The fighter whirls two blades in a fan of defence struggling to counter the precise cuts from the old master’s single blade. The sorcerer twisting magical fire into white blue intensity as the old sage yells in her ear. The ranger whispers the mantra of breathing and releases the arrow that splits his teacher’s perfect shot in two.
Feats and skills – the measure of what your character is good at. Feats are earned by characters from adventure as they gain levels and skills learned in youth become more precise. But not all skills need to be learned from the heat of battle. Some you need a teacher who has mastered the skill and believes in your cause. Sometimes you need a training montage!
Training in core D&D is listed for gaining a Tool proficiency or a Language. This takes 250 days of training at a cost of 1GP per day. Proficiency for skills and gaining feats is mentioned as a possible adventure reward.
This is a simple rule set for characters getting feats and skills from training. It’s expensive, time-consuming and sometimes you might fail.
Training for Skills:
A quick rundown: Gain some passing short term proficiency in a skill. Spend 7days training spending 2gp per day with someone who has that skill and is willing to train you. On completion, you can add your proficiency bonus to that skill the next time you attempt it. Every time after the bonus is halved until it is gone completely. You can regain the bonus by performing the 7 days of training again.
In my wheelhouse: You can train for proficiency in a skill in your class list that you do not already have. This requires someone to train you and takes 250 days and a cost of 2gp per day.
Expanded knowledge: You train to learn a skill that’s completely new to you and not on your class list. This takes 300 days of training at 3GP per day. On completion, you need to pass a series of skill checks with a DC 15 requiring 2 successes before 3 failures. Succeed and you gain proficiency in the skill. Fail then you require another 30 days of training before trying and passing the skill tests again.
Training for Feats
Common feat training: These are the more common feats. Things you would expect to get from hard work, study and dedication. It takes you 250 days of training to achieve and a cost of 2gp per day.
Suggested common feats:
Actor
Athlete
Dungeon Delver
Durable
Healer
Heavily Armored
Heavy Armor Master
Lightly Armored
Linguist
Moderately Armored
Weapon Master
Medium Armor Master
Mounted Combatant
Tavern Brawler
Resilient
Tough
Specialized Training:
These are for feats that give greater combat or play impact. They require intense training and instruction from a mentor.
Suggested Specialized Feats:
Alert
Charger
Crossbow Expert
Defensive Duelist
Dual Wielder
Elemental Adept
Grappler
Great Weapon Master
Inspiring Leader
Keen Mind
Mage Slayer
Magic Initiate
Martial Adept
Mobile
Observant
Polearm Master
Ritual Caster
Savage Attacker
Sentinel
Sharpshooter
Shield Master
Skulker
Spell Sniper
War Caster
Convince the Mentor: First is finding a mentor with the feat who’s willing and able to teach you. They will need convincing. They may require a rare valuable item, an unusual or mundane service to be performed or a favour they can call in.
Work Hard, Train Hard: Perform the 300 days required and cost of 3gp per day then upon completion the mentor tests what you have learned. This will be a series of skill checks with a DC 15 requiring 2 successes before 3 failures. If the feat grants an ability bonus at least one of the checks will be related to that ability score. Otherwise, the tests relate to the unique teaching methods and outlook of the trainer. If the student succeeds they gain the feat. If the student fails, they have to start the training again. They then require another 30 days of training before they can try and pass the skill tests again.
Work Hard and Fast: You put in intense overtime to learn as fast as possible, tripling the cost and increasing the difficulty to learn but taking you half the time, i.e. 150 days. This will be a series of skill checks with a DC 20 requiring 2 successes before 3 failures. If the student succeeds they gain the feat. If the student fails, they have to start the training again. They then require another 30 days of training before they can try and pass the skill tests again.