Exploring Character Builds And Feats In D&D 5e: A Comprehensive Guide
When building your character in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, choosing the right feats can dramatically impact your gameplay experience. Today, we'll dive deep into one of the most popular and versatile feats in the game: Fey Touched.
Understanding the Fey Touched Feat
My fae wanderer ranger is about to hit level 4, and I'm thinking the Fey Touched feat would be thematic and useful for my woodland character. This feat offers a perfect blend of utility and flavor that aligns perfectly with a character who has connections to the feywild.
I love Misty Step, but I also get to choose one level 1 spell from either the divination or enchantment school of magic. This flexibility is what makes the Fey Touched feat so appealing to many players. The ability to teleport as a bonus action combined with a free spell from two potent magical schools creates endless possibilities for creative gameplay.
The Fey Touched feat is really good - it's no wonder why so many players consider it one of the best feats available in the game. Let's break down exactly what makes it so powerful.
The Benefits of Fey Touched
It gives a +1 to a mental attribute (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma), on top of giving the Misty Step spell and a level 1 divination or enchantment spell for free. This triple benefit is what elevates Fey Touched above many other feats. You're essentially getting a stat bump, a powerful teleportation spell, and a versatile spell option all in one feat.
For those playing in settings that allow content from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Gift of Alacrity is a 1st level divination spell which you can use to grant anyone in your party an extra action on their turn once per long rest. This can be absolutely game-changing in combat situations, allowing your allies to perform an additional action like attacking, casting a spell, or using an item.
Fey Touched vs. Shadow Touched
I think Fey Touched is a disgusting feat (likely the best published feat in 5e) over Shadow Touched for a few reasons. While Shadow Touched offers similar benefits with the Silvery Barbs spell and a +1 to your choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, the teleportation aspect of Misty Step tends to be more universally useful than the temporary hit points from Healing Word (the free spell from Shadow Touched).
A free use Misty Step will be way more applicable to most situations than a healing spell that requires concentration. Being able to teleport 30 feet as a bonus action can help you escape grapples, cross dangerous terrain, reposition in combat, or reach tactically advantageous positions. This mobility is invaluable for both melee and ranged characters.
Compatibility with Different Classes
D&D 5e (2024) - we can still get bard, paladin, warlock, ranger, and sorcerer spells through Fey Touched? Absolutely! The beauty of this feat is that it works with any class. Whether you're a martial character looking to add some magical utility or a full caster wanting to expand your spell repertoire, Fey Touched delivers value.
The spell you gain from the feat doesn't use your spell slots - you can cast it once per long rest without expending any resources. This means even classes that don't normally get spell slots can benefit from the free spellcasting. For full casters, this essentially gives you an extra spell per long rest in the chosen school.
Practical Applications and Questions
Question about Fey Touched and using Misty Step - edit to add: This post was only intended to clear up an in-game ruling dispute/misunderstanding when I was unable to find an answer searching online. The consensus among most DMs is that Misty Step from Fey Touched follows all the normal rules for teleportation spells, including that you must have line of sight to your destination.
I will take the Fey Touch feat for my 4th level bard. As a bard, the Charisma bump is perfect, and having access to additional enchantment spells synergizes wonderfully with my class features. The extra mobility from Misty Step also helps compensate for a bard's typically lower armor class.
Spell Selection for Different Classes
What would be good choices as extra 1 level spell from the divination or enchantment school of magic, as a bard? (So, a spell I would cast regularly beyond the free casting). For bards specifically, Tasha's Hideous Laughter from enchantment is a fantastic crowd control option that scales well. From divination, Ceremony (if your DM allows it from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount) can be incredibly useful for religious or ceremonial moments in your campaign.
Best spell choices for Fey Touched and Shadow Touched: Bless is definitely one of the top options for Fey Touched, especially for classes that aren't otherwise using their concentration. The +1d4 bonus to attacks and saving throws can significantly impact combat effectiveness for your entire party. Other strong options include Heroism for its guaranteed temporary hit points each turn, or Guiding Bolt for a powerful offensive option.
Addressing Concerns About "Feat Taxes"
But I hesitate to use language like "feat tax" or "suboptimal" in describing characters planning on taking the ability. While Fey Touched is powerful, character building should ultimately be about what's fun for you and your group. If taking this feat enhances your enjoyment of the game, then it's the right choice regardless of its power level.
In the case of Fey Touched feat, you are casting a spell (regardless of whether you used a spell slot or not), so the same rules that apply to normal spellcasting still apply to you. This means you still need to provide verbal, somatic, or material components as required by the spell, unless the feat specifically states otherwise (which it doesn't).
Conclusion
The Fey Touched feat represents one of the most versatile and powerful options available in D&D 5e. Its combination of a stat increase, a bonus teleportation ability, and a free spell from two excellent schools makes it valuable for virtually any character concept or class. Whether you're playing a stealthy rogue who needs an escape plan, a frontline fighter who wants better positioning, or a spellcaster looking to expand their magical repertoire, Fey Touched delivers exceptional value.
As with all character-building decisions in D&D, the most important factor is choosing options that enhance your enjoyment of the game. The Fey Touched feat offers both mechanical power and flavorful connections to the mysterious feywild, making it a compelling choice for characters with a touch of fey magic in their blood.
