword and board build because I was going for a high AC (Plate Mail + Shield + Defense + Shield Spell = 26 AC) but now I am thinking a Glaive might be a better weapon for an EK. Assuming my DM agrees with Sage Advice.

[Galadhrim]

Hmmm...... Now I need to rethink my build. I have been doing a sword and board build because I was going for a high AC (Plate Mail + Shield + Defense + Shield Spell = 26 AC) but now I am thinking a Glaive might be a better weapon for an EK. Assuming my DM agrees with Sage Advice.

Even more reason for HAM if you do a glaive build. You will be getting hit significantly more, meaning you will get the -3 significantly more.

[napoleon_in_rag]

Even more reason for HAM if you do a glaive build. You will be getting hit significantly more, meaning you will get the -3 significantly more.

By significantly you mean 10% more? With the shield spell, my AC will be 24. With a shield and the shield spell, my AC would have been 26. So only enemies with a +5 or above will hit me more. How many monsters is that?

Is that more useful than the Resilience (Wisdom) Feat?

[Galadhrim]

By significantly you mean 10% more? With the shield spell, my AC will be 24. With a shield and the shield spell, my AC would have been 26. So only enemies with a +5 or above will hit me more. How many monsters is that?

Is that more useful than the Resilience (Wisdom) Feat?

I haven't studied the monster manual but I think a +5 to attack is fairly common. Also EK doesn't have a ton of spell slots so you will have to be selective when you cast shield.

Resilient wisdom is also a good plan. I have no problem with that route.

[Zene]

Absolutely Orcish Fury, hands down.

Plus 1 to Str, and makes you even more Orky. Can't beat that.