D&D Feats (5e)
Feats are special talents that give your character a new ability, often with a +1 to an ability score. In the 2024 rules there are four types: Origin feats at level 1 from your background, General feats from level 4, Fighting Style feats, and Epic Boons at level 19. Ability Score Improvement is now a General feat.
A feat is a package of benefits you pick for your character: extra hit points, a new spell, a better reaction, or a way to hit harder. In the 2014 Player's Handbook feats were an optional rule you could take instead of an ability score increase. In the 2024 Player's Handbook they are core: every character starts with one, and the level 4 ability score increase is itself a feat.
Most classes get a feat choice at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 19. Fighters get two extra (levels 6 and 14) and rogues get one extra (level 10). Your background also grants an Origin feat at level 1, and a 2024 human picks a second Origin feat through the Versatile trait. If you are building a character from scratch, the character generator rolls one up for you, and our character guide walks through each step.
Below are our in-depth guides to the most-picked feats, with the 2014 vs 2024 changes and the damage math worked out.
Feat guides at a glance
| Feat | Type (2024) | Prerequisite | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Weapon Master | General (level 4+) | Strength 13+ | Two-handed fighters and barbarians |
| Sharpshooter | General (level 4+) | Dexterity 13+ | Archers and crossbow users |
| Polearm Master | General (level 4+) | Strength or Dexterity 13+ | Glaive, halberd and spear fighters |
| Sentinel | General (level 4+) | Strength or Dexterity 13+ | Tanks and bodyguards |
| War Caster | General (level 4+) | Spellcasting or Pact Magic | Clerics, paladins and melee casters |
| Tough | Origin | None | Front-liners and low-HP casters |
| Lucky | Origin | None | Any character; saves that matter |
| Alert | Origin | None | Rogues, wizards, control casters |
| Magic Initiate | Origin | None | Non-casters, casters wanting Shield |
What are the four types of feats in 2024?
Origin feats: taken at level 1 through your background (Soldier gives Savage Attacker, Farmer gives Tough, and so on). They have no prerequisites and no ability score bonus. The ten Origin feats are Alert, Crafter, Healer, Lucky, Magic Initiate, Musician, Savage Attacker, Skilled, Tavern Brawler and Tough.
General feats: the big list, available from level 4. Almost all of them add +1 to one ability score (max 20) on top of their main benefit. Great Weapon Master, Sentinel, War Caster, Polearm Master and Sharpshooter are all General feats with a level 4 prerequisite.
Fighting Style feats: Archery, Defense, Dueling, Great Weapon Fighting and the rest. You can only take one if you have the Fighting Style class feature (fighters, paladins and rangers). In 2014 these were class features, not feats.
Epic Boon feats: level 19 or higher. Each raises one ability score by 1, up to a maximum of 30, and adds a capstone power such as Boon of Combat Prowess (turn one miss into a hit each round) or Boon of Fate.
Should you take a feat or an Ability Score Improvement?
In 2024, Ability Score Improvement is a General feat: +2 to one score or +1 to two scores, no higher than 20. You can take it as many times as you like. Since most other General feats also give +1, the real question is whether the feat's main benefit is worth one point of your primary ability.
A simple rule: if your attack or spellcasting ability is odd (17, for example), a half-feat like War Caster or Great Weapon Master gets you to 18 and a feature at the same time. If it is already even, compare. Getting your main score to 20 by level 8 is still a strong default for spellcasters, because it raises your modifier, your save DC and your attack bonus at once.
In 2014 most combat feats gave no ability bonus at all, so taking one meant giving up +2. That trade was worth it for Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter because of the -5/+10 option. Both lost that option in 2024.
What are the best feats in 5e?
For weapon users: Great Weapon Master (two-handers), Sharpshooter (archers who fight at range or in melee), Polearm Master and Sentinel (control and extra attacks). For spellcasters: War Caster if you concentrate in melee range, plus Resilient (Constitution). For anyone: Alert for initiative, Lucky for rerolls and Tough for hit points.
The best feat is the one that fixes a weakness your character already has. A cleric who keeps losing concentration on Spirit Guardians gets more from War Caster than from any damage feat.
Feats FAQ
How many feats do you get in 5e?
In the 2024 rules a typical character gets one Origin feat at level 1 and a feat at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 19, for six total by level 20. Fighters get two more and rogues get one more. In 2014 feats were optional and replaced Ability Score Improvements.
What is the difference between an Origin feat and a General feat?
Origin feats are level 1 feats granted by your background, with no prerequisites and no ability score bonus. General feats require level 4 and usually add +1 to an ability score along with their main benefit.
Can you take the same feat twice in 5e?
Only if the feat says it is repeatable. Ability Score Improvement, Magic Initiate (with a different spell list) and Skilled can be taken more than once in 2024. Most feats, such as Great Weapon Master, cannot.
Can you take an Origin feat at level 4?
Yes, in the 2024 rules. When your class grants a feat you can choose Ability Score Improvement or any other feat you qualify for, and Origin feats have no prerequisites.
Are feats optional in 5e?
In the 2014 rules feats were an optional rule your DM had to allow. In the 2024 rules feats are part of the core game: every background grants one, and the Ability Score Improvement feature is now a feat.
Related
Wizards of the Coast LLC is the trademark holder for Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, and their respective logos worldwide.
Wizards of the Coast LLC does not support, endorse, approve, or have any affiliation with DnD Dice Roller. According to the Wizards of the Coast LLC's Fan Site Policy, DnD Dice Roller may use its trademarks and other intellectual property. Please visit Wizards of the Coast's website at www.wizards.com if you want additional information about the company, its trademarks, or other intellectual property.
Contains content from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.