Is lots of (8) extra object interactions per round worth a feat? Half a feat? Less?

[Segev]

If you had an ability that, instead of one free object interaction per round, you got 8 (and could use your action for a 9th), what is the most effective way you could use this? Could you make it broken, or is there just not enough you can do with object interactions to make that overpowered? Is this more a ribbon or an actual power-ability?

If it were a racial feat for Ursula-like octopus-people who already can do object interactions at 10 feet due to their tentacles, would you take it if it gave nothing else? +1 Dexterity? Or would it need 1-3 other ribbons/powers attached to it to make a feat with it worthwhile?

I'm not fishing for ideas for the other things to tie to it, though speculation there is also welcome. I'm just trying to get a feeling for how powerful lots of object interactions are. My instinct is that it's worth half a feat, with maybe some sort of ribbon tied on, but I could be missing something amazing that this lets you do, or I could be over-estimating the power of object interactions greatly. The mental image here is tentacles calmly squirming about doing individual tasks towards the greater purpose the octopus-person is working on; I actually thought of it as part of picturing one being a cook, grabbing ingredients and mixing and chopping things all at once. Obviously, a feat isn't necessary for non-combat-related things like that, as the timing is not precise enough to make that questionable. So this is definitely a combat-time question.

[Unoriginal]

If you had an ability that, instead of one free object interaction per round, you got 8 (and could use your action for a 9th), what is the most effective way you could use this? Could you make it broken, or is there just not enough you can do with object interactions to make that overpowered? Is this more a ribbon or an actual power-ability?

If it were a racial feat for Ursula-like octopus-people who already can do object interactions at 10 feet due to their tentacles, would you take it if it gave nothing else? +1 Dexterity? Or would it need 1-3 other ribbons/powers attached to it to make a feat with it worthwhile?

I'm not fishing for ideas for the other things to tie to it, though speculation there is also welcome. I'm just trying to get a feeling for how powerful lots of object interactions are. My instinct is that it's worth half a feat, with maybe some sort of ribbon tied on, but I could be missing something amazing that this lets you do, or I could be over-estimating the power of object interactions greatly. The mental image here is tentacles calmly squirming about doing individual tasks towards the greater purpose the octopus-person is working on; I actually thought of it as part of picturing one being a cook, grabbing ingredients and mixing and chopping things all at once. Obviously, a feat isn't necessary for non-combat-related things like that, as the timing is not precise enough to make that questionable. So this is definitely a combat-time question.

I would make it part of the normal perks for the race, personally.

[Mr Adventurer]

Don't know, but don't forget to specify they must be with different objects, to get that effect you describe.

[Segev]

I would make it part of the normal perks for the race, personally.I didn't brew the race, and it's got plenty already. I'm honestly not sure I'd even take this feat if I did make it, but I want to explore the option and think about how worthwhile it potentially is.

By this, though, are you suggesting it's so weak as to mostly be a ribbon, or are you not commenting on its power/utility so much as just saying you think building it into the race is easier than balancing it as part of a feat?


Don't know, but don't forget to specify they must be with different objects, to get that effect you describe.Good point. Though as part of the thought experiment, I'd be interested in seeing how people would use it with and without that restriction. Does the ability to use the same object multiple times make it significantly better? Is the restriction actually all that limiting, or would the times it would come up be very rare?



The best use I can think of for this is enabling thrown weapon fighting, but I think there are feats or fighting styles that fix that flaw with thrown weapons already.

[Unoriginal]

I didn't brew the race, and it's got plenty already. I'm honestly not sure I'd even take this feat if I did make it, but I want to explore the option and think about how worthwhile it potentially is.

By this, though, are you suggesting it's so weak as to mostly be a ribbon, or are you not commenting on its power/utility so much as just saying you think building it into the race is easier than balancing it as part of a feat?

Mostly the latter. It's easier and more logical, IMO. I would say it should be one of the racial perks (alongside the power to maintain grapple on 8 creatures, for example), at the cost of another perk.

[Selrahc]

If you had an ability that, instead of one free object interaction per round, you got 8 (and could use your action for a 9th), what is the most effective way you could use this? Could you make it broken, or is there just not enough you can do with object interactions to make that overpowered?


Opening or closing a door is an object interaction. Most creatures can only open 2 doors in a turn and even a burglar rogue could only open 3. This creature could open 4 doors, take a ranged weapon shot, then close the 4 doors again. Make sure to have all your fights in your house of infinite doors, and you'll be completely unstoppable!

[Naanomi]

Somewhat comparable to the Thief class feature... though note that Simic Hybrids can get tentacles and don't get that kind of feature

[Lunali]

Good point. Though as part of the thought experiment, I'd be interested in seeing how people would use it with and without that restriction. Does the ability to use the same object multiple times make it significantly better? Is the restriction actually all that limiting, or would the times it would come up be very rare?

The first thing that comes to mind for interacting with objects more than once would be sheathing a weapon to free up a hand to cast spells then drawing it again to be able to still use it for OAs.

[GeoffWatson]

Some overly-permissive DMs allow players to use offensive items as "Object Interactions" such as alchemists fire, holy water, nets, caltrops, ball bearings, etc.
If you do, this race could be over-powered.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Opening or closing a door is an object interaction. Most creatures can only open 2 doors in a turn and even a burglar rogue could only open 3. This creature could open 4 doors, take a ranged weapon shot, then close the 4 doors again. Make sure to have all your fights in your house of infinite doors, and you'll be completely unstoppable!

Then again most important doors are either heavy enough to require an action to open or locked, requiring an action and a roll.

One or two extra object interactions could be great on specific builds, like a two weapon fighter who also wants the ability to switch into a ranged weapon or a thrown weapon build. With three or four extra interactions you do that stuff while opening doors and swiping random objects on the same turns. To fully benefit from 8 extra interactions you may need some of your friends to be builds that could use some extra interactions too. You pick up the weapon friend A dropped in order to use his interaction to draw another one, you hang it on their back, you take a handaxe from friend B's belt and hand it to them...

Are any of those options actually stronger than more conventional builds? I'm not so sure. The strongest use of it might be ignoring the loading property of crossbows, and we already have a feat that does that and a bit more. Altogether I guess this is probably worth about the same as a feat, and is roughly on par with the minotaur's set of horn attack options or the Aarakocra's flight. (Roughly, flight is at least for low level builds quite possibly the strongest racial ability in the game.)

[Kane0]

I’d say worth about one bullet of a 3-bullet feat

[Segev]

Several good analyses, and I particularly appreciate the one before the one I'm quoting, but I don't have anything to add to it; it's just very helpful in thinking out the sorts of things one can do with it. So thanks for that, Lvl 2 Expert!

I’d say worth about one bullet of a 3-bullet feat
This seems reasonable; now, a query: is a half-feat's stat increase worth 1 or 2 bullets on a 3-bullet feat, or is a 3-bullet feat structure just not compatible with a half-feat?

[rlc]

This seems reasonable; now, a query: is a half-feat's stat increase worth 1 or 2 bullets on a 3-bullet feat, or is a 3-bullet feat structure just not compatible with a half-feat?

Depends on the other bullet