I'd probably strike a balance, and indicate through phrasing if something is worth writing down or explicitly say that something is "of note" or "noteworthy" in a "normal" fantasy setting. If it's more of a mystery game with clues and misinformation then I'd want them to take copious notes to figure out the mystery. If it's a classic dungeon crawl with little relation to travel I'd probably add the compass though it might not matter. In the normal setting, if I told them something was noteworthy and they didn't write it down or remember then they just won't remember, and I'm not going to let them roll for it. I'd keep my history checks for backstory and history. For travel underground, I'd probably do a Wisdom check to see if they could remember roughly what direction they've been going underground instead of putting a compass on the map, because getting lost and finding adventure are fairly core parts of the game especially in a fantasy setting where directions were described by landmarks.
The first two parts are really aimed at operating in the underdark - no sun or stars to reference direction or time so how do you know your not just doing a drunkards walk or when wands etc will recharge. If you need to up the ability a bit you might allow the first to not only know N but to be able to reLiably generate a mental map of where you’ve been and to match a it too a written map and know if walls are illusory or not. (read Heinlein’s Glory Road for an example of this ability).
Added reasonably accurate distance measurement if you have walked or can see the space to knowing the compass direction. Aimed at snipers shooting from near (or is that past?) maximum range, backtracking your route when blindfolded, accurately knowing how far you have marched since breakfast, and so on.
Added being able to recount the last hour on a minute-minute basis, and to accurately track time down to the minute for one hour, to knowing how long since the last sunrise/set. Useful for Sherlock Holmes style crime scene recreations that you were coincidentally already on the scene for, and a "synchronize watches" effect if multiple people in the party have it.
The answer would be yes and no. Spell preparation requires you to study and memorize the spells, incantations and components you need to cast it. The word study means to read and memorize so its just another word that means the same thing, its not 2 different things. How i would rule this, is that any spell that you dont need physical components for, you can use now so long as you remember to read them within 30 more days. And the most spells you can prepare that require components would be based of your prepare limit. Because even if youve memorized the spell, you can only hold so many components. This can be solved with a component pouch. If you got a component pouch with the keen mind feat, your a wizard lord basically.
You have a mind that can track time, direction, and detail with uncanny precision. You gain the following benefits.
Increase your Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
You always know which way is north.
You always know the number of hours left before the next sunrise or sunset.
You can accurately recall anything you have seen or heard within the past month.
Anybody know of a good rework? I've gone looking, and haven't found much.
I never liked the flavour of this feat. Half of it seems to be intelligence based, the other half survival / navigation?
So to answer your question yes I know of a good rework, in my games I split it up into two feats ( "Keen Mind" and "Navigator"), one that focuses on being highly intelligent, the other focuses on the survival and navigation skills. They are published homebrew on D&D beyond:
Keen mind is either the wizard equivalent of sharp shooter and great weapon master, or total garbage. I mean either it completely replaces a wizards spell book, allows perfect illusions and likely can be argued for advantage on any int based skill check and the very easy stealing or bartering of spells from other wizards. Should massively make picking up languages easier. Or it doesn’t and frankly I have never been in a game where exact time mattered and a compass can determine north.
In my game, I would let a wizard with Keen Mind replace a lost spellbook from memory. It would be a kind of a Schindler's List moment. It would add great drama to the game and the wizard in question would have a memorable evening. After all, a wizard would most likely never loose his or hers spellbook. So the reward for choosing Keen Mind would be this one dramatic moment. It's too good for a DM to pass.
Not that it matters for DDB internal corporate policy, but I'll point out both that the information presented was already present on the DDB site (since that's the number one use most of us have for this site, as a rules repository) and that even if it weren't, it would be extremely legal to present said information. DDB is just being capricious for the sake of being capricious.
I think orientation rarely plays a huge factor in D&D, except in scenarios involving navigation or travel at seas or in uncharted lands where becoming lost is a wanted possibility.
Your right plague, in many/most it doesn’t matter but technically it should. I know it matters in my campaign but then I’m a ranger fan and it needs to matter for rangers.
Your right plague, in many/most it doesn’t matter but technically it should. I know it matters in my campaign but then I’m a ranger fan and it needs to matter for rangers.
It should only matter when DM want. If it want the party to possibly get lost it can rely on some checks for orientation to do so (and applicable feature if any) otherwise they just reach their destination without difficulty, especially if travelling with the help of roads, waterways, landmakrs or maps.
Yes is up to the DM to make it useful in how they run the game. I guess what I was really trying to point out is that a ranger is just a different fighter if the DM is not running the game so that the ranger can use all their abilities. Same thing for Keen mind - if the Dm is just ignoring orientation and chances to get lost then keen mind is pretty ineffectual, if they are using it then its not, especially in the underdark.
This is an underrated feat people take for granted. It may be a half feat but for a whole month your DM is your notebook. Anything you rolled Investigation or Perception on you recall with accuracy from the feat. A dying soldier tells you the path how to get out of a collapsing dungeon or you need to infiltrate a prison in hell and you only heard the path once but you'll remember even after lots of combat. It won't be a game breaker but it'll come in handy if you have a tricky DM.
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I'd probably strike a balance, and indicate through phrasing if something is worth writing down or explicitly say that something is "of note" or "noteworthy" in a "normal" fantasy setting. If it's more of a mystery game with clues and misinformation then I'd want them to take copious notes to figure out the mystery. If it's a classic dungeon crawl with little relation to travel I'd probably add the compass though it might not matter. In the normal setting, if I told them something was noteworthy and they didn't write it down or remember then they just won't remember, and I'm not going to let them roll for it. I'd keep my history checks for backstory and history. For travel underground, I'd probably do a Wisdom check to see if they could remember roughly what direction they've been going underground instead of putting a compass on the map, because getting lost and finding adventure are fairly core parts of the game especially in a fantasy setting where directions were described by landmarks.
I like keen mind, not that I'd ever take it. It just makes me comfortable knowing it's there.
I particularly like the ability that:
. and think that it would be great if keen mind gave more thinking and reasoning related advantages.
I'm non-plussed about the abilities that:
This isn't pigeon touched or some survival-based feat and don't see a central relevance for these abilities.
The first two parts are really aimed at operating in the underdark - no sun or stars to reference direction or time so how do you know your not just doing a drunkards walk or when wands etc will recharge. If you need to up the ability a bit you might allow the first to not only know N but to be able to reLiably generate a mental map of where you’ve been and to match a it too a written map and know if walls are illusory or not. (read Heinlein’s Glory Road for an example of this ability).
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
+1 to Intelligence or Wisdom.
Added reasonably accurate distance measurement if you have walked or can see the space to knowing the compass direction. Aimed at snipers shooting from near (or is that past?) maximum range, backtracking your route when blindfolded, accurately knowing how far you have marched since breakfast, and so on.
Added being able to recount the last hour on a minute-minute basis, and to accurately track time down to the minute for one hour, to knowing how long since the last sunrise/set. Useful for Sherlock Holmes style crime scene recreations that you were coincidentally already on the scene for, and a "synchronize watches" effect if multiple people in the party have it.
The answer would be yes and no. Spell preparation requires you to study and memorize the spells, incantations and components you need to cast it. The word study means to read and memorize so its just another word that means the same thing, its not 2 different things. How i would rule this, is that any spell that you dont need physical components for, you can use now so long as you remember to read them within 30 more days. And the most spells you can prepare that require components would be based of your prepare limit. Because even if youve memorized the spell, you can only hold so many components. This can be solved with a component pouch. If you got a component pouch with the keen mind feat, your a wizard lord basically.
I have a lousy memory for stuff done in a campaign... being able to rely on the DM for stuff is awesome :D
I never liked the flavour of this feat. Half of it seems to be intelligence based, the other half survival / navigation?
So to answer your question yes I know of a good rework, in my games I split it up into two feats ( "Keen Mind" and "Navigator"), one that focuses on being highly intelligent, the other focuses on the survival and navigation skills. They are published homebrew on D&D beyond:
Keen Mind (Better version)
https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/222329-keen-mind-better-version
You have a mind gifted with an excellent memory and capacity for knowledge. You gain the following benefits.
Navigator
https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/222334-navigator
You have a mind that can track time, direction, and terrain detail with uncanny precision. You gain the following benefits.
Keen mind is either the wizard equivalent of sharp shooter and great weapon master, or total garbage. I mean either it completely replaces a wizards spell book, allows perfect illusions and likely can be argued for advantage on any int based skill check and the very easy stealing or bartering of spells from other wizards. Should massively make picking up languages easier. Or it doesn’t and frankly I have never been in a game where exact time mattered and a compass can determine north.
In my game, I would let a wizard with Keen Mind replace a lost spellbook from memory. It would be a kind of a Schindler's List moment. It would add great drama to the game and the wizard in question would have a memorable evening. After all, a wizard would most likely never loose his or hers spellbook. So the reward for choosing Keen Mind would be this one dramatic moment. It's too good for a DM to pass.
Keen Mind + Illusion spells is super OP.
I got quotes!
Not that it matters for DDB internal corporate policy, but I'll point out both that the information presented was already present on the DDB site (since that's the number one use most of us have for this site, as a rules repository) and that even if it weren't, it would be extremely legal to present said information. DDB is just being capricious for the sake of being capricious.
You're playing with really lenient DMs if "always knows which way is north" is lackluster.
I think orientation rarely plays a huge factor in D&D, except in scenarios involving navigation or travel at seas or in uncharted lands where becoming lost is a wanted possibility.
Your right plague, in many/most it doesn’t matter but technically it should. I know it matters in my campaign but then I’m a ranger fan and it needs to matter for rangers.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
The "is it useful?" question is going to be subjective, and it's hard to discuss that in a rules forum context.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
It should only matter when DM want. If it want the party to possibly get lost it can rely on some checks for orientation to do so (and applicable feature if any) otherwise they just reach their destination without difficulty, especially if travelling with the help of roads, waterways, landmakrs or maps.
Yes is up to the DM to make it useful in how they run the game. I guess what I was really trying to point out is that a ranger is just a different fighter if the DM is not running the game so that the ranger can use all their abilities. Same thing for Keen mind - if the Dm is just ignoring orientation and chances to get lost then keen mind is pretty ineffectual, if they are using it then its not, especially in the underdark.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
This is an underrated feat people take for granted. It may be a half feat but for a whole month your DM is your notebook. Anything you rolled Investigation or Perception on you recall with accuracy from the feat. A dying soldier tells you the path how to get out of a collapsing dungeon or you need to infiltrate a prison in hell and you only heard the path once but you'll remember even after lots of combat. It won't be a game breaker but it'll come in handy if you have a tricky DM.