One of the major problems in 5e as a system is that we get so few feats, and that ability scores and feats share the same progression. In earlier D&D systems, feats and ability scores had separate progressions so you got both. Most 5e characters only get 3 feats by lvl 12, with Figther and Rogue being able to reach 4. Most of the good feats don't have an ability score increase worked into it, which would've made the system a lot more interesting. Increasing your strength, for example, is often effective, but it is often very boring compared to getting access to additional abilities. So much of our character is already determined by what class and subclasses we play with that having a straight stat increase be one of the optimal choices we can make is a reduction in what little freedom we have.

I think that having these items and potions available is overall a good thing, because it means that we have a bit more freedom with the few feats we get. But even then, this freedom isn't free. If I am using a strength elixir, I am not using another type of elixir, because they don't stack. If I'm using the Gloves of Dexterity, I can't use the Legacy of the Masters. And so on.

Another solution could've been to do the same thing OneD&D does and give every feat an ability score increase. This would also have made starting with 17 in your primary stat more interesting, as it would let you reach 20 with 3 feats. This would've required them to fully embrace homebrewing the feats though, as they'd need a serious rebalancing (even more than the feats already do, I mean).

Last edited by TomReneth; 06/10/23 08:53 AM.

Don't you just hate it when people with dumb opinions have nice avatars?