Using 4e powers as feat option?

[Yukito01]

Hey there.

I'm running a game where the vast majority of classes are martial of some sort, and while it hasn't gotter to that point yet, I can start feeling some of the players getting tired of just "I attack" as their main action in combat.

So, I was thinking, how about giving them 4e powers? I'm not really sure how 4e compares power-wise to 5e, but I have the impression that players hit for less and monsters have fewer HP. Thus, to compensate, I was thinking givingthe option as a feat. For example, for one feat, they can choose three level-appropiate powers, from an equivalent 4e class*. At-will powers can be used, well, at-will, encouter powers recharge on a short or long rest and daily powers recharge on a long rest. At level up, a player can replace up to one power with a new one.

*: I noticed that 4e classes and 5e classet don't exactly match 1-to-1 (e.g. 4e fighter has no archery), so as long as the power source matches (primal for barbarian and ranger, divine for paladin, psionic for monk, and martial for everyone), and it's a weapon power (so no spell powers), it's ok, I guess.

Would it be balanced? Too expensive for a feat? Too cheap?

Thank you for your comments on this topic.

[Bjarkmundur]

This sounds like a great idea!

I think, instead of a feat, you should give it to them as a boon. That way balance is not an issue (everyone gets it). 4e has a LOT of stuff, so you should probably create a "pool" of powers they cna choose from.

For encounter calculations, just treat them as being one level higher, and all should be well.

[Kane0]

You have my interest. Perhaps create a thread in the Homebrew section and we can jury-rig some 4e powers into 5e format.

[Yunru]

There's a bit of a disconnect to watch out for though.
For instance, the 5e Fighter is closer to the 4e Ranger than the 4e Fighter, and the 4e Seeker is closer to the 5e Ranger than the 4e Ranger.

[Anymage]

Just looking at the 5e fighter, the PHB has three subclasses; pure vanilla (which people seem to get upset if it doesn't exist in some form, so I figure let it), guy with a few tactical maneuvers, and guy with a few spells. Having to burn a full feat for a few new powers that could probably be described as a spell effect or a maneuver seems like a pretty high opportunity cost. Especially because if the fighter does want to spend a feat, he has options like Magic Initiate, Martial Adept, or if they prefer their utility on plot timescales instead of combat timescales they can pick Ritual Caster.

So it's a nice idea. But the opportunity cost of a full feat seems really high, and the format of a lot of 4e powers as "damage plus effect" seems redundant when a lot of maneuver options and a few spells will easily tack on an effect to your damaging attacks already.

If you want to make more options available to your martial group, you might want to allow players to pick one of the three feats I mentioned above, with the ability to swap out the spells or maneuvers granted by Magic Initiate or Martial Adept respectively on level up.

[Bjarkmundur]

Send us the characters :D
We'd love to suggest some powers to you ^^

[Composer99]

If you'll forgive the bald self-promotion, I've devised a combat manoeuvre system for 5e (link to the thread here on GitP in my sig).

The simple manoeuvres are suitable for any character. You could easily use feats, boons, or subclasses to grant access to manoeuvres of 1st or higher level to existing classes.

Although I went with rather generic ideas for manoeuvres, you could easily extend the system by adding in manoeuvre groups similar to the 3.5 Tome of Battle or to such thematic groupings of powers as might exist (or could be devised) in 4e.

[Yukito01]

There's a bit of a disconnect to watch out for though.
For instance, the 5e Fighter is closer to the 4e Ranger than the 4e Fighter, and the 4e Seeker is closer to the 5e Ranger than the 4e Ranger.

Yeah, I noticed that, hence why rather than only being able to take powers from the same class, players can instead choose based on power sources.


If you'll forgive the bald self-promotion, I've devised a combat manoeuvre system for 5e (link to the thread here on GitP in my sig).

The simple manoeuvres are suitable for any character. You could easily use feats, boons, or subclasses to grant access to manoeuvres of 1st or higher level to existing classes.

Although I went with rather generic ideas for manoeuvres, you could easily extend the system by adding in manoeuvre groups similar to the 3.5 Tome of Battle or to such thematic groupings of powers as might exist (or could be devised) in 4e.

Thanks! I’ll give it a look. A simple solution may also work!


You have my interest. Perhaps create a thread in the Homebrew section and we can jury-rig some 4e powers into 5e format.

That sounds like a great idea! I’lll give it a go.

Thanks a lot for all your ideas.