Level Up (A5E) Knacks; reorganizing them and make most knacks available to several classes, few to all classes.

[Faolyn]

While I like what you did, in some cases, giving the same knack blurs the classes or provides unnecessary abilities to one of the classes. For instance, you gave Grub Hunter to both rangers (where it originated) and to druids. While it kind of makes sense druids would get it, Grub Hunter is literally a slimy-yet-satisfying rewrite of goodberry--which druids already get. Likewise, druids can already case healing spells, so they don't need to get ranger-only Healing Salves. Since rangers are no nonmagical, it makes sense that they could get these not-quite-magical abilities now.

 

[Horwath]

By taking them out of the classes and making them more generic you're stripping away something that helps define the class and also making it a bit more complex for a new player to create a character since they'll have to flip through the book for their backgrounds, feats, spells, and knacks.

By keeping it in the class itself, rather than a separate bucket, you make them feel like an aspect of the class, like a Warlock Invocation, rather than a generic trick anyone can do.

I see your point, but some knacks clearly belong to multiple similar classes and some knacks are fitted for one class only, and there is one or two for each class.

I can hardly see extra skill training or expertise as a single class exclusive.
But "Devil sight" can and is warlock exclusive.

 

[Steampunkette]

I see your point, but some knacks clearly belong to multiple similar classes and some knacks are fitted for one class only, and there is one or two for each class.

I can hardly see extra skill training or expertise as a single class exclusive.
But "Devil sight" can and is warlock exclusive.

I feel like that has to do with creating a specific class fantasy.

Expertise is something Rogues do because they're focused on a wide array of skill use, while the Herald's only Expertise options are in Investigation and Athletics or Acrobatics. Investigation through literal minor miracles, while Athletics and Acrobatics is to explicitly set an example for others.

A Herald gaining Expertise or Skill Proficiency in Sleight of Hand doesn't reinforce their class fantasy at all, y'know?

 

[RangerWickett]

I'm personally in favor of making knacks class agnostic, and then just including a list of suggested knacks in each class. I see the value of classes for new players, but I much prefer opening up choices to allow for novel characters.

 

[Morrus]

Knacks are just class features. They’re no more special than other class features, other than that they’re new class features designed with the exploration pillar in mind. Generally if you want another class’s class features you need to multiclass into that class. I mean, I get it. Why can’t a fighter learn how to sneak attack? It makes sense - it’s just a way of stabbing somebody. But while a version of D&D where any class could take any class features is an intriguing idea, it’s a very different game to this one.

That said, house rule away! What you do at your game is entirely up to you!

 

[Horwath]

Knacks are just class features. They’re no more special than other class features, other than that they’re new class features designed with the exploration pillar in mind. Generally if you want another class’s class features you need to multiclass into that class. I mean, I get it. Why can’t a fighter learn how to sneak attack? It makes sense - it’s just a way of stabbing somebody. But while a version of D&D where any class could take any class features is an intriguing idea, it’s a very different game to this one.

That said, house rule away! What you do at your game is entirely up to you!

I do not mean to have this go to a class-less ability buy game direction.

But to me, knacks look more like exploration "mini-feats" than core class features, and as feats go; some work better for some classes or character concepts and some are more broad in usage

 

[Morrus]

But to me, knacks look more like exploration "mini-feats" than core class features, and as feats go; some work better for some classes or character concepts and some are more broad in usage

Like I said, houserule away! You’re welcome to play the game anyway you wish. I’m not going to try to tell you what to do.

 

[Stalker0]

But to me, knacks look more like exploration "mini-feats" than core class features, and as feats go; some work better for some classes or character concepts and some are more broad in usage

The issue right now with your concept, is that the knacks are not balanced at all across classes. For some classes, a knack is like a cool little gimmick. For other classes, its a legitimate core part of their class power. They aren't like feats that are designed around a rough single standard of power.

 

[Horwath]

The issue right now with your concept, is that the knacks are not balanced at all across classes. For some classes, a knack is like a cool little gimmick. For other classes, its a legitimate core part of their class power. They aren't like feats that are designed around a rough single standard of power.

That is partially true. But I did not want to change knacks right now.

This take is not meant to tackle with 100% balance, but to try to make most(not all) knacks available to few classes and some to all. And still keep few knacks for each class exclusive.

Now, work awaits for homebrew to try to balance knacks out and trim them out a little. reducing the number by some 20% as there is some overlap in multiple knacks....

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Are Knacks from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything? Only got my copy a few days ago and havent had a chance to crack it open yet.

No, they are unique to LevelUp