House Rules - Feats
Loosened Restrictions
When it comes to feats that give a +1 ability increase in specific abilities, I am willing to allow players to pick any of the six abilities, there might be edge cases where it breaks stuff and won't be allowed.
When it comes to feats that are limited to certain races, etc. I am willing to allow players to pick them whatever their race, etc. But it depends on if it breaks anything and if it makes thematic sense (if it's all based on your character being small, you can't pick it if you play a 7' half-orc).
Changes to PHB 2014 Feats
If there is no full text under the below headings then I am only showing what's changed, the rest of the feat text then stays the same.
Changed: Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls when using a crossbow.
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Energy Mastery. Choose one of the following damage types: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder. Spells you cast ignore Resistance to damage of the chosen type. In addition, when you roll damage for a spell you cast that deals damage of that type, you can treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2. Repeatable. You can take this feat more than once, but you must choose a different damage type each time for Energy Mastery. |
Removed.
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Wisdom or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Bolstering Performance. When you finish a Short or Long Rest, you can give an inspiring performance: a speech, song, or dance. When you do so, choose up to six allies (which can include yourself) within 30 feet of yourself who witness the performance. The chosen creatures each gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your character level plus the modifier of the ability you increased with this feat. |
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Lore Knowledge. Choose one of the following skills: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, or Religion. If you lack proficiency in the chosen skill, you gain proficiency in it, and if you already have proficiency in it, you gain Expertise in it. Quick Study. You can take the Study action as a Bonus Action. |
Also gives training with shields, as the 2024 version.
Changed to 2024 version:
| Luck Points. You have a number of Luck Points equal to your Proficiency Bonus and can spend the points on the benefits below. You regain your expended Luck Points when you finish a Long Rest.
Advantage. When you roll a d20 for a D20 Test, you can spend 1 Luck Point to give yourself Advantage on the roll. Disadvantage. When a creature rolls a d20 for an attack roll against you, you can spend 1 Luck Point to impose Disadvantage on that roll. |
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Concentration Breaker. When you damage a creature that is Concentrating, it has Disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain Concentration. Guarded Mind. If you fail an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw, you can cause yourself to succeed instead. Once you use this benefit, you can't use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. |
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Dexterous Wearer. While you're wearing Medium armor, you can add 3, rather than 2 to your AC if you have a Dexterity score of 16 or higher. |
No longer gives training with shields, that now comes with Lightly Armored, see above.
Removed.
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Guardian. Immediately after a creature within 5 feet of you takes the Disengage action or hits a target other than you with an attack, you can make an Opportunity Attack against that creature. Halt. When you hit a creature with an Opportunity Attack, the creature's Speed becomes 0 for the rest of the current turn. |
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Bypass Cover. Your ranged attacks with weapons ignore Half Cover and Three-Quarters Cover. Firing in Melee. Being within 5 feet of an enemy doesn't impose Disadvantage on your attack rolls with Ranged weapons. Long Shots. Attacking at long range doesn't impose Disadvantage on your attack rolls with Ranged weapons. |
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Bypass Cover. Your attack rolls for spells ignore Half Cover and Three-Quarters Cover. Casting in Melee. Being within 5 feet of an enemy doesn't impose Disadvantage on your attack rolls with spells. Increased Range. When you cast a spell that has a range of at least 10 feet and requires you to make an attack roll, you can increase the spell's range by 60 feet. |
Changed to 2024 version:
| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Concentration. You have Advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain Concentration. Reactive Spell. When a creature provokes an Opportunity Attack from you by leaving your reach, you can take a Reaction to cast a spell at the creature rather than making an Opportunity Attack. The spell must have a casting time of one action and must target only that creature. Somatic Components. You can perform the Somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a Shield in one or both hands. |
Additional Feats
The general rule is that only feats from the 2014 PHB are allowed, but these feats are also allowed.
Maybe, but will need some real discussion with the DM and won’t involve dragons or epic boons in any way.
| Prerequisite: No other dragonmark | |||||||||||||||||||||||
You have manifested an aberrant dragonmark. Determine its appearance and the flaw associated with it. You gain the following benefits:
You also develop a random flaw from the Aberrant Dragonmark Flaws table.
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| Prerequisite: Halfling | |||||
| Your people have extraordinary luck, which you have learned to mystically lend to your companions when you see them falter. You're not sure how you do it; you just wish it, and it happens. Surely a sign of fortune's favor!
When an ally you can see within 30 feet of you rolls a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can use your Reaction to let the ally reroll the die. The ally must use the new roll. When you use this ability, you can't use your Lucky racial trait before the end of your next turn. |
| You have a peculiar way of fumbling through life that somehow always works out in your favor, succeeding in situations through what others might view as accidental luck. When you fail an ability check and roll a number on the die equal to half your level (rounded up) or lower, you can choose to replace the die roll with a 15 instead. You can use this ability three times, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. |
You have learned to channel your magic through a deck of cards. You can use a card deck as your spellcasting focus, and you gain the following benefits:
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Time spent mastering the culinary arts has paid off, granting you the following benefits:
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Note, the Discount ability has been removed.
| You gain the following benefits.
Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with three different Artisan's Tools of your choice from the Fast Crafting table. Fast Crafting. When you finish a Long Rest, you can craft one piece of gear from the Fast Crafting table, provided you have the Artisan's Tools associated with that item and have proficiency with those tools. The item lasts until you finish another Long Rest, at which point the item falls apart.
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Will be specifically tailored to a deity from the setting, with a cantrip and spell that fit well.
| A god chose you to carry a spark of their power.
You learn one cantrip of your choice from the cleric spell list and one 1st-level spell based on the alignment of your character, as specified in the Alignment Spells table below. You also learn the Augury spell.
You can cast the chosen 1st-level spell and the Augury spell without a spell slot, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast either of these spells in this way again. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Your spellcasting ability for this feat's spells is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this feat). In addition, you can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for any spell you cast that uses the spellcasting ability you choose when you select this feat. | |||||||||||||
You have the blood of dwarf heroes flowing through your veins. You gain the following benefits:
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For anyone except warlocks. Comes with some hefty story stuff and in game consequences. Invocation can't be changed.
| Studying occult lore, you learn one Eldritch Invocation option of your choice from the warlock class. Your spellcasting ability for the invocation is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this feat). If the invocation has a prerequisite of any kind, you can choose that invocation only if you're a warlock who meets the prerequisite.
Whenever you gain a level, you can replace the invocation with another one from the warlock class. |
The accuracy of elves is legendary, especially that of elf archers and spellcasters. You have uncanny aim with attacks that rely on precision rather than brute force. You gain the following benefits:
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| You gain the following benefits.
Speak with Animals. You always have the Speak with Animals spell prepared and can cast it with any spell slots you have. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell (choose when you select this feat). When you cast this spell as a Ritual, its duration is 8 hours. Tag Team. When you take the Help action, you can switch places with a willing ally within 5 feet of yourself as part of that same action. This movement doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks. You can't use this benefit if the ally has the Incapacitated condition. |
| General Feat (Prerequisites: Level 4+, Emerald Enclave Fledgling) | |||||
| You gain the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20. Friend to Animals. You have Advantage on ability checks when taking the Influence action with Beasts. Two Hearts, One Mind. You always have the Beast Sense spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. When you cast it without a spell slot using this feature, it doesn't require Concentration. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. The spell's spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat. |
Your people are clever, with a knack for illusion magic. You have learned a magical trick for fading away when you suffer harm. You gain the following benefits:
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Your study of high elven lore has unlocked fey power that few other elves possess, except your eladrin cousins. Drawing on your fey ancestry, you can momentarily stride through the Feywild to shorten your path from one place to another. You gain the following benefits:
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Only if your character has actually spent a lot of time, months, in the Feywild.
Your exposure to the Feywild's magic has changed you, granting you the following benefits:
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You have been specially trained in magical triage and are able to identify the signs of shock and fatigue in those suffering from injuries. You are always ready to provide aid to those in need. You gain the following benefits:
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Only if you don’t already have a Fighting Style. You can’t change the style unless you find a trainer again and invest time and money.
| Your martial training has helped you develop a particular style of fighting. As a result, you learn one Fighting Style option of your choice from the fighter class. If you already have a style, the one you choose must be different.
Whenever you reach a level that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace this feat's fighting style with another one from the fighter class that you don't have. |
You learn to call on hellfire to serve your commands. You gain the following benefits:
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Need to talk to the DM for a good story reason for this feat.
| General Feat (Prerequisite: Level 4+) | |||||
| You gain the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20. Wish Magic. As a Magic action, you can cast a level 1 spell of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list that has a casting time of an action. Once you use this benefit, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest. The spell's spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat. When you reach level 11, the spell you cast with this feat is cast as though using a level 2 spell slot. When you reach level 17, the spell is cast as though using a level 3 spell slot. |
Only if your character is a member of a fitting organization or there's a good story reason.
| You gain the following benefits.
Thieves' Cant. You know Thieves' Cant. Instrument Training. You gain proficiency with a Musical Instrument of your choice. Distracting Melody. When you take the Help action to assist an ally's attack roll, the enemy you're distracting can be within 30 feet of you, rather than within 5 feet of you, provided the enemy can see or hear you. |
| General Feat (Prerequisites: Level 4+, Harper Agent) | |||||
| You gain the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Dexterity or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20. Withering Wordplay. When you take the Help action to assist an ally's attack roll against an enemy, that enemy also has Disadvantage on the first saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn. Inspiring Willpower. If you succeed on a saving throw to end the Frightened or Paralyzed condition on yourself, you can choose one ally you can see within 30 feet of yourself that has the same condition. That condition immediately ends for that ally. |
Fiendish blood runs strong in you, unlocking a resilience akin to that possessed by some fiends. You gain the following benefits:
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| General Feat (Prerequisites: Level 4+, Constitution 13+) | |||||
| You can eat like a hill giant and drink like a fish. Years of punishing your stomach and liver have led to a powerful fortitude. You gain the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20. Inured to Poison. You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Poisoned condition. Everything Looks Delicious. You have Advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to forage for food. Quick to Recover. As a Bonus Action, you can expend one of your Hit Point Dice, roll the die and add your Constitution modifier, and regain a number of Hit Points equal to the roll's total. Once you use this benefit, you can't use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. |
Only if your character is a member of a fitting organization.
You are a Knight of Solamnia aligned with the Order of the Crown, a group that extols the virtues of cooperation, loyalty, and obedience. You excel in group combat and gain these benefits:
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Only if your character is a member of a fitting organization.
You are a Knight of Solamnia aligned with the Order of the Rose, a group known for leadership, justice, and wisdom. Your resolve grants you these benefits:
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| Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Weapon Proficiency. You gain proficiency with Martial weapons. |
Your fury burns tirelessly. You gain the following benefits:
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Won't be Sigil or Outlands related but instead to a region or organization in the world.
You have spent significant time in Sigil or the Outlands, the crossroads of the multiverse. Being steeped in converging planar energies grants you these benefits:
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You have a knack for learning new things. You gain the following benefits:
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We'll have to see what the source of this is.
You can channel cosmic forces of good to gain these benefits:
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Fortune favors you when someone tries to strike you. You gain the following benefits:
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Only if your character has actually spent a lot of time, months, in the Shadowfell.
Your exposure to the Shadowfell's magic has changed you, granting you the following benefits:
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You have honed your proficiency with particular skills, granting you the following benefits:
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You are uncommonly nimble for your race. You gain the following benefits:
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Will be adapted to an organization in the world, with fitting spells granted.
| You have studied some magical theory and have learned a few spells associated with Strixhaven University.
Choose one of Strixhaven's colleges: Lorehold, Prismari, Quandrix, Silverquill, or Witherbloom. You learn two cantrips and one 1st-level spell based on the college you choose, as specified in the Strixhaven Spells table. You can cast the chosen 1st-level spell without a spell slot, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have. Your spellcasting ability for this feat's spells is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this feat).
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| Source: SCC, page 36 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your ability to make the best out of a bad situation has served you well. You gain the following benefits.
Hardy. You need half the amount of food per day based on your size. Intuitive. When you take the Study action, you have Advantage on Intelligence checks made when taking the Study action. Shake It Off. Whenever you finish a Short Rest, your Exhaustion level, if any, decreases by 1. Additionally, when you finish a Long Rest, your Exhaustion level decreases by 2. |
Might need a fitting organization or some story reason.
| General Feat (Prerequisites: Level 4+) | |||||
| Rising in the ranks of the Ebon Syndicate has taught you the clandestine skills of spycraft, valuable in your trade as a racketeer. You gain the following benefits.
Locksmith. You have proficiency with Thieves' Tools. While holding Thieves' Tools, you can craft a key to a lock by spending 10 minutes with that lock. Master of Disguise. You have proficiency with a Disguise Kit. If you spend 10 minutes donning a Costume, you decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and other distinguishing characteristics. You can make yourself appear as a member of another species, though none of your statistics change. You can't appear as a creature of a different size, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this benefit to become quadrupedal, for instance. Master Calligrapher. You have proficiency with a Forgery Kit. You aren't limited to 10 or fewer words when mimicking someone else's handwriting. Blending In. When using the Hide action to conceal yourself from creatures that aren't Hostile to you, you need only be Lightly Obscured and you may use Charisma instead of Dexterity for the check. |
You awaken the ability to mentally connect with others, granting you the following benefits:
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| You learn the magic of the primeval woods, which are revered and protected by your people. You learn one druid cantrip of your choice. You also learn the Longstrider and Pass Without Trace spells, each of which you can cast once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast these two spells in this way when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for all three spells. |
Only if your character is a member of a fitting organization or there's a good story reason.
| You gain the following benefits.
Exploit Opening. When you roll damage for an Opportunity Attack, you can roll the damage dice twice and use either roll against the target. Family First. If you have Heroic Inspiration when you roll Initiative, you can expend it to give yourself and your allies Advantage on that Initiative roll. |
| General Feat (Prerequisites: Level 4+, Zhentarim Ruffian) | |||||
| You gain the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Dexterity or Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 20. Retaliate. Immediately after a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack, you can make an Opportunity Attack against that creature. Versatile Merc. When you finish a Long Rest, choose a skill in which you have proficiency. You have Expertise in that skill until you finish your next Long Rest. |