D&D: Feats For Races
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything has some pretty cool new feats. Let’s take a look!
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is out in select gaming stores today. We’ve really been impressed with it, you can read our review, but the long and short of it is this book is really good and it adds a lot of unexpected things to the game. One of the things we’ve been most impressed by is how deftly it adds rules that encourage story. Whether subclass mechanics or rules for downtime, this book has a knack for helping players and DMs alike find some story they can sink their teeth into.
One of the things we’ve only barely seen touched on but that might be a nice kick off for the weekend are the racial feats. Now we had a look at some of these in the Unearthed Arcana, but the finished versions have a lot to offer. They can help make your character feel a little more unique–something the book already actively encourages. I’d say that’s a running theme for the player material in this book, it tries to get you thinking about your character in particular. What makes them tick, what makes them unique–why is your fighter a fighter, where did your monk train, etc.
And, keeping in line with mechanics that promote story, we’ve got feats that help differentiate your character. Make your elf, elfier. So, let’s check out a few and get ready for your next adventure.
Dwarven Fortitude
First up we have a fantastic feat that highlights Dwarven resilience. It’s pretty straightforward, but it adds a little tactical flexibility to your combat choices. This feat adds 1 to your Constitution, but then it also lets you spend one of your hit dice to heal yourself every time you take the Dodge Action.
This is such a cool ability, it lets you fight a little more defensively and take some of the pressure off of the cleric, or whomever is your group’s healer.
Flames of Phlegethos
A favorite from 4th Edition, the Flames of Phlegethos were originally a Warlock power. Now they are the domain of Tieflings who wish to play up their connection to the infernal powers of their heritage. As with most feats, this lets you increase a Stat by 1 (Intelligence or Charisma), and whenever you roll fire damage for a spell, you can reroll 1s on the damage dice, but only once.
And, whenever you cast a spell that deals fire damage, you can ward yourself with flames, causing creatures that hit you until the end of your next turn to take 1d4 damage. It’s a nice little bit of spell mastery, and a good way to keep your Warlock ready for the fight.
Elven Accuracy
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the special Elven Accuracy feat that only elves and half elves get. Again, borrowing the name from 4th Edition, Elven Accuracy is a +1 to your choice of abilities: Dex, Int, Wis, and Cha. But then on top of that, whenever you have advantage on an attack using one of those stats, you can reroll one of your dice an extra time for a rare double advantage. And it’s not limited, you can just do that whenever.
Prodigy
Not just an early isp, Prodigy is also a feat for humans, half-elves, and half-orcs. It lets you pretend to be even more of a human by granting you a laundry list of proficiencies: you get a skill, a tool, and a language. But wait, that’s not all. Sign up for prodigy now and you’ll also get expertise (double your proficiency bonus) on a skill you’re proficient with. Humans are very good at just about everything, they’re adaptable, so here you’ve got a feat that lets you round out your character.
Orcish Fury
This one is just fun, speaking of half-orcs. It adds one to strength or constitution, and when you hit with an attack you can activate an ability that lets you roll an extra die of weapon damage, once per rest.
And then on top of that, when you use the half-orc’s innate ability to keep fighting even when they should be dropped, you can use your reaction to make a weapon attack.
Anyway, that’s just a small sampling of the types of D&D race feats you’ll find in Xanathar’s Guide. As we mentored, the book is out, so go check it out if you get a chance!
Of course the best feats are left and right.
