Dungeons & Dragonshas changed its rules. With the release of the 2024 Player’s Handbook, quite a few changes have happened here and there, even if the core of the game is mostly the same. One of the key changes is feats. Now, they’re separated into categories: Origins, General, Fighting Style, and Epic Boons.
Here, we’ll dive into general feats, which you need at least level four to get. We have new options, as well as new versions of old feats to choose from, some of them being buffed while others nerfed. Which of these are the best options for your character?
All general feats now give you a +1 to an ability score, which means that some returning feats were nerfed to accommodate this new bonus. All of them will demand you to be at least level four, along with another prerequisite that will be specified along with the feat.
10Ability Score Improvement
Don’t Underestimate A Raw Bonus
As we mentioned, all general feats come with a +1 increase to an ability score, and the feat will tell you which ability will get the bonus. That in itself is pretty good, as you can stack your character up with multiple feats and still reach 20 on whatever ability score is the best for you.
That said, getting a +2 rather than a +1 - or getting two +1s to increase two ability scores at once - is still an extremely valid thing to do to your character. Some builds benefit from reaching 20 as soon as possible, and the Ability Score Improvement is still the best way to do so.
9Crossbow Expert
Still Powerful
Crossbow Expert now focuses mainlyon crossbows,as the name implies, rather than how it used to work. It only ignores the loading properties of crossbows rather than any weapon (if you’re using firearms, get the Gunner feat).
It also only removes the disadvantage of shooting with an enemy five feet away from you if you’re shooting with a crossbow weapon. Lastly, when you use a hand crossbow for an additional attack with the bonus action, you’re able to add the dexterity modifier to the damage.
If your main weapon has the Nick weapon mastery, you can do the additional crossbow attack without consuming your bonus action.
8Durable
Heal Thyself
If you wantSecond Windbut you’re not a fighter, this is the next best thing. It also gives you an advantage on death saving throws, which is very helpful, and you can use your hit dice as a bonus action whenever you want to, assuming you have hit dice to spare.
Because of that, you can always restore some of your health, especially at higher levels, where you’ll have plenty of these. And yes, the roll includes your constitution bonus.
7Elemental Adept
Stack It Up
Aside from giving you a +1 for your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, this feat didn’t change much. You choose a damage type, and from now on, you may ignore enemies' resistance towards it. It’ll become a two whenever you roll a one for damage with this element. You can get this feat multiple times, the same as before, as long as you pick another damage type.
That said, the +1 bonus makes a lot of difference. Assuming you’re starting with your spellcasting ability at 16, you can get this feat four times and get it to 20 while ignoring four types of damage resistances.
6Great Weapon Master
Nerfed, But Powerful
Great Weapon Master lost its gamble mechanic, where the character could give themselves a -5 penalty to their attack for a +10 to their damage. Instead, whenever someone attacks with a weapon that has the heavy property, their damage will have a bonus equal to their proficiency bonus (heavy ranged weapons, like the longbow, theoretically fit here).
The second part, where you get to attack with your bonus action whenever you roll a critical hit or zero someone’s health, still applies. Oh, and the +1 goes to your strength here.
Homebrew tip: Sharpshooter no longer adds a damage bonus. Let your players choose between buffing their strength or dexterity with Great Weapon Master (and let characters with a dexterity of 13 or more get it), and let them do the second part with ranged attacks as well. This feat’s damage bonus also applies to heavy ranged weapons, rules as written, so let players lean into that.
5Heavy Armor Master
It’s Better
Heavy Armor Master was a good feat that got obsolete at higher levels because the damage decrease it provided only worked in a few situations. Now, the decrease will happen whenever you take bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, regardless of whether this damage is magical or not. The boss' +2 weapon won’t overrule the feat anymore.
The old version also provided a -3 to the damage, while here, the damage decrease will be equal to your proficiency bonus. Sure, that means the decrease is lower initially, but it’ll get higher eventually.
4Mage Slayer
Protect Thy Mind
Mage Slayer only has one feature in common with its previous version: If you hit someone concentrating on a spell, they have a disadvantage on the concentration saving throw. You also get a +1 to strength or dexterity and something similar to Legendary Resistance.
Once per any rest, if you fail a saving throw that uses charisma, intelligence, or wisdom, you can simply choose to succeed (no reaction required). Perfect to avoid mind control or Hold Person.
3Skulker
See Everything
Skulker maintained its feature where if you make an attack while hidden and miss it, you won’t reveal your position (though now it’s any attack, not just ranged). You don’t get the part where you’re able to hide in dim light, but whenever you use the Hide action in combat, you get advantage (rogues, rejoice).
Along with that, you’ll get a +1 to your dexterity and ten feet/three meters of blindsight, meaning you can fight someone who’s invisible at close range or fight in darkness (and any other time you’re blinded).
While there is a Fighting Style that adds blindsight, this feat comes with more perks, and you can use your Fighting Style for something else instead.
2Spell Sniper
Crossbow Expert For Nerds
Spell Sniper now comes with a +1 to intelligence, wisdom, or charisma. While it no longer comes with a free spell, it lets you use ranged spell attacks while an enemy is five feet away from you, just like Crossbow Expert does to crossbow attacks.
Lastly, if you cast a spell with a range of ten feet/three meters or more that requires an attack roll, you may add 60 feet/18 meters to its range. You could use something like Eldritch Blast from 180 feet/54 meters away, for instance, instead of its default (120 feet/36 meters).
1War Caster
If It Ain’t Broke…
Okay, so War Caster didn’t change - aside from a +1 to your intelligence, wisdom, or charisma. You’ll get advantage on concentration saving throws, you can cast a spell that targets one person as an opportunity attack, and you can perform somatic components even if both your hands are carrying something.
While nothing major changed here, this is one of the most useful feats to have with any character who wants to focus on spellcasting, especially if your favorite spells require concentration. So we recommend it.
