How does one create new feats/skills? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

How does one create new feats/skills?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
aristocles2
Mar 01, 2009 23:50:24 I know that most feats require a prerequisite, an effect, and they have some key ability.

I wanted to create a feat for my homebrew race, the Dracons. The Dracon females have a very good sense of touch and enjoy massages, but how would one go about creating a "massage" feat or skill?
#2
aristocles2
Mar 02, 2009 0:35:00 Is there any set way to make a skill or feat?
#3
EmpactWB
Mar 02, 2009 0:45:33 First thing to do is decide what you want to accomplish with the feat (as a general rule, I don't support creating new skills in 4E, so you'll forgive me I hope if I stick to what I've done in the past). A feat allowing you to massage well adds what exactly to your game?
#4
aristocles2
Mar 02, 2009 0:49:38 To be honest, it was just a benign example. It adds very little, except it might relax another character.
#5
aristocles2
Mar 02, 2009 1:15:28 I'm guessing that, due to lack of responses, this idea seems to be stuck. Can anyone help me to get it "unstuck"?
#6
Qube
Mar 02, 2009 6:55:41 I'dd say, use a heal check to give a massage ...
#7
regwon
Mar 02, 2009 7:35:49 In general if a feat only does something very minor then it would probably be better accomplished with a skill/ability check.

When i make new feats I dont use a strict formula. I look at what i want the feat to do and when i want it to be available, and then how useful it is. It takes some practice to get complicated feats spot on, but if you make a few mistakes with some less powerful feats it wont upset your game.

Even if it does talk to your players about what happened and what you would like to change.
#8
aristocles2
Mar 02, 2009 8:37:28 Okay. Thanks for that information.
#9
mellored
Mar 02, 2009 9:01:09 Therapeutic Massage: During a short rest, you may grant an ally temporary HP equal to your Dex mod. Temporary HP last 5 minutes.
#10
mkill
Mar 02, 2009 11:54:21 A good way of learning how to write certain elements of the game, such as feats, is to have a look at the existing material, and trying to figure out the structure. For example, you will notice that there are no Heroic feats that give a feat bonus to defenses. All of these feats are at least Paragon. There are a number of these implicit rules. But don't worry if you can't figure them all out at the start, it's an exercise, not an exam.

Next, try to form an idea. Usually, these will be in the form of "it would be so awesome if my character could ... "

Try to find a feat that already does this. In 4th edition, there aren't so many books to check yet. If there is none, try to find a feat that is similar, and try to change it to express your idea. Second exercise: Look through the feats that I wrote here, and try to identify the ones that were inspired by existing feats.

http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1141957

The hardest is making feats that try to don't have a model to build on. This requires some experience and a good sense of game balance. And peer review in the forum.

Therapeutic Massage: During a short rest, you may grant an ally temporary HP equal to your Dex mod. Temporary HP last 5 minutes.

Feats have a fixed format, which you should use for readability:

Name
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

As for mellored's example, there are several issues:
- Prerequisite should be training in the Heal skill
- It is not stated how many allies you can massage during the short rest. One? All of them?
- There is no 5 minutes game timer outside of short rests. I don't think there is a need to put a timer on the temp hp anyway, as they go away at the end of the next encounter.
- Game terms like Dexterity should be written in full for readability (except in the Prerequisites line).

As for game balance, there is no feat to judge this against. Dex mod is up to +5 at heroic and +9 at epic. There is a first-level item, a bedroll that grants temp hp when you wake up.
The only feat that is somewhat comparable is for paladins to add their Cha score to their Lay on Hands. Based on that, I'd say +Dex to one ally is okay, if a bit on the weak side.

Therapeutic Massage
Prerequisite: Dracon, trained in Heal
Benefit: During a short rest, you may grant one ally temporary hit points equal to your Dexterity or Charisma modifier.
#11
aristocles2
Mar 02, 2009 11:56:59 Thank you VERY much. This sort of advice was exactly what I was looking for. I'll remember this.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 aristocles2 Mar 01, 2009 23:50:24	I know that most feats require a prerequisite, an effect, and they have some key ability. I wanted to create a feat for my homebrew race, the Dracons. The Dracon females have a very good sense of touch and enjoy massages, but how would one go about creating a "massage" feat or skill?
#2 aristocles2 Mar 02, 2009 0:35:00	Is there any set way to make a skill or feat?
#3 EmpactWB Mar 02, 2009 0:45:33	First thing to do is decide what you want to accomplish with the feat (as a general rule, I don't support creating new skills in 4E, so you'll forgive me I hope if I stick to what I've done in the past). A feat allowing you to massage well adds what exactly to your game?
#4 aristocles2 Mar 02, 2009 0:49:38	To be honest, it was just a benign example. It adds very little, except it might relax another character.
#5 aristocles2 Mar 02, 2009 1:15:28	I'm guessing that, due to lack of responses, this idea seems to be stuck. Can anyone help me to get it "unstuck"?
#6 Qube Mar 02, 2009 6:55:41	I'dd say, use a heal check to give a massage ...
#7 regwon Mar 02, 2009 7:35:49	In general if a feat only does something very minor then it would probably be better accomplished with a skill/ability check. When i make new feats I dont use a strict formula. I look at what i want the feat to do and when i want it to be available, and then how useful it is. It takes some practice to get complicated feats spot on, but if you make a few mistakes with some less powerful feats it wont upset your game. Even if it does talk to your players about what happened and what you would like to change.
#8 aristocles2 Mar 02, 2009 8:37:28	Okay. Thanks for that information.
#9 mellored Mar 02, 2009 9:01:09	Therapeutic Massage: During a short rest, you may grant an ally temporary HP equal to your Dex mod. Temporary HP last 5 minutes.
#10 mkill Mar 02, 2009 11:54:21	A good way of learning how to write certain elements of the game, such as feats, is to have a look at the existing material, and trying to figure out the structure. For example, you will notice that there are no Heroic feats that give a feat bonus to defenses. All of these feats are at least Paragon. There are a number of these implicit rules. But don't worry if you can't figure them all out at the start, it's an exercise, not an exam. Next, try to form an idea. Usually, these will be in the form of "it would be so awesome if my character could ... " Try to find a feat that already does this. In 4th edition, there aren't so many books to check yet. If there is none, try to find a feat that is similar, and try to change it to express your idea. Second exercise: Look through the feats that I wrote here, and try to identify the ones that were inspired by existing feats. http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1141957 The hardest is making feats that try to don't have a model to build on. This requires some experience and a good sense of game balance. And peer review in the forum. Therapeutic Massage: During a short rest, you may grant an ally temporary HP equal to your Dex mod. Temporary HP last 5 minutes. Feats have a fixed format, which you should use for readability: Name Prerequisites: Benefit: As for mellored's example, there are several issues: - Prerequisite should be training in the Heal skill - It is not stated how many allies you can massage during the short rest. One? All of them? - There is no 5 minutes game timer outside of short rests. I don't think there is a need to put a timer on the temp hp anyway, as they go away at the end of the next encounter. - Game terms like Dexterity should be written in full for readability (except in the Prerequisites line). As for game balance, there is no feat to judge this against. Dex mod is up to +5 at heroic and +9 at epic. There is a first-level item, a bedroll that grants temp hp when you wake up. The only feat that is somewhat comparable is for paladins to add their Cha score to their Lay on Hands. Based on that, I'd say +Dex to one ally is okay, if a bit on the weak side. Therapeutic Massage Prerequisite: Dracon, trained in Heal Benefit: During a short rest, you may grant one ally temporary hit points equal to your Dexterity or Charisma modifier.
#11 aristocles2 Mar 02, 2009 11:56:59	Thank you VERY much. This sort of advice was exactly what I was looking for. I'll remember this.