D&D (2024) New Feats and Origins. Baldur's Gate 3 Theme (5.5) Homebrew

Zardnaar

Legend
So I have been running a BG3.5 themed campaign. Itys set after the camp scene from the game. At level 5/6 they arrived at the gate. They are currently investigating a nearby village named Twilights Hollow. For this game and next game I have created these 3 feats, origins and origin feats. Not super happy atm going to tweak them a bit. They are adapted from Lost Empires of Faerun and Power of Faerun from 3.5. trapmaster needs a tweak along with Netherese origin IMHO. Thought on the general idea of these ideas though?


OriginFeats


Heretic of the Faith


Origin Feat.


You can grossly violate your chosen deities strictures, codes, beliefs, and alignment. You are not immune to consequences from that deities faithful, church, servants or the deity itself including the afterlife.

Heretic. You gain heroic inspiration. The inspiration refreshes after a short or long rest. Additionally if you are a cleric you can pick a domain that is not typically associated with your deity. This domain replaces your deities domain. For example a cleric of Eldath could proclai themselves as a defender of her faith and pick the war domain. At the DMs discretion if you are dead you can only return to life within 1d10 days as your soul is judged.


Trapmaster


OriginFeat


You have studied the architecture of ancient civilizations. Your familiarity with tombs, vaults and other such sites has installed in you a knack for avoiding traps.

Trapmaster. You gain proficiency and expertise in thieves tools. Traps have disadvantage to hit you and you have advantage on any saving throws vs a trap. Additionally once per short rest you can impose disadvantage on any attack rolls against you as a reaction.


Student of Netheril


OriginFeat

You have studied ancient Netheril or been trained by them.


TwoCantrips: You learn two cantrips of your choice from the Wizard spell list. Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this feats spells (choose when you select the feat).



Level1 Rituals. Choose two level 1 rituals from the wizard spell list. You always have these spells prepared. You can cast each of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you cast either spell in this way you can't cast that spell in this way again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using a spell slot of the appropriate level. The spells spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat.



General Feats


Cormanthryn Moon Magic.


GeneralFeat (prerequisite Level 4+)


Youhave Mastered the ancient elven techniques of drawing power fromSehanine Moonbows light.


AbilitityScore Increase: Increase your intelligence, Wisdom or Charismascore by 1 to a maximum of 20.


CormanthrynMagic Chose a level 1 spellfrom the Transmutation or Invocation school of magic. You always havethat spell prepared and the Moon Beam spell prepared. You can casteach of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you casteither spell in this way you can't cast that spell in this way againuntil you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using aspell slot of the approriate level. The spells spellcasting abilityis the ability increased by this feat.




Greenbound Summoning.​

General Feat (prerequisite Level 4+)


You have learned the long forgotten manner of summoning once practiced by the Eaerlanni Elves of the High Forest.


Ability Score Increase: Increase your intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma score by 1 to a maximum of 20.


Eaerlanni Magic Chose 1 level 1 spell from the Abjuration or Conjuration school of magic. You always have that spell prepared and the Summon Beast spell prepared. You can cast each of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you cast either spell in this way you can't cast that spell in this way again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using a spell slot of the appropriate level. The spells spellcasting ability is the ability increased by this feat.




Netherese Battle Curse


General Feat (prerequisite Level 4+)


Abilitity Score Increase: Increase your Charisma, Dexterity or Strength, score by 1 to a maximum of 20.

Curse: You know the hex spell. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast hex twice spells without expending a spell slot. Once you cast hex twice in this way you can't cast Hex in this way again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast Hex using a spell slot of the appropriate level. Additionally when you first apply hex to a target you gain advantage on the next attack rol



Origins


Archeologist


Ability Scores Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom


Feat: Trapmaster


Skill Proficiencies: History and Perception


Tool proficiency: Cartographers Tools


Equipment Choose A or B.A quarterstaff, Book (history), Cartographers Tools, Parchment (8sheets), Robe, 10gp or (B) 50 GP



The past has always intrigued you. Rather than be a book worm though you prefer a more hands on approach. The difference between study and tomb raider has always been marginal to you however.


Heretic


AbilityScores Charisma, Dexterity, Wisdom


Feat: Heretic of the Faith


Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion and Religion


Tool proficiency: Forgery Kit


Equipment Choose A or B: A ForgeryKit, Fine Clothes, 15 gp or (B) 50 gp


Once you were old enough to understand the gods you didnt quite believe in the standard dogma. The question of why was never resolved. Perhaps you just did not like being told what to believe. In any event a silver tongue and your own beliefs take precedence. Damn the consequences.





Netherese


Ability Scores Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom


Feat: Student of Netheril


Skill Proficiencies: Arcana and History


Languages Loross (high Netherese), Netherese


Equipmen tChoose A or B.A quarterstaff, Book (history), Parchment (8 sheets), Clothes:Travelers, 10gp or (B) 50 GP


The blood of ancient Netheril flows in your veins. You spent your formative years studying the fallen empires history, language and lore- even the rudiments of magic. Some may say its folly but the archwizards fascinate you.
 

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Chose a level 1 spellfrom the Transmutation or Invocation school of magic. You always havethat spell prepared and the Moon Beam spell prepared. You can casteach of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you casteither spell in this way you can't cast that spell in this way againuntil you finish a long rest. You can also cast these spells using aspell slot of the approriate level. The spells spellcasting abilityis the ability increased by this feat.
I'm a bit confused by this and the other similar Feats, because of the inconsistent grammar used in all of the descriptions.

You say:

1) Choose one spell from X school OR Y school (not both, so singular).

2) You always have that spell (singular) prepared.

Okay that all makes sense.

But then you say:

3) You can cast each (so a plural) of these spells (plural again).

4) Then "cast either spell" (plural again, or whatever the exact word is for double I can't remember grammar words lol)
5) "These spells" again plural.

Soooooo which is it?

Do you:

A) Get 1 spell, which you can cast 1 time.

or

B) Get 2 spells, one from each school, each of which you can cast 1 time for free.

I can give you the right grammar if you'd like, but I'd need to know which was the case. I'm guessing its the second because of the Hex one but I'm not sure.

Re other feats, my thoughts:

A) Trapmaster seems a bit overloaded.

Like, I can see getting Expertise in Thieves Tools, that's quite major because that also covers lockpicking. Then you make it so you also permanently, at all times, have Advantage to Save from, and cause Disadvantage on attack rolls from Traps. That all together seems like easily a solid Feat. Expertise in Thieves Tools alone is like, what, 66% of a Feat in value? More?

But then you put this random "Additionally once per short rest you can impose disadvantage on any attack rolls against you as a reaction." - That's huge - it's per short rest, so probably 2-3 times/day, and it's pretty significant. It also doesn't line up with the rest of the Feat which is about traps. It's just like a random bonus prize lol. I'd cut that bit and leave the rest, because whilst it's powerful, you don't meet traps on every single adventure.

B) Heretic seems like it shouldn't be a Feat, it should just be roleplaying and/or negotiation with the DM. Like, there's nothing mechanical in 5E 2024 that means specific gods are associated with specific domains in any meaningful way. It doesn't give you any advantage at all to have the "wrong" domain for a god, and as the Feat doesn't protect you from consequences, there's not advantage there either, only a clear and significant roleplaying risk.

So it seems like the actual Feat is essentially:

You gain heroic inspiration. The inspiration refreshes after a short or long rest.

I'm not sure I necessarily see how that relates to being a Heretic - I could see that being like "Passionate about your faith" or "fanatic" or something, but shouldn't that be also available to non-heretics?

I'd think about simply deleting the whole "Heretic" angle here, renaming the Feat "Fanatic" or "Devoted" or similar, and just negotiating with players who wanted to have the "wrong" domain, and/or making it part of the Heretic Background (which maybe gives the "Fanatic" feat).
 

Heh. Eberron had one as well. Thoughts on this version?
I like all suggestions.

but maybe to have a touch of the 3.5e Greenbound summoning:

you get only Summon animal spirit spell. not the 1st level spell.

and

when you cast Summon animal spirit, you treat the spell level of the spell as 2 levels higher. basically getting one extra attack for the spell.
 

I'm a bit confused by this and the other similar Feats, because of the inconsistent grammar used in all of the descriptions.

You say:

1) Choose one spell from X school OR Y school (not both, so singular).

2) You always have that spell (singular) prepared.

Okay that all makes sense.

But then you say:

3) You can cast each (so a plural) of these spells (plural again).

4) Then "cast either spell" (plural again, or whatever the exact word is for double I can't remember grammar words lol)
5) "These spells" again plural.

Soooooo which is it?

Do you:

A) Get 1 spell, which you can cast 1 time.

or

B) Get 2 spells, one from each school, each of which you can cast 1 time for free.

I can give you the right grammar if you'd like, but I'd need to know which was the case. I'm guessing its the second because of the Hex one but I'm not sure.

you get fixed 2nd level spell that you can cast once per Long rest and you get one 1st level of choice from selected schools.
It's clear enough.

Re other feats, my thoughts:

A) Trapmaster seems a bit overloaded.
No one will ever spend a feat to get expertise in thieves tools so adding something extra justifies the existence of this feat.
 

you get fixed 2nd level spell that you can cast once per Long rest and you get one 1st level of choice from selected schools.
It's clear enough.
Oh I see - it just needs a bit of clean-up then.

I do think it's slightly overpowered compared to other 4th-level Feats because it has the ASI as well, but not grossly so.

No one will ever spend a feat to get expertise in thieves tools so adding something extra justifies the existence of this feat.
Yeah and the something extra is the permanent Advantage of saves vs. and application of Disadvantage on attacks from Traps, which means traps are going to be wildly less effective against you.

The further addition of a random and thematically unrelated ability to apply Disadvantage on any attack from any source seems a bit excessive to me.
 

Oh I see - it just needs a bit of clean-up then.

I do think it's slightly overpowered compared to other 4th-level Feats because it has the ASI as well, but not grossly so.
it's the same as Fey touched and Shadow touched.
just with different flavor.
Yeah and the something extra is the permanent Advantage of saves vs. and application of Disadvantage on attacks from Traps, which means traps are going to be wildly less effective against you.

The further addition of a random and thematically unrelated ability to apply Disadvantage on any attack from any source seems a bit excessive to me.
OK, the attack disadvantage might be too much extra, but expertise in thief tools and adv vs traps is no niche that is too weak for a feat, but it's a way worse shield, you need to do it before attack and it still might do nothing when you use it.

maybe instead of that in theme you could get advantage on Perception/Investigation on finding traps.
 

it's the same as Fey touched and Shadow touched.
just with different flavor.

OK, the attack disadvantage might be too much extra, but expertise in thief tools and adv vs traps is no niche that is too weak for a feat, but it's a way worse shield, you need to do it before attack and it still might do nothing when you use it.

maybe instead of that in theme you could get advantage on Perception/Investigation on finding traps.

Thar and I copied those feats word for word just switching what schools and spells you git
 

I'm a bit confused by this and the other similar Feats, because of the inconsistent grammar used in all of the descriptions.

You say:

1) Choose one spell from X school OR Y school (not both, so singular).

2) You always have that spell (singular) prepared.

Okay that all makes sense.

But then you say:

3) You can cast each (so a plural) of these spells (plural again).

4) Then "cast either spell" (plural again, or whatever the exact word is for double I can't remember grammar words lol)
5) "These spells" again plural.

Soooooo which is it?

Do you:

A) Get 1 spell, which you can cast 1 time.

or

B) Get 2 spells, one from each school, each of which you can cast 1 time for free.

I can give you the right grammar if you'd like, but I'd need to know which was the case. I'm guessing its the second because of the Hex one but I'm not sure.

Re other feats, my thoughts:

A) Trapmaster seems a bit overloaded.

Like, I can see getting Expertise in Thieves Tools, that's quite major because that also covers lockpicking. Then you make it so you also permanently, at all times, have Advantage to Save from, and cause Disadvantage on attack rolls from Traps. That all together seems like easily a solid Feat. Expertise in Thieves Tools alone is like, what, 66% of a Feat in value? More?

But then you put this random "Additionally once per short rest you can impose disadvantage on any attack rolls against you as a reaction." - That's huge - it's per short rest, so probably 2-3 times/day, and it's pretty significant. It also doesn't line up with the rest of the Feat which is about traps. It's just like a random bonus prize lol. I'd cut that bit and leave the rest, because whilst it's powerful, you don't meet traps on every single adventure.

B) Heretic seems like it shouldn't be a Feat, it should just be roleplaying and/or negotiation with the DM. Like, there's nothing mechanical in 5E 2024 that means specific gods are associated with specific domains in any meaningful way. It doesn't give you any advantage at all to have the "wrong" domain for a god, and as the Feat doesn't protect you from consequences, there's not advantage there either, only a clear and significant roleplaying risk.

So it seems like the actual Feat is essentially:

You gain heroic inspiration. The inspiration refreshes after a short or long rest.

I'm not sure I necessarily see how that relates to being a Heretic - I could see that being like "Passionate about your faith" or "fanatic" or something, but shouldn't that be also available to non-heretics?

I'd think about simply deleting the whole "Heretic" angle here, renaming the Feat "Fanatic" or "Devoted" or similar, and just negotiating with players who wanted to have the "wrong" domain, and/or making it part of the Heretic Background (which maybe gives the "Fanatic" feat).

I put that on the feat because with no traps it's a bit useless.

Old heretic feat let you break alignment restrictions and minor bonus.
 

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