DnD feats are designed to give Dungeons and Dragons players some serious character customization options. Even after you’ve created your personality and established your place in the party, there’s still scope for creative experimentation. The very best D&D feats 5e offers the extra power, complexity, or fun factor that your character needs.
Feats introduce new abilities to your DnD character build, and they let you step outside of the rigid lines defined by DnD classes and DnD races. But they can be a tad confusing. There’s many on offer, and a cursory glance through the core DnD books might leave you more confused than informed. We’ll walk you through the basics, explaining what feats are, how to acquire them, how to pick between them, and which are the best options available.
Here’s everything you need to know about 5e feats:
What are DnD feats?
Feats are best thought of as the unique talents and expertise your character acquires during their adventures. These might provide new abilities, enable your character to perform additional actions, increase DnD stats, give advantage on specific rolls, or grant a combination of these. Broad in scope, feats are applicable both in and outside of combat, often giving your character some fighting advantage, alongside a thematic roleplaying element.
They’re also a fantastic means of customizing your character, and bestowing attributes usually left out of racial traits, or class features. They let you jump beyond the usual character boundaries, and use special abilities in combinations of your own choosing.
Feats aren’t a necessary element of character progression, but they can be added as an optional rule. When you gain a certain DnD level up (usually at four, eight, 12, 16, and 19), you can instead choose to forgo the ability enhancement, and pick a feat for your character instead.
Many feats have specific prerequisites, such as a sufficiently high ability score, or an aptitude for casting 5e spells. You’ll need to pass these prerequisites to claim the feat (there’s no hoarding feats at low levels and using them later when you pass their requirements), and if you somehow lose a feat’s prerequisites, you’ll also lose access to its benefits.
However, you can also acquire a feat by picking the Variant DnD Human race during character creation. This optional form of Human grants you one feat at first-level, +1 in two different ability scores of your choice, and proficiency in a DnD skill. A popular choice for players who value customizability above all.
Remember, feats are an optional rule in D&D 5e, so it’s best to check with your DM that they’ll allow you to take one. It would be a shame to get invested, only for it to be denied.
How to choose a 5e feat
So when should you choose a feat instead of a standard ability score improvement? In some cases, the choice is obvious. Many feats increase an ability score anyway, as well as providing an additional attribute, giving you the same benefit, plus a little extra.
You might also opt for a feat if you have a particular build in mind when leveling up your character. For example, if you’ll be playing the Tank of your party, choosing the Resilient feat – which grants you +1 to Constitution, and proficiency in Con saving throws – is a solid choice.
If you’re bumbling your way through the DnD campaign, however, with no delineated character focus, then feats are less likely to be useful. They require a little more thinking and forward-planning on your part, so might be best avoided if you’re playing super-casually.
However, you might also start picking feats at mid or high levels, once you’ve maxed-out your primary ability score(s). For example, a DnD Bard who’s already racked up 20 Charisma through race bonuses, 5e magic items, and previous ability score improvements, could be tempted to pick a feat simply for its interesting abilities rather than pump up a secondary ability score.
All DnD feats 5e explained
There are currently 103 feats in Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition. These are spread across all sorts of D&D books and provide a wealth of new player options. As always, make sure to check with your DM before adding a feat to your DnD character sheet.
Here’s a summary of each 5e feat. Bear in mind we’ve not included rules-as-written, or the prerequisites for each feat. These will come in future updates, but for now, be sure to check the exact rulings in the relevant sourcebooks.
Name | Found in | Effects |
Aberrant Dragonmark | Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron |
|
Actor | Player’s Handbook |
|
Adept of the Black Robes | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Adept of the Red Robes | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Adept of the White Robes | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Agent of Order | Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse |
|
Alert | Player’s Handbook |
|
Artificer Initiate | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Athlete | Player’s Handbook |
|
Baleful Scion | Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse |
|
Bountiful Luck | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Cartomancer | The Book of Many Things |
|
Charger | Player’s Handbook |
|
Chef | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Cohort of Chaos | Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse |
|
Crossbow Expert | Player’s Handbook |
|
Crusher | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Defensive Duelist | Player’s Handbook |
|
Divinely Favored | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Dragon Fear | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Dragon Hide | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Drow High Magic | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Dual Wielder | Player’s Handbook |
|
Dungeon Delver | Player’s Handbook |
|
Durable | Player’s Handbook |
|
Dwarven Fortitude | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Eldritch Adept | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Elemental Adept | Player’s Handbook |
|
Elven Accuracy | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Ember of the Fire Giant | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
Fade Away | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Fey Teleportation | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Fey Touched | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Fighting Initiate | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Flames of Phlegethos | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Fury of the Frost Giant | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon | Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons |
|
Gift of the Gem Dragon | Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons |
|
Gift of the Metallic Dragon | Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons |
|
Grappler | Player’s Handbook |
|
Great Weapon Master | Player’s Handbook |
|
Guile of the Cloud Giant | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
Gunner | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Healer | Player’s Handbook |
|
Heavily Armored | Player’s Handbook |
|
Heavy Armor Master | Player’s Handbook |
|
Infernal Constitution | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Initiate of High Sorcery | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Inspiring Leader | Player’s Handbook |
|
Keen Mind | Player’s Handbook |
|
Keenness of the Stone Giant | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
Knight of the Crown | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Knight of the Rose | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Knight of the Sword | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Lightly Armored | Player’s Handbook |
|
Linguist | Player’s Handbook |
|
Lucky | Player’s Handbook |
|
Mage Slayer | Player’s Handbook |
|
Magic Initiate | Player’s Handbook |
|
Martial Adept | Player’s Handbook |
|
Medium Armor Master | Player’s Handbook |
|
Metamagic Adept | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Mobile | Player’s Handbook |
|
Moderately Armored | Player’s Handbook |
|
Mounted Combatant | Player’s Handbook |
|
Observant | Player’s Handbook |
|
Orcish Fury | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Outlands Envoy | Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse |
|
Piercer | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Planar Wanderer | Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse |
|
Poisoner | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Polearm Master | Player’s Handbook |
|
Prodigy | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Resilient | Player’s Handbook |
|
Revenant Blade | Eberron: Rising from the Last War |
|
Righteous Heritor | Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse |
|
Ritual Caster | Player’s Handbook |
|
Rune Shaper | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
Savage Attacker | Player’s Handbook |
|
Scion of the Outer Planes | Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse |
|
Second Chance | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Sentinel | Player’s Handbook |
|
Shadow Touched | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Sharpshooter | Player’s Handbook |
|
Shield Master | Player’s Handbook |
|
Skill Expert | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Skilled | Player’s Handbook |
|
Skulker | Player’s Handbook |
|
Slasher | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Soul of the Storm Giant | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
Spell Sniper | Player’s Handbook |
|
Squat Nimbleness | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
Squire of Solamnia | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen |
|
Strike of the Giants | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
Strixhaven Initiate | Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos |
|
Strixhaven Mascot | Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos |
|
Tavern Brawler | Player’s Handbook |
|
Telekinetic | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Telepathic | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
|
Tough | Player’s Handbook |
|
Vigor of the Hill Giant | Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants |
|
War Caster | Player’s Handbook |
|
Weapon Master | Player’s Handbook |
|
Wood Elf Magic | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
|
The best DnD 5e feats
Now we know what feats are, and how to use them, let’s look at some of the best DnD 5e feats that you should have in mind when leveling your character. If you see an opportunity to use one of these feats with your existing build, it’s probably a good idea to pick it.
These are the best DnD feats:
- Great Weapon Master 5e
- War Caster 5e
- Magic Initiate 5e
- Polearm Master 5e
- Actor 5e
- Alert 5e
- Lucky 5e
- Elven Accuracy 5e
Great Weapon Master 5e
Found in | Player’s Handbook |
Requirements | None |
A firm favorite, Great Weapon Master 5e improves the damage-dealing of heavy DnD weapon users. Whenever you land a critical hit or reduce a creature to zero hit points, you can use a bonus action to make another melee attack.
That’s pretty powerful in itself, especially when dealing with swarms of low-level enemy minions. But it’s the feat’s second ability that makes it really shine.
Before you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon type in which you’re proficient, you can take a -5 penalty to hit, for a +10 boon to damage. At higher levels, at which your Strength is huge, and enemies’ DnD armor class remains relatively low, hitting won’t be so much of an issue. The boosted damage will be a godsend, however, letting you cleave through foes with ease.
War Caster 5e
Found in | Player’s Handbook |
Requirements | You can cast at least one spell |
This one’s only for spellcasters, but a staple for any battle mage. Granting advantage on Concentration saving throws, and letting you cast somatic spells when your hands are full, War Caster 5e lets you grab a sword and shield, before leaping into the heart of a fight, for simultaneous melee and arcane damage-dealing.
The boost to concentration 5e checks will let you switch back-and-forth between melee and spellcasting without having to run the risk of a wasted action or rely on weak DnD cantrips that can be cast in a single turn. The last thing you want to happen is to lose your concentration, and War Caster is the best proof against that.
Magic Initiate 5e
Found in | Player’s Handbook |
Requirements | None |
For those times when you’re a little bored of your class, fancy some experimentation, or are jealous of another player’s ability, Magic Initiate 5e lets you steal some of the best spells of other classes. The feat allows you to learn two cantrips and one first-level spell from the Bard, Cleric 5e, Druid 5e, Sorcerer 5e, Warlock 5e, or Wizard 5e spell list. And even these early-level picks are brilliant.
A DnD Paladin could cast Firebolt, or Booming Blade; a DnD Barbarian could use Vicious Mockery 5e; and a DnD Ranger could summon Eldritch Blast 5e. The possibility for non-magic users to add some seriously effective spells to their repertoire is a powerful one. Even spellcasters can benefit from effective low-level spells usually outside of their reach, and Warlocks, especially, will be pleased to have another spell that doesn’t consume their scarce spell slots.
Polearm Master 5e
Found in | Player’s Handbook |
Requirements | None |
If your character will be wielding any long, two-handed, pole-based weapon, Polearm Master 5e is practically a must. You gain a second attack with glaives, halberds, and quarterstaffs, dealing 1d4 base damage. Plus, you’ll get an attack of opportunity against any creature that comes within your reach.
Since these weapons have a long reach area, you’ll be able to sit back, wait for a creature to come within ten feet, and smack them around. Combine it with a focused martial build, with lots of attack modifiers, and that second attack becomes pretty scary.
Actor 5e
Found in | Player’s Handbook |
Requirements | None |
While not possessing the most utility, Actor 5e is undoubtedly one of the more fun-loving feats on offer. Letting you mimic the speech of any person, or the sound of any other creature that your character has heard, it allows for some pretty daring roleplaying escapades. Secretive operations suddenly become a little more feasible when your character has a better chance of talking their way out of the situation, if they’re caught.
Sure, Invisibility 5e might be a more efficient method of infiltration, and blindness a more effective means of ensuring your escape. But with an additional +1 to Cha, and advantage on Deception and Performance checks when trying to pass yourself off as another person, Actor is brilliant for injecting some targeted silliness into the game.
Alert 5e
Found in | Player’s Handbook |
Requirements | None |
The Alert 5e feat is for everyone. Your character can’t be surprised, so sneak attacks that take off half your hit points in a single hit (and have the DM smiling with sadistic glee) are a thing of the past. Plus, enemies’ advantage on hidden attacks is dismissed, so you can willfully wander into any ambush, free in the knowledge that nothing will get the jump on you.
Add in a +5 to every initiative roll, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic starting position in every fight. Alert is one of those feats that’s great for every character, at every level.
Lucky 5e
Found in | Player’s Handbook |
Requirements | None |
Sometimes labelled a ‘broken’ feat because of its sheer effectiveness, Lucky grants you an advantage on three attack rolls, saving throws, or ability checks after every long rest.
Don’t like the critical hit that DnD Displacer Beast has just thrown at you? Reroll the save, and laugh as it fails to hit. Think your charm has more potential? Roll again on that Cha check, and bask in your persuasion.
While you must decide to reroll the die before its outcome is determined, the opportunity to change any attack rolls made against you is extremely powerful, and can prevent your party meeting an unfortunate demise.
Elven Accuracy 5e
Found in | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
Requirements | You are an Elf or a Half-Elf |
A highly specialized feat that, unsurprisingly, is only usable by Elves and Half-Elves, Elven Accuracy 5e is a solid choice for anyone leveling up their character along a particular build specification. Increasing your Dex, Int, Wis, or Cha by +1, and letting you reroll a die whenever you attack with advantage using these ability scores, the feat isn’t flashy, but has massive utility.
If you add the +1 to Dex, and build yourself a sneaky DnD Elf who attacks when unseen, landing a hit will be near-certain every time. Regardless, Elven Accuracy is an obvious substitute for a standard ability score improvement, for every Elven character that has the chance to pick it.
Feats are just one ingredient in the recipe of DnD character creation. We can also help you choose the right DnD background, if you’re still in character creator mode.