Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 AndyDay Jul 18, 2015 10:45:07	Greetings. I have an admittedly half baked homebrew idea in my head. I'd like to see what the obvious good and bad sides for it might be.    The goal: give players more choices as they level up,band allow more access to feats.    THE RULE: when you gain a level, you may take a feat instead of taking your usual class feature. All class features are bumped up 1 level.    Example: Wilbur really wants his rogue to have the Savage Attacker feat. When his rogue reaches 2nd level, he takes the feat. His 2nd level class features are moved up to 3rd level, and all subsequent class features are gained a level later. Other class abilities such as proficiency, spells, rages, etc are gained per the usual level progression.    Without threadcraping, what are your thoughts?
#2 Yunru Jul 18, 2015 11:33:55	Problem: Multiclass Rogue. Get Expertise and Sneak Attack. Ignore class features for feats, getting a feat a level. Still profit from an increased Sneak Attack.
#3 Vulf Jul 18, 2015 11:48:10	This could cause a few nightmares for character progression. A lot of the difficulty of the encounters in the campaigns are based on how strong the class features at level 5 such as multiattack are. This would also screw up spell level progression, especially for multiclassed casters.   Might I suggest instead to give all characters 1 starting feat of their choice at first level (Humans using the variant would be able to get 2) or perhaps around character level 4 or after completing a quest, grant them a boon that gives them 1 feat.   A single free feat won't break the game, it would be akin to starting with high stats through rolling well instead of using an array. The average character has an 18 in their prime stat at level 1, having a 20 in your prime stat is only a 5% difference in d20 roles, or 1 more point of damage.   The single extra feat at level 4 would also free the characters up to choose a stat bump so they feel like they are making more meaningfull choices for their character. The most significant change a level 1 feat would make is giving characters 2 attacks per round using a 2 handed weapon or hand crossbow. But you can already make 2 attacks with dual wielding at level 1, with light or thrown weapons. And most enemies only have 5 hitpoints in those low encounters.   Using alternate rules such as flanking and cleave could add some extra attack options to players, while making mobs of enemies more dangerous.
#4 jaelis Jul 18, 2015 11:43:50	Yeah, allowing spells, rage, sneak attack etc makes this a problem I think. Another example, wizard doesn't have a lot of class features to miss, you'd do really well to just take feats.
#5 AndyDay Jul 19, 2015 12:27:08	Spell progression, sneak attack, rages, anything that is outside of the "features" column on the class table would be unaffected.    As for wizards and other classes, you wouldn't be able to bump an empty slot.  that was a good catch though. Somethjbg was considering.    My first idea was to let the character REPLACE a feature with a feat. Like the wizard could replace his arcane recovery with a feat.    Getting anothwr her feat at level 1 wouldn't accomplish the goal I have.