Feats - Part 2 - Full Feats

Duncehack Edition

Part 2

Skipping the preamble because this is Part 2 of the Feats redesign.

See Part 1 if any of the introductory stuff matters to you.

Obligatory Natural Crit Plug

http://www.naturalcrit.com/

Someone else made a thing that lets me make homebrews without having to post them on pastebin or something. They deserve a lot of credit for that.

Obligatory /tg/ Plug

The feedback I got from various Anons on this helped me build it into something that wasn't bad and stupid.

I love you all in a way only abused spouse can possibly understand.

Re: Tough

Tough isn't listed below, not because of any issues with it, but because it can honestly be handled as a half-feat or a full feat.

Up to you how you choose to handle this one.

Tough (Half Feat)

Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 1 hit point.

Tough (Full Feat)

hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points.

Source: PHB, page 170

Re: Skilled

The ability to spend a feat for three skill proficiencies is a problem for some DMs.

So here's an optional set of half-feats to replace it.

Skilled (Full Feat)

You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.

Source: PHB, page 170

Skilled (Half Feat)

You gain proficiency in one skill and one tool of your choice.

Expert (Half-Feat)

Select a skill or tool you are proficient in. You gain expertise in that skill.

Specialisation

A concept that will come up in my character creation options will be the idea of specialisations: a narrow subject within a skill proficiency (e.g. swimming for athletics) where you have advantage on the skill rolls.

For now, if you want to know what the rules I've got in mind: Characters gain a number of specialisations equal to their proficiency modifier.

Dilettante (Half-Feat)

You gain two skill specialisations of your choice

Re: Crossbow Expert

Oversight in the book is that Hand Crossbows are already light weapons. This means the Crossbow expert feat with it just means Hand Crossbows can be used with 1d8 one-handed weapons.

I'll leave this optional though because I can forsee this being contentious.

Crossbow Expert (Original)

Thanks to extensive practice with the crossbow, you gain the following benefits:

• You ignore the loading quality of crossbows with which you are proficient.
• Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
• When you use the Attack action and with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a hand crossbow you are holding.

Source: PHB, page 165

So if you wanted to change it to better reflect the fact the Hand Crossbow thing here's a better clarified version:

Crossbow Expert (Reworked)

Thanks to extensive practice with the crossbow, you gain the following benefits:

• You ignore the loading quality of crossbows with which you are proficient.
• Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.
• Hand Crossbows may be used alongside any non-heavy, one-handed weapon, not just weapons with the light property.
• You may freely draw and stow a hand crossbow provided you are not already holding a weapon with the heavy property. You may reload your hand crossbow even if your other hand is not empty.

Note on Crossbow Expert

Weird quirk that emerges from the fact I'm clarifying versatile weapons one-handed weapons capable of two-handed attacks is that yes, you can go nuts wailing with two handed swings with a versatile weapon, draw your hand crossbow, and nail someone with the bonus action.

Heavy weapon abuse is curbed by the Weight rule in the Combat options writeup.

If you're about to say: "Well, this kind of makes slings worthless...

Joke's on you, slings are already worthless since the errata that made them functionally two-handed weapons.

I'll expand further in the weapon rework, but slings will be actually worth something. For now assume they're light and don't require a free hand to reload.

Dual Wielder

You ability to wield two weapons improves, gaining the following benefits:

• Your Flurry feature is no longer made at disadvantage, however attacks made with this feature cannot be made at advantage.
• You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand.
• You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren't light.
• You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.

Source: PHB, page 165

Grappler

Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher

You've developed the skills necessary to hold your own in close-quarters grappling. You gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling.
• Pinning a creature costs a weapon attack instead of your whole action.
• When you pin a creature, you do not suffer disadvantage when attacking other creatures and you don't have to spend a weapon attack to maintain the pin.

Reworked, old Grappler depreciated

Great Weapon Master

You've learned to put the weight of a weapon to your advantage, letting its momentum empower your strikes. You gain the following benefits:

• On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one, you can make one additional melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
• Before you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to make the attack roll without adding your proficiency modifier. If the attack hits, you add double your proficiency modifier to the attack's damage.

Source: PHB, page 167

Healer

You are an able physician, allowing you to mend wounds quickly and get your allies back in the fight. You gain the following benefits:

• When you use a healer's kit to stabilize a dying creature, that creature also regains your Medicine Skill Bonus in hit point (minimum 1).
• As an action, you can spend one use of a healer's kit to tend to a creature and restore an amount equal to your Medicine Skill Bonus (minimum 1) + 2d4 hit points to it, plus additional hit points equal to the creature's maximum number of Hit Dice. The dice used increases with your level, becoming d6 at 5th, d8 at 9th, d10 at 13th and a d12 at 17th levels. The creature can't regain hit points from this feat again until it finishes a short or long rest.

Source: PHB, page 167

Changes

• Great Weapon Master: Changed from -5 to hit, +10 to damage.
• Grappler: Overhauled
• Healer: Changed from 1d6+4 base healing.
• Dual Wielder: Added changes in line with my Combat Options writeup.

Re: Dual Wielder and Grappler

Grappler: This assumes the pin (restrain) action in the old version of Grappler is now a core rule accessable without the feat.

Dual Wielder: This is in line with a core change I made to Two Weapon Fighting (Shown below):

Extra Attack: Flurry

When you gain the Extra Attack feature, you also gain benefits to your Two-Weapon Fighting.

Once per turn, when you miss an attack with your main hand weapon during your action, you can make an off-hand weapon attack at disadvantage.

If a feature would grant you further attacks, you may use this feature again per extra attack.

If I don't use those combat options?

Then just kick them down to a Half Feat in value.

Inspiring Leader

Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or higher

You can spend 10 minutes inspiring your companions, shoring up their resolve to fight. When you do so, choose up to six friendly creatures (which can include yourself) within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you and who can understand you. Each creature can gain temporary hit points equal to your level + your Charisma modifier. A creature can't gain temporary hit points from this feat again until it has finished a short or long rest.

This can be performed as part of a short or a long rest.

Source: PHB, page 167

Lucky

You have inexplicable luck that seems to kick in at just the right moment. You have 3 luck points. Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend one luck point to roll an additional d20. You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

You can also spend one luck point when an attack roll is made against you. Roll a d20, and then choose whether the attack uses the attacker's roll or yours. If more than one creature spends a luck point to influence the outcome of a roll, the points cancel each other out; no additional dice are rolled.

You regain your expended luck points when you finish a long rest.

Source: PHB, page 167

Magic Initiate

Choose a class: bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You learn two cantrips of your choice from that class's spell list. In addition, choose one 1st-level spell from that same list. You learn that spell and can cast it at its lowest level. Once you cast it, you must finish a long rest before you can cast it again using this feat.

Your spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the class you chose: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid: or Intelligence for wizard.

If you use the optional rule allowing Warlock to choose their own spellcasting ability, that rule also applies to this feat.

If you use the optional rule allowing Paladins and Rangers to use cantrips, this feat may select them as the spellcasting class. Paladin spells use Charisma, Ranger spells use Wisdom.

Source: PHB, page 168

Mage Slayer

You have practiced techniques useful in melee combat against spellcasters, gaining the following benefits:

• When a creature within 5 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature. If that spell is a teleportation effect, such as that from misty step or dimension door, the creature must succeed a Concentration saving throw or the teleport effect does not occur.
• When you damage a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration.
• You have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by creatures within 5 feet of you.

Source: PHB, page 168

Lucky Options

Lucky is in a weird place for me, as I hail from more brutal games where "burn fate points or die" is kind of expected. So reading this feat, my first thought was "wait, why don't all characters get this?"

Variant: Scaling Lucky

In this version, the number of luck points you have equals your proficiency modifier.

Lucky For All

Lucky is removed from the feat list. Instead, all players gain access to it.

Varaint: Fortune Stat

I'll expand upon this properly when I get to character creation options, but for now:

In this version, all players have a 7th Ability Score: Fortune. If introduced to standard array, you add another '11' to the array. If introduced into point buy, then players have another 3 points to spend.

The number of luck points you have equal your Fortune Score Modifier. If you have a negative Fortune Score, the DM has that many luck points to use against you.

Fortune Checks are rolled when the character could potentially benefit from a stroke of luck, the DC determined by what the player is hoping they 'trip over'. A player may spend a luck point to force a fortune check.

Fortune Saving throws are used when luck is the only possible factor in whether or not your character is hit with an affect. A luck point may be spent to substitute any saving throw with your Fortune Saving throw.

Changes

• Mage Slayer: Gained teleport prevention.
• Magic Initiate: Allowances for some other Duncehack optional rules.

Mobile

You are exceptionally speedy and agile. You gain the following benefits:

• Your speed increases by 10 feet.
• When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra movement on that turn.
• When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.

Source: PHB, page 168

Polearm Master

You can keep your enemies at bay with reach weapons. You gain the following benefits:

• When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, pike, halberd, quarterstaff, trident or spear, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon; this attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon's damage die for this attack is a d4, and the attack deals bludgeoning damage.
• While you are wielding a glaive, pike, halberd, quarterstaff, trident or spear, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach.

Source: PHB, page 168

Ritual Caster

Prerequisite: Intelligence or Wisdom 13 or higher

You have learned a number of spells that you can cast as rituals. These spells are written in a ritual book, which you must have in hand while casting one of them. When you choose this feat, you acquire a ritual book holding two 1st-level spells of your choice. You can pick spells from any class, however the spells you choose must have the ritual tag. The ability score used for the spell is detemined by which class spell list the spell is present on. If it's on multiple spell lists, you may choose an ability score for any of the classes that can use it.

If you come across a spell in written form, such as a magical spell scroll or a wizard's spellbook, you might be able to add it to your ritual book. The spell's level can be no higher than half your level (rounded up), and it must have the ritual tag. The process of copying the spell into your ritual book takes 2 hours per level of the spell, and costs 50 gp per level. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it.

Source: PHB, page 169

Savage Attacker

When you roll damage for a spell or weapon attack, you can reroll the damage dice and use either total.

Source: PHB, page 169

Sentinel

You have mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard, gaining the following benefits:

• When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.
• Creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach.
• When a creature within 5 feet of you makes an attack against a target other than you (and that target doesn't have this feat), you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature.

Source: PHB, page 169

Sharpshooter

You have mastered ranged weapons and can make shots that others find impossible. You gain the following benefits:

• Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls.
• Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.
• Before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to make the attack roll without adding your proficiency modifier. If the attack hits, you add double your proficiency modifier to the attack's damage.

Source: PHB, page 170

Changes

• Polearm Master: Added Pike and Trident to the weapon list.
• Ritual Caster: Opened out to all classes
• Savage Attacker: Changed from one melee attack per turn.
• Sharpshooter: Changed from -5 to hit, +10 to damage.

Re: Ritual Caster

Each casting class only has a dozen (dozen and a half for Wizard) ritual spells, and none of them exceed 6th level. This renders the feat quite lacklustre.

Re: Savage Attacker

Technically Savage Attack could be more damage than a +1 in your ability score modifier, but it required an inordinate amount of math-hammering to make work. Like, 3+ hours into a spreadsheet you keep within arms reach for constant reference.

This way, it's clearly useful and even provides a much needed boost to attack spells which often suffer from the fact they're less reliable than saving throw damage spells (as a missed attack spell does no damage, while a successful saving throw often still results in half damage).

Shield Master

You use shields not just for protection but also for offense. You gain the following benefits while you are wielding a shield:

• You may use your bonus action to make shove actions with a shield. This may be done before or after your weapon attacks.
• If you aren't incapacitated, you can add your shield's AC bonus to your Dexterity saving throws.
• If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you can use your reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your shield between yourself and the source of the effect.

Source: PHB, page 170

Spell Sniper

Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell

You have learned techniques to enhance your attacks with certain kinds of spells, gaining the following benefits:

• When you cast a spell that requires you to make an attack roll, the spell's range is doubled.
• Your ranged spell attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.
• You learn one cantrip that requires an attack roll. Choose the cantrip from the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip depends on the spell list you chose from: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for wizard.

Source: PHB, page 170

War Caster

Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell

You have practiced casting spells in the midst of combat, learning techniques that grant you the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage.
• You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.
• When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time of 1 action and must target only that creature.

Source: PHB, page 170

Changes

• Shield Master: Specified shove can occur before weapon attacks. Allowing reaction to reduce damage from area of effect spells as well.

New Feat

Versatile Weapon Master

Your skill at handling versatile weapons allows you to quickly adjust your tactics on the fly, providing the following benefits:

• When you make a two-handed attack with a versatile weapon and miss, you may make an extra one-handed attack with that weapon.
• You may don or doff your shield as a bonus action.
• While you a wielding a non-heavy, one handed weapon and no other weapons, you may use the Block action with a doffed shield you have on your person.

Re: Versatile Weapon Mastery

To make the Versatile property actually mean something outside of a consolation prize for small races who still want to two-hand something.

That third line...

Basically means you get to use the Block action even if you're not actually benefitting from the shield's AC.

So you don't have to chase it:

From my Combat Options Writeup

Block

When using a shield (but not a greatshield), and you suffer a weapon attack, you may use your reaction to reduce the incoming damage by an amount equal to your Strength modifier.