Judging by the Player Handbook feat, Mobile, that grants a +10 feet speed as part of a feat, the +5 feet speed increase of the Dhampir seems to be viewed as less than a half-feat. Perhaps the +5 speed is about 3 proficiencies.
I'm not sure what the "x proficiencies" thing you are talking of is. I'm gonna put that to one side for now.
If +5ft is "less than a half feat", it's only just less than. Add the bite and you are definitely looking at more than a half feat. (I'm assuming you'd just make the feat +5 movement instead of "speed=35", otherwise it becomes even more powerful for a Dwarf/Halfling etc).
Regarding Spider Climb, it is less powerful than fly at will. Is the Aaracocra too powerful?
Aracocra is a race/species/lineage, not a feat. You can't tack Aracocra onto a random character, you have to choose it at the start.
Having super-mega-spider-climb (or flight) for part of a lineage, a one-off choice at character creation, is very different to being able to tack it onto a random character as a feat, stacked with all the other race/lineage bonuses from your initial choice and any other feats you want.
A feat is two half-feats, each about four proficiencies.
From more powerful to less, the Dhampir feat has the following features (not including Darkvision that is given separately as a choice between darkvision or skill).
Personally, I think giving all of that as a feat is OP. Increased speed, climbing speed and vampiric bite are reasonably strong by themselves, worth more than a half feat. The extra Undead type, I haven't researched fully. It could be an advantage or a disadvantage.
However, adding a more powerful version of a 2nd level spell on demand is really powerful, and this will be available as soon as you take the feat unless you are a custom lineage or variant human. Note: It doesn't say you can cast Spider Climb. It doesn't say you need to maintain concentration, have free hands or components or anything else, you can just do the equivalent of spider climb at will. That's strong! It would, IMHO, instantly become one of the strongest feats in the game. While I don't think it would be game breaking, I think it could be close.
Judging by the Player Handbook feat, Mobile, that grants a +10 feet speed as part of a feat, the +5 feet speed increase of the Dhampir seems to be viewed as less than a half-feat. Perhaps the +5 speed is about 3 proficiencies.
Yes, but they didnt just say the speed was half a feat, it was the speed + the bite attack was half a feat. And i agree that having an always on improved version of a 2nd level spell effect would push this over the top as a single feat (any ranged character would be able to run up a cliffside/wall/ect to avoid attacks while having their hands open to shoot a bow or cast a spell, arguably they can grapple and pull someone up the wall to drop them as a free action ect)
A whole feat is worth 3 skills according to the PHB.
Feat
Skilled: You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.
After years of the game being out in the wild, the designers reassessed the worth of a skill. So that for example, the Xanathars prodigy feat is expertise plus three proficiencies. Expertise itself is worth about 5 proficiencies.
A whole feat is worth 3 skills according to the PHB.
Feat
Skilled: You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.
After years of the game being out in the wild, the designers reassessed the worth of a skill. So that for example, the Xanathars prodigy feat is expertise plus three proficiencies. Expertise itself is worth about 5 proficiencies.
This Feat is limited by the extremely small number of Races that can take it. It doesn't change anything.
A whole feat is worth 3 skills according to the PHB.
Feat
Skilled: You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.
After years of the game being out in the wild, the designers reassessed the worth of a skill. So that for example, the Xanathars prodigy feat is expertise plus three proficiencies. Expertise itself is worth about 5 proficiencies.
This Feat is limited by the extremely small number of Races that can take it.
The mechanic is the mechanic. It is worth what it is worth.
If there is a mechanic that can detonate a nuclear megaton bomb, it doesnt matter how few races get it, it does what it does.
A whole feat is worth 3 skills according to the PHB.
Feat
Skilled: You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.
After years of the game being out in the wild, the designers reassessed the worth of a skill. So that for example, the Xanathars prodigy feat is expertise plus three proficiencies. Expertise itself is worth about 5 proficiencies.
This Feat is limited by the extremely small number of Races that can take it.
The mechanic is the mechanic. It is worth what it is worth.
If there is a mechanic that can detonate a nuclear megaton bomb, it doesnt matter how few races get it, it does what it does.
Sigh
The value that YOU assign to Feat, Skills and the like only have value to YOU.
It is clear in the the posts above that a good number of people think that a Feat that gives +5 movement, a bite attack that does WAY more than just damage, and always on 2nd level spell is too much for 1 Feat.
A whole feat is worth 3 skills according to the PHB.
Feat
Skilled: You gain proficiency in any combination of three skills or tools of your choice.
After years of the game being out in the wild, the designers reassessed the worth of a skill. So that for example, the Xanathars prodigy feat is expertise plus three proficiencies. Expertise itself is worth about 5 proficiencies.
This Feat is limited by the extremely small number of Races that can take it.
The mechanic is the mechanic. It is worth what it is worth.
If there is a mechanic that can detonate a nuclear megaton bomb, it doesnt matter how few races get it, it does what it does.
Sigh
The value that YOU assign to Feat, Skills and the like only have value to YOU.
It is clear in the the posts above that a good number of people think that a Feat that gives +5 movement, a bite attack that does WAY more than just damage, and always on 2nd level spell is too much for 1 Feat.
The Vampiric Bite is situational. Also it requires making a substandard-damage attack during a combat encounter − which is a serious opportunity cost when focus firing is everything. It compares something like casting a slot-1 Cure Wounds spell, but half of it healing while wasting half to inflict damage, yet only working if on a hit. And the healing can only target self, reducing its value to the team.
Making them templates is basically telling players to use them, whether they fit their actual character or not, or automatically be less powerful that people who do use them.
To me, the solution to this is to add downsides. If you are undead, you shouldn't be able to just get all of the benefits of being undead with none of the drawbacks. Racial penalties are frowned upon now, but templates could have them. You're vulnerable to radiant. Sunlight sensitivity. Affected by friendly spells that target undead. Reviled by townsfolk. The net gain should be a wash.
You are no longer a Dragonborn, Dragonborn are firmly planted in the world of the living. You are now something different. For Dhampir you're now part living, part dead, which means you are no longer Dragonborn, and some of those features which require life, no longer apply to you. As a half-dead creature you are no longer connected to the magics that feed dragons and dragonborns their breath weapons and more. Same for Hexblood, part of you has been overwritten with fey. same with Returned, you are now more construct or undead than life.
Remember these are not curses or conditions, they are complete and total changes. It's not your Helf-elf catching a Dhampir disease, it's your half-elf basically ceasing to exist and becoming a new thing entirely, with the memories of that old thing. Think of it like taking someone as a template but re-writing their DNA to make them something new. Think of it like Draconians from Dragonlance. They are not men, nor dragons, they are something new, a mix, in-between. They do not get to keep the features they would have had had they grown up as just a dragon.
This is not what people want though. They want to be an undead dragonborn, not a generic undead blob that is indistinguishable from an undead centaur or halfling. This might work if it was there from the beginning, but existing races contain a lot more identity than your lineage. I expect they will get a lot of this in their feedback.
The Vampiric Bite is situational. Also it requires making a substandard-damage attack during a combat encounter − which is a serious opportunity cost when focus firing is everything. It compares something like casting a slot-1 Cure Wounds spell, but half of it healing while wasting half to inflict damage, yet only working if on a hit. And the healing can only target self, reducing its value to the team.
It seems the weaker side of a half-feat.
Looked at from the other side, it is like an improved Unarmed Strike (similar to a weakened Unarmed Fighting Style from Fighting Initiate) with advantage if you are below half health and a limited use healing/buff bolted on top. That's potentially be worth a half feat by itself. Being able to grapple 2 creatures and still inflict d4 damage, often with advantage, is a reasonably powerful effect.
The real measure used by the Devs to decide if a Feat is balanced is to put it in a UA and ask the player base. If a significant number of players say it is too powerful or too weak they either adjust it or toss it. There is no mathematical formula for determining the value of a Feat.
That being said, Dhamphir is too powerful to be a Feat.
Since people will not let go of the idea of these Gothic lineages being templates they can bolt onto their existing half-aasimar half-tiefling Raven Queen-blessed aarakocra ninja tortle dragonblood sorlockadin characters to get a bunch of free extra superpowers without any drawbacks or narrative impact whatsoever whilst completely disregarding the entire point of these non-species lineage options (yes, this is me disapproving of your decision, deal with it)...what about this?
Make each of these non-species lineages a single-level class. Your "template" takes up one entire class level, and you can never take another 'Template' class again. You pay for your explicitly supernatural crazyballs superpowers with class levels, similar to the old "level adjustment" scheme but in oversimplified 5e language, instead.
To me, the solution to this is to add downsides. If you are undead, you shouldn't be able to just get all of the benefits of being undead with none of the drawbacks.
You do get the downsides, or at least some of them. Turn Undead, for instance, would affect you, and any other spell of effect which only affects undead.
The Vampiric Bite is situational. Also it requires making a substandard-damage attack during a combat encounter − which is a serious opportunity cost when focus firing is everything. It compares something like casting a slot-1 Cure Wounds spell, but half of it healing while wasting half to inflict damage, yet only working if on a hit. And the healing can only target self, reducing its value to the team.
It seems the weaker side of a half-feat.
Looked at from the other side, it is like an improved Unarmed Strike (similar to a weakened Unarmed Fighting Style from Fighting Initiate) with advantage if you are below half health and a limited use healing/buff bolted on top. That's potentially be worth a half feat by itself. Being able to grapple 2 creatures and still inflict d4 damage, often with advantage, is a reasonably powerful effect.
A weapon attack or an improved unarmed attack values at one proficiency.
I think of the Vampiric Bite to be more similar to a slot-1 spell per long rest (where multiple times with a chance of failure are somewhat of a wash). Thus it would be say 1.5 proficiencies, except the Bite feels a bit more substantial. It would be more, but its situationality and opportunity cost mitigate it.
I assess the Vampiric Bite to be about 3 proficiencies. In other words, it is less than a half-feat.
Since people will not let go of the idea of these Gothic lineages being templates they can bolt onto their existing half-aasimar half-tiefling Raven Queen-blessed aarakocra ninja tortle dragonblood sorlockadin characters to get a bunch of free extra superpowers without any drawbacks or narrative impact whatsoever whilst completely disregarding the entire point of these non-species lineage options (yes, this is me disapproving of your decision, deal with it)...what about this?
Make each of these non-species lineages a single-level class. Your "template" takes up one entire class level, and you can never take another 'Template' class again. You pay for your explicitly supernatural crazyballs superpowers with class levels, similar to the old "level adjustment" scheme but in oversimplified 5e language, instead.
I think using it as a Template that counts as a Class Level is a good option. Mind you I'm also ok with it just being a Template that can be added on by the DM like a boon.
I just don't think it should be something that the Player gets to pick for "A Bunch of Free Extra Super Powers (tm)"
Since people will not let go of the idea of these Gothic lineages being templates they can bolt onto their existing half-aasimar half-tiefling Raven Queen-blessed aarakocra ninja tortle dragonblood sorlockadin characters to get a bunch of free extra superpowers without any drawbacks or narrative impact whatsoever whilst completely disregarding the entire point of these non-species lineage options (yes, this is me disapproving of your decision, deal with it)...what about this?
Make each of these non-species lineages a single-level class. Your "template" takes up one entire class level, and you can never take another 'Template' class again. You pay for your explicitly supernatural crazyballs superpowers with class levels, similar to the old "level adjustment" scheme but in oversimplified 5e language, instead.
I like using the class design space for certain lineage concepts, but only if the concept itself is extremely powerful, seems impossible to balance for level 1, and looks like it needs about 5, 10, or 20 levels worth of mechanical features.
I think a full-on vampire requires many levels to fully explore the many capabilities that vampiric lore mentions. Likewise, there are such different kinds of tropes about vampires, that it even works better as a class with different archetypes to choose from.
But for something simpler, like a werewolf, that is mainly an alternate form plus a bite attack, it works well as a feat.
To me, the solution to this is to add downsides. If you are undead, you shouldn't be able to just get all of the benefits of being undead with none of the drawbacks.
You do get the downsides, or at least some of them. Turn Undead, for instance, would affect you, and any other spell of effect which only affects undead.
What would you say? Would a Magic Circle spell prevent a Dhampir from entering.
I think that would be mildly humorous.
Honestly, I find this kind of thing to be flavorful and fun.
Obviously, the designers originally forced all player characters to only be the humanoid creature type, so as to avoid these kinds of shenanigans. But I feel that if a player is choosing to add a non-humanoid creature type, it is awesome flavor. I am delighted the UA is making it possible to be fey, undead, construct, and inferably other creature types as well.
I'm not sure what the "x proficiencies" thing you are talking of is. I'm gonna put that to one side for now.
If +5ft is "less than a half feat", it's only just less than. Add the bite and you are definitely looking at more than a half feat. (I'm assuming you'd just make the feat +5 movement instead of "speed=35", otherwise it becomes even more powerful for a Dwarf/Halfling etc).
Aracocra is a race/species/lineage, not a feat. You can't tack Aracocra onto a random character, you have to choose it at the start.
Having super-mega-spider-climb (or flight) for part of a lineage, a one-off choice at character creation, is very different to being able to tack it onto a random character as a feat, stacked with all the other race/lineage bonuses from your initial choice and any other feats you want.
A feat is two half-feats, each about four proficiencies.
From more powerful to less, the Dhampir feat has the following features (not including Darkvision that is given separately as a choice between darkvision or skill).
• Spider Climb (4 maybe 5 proficiencies)
• Extra Speed (3 proficiencies)
• Vampiric Bite (3 proficiencies)
• Undead (0 proficiencies)
Where the average feat is about 8 proficiencies, this one is bursting at the seems at about 10.
I dont might slightly overpowered because I feel every lineage needs some "oomph".
But if 12, it would mean as if an extra half-feat on top of the feat.
he / him
Aaracocra is a lineage whose flight trait is a mechanic that can compare to feat mechanics.
Compare Eladrin is a lineage whose teleportation trait is a mechanic that can compare to the Fey Teleportation feat.
he / him
A whole feat is worth 3 skills according to the PHB.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
After years of the game being out in the wild, the designers reassessed the worth of a skill. So that for example, the Xanathars prodigy feat is expertise plus three proficiencies. Expertise itself is worth about 5 proficiencies.
he / him
This Feat is limited by the extremely small number of Races that can take it. It doesn't change anything.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
The mechanic is the mechanic. It is worth what it is worth.
If there is a mechanic that can detonate a nuclear megaton bomb, it doesnt matter how few races get it, it does what it does.
he / him
Sigh
The value that YOU assign to Feat, Skills and the like only have value to YOU.
It is clear in the the posts above that a good number of people think that a Feat that gives +5 movement, a bite attack that does WAY more than just damage, and always on 2nd level spell is too much for 1 Feat.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
The Vampiric Bite is situational. Also it requires making a substandard-damage attack during a combat encounter − which is a serious opportunity cost when focus firing is everything. It compares something like casting a slot-1 Cure Wounds spell, but half of it healing while wasting half to inflict damage, yet only working if on a hit. And the healing can only target self, reducing its value to the team.
It seems the weaker side of a half-feat.
he / him
To me, the solution to this is to add downsides. If you are undead, you shouldn't be able to just get all of the benefits of being undead with none of the drawbacks. Racial penalties are frowned upon now, but templates could have them. You're vulnerable to radiant. Sunlight sensitivity. Affected by friendly spells that target undead. Reviled by townsfolk. The net gain should be a wash.
This is not what people want though. They want to be an undead dragonborn, not a generic undead blob that is indistinguishable from an undead centaur or halfling. This might work if it was there from the beginning, but existing races contain a lot more identity than your lineage. I expect they will get a lot of this in their feedback.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Looked at from the other side, it is like an improved Unarmed Strike (similar to a weakened Unarmed Fighting Style from Fighting Initiate) with advantage if you are below half health and a limited use healing/buff bolted on top. That's potentially be worth a half feat by itself. Being able to grapple 2 creatures and still inflict d4 damage, often with advantage, is a reasonably powerful effect.
The real measure used by the Devs to decide if a Feat is balanced is to put it in a UA and ask the player base. If a significant number of players say it is too powerful or too weak they either adjust it or toss it. There is no mathematical formula for determining the value of a Feat.
That being said, Dhamphir is too powerful to be a Feat.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
So.
Since people will not let go of the idea of these Gothic lineages being templates they can bolt onto their existing half-aasimar half-tiefling Raven Queen-blessed aarakocra ninja tortle dragonblood sorlockadin characters to get a bunch of free extra superpowers without any drawbacks or narrative impact whatsoever whilst completely disregarding the entire point of these non-species lineage options (yes, this is me disapproving of your decision, deal with it)...what about this?
Make each of these non-species lineages a single-level class. Your "template" takes up one entire class level, and you can never take another 'Template' class again. You pay for your explicitly supernatural crazyballs superpowers with class levels, similar to the old "level adjustment" scheme but in oversimplified 5e language, instead.
Please do not contact or message me.
You do get the downsides, or at least some of them. Turn Undead, for instance, would affect you, and any other spell of effect which only affects undead.
A weapon attack or an improved unarmed attack values at one proficiency.
I think of the Vampiric Bite to be more similar to a slot-1 spell per long rest (where multiple times with a chance of failure are somewhat of a wash). Thus it would be say 1.5 proficiencies, except the Bite feels a bit more substantial. It would be more, but its situationality and opportunity cost mitigate it.
I assess the Vampiric Bite to be about 3 proficiencies. In other words, it is less than a half-feat.
he / him
I think using it as a Template that counts as a Class Level is a good option. Mind you I'm also ok with it just being a Template that can be added on by the DM like a boon.
I just don't think it should be something that the Player gets to pick for "A Bunch of Free Extra Super Powers (tm)"
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
I like using the class design space for certain lineage concepts, but only if the concept itself is extremely powerful, seems impossible to balance for level 1, and looks like it needs about 5, 10, or 20 levels worth of mechanical features.
I think a full-on vampire requires many levels to fully explore the many capabilities that vampiric lore mentions. Likewise, there are such different kinds of tropes about vampires, that it even works better as a class with different archetypes to choose from.
But for something simpler, like a werewolf, that is mainly an alternate form plus a bite attack, it works well as a feat.
The Dhampir as presented, looks closer to a feat.
he / him
What would you say? Would a Magic Circle spell prevent a Dhampir from entering.
I think that would be mildly humorous.
Honestly, I find this kind of thing to be flavorful and fun.
Obviously, the designers originally forced all player characters to only be the humanoid creature type, so as to avoid these kinds of shenanigans. But I feel that if a player is choosing to add a non-humanoid creature type, it is awesome flavor. I am delighted the UA is making it possible to be fey, undead, construct, and inferably other creature types as well.
he / him
"I assess the Vampiric Bite to be about 3 proficiencies. In other words, it is less than a half-feat."
You can assess it as whatever quantity of whatever unit you'd like. I assess it to be 381 milli-pineapples, or just over half a pie.
Keep in mind there are official feats, including in Tashas, that the Vampiric Bite and the slot-1 spell can compare to.
he / him