In every great campaign made, there is always a character who shines the best because they have mastered harnessing the right enhancements to make their characters the most powerful they can be. To do this, they mastered the art of getting the right feats. Feats are a variant rule in the Player’s Handbook. Here’s what feats are defined as on page 165:
“A feat represents a talent or an area of expertise that gives a character special capabilities. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides.”
In layman’s terms, a feat allows you to customize your character beyond class or race in a way that suits your character’s unique abilities. Your character will gain particular traits, and it will enhance your roleplay. They allow you to obtain massive, usually situational benefits and potentially small stat boosts.
But, what situations arise where you get access to feats? They are an optional rule, after all. Let’s get to know more all about feats and understand all the scenarios that allow you to get one of these through our guide below
Table of Contents
How And When To Get Feats
Before Starting
Before you can choose D&D feats, you must ensure that your Dungeon Master (DM) allows them. Many DMs allow it, but because feats are an optional rule, some may not. So, it’s better to just verify. Second, note that you can only choose a feat once. In other words, you can’t get the same benefit multiple times.
Two Ways To Get A Feat
When it’s time to choose a feat, you can go about it in one of two ways. The first way is to select by the type of feat you’d like to have. The second way is to rule out the feats your character cannot have. Both methods are okay, so it’s up to you which path you want to take.
How To Get A Feat
Now let’s head over to the nitty-gritty details. To get a feat, a single class can obtain feats whenever their Ability Scores (AC) increases. For most classes, that means you can choose feats once you’re at the 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th levels. For example, Druids at level 4 can elevate their ability score by 2 or choose two ability scores to upgrade by 1. For the third option, since we have the optional feat rule, a Druid can opt to select a feat.
When To Get A Feat
To decide when to get a feat, first check if your build needs you to get a feat. For example, if you need a Grappler for a grapple build, you should totally get a feat and get it in the earliest stages. If you are a Fighter, then it’s wise to choose a feat since your character has more AC increases than any other class.
When Not To Get A Feat
If you’re going to choose feat, note that feats completely replace AC, meaning that if you are desperate for your AC to be at 20, grabbing feats might not be the best option to take. Meanwhile, it’s best for spellcasters to just increase their spellcasting ability before choosing a feat. Also, remember that your AC modifier increases every even number it reaches. Not only that, but some feats can also boost your ability scores by one point. So if you have an odd AC number, and you pick a feat that increases that AC, then your ability score modifier also increases. Besides this, magic items can also play a role in boosting your abilities so choose wisely.
Other Methods to Get Feats
According to the Player’s Handbook, the only other way to get feats is by being a Variant Human. Compared to just getting a +1 bonus to all scores, you can opt to obtain two +1s and a feat. If you wish to just be a human, you should get your feat in the 1st level.
Conclusions
Feats are not always essential but if you wish to have them, just increase your ability scores at every level. If you want your character to be the talk of the town and be a massive threat on the battlefield, feats are vital. So, choose wisely.
If you want more information about feats and the plethora of options you can choose, check out this thread from Reddit and watch the video below to learn more. Happy playing!
