We may earn a commission when you buy through links in our articles. Learn more.

The best DnD feats 5e explained

5e feats add variety (and some near-essential features) to Dungeons and Dragons builds - here's all D&D feats explained, plus the top picks.

DnD 5e feats - Wizards of the Coast art of a lunar sorcerer

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:

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing an elf magic user casting a nature spell with green light

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.

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing a magic user summoning a devil through a flaming portal

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing a human character headbutting an armoured guard

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing a Battlemaster Fighter in half plate next to a dead giant

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
  • +1 Constitution
  • Gain a Sorcerer cantrip and first-level spell
Actor Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Charisma
  • Advantage on Deception and Performance rolls when in disguise
  • Can mimic voices or sounds
Adept of the Black Robes Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • Gain a second-level enchantment or necromancy spell
  • Spend Hit Dice  to increase spell damage
Adept of the Red Robes Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • Gain a second-level illusion or transmutation spell
  • Treat attack or ability rolls as a 10 when you roll 9 or lower
Adept of the White Robes Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • Gain a second-level abjuration or divination spell
  • Spend reaction and one spell slot to reduce attack damage
Agent of Order Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • +1 to any ability score
  • Deal 1d8 extra force damage and possibly restrain a target you’re attacking
Alert Player’s Handbook
  • +5 to Initiative rolls
  • Can’t be surprised
  • Hidden attackers don’t have advantage against you
Artificer Initiate Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • Gain one Artificer cantrip and first-level spell
  • Gain proficiency with two artisan’s tools
Athlete Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Strength or Dexterity
  • Standing up when prone only uses five feet of speed
  • Climbing doesn’t cost extra movement
  • Long or high jumps after five feet
Baleful Scion Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • +1 any ability score
  • Deal 1d6 + proficiency bonus necrotic damage on successful attacks
Bountiful Luck Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • Spend reaction to let allies re-roll a 1
Cartomancer The Book of Many Things
  • Gain Prestidigitation cantrip
  • Create cards that can cast one-off spells
Charger Player’s Handbook
  • Can shove as a bonus action after using Dash
  • +5 attack damage bonus and 10ft push if you moved 10 feet before using shove
Chef Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Constitution or Wisdom
  • Proficiency with cook’s utensils
  • Prepare food that grants 1d8 extra healing when rolling Hit Dice
  • Create meals that give temporary hit points
Cohort of Chaos Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • +1 any ability score
  • Roll a d4 on Chaotic Flares table when you roll 1 or 20
Crossbow Expert Player’s Handbook
  • Ignore crossbow loading
  • No disadvantage making ranged attacks within five feet
  • Can use bonus action to attack with crossbow
Crusher Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Constitution or Strength
  • Move enemy five feet after hitting with bludgeoning attack
  • Critical hits with bludgeoning attacks grant advantage on attacks against the target
Defensive Duelist Player’s Handbook
  • Adds proficiency bonus to armor class when hit while holding a finesse weapon
Divinely Favored Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • Gain one Cleric cantrip, Augury, and one first-level spell based on your alignment
  • Holy symbol can be a focus for all spells
Dragon Fear Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Charisma, Constitution, or Strength
  • When not wearing armor, your armor class is 13 + Dexterity modifier
  • Grow claws that deal 1d4 + Strength slashing damage

DnD feats 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of an Artifier firing a pistol

Dragon Hide Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Strength, Constitution, or Charisma
  • Natural AC is 13 + Dex modifier
  • Grow claws that deal 1d4 + Str modifier
Drow High Magic Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • Learn Detect Magic, Levitate, and Dispel Magic
Dual Wielder Player’s Handbook
  • +1 AC bonus when dual-wielding melee weapons
  • Use two-weapon fighting with non-light weapons
  • Draw or stow two weapons at the same time
Dungeon Delver Player’s Handbook
  • Advantage on Perception and Intelligence checks when searching for secret doors
  • Advantage on saving throws against traps
  • Resistance to trap damage
  • No penalty for fast traveling pace
Durable Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Constitution
  • Minimum amount of hit points regained from Hit Dice is always equal to Constitution modifier +2
Dwarven Fortitude Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Constitution
  • Can spend a Hit Dice whenever you Dodge in combat
Eldritch Adept Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • Gain one Warlock Eldritch Invocation
  • Can replace the Invocation whenever you level up
Elemental Adept Player’s Handbook
  • Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage
  • Your spells ignore resistance to that damage type
  • When you deal that damage type, treat a 1 as a 2
  • Can be chosen multiple times
Elven Accuracy Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Can reroll once when you have advantage on an attack using Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
Ember of the Fire Giant Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • +1 Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom
  • Resistance to fire damage
  • Can replace an attack with magical flame that deals 1d8 + proficiency bonus in damage
Fade Away Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Dexterity or Intelligence
  • Spend reaction to become invisible for a turn after taking damage
Fey Teleportation Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Intelligence or Charisma
  • Learn the Sylvan language
  • Learn Misty Step
Fey Touched Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Learn Misty step and one first-level divination or enchantment spell
Fighting Initiate Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • Learn a Fighter’s Fighting Style
  • Can be replaced when you reach an Ability Score Improvement level
Flames of Phlegethos Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Charisma or Intelligence
  • Can reroll a 1 on fire spell damage die
  • Create bright light and a shield that deals 1d4 fire damage
Fury of the Frost Giant Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • +1 Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom
  • Resistance to cold damage
  • After being attacked, spend reaction to deal 1d8 + proficiency bonus cold damage
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
  • Spend bonus action to give weapons extra 1d4 elemental damage
  • Spend reaction to gain resistance to elemental damage
Gift of the Gem Dragon Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
  • +1 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Spend reaction to deal 2d8 force damage and push enemies away after they attack you
Gift of the Metallic Dragon Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
  • Learn Cure Wounds
  • Spend reaction to sprout wings that buff an ally’s armor class
Grappler Player’s Handbook
  • Advantage on attack rolls against a creature you’re grappling
  • Can make a second grapple roll to restrain grappled creature
Great Weapon Master Player’s Handbook
  • After a critical melee hit reduces a creature to zero HP, spend a bonus action on a second attack
  • Can take -5 attack roll penalty to add +10 damage

DnD feats 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of adventurers casting a spell from a book

Guile of the Cloud Giant Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • +1 Strength, Constitution, or Charisma
  • When hit by an attack, spend a reaction to gain resistance to damage and teleport 30ft away
Gunner Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Dexterity
  • Proficiency with firearms
  • Ignore firearms loading property
  • No disadvantage on ranged attacks at five feet
Healer Player’s Handbook
  • Creatures regain one HP when you use a healer’s kit to stabilize them
  • Spend an action and healer’s kit to restore 1d6 + 4 HP, plus HP equal to target’s max Hit Dice number
Heavily Armored Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Strength
  • Proficiency with heavy armor
Heavy Armor Master Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Strength
  • Reduce non-magical damage by 3 when wearing heavy armor
Infernal Constitution Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Constitution
  • Resistance to cold and poison damage
  • Advantage on saving throws against poison
Initiate of High Sorcery Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • Gain a cantrip and first-level wizard spell based on your choice of three moons
Inspiring Leader Player’s Handbook
  • Grant temporary hit points equal to your level and Charisma modifier to up to six allies
Keen Mind Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Intelligence
  • Always know where north is
  • Always know when sunrise/sunset is
  • Recall anything you heard or saw in the past month
Keenness of the Stone Giant Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • +1 Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom
  • Gain 60ft Darkvision
  • Make ranged spell attack with 1d10 force damage as a bonus action
Knight of the Crown Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • +1 Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution
  • Spend bonus action to compel an ally to make a weapon attack as a reaction
Knight of the Rose Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • +1 Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Spend bonus action to give ally 1d8 + your proficiency bonus + ability modifier in temporary hit points
Knight of the Sword Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • +1 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Can frighten a target after dealing damage to them
Lightly Armored Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Strength or Dexterity
  • Proficiency with light armor
Linguist Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Intelligence
  • Learn three extra languages
  • Create written ciphers
Lucky Player’s Handbook
  • Gain three luck points that can be spent to roll an extra d20 on attack, ability, or saving throw rolls
Mage Slayer Player’s Handbook
  • Can spend reaction to make melee weapon attack against a creature casting a spell
  • Creates you damage have disadvantage on concentration saves
  • Advantage on saving throws against spells cast within five feet
Magic Initiate Player’s Handbook
  • Gain two cantrips and a first-level spell from a spell list of your choice
Martial Adept Player’s Handbook
  • Learn two Battle Master maneuvers and gain a superiority die
Medium Armor Master Player’s Handbook
  • No disadvantage on Stealth while wearing medium armor
  • Add 3 to AC if your Dexterity is 16 or above

DnD feats 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of adventurers fighting goblins

Metamagic Adept Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • Learn two Sorcerer Metamagic options and gain two sorcery points
Mobile Player’s Handbook
  • Speed increases by 10ft
  • Difficult terrain doesn’t cost extra movement when you Dash
  • When you attack a target, they don’t get opportunity attacks against you
Moderately Armored Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Strength or Dexterity
  • Proficiency with medium armor and shields
Mounted Combatant Player’s Handbook
  • Advantage on meele attacks against creatures smaller than your mount
  • Force attackers to target your mount
  • Mount performs better on saving throws
Observant Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Intelligence or Wisdom
  • Can read lips
  • +5 to Perception and Investigation
Orcish Fury Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Strength or Constitution
  • Can roll an extra damage die when using simple or martial weapons
  • Spend reaction to make weapon attacks after using Relentless Endurance
Outlands Envoy Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • +1 any ability score
  • Learn Misty Step and Tongues
Piercer Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Dexterity or Strength
  • Can reroll one attack damage die when dealing piercing damage
  • Critical hits that deal piercing damage let you roll an extra damage die
Planar Wanderer Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • Gain resistance to acid, cold, or fire damage on a long rest
  • Use portals without a portal key
  • You always know the direction of the last portal you used
Poisoner Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • Your damage rolls ignore poison resistance
  • Apply poison as a bonus action
  • Gain proficiency with poisoner’s kit
Polearm Master Player’s Handbook
  • Spend ab onus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear
  • Extends reach of opportunity attacks while wielding these weapons
Prodigy Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • Gain one skill, tool, and language proficiency
  • Gain expertise with a skill you’re proficient with
Resilient Player’s Handbook
  • +1 any ability score
  • Gain proficiency in saving throws for that ability
Revenant Blade Eberron: Rising from the Last War
  • +1 Strength or Dexterity
  • +1 armor class bonus when wielding double-bladed scimitar with two hands
  • Double-bladed scimitars have finesse property
Righteous Heritor Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • +1 any ability score
  • Spend a reaction to reduce damage by 1d10 + proficiency bonus
Ritual Caster Player’s Handbook
  • Gain ritual book with two first-level ritual spells inside
  • Can add more spells to the book
Rune Shaper Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • Learn Comprehend Languages
  • Learn runes that you can add to items to allow them to cast temporary spells
Savage Attacker Player’s Handbook
  • Reroll damage for melee weapon attacks
Scion of the Outer Planes Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • Choose a plain and gain a new damage resistance and cantrip based on yoru choice
Second Chance Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma
  • Spend a reaction to force an attacker to reroll

DnD feats 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of a bar brawl

Sentinel Player’s Handbook
  • Creatures hit by your opportunity attack have speed reduced to zero
  • Creatures provoke opportunity attacks even if they Disengage
  • Can spend a reaction to make melee weapon attacks against creatures within five feet attacking someone else
Shadow Touched Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Learn Invisibility and one first-level illusion or necromancy spell
Sharpshooter Player’s Handbook
  • No disadvantage on long ranged weapon attacks
  • Ranged weapon attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover
  • Can choose a -5 ranged attack roll penalty to gain +10 attack damage
Shield Master Player’s Handbook
  • Can spend a bonus action to shove with your shield
  • Add shield’s armor class bonus to saving throws against harmful effects
  • Spend a reaction to take no damage on succeeded saving throw
Skill Expert Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 any ability score
  • Proficiency in one skill
  • Gain expertise in a skill you’re proficient in
Skilled Player’s Handbook
  • Gain proficiency in any three skills or tools
Skulker Player’s Handbook
  • Can hide when lightly obscured
  • A missed attack doesn’t reveal your position when hiding
  • No disadvantage on Perception checks in dim light
Slasher Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Strength or Dexterity
  • Reduce target’s speed by 10ft after a successful slashing damage attack
  • Critical hits that deal slashing damage give the target disadvantage on attack rolls
Soul of the Storm Giant Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • +1 Strength, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Spend a bonus action to create a magical storm that grants damage resistance and reduces enemies’ speed
Spell Sniper Player’s Handbook
  • Spells that require attack rolls have their range doubled
  • Ranged spell attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover
  • Learn a cantrip that requires an attack roll
Squat Nimbleness Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • +1 Strength or Dexterity
  • +5ft walking speed
  • Proficiency in Acrobatics or Athletics
  • Advantage on Athletics or Acrobatics when being grappled
Squire of Solamnia Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • Mounting / dismounting costs five feet of movement
  • Can give weapon attacks advantage and 1d8 bonus damage
Strike of the Giants Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • Choose one benefit to buff weapon attacks from a list of options
Strixhaven Initiate Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
  • Choose a Strixhaven college and learn two cantrips and a first-level spell based on your choice.
Strixhaven Mascot Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
  • Learn to cast Find Familiar as a ritual
  • Can forgo attacks and have a familiar attack instead
  • Can teleport to swap places with a familiar
Tavern Brawler Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Strength or Constitution
  • Proficient with improvised weapons
  • Unarmed strikes do 1d4 damage
  • Can grapple as a bonus action after hitting with an unarmed strike or improvised weapon
Telekinetic Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Learn Mage Hand
  • Can telekinetically shove a creature within 30ft as a bonus action
Telepathic Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • +1 Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
  • Speak telepathically with any creature within 60ft
  • Learn Detect Thoughts
Tough Player’s Handbook
  • Add +2 per character level to your HP maximum, and add 2 more at each level up
Vigor of the Hill Giant Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • +1 Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom
  • Can spend a reaction to avoid forced movement or prone condition
  • Regain extra hit points when eating food or spending a Hit Dice (equal to Constitution modifier + proficiency bonus)
War Caster Player’s Handbook
  • Advantage on concentration saves
  • Can perform a spell’s somatic components while wielding weapons or shields in both hands
  • Can cast a spell as a reaction when opportunity attack triggers
Weapon Master Player’s Handbook
  • +1 Strength or Dexterity
  • Gain proficiency with four weapons (simple or martial)
Wood Elf Magic Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • Learn one Druid cantrip, Longstrider, and Pass Without Trace

DnD feats 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of a Tiefling

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:

DnD feats 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of an armored Fighter

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing a bearded human magic user casting a huge fire spell to kill an elf

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. 

 DnD feats 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of a Wizard casting a spell

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing an armoured Dragonborn character with a bladed spear

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing a hooded figure speaking, and a halfling bard playing a magic flute, while sitting on a unicorn

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing a hooded rogue, making off after stealing something from a plinth

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing a human character opening a treasure chest in some underwater ruins

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. 

The best DnD 5E feats - Wizards of the Coast artwork showing an elven ranger with an arrow nocked in their bow, but not drawn or aiming

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.